15 for 15 book for 2011

Savanna

"Look at the gianourmous kitty cat, Daddy!" Ludia jumped and pointed over at the big, knotted pine tree. She began to run over to the magnificent, tan animal with a fluffy mane around its head. "Here, kitty kitty."

Her dad, Lucifer, grabbed her around the waist. "Woa, Baby Girl! That's not a cat. It's a lion. It'll eat you alive!"

"But I wanna pet it. Now!" She flung her arms around and kicked his knees at a rapid pace.

"No, Ludia. I'm not tellin' you again." He put her down and crept closer to it. "I'm gonna see if it can git it to go back through the fog." Lucifer gestured over to the gray mist to the right.

"Daaaaadddddyyyyyy pleeeeeeaseee let me pet it." She poked her lip out and hung her head.

He laughed and shook his head. "Come here, don't tell your Mother. Take my hand, but stay behind me." Lucifer held out his hand.

Ludia's red eyes brightened as she grabbed his hand. They crept closer to the lion. It turn its head and stared at them. The beast stood and stretched. It began to walk. Lucifer stopped dead in his tracks, and Ludia get go of his hand. She ran to the lion.

"Here, lion lion."

"Ludia, no!"

She put her hand out in front of the lion. It opened it's mouth. She glanced behind her, and Lucifer formed a fireball from his palm.

The lion licked her hand.

"Awww, you're so sweet." She pet it on the head. "Daddy, can I keep it? I'll take really good care of it. I promise, cross my heart." She made an x over her chest with her finger.

"How can I say no to my little princess. Let's see if we can get him to go home with us."

"It's not a boy. It's a girl, and I'm gonna name her Savanna."

Lucifer laughed and smiled. "If that don't beat all, a boy named Savanna."