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“So’lek! Get to HQ, now! We need your help!” Priya’s desperate voice crackled through the comms. So’lek, who was busy maintaining his weapons at the camp, immediately dropped what he was doing and raced back to headquarters.
Flying, he called out, “Priya, what’s going on?”Priya stammered, refusing to give details, only repeating, “Just don’t worry about it—come as fast as you can.”
By the time So’lek arrived, HQ was total chaos. Even from outside, he could see the mess inside. After finally venting the air from the pressure valves, the doors swung open, and Priya immediately dragged him toward Ri’nela.
“Temtay! Let go of Teylan’s ears! Give him back his hat!” Ri’nela’s panicked voice rang out from across the room. In the section of the base reserved for Navii, Temtay had pinned Teylan down, and Ri’nela stood helplessly by, unsure how to intervene.
So’lek noticed that the humans, who normally populated the base, were now scuttling around like frightened rats, hiding under tables and inside cabinets. Jin crouched under a chair, hands clasped in apology toward So’lek. Priya explained that after Temtay had sampled Jin’s “premium steak,” he’d started hallucinating—grabbing humans all over the place, tossing them in the air to see if the “hairless cats” would land on their feet.
Once the humans hid, Temtay moved on to Sarintumen. They had stolen Teylan’s hat and was now examining his ears.
So’lek sighed deeply. Humans were a nonstop source of trouble, and calming an energetic Temtay was no small feat.
He waved to Ri’nela, then lifted Temtay off Teylan, snatching Teylan’s hat along the way and plopping it back on his head. Teylan’s eyes welled with tears as he looked at So’lek, and with Ri’nela’s help, he escaped Temtay’s clutches.
“Temtay? Wake up… do you remember me?” So’lek held Temtay, who was still trying to bother Teylan, gently turning him to face him.
“Hehe… such a big leopard,” Temtay murmured, his eyes fixed on a blue leopard staring at him with shiny golden eyes. Temtay clambered over So’lek, poking and prodding, making So’lek’s ears turn red.
Temtay was amazed to discover that whenever he touched the blue leopard’s head, it purred happily. So he buried his face into the leopard’s belly, listening to the purrs and drifting off to sleep.
A strange scene unfolded in the base: Temtay clutched So’lek’s hair tightly, head resting on his chest, sleeping soundly, while So’lek helplessly adjusted his hold to make him more comfortable.
After a while, Temtay woke up groggily, realizing he’d fallen asleep hugging So’lek. He quickly released his grip, sat up straight, and met So’lek’s gaze.
“You’re finally awake,” So’lek said, stretching his sore shoulders while observing Temtay. His eyes no longer wandered aimlessly, now darting nervously from side to side.
“So’lek… I thought I was hugging a leopard…” Temtay confessed sheepishly, blaming Jin for insisting he try the “steak.” Something in the seasoning had caused everyone to look like felines in his hallucination.
“What’s a leopard?” So’lek asked curiously. He knew Temtay had been acting strange, but clearly a “leopard” wasn’t native to Pandora.
“I know! A leopard is a furry feline from Earth, kind of like a long-haired version of a viperwolf,” Teylan said cautiously, pressing a hand over his hat.
“Temtay, I was really worried about you.” So’lek circled him. Even though Temtay had just snatched Teylan’s precious hat, the youngest of the Sarintumen still worried about his health.
“Teylan, I’m sorry. I’m okay now,” Temtay sincerely apologized to his little brother, though his eyes drifted toward Teylan’s ears, causing them to twitch nervously.
Seeing Temtay unharmed, So’lek prepared to head back to camp. Temtay followed closely behind like a young cub.
At the Ikaran landing pad, So’lek looked at the little shadow following him and sighed. Temtay shyly made a request, hoping to sleep beside him again.
“You’re not a child anymore, Sarintumen,” So’lek said, stroking I’rey while Temtay hopped onto his lap first.
“Please, So’lek… this is honestly the most comfortable I’ve ever slept,” Temtay said.
So’lek sighed, knowing there was no changing his mind.
“When we get back to camp, you have to show me what a leopard looks like,” he said, holding up Kuru and flicking Temtay’s braid before connecting with I’rey.