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It all seemed like a dream, though she knew she'd lived it. Who would have thought a trip to the zoo would transform into such a fantasia of the senses? Not Mason.
In a daydream she replayed the memory of a few evenings before, when she had taken Brutis and gone to see the animals at the zoo. Pleased that it would be open late, since her work had kept her a bit later than intended, she helped the dog into the car and drove to the zoo. Parking, she let him out. Brutis showed a strong desire to sniff around the parking lot - apparently many curious scents were laid there.
Mason never considered that dogs might not be allowed in the zoo; if by chance they were not, she was not made aware. She paid for her ticket and entered. As she walked, the first exhibit to catch her attention was the meerkat colony. The little upright creatures, she saw, had long snouts and dark fur round their eyes making their eyes look large and winsome. Their tiny paws were held in a very human-looking pose. Brutis sniffed the air as Mason paused to read the zoo's meerkat information posted next to their exhibit.
"Meerkats (Suricata Suricatta) are native to the Kalahari Desert in Southern Africa. In the wild they live in colonies of up to 40 individuals, usually a family relationship of a mother, a father, and the rest are their kits, as young meerkats are called. Meerkats are carnivores distantly related to cats and foxes. They make extensive underground burrows in which to live, which can extend over a mile in some cases. Males and females are of like size, and difficult for humans to distinguish by sight. Meerkats can live to about ten years of age.
"The meerkats you see here are a single colony; the parents are four years old and were born in the San Fransisco zoo (father) and Cleveland zoo (mother). They have bred well in captivity as is not common with these creatures. Our exhibit attempts to recreate as many features of their native 'bush' as possible. Please do not attempt to feed or pet the meerkats - they have a vicious bite when they feel their territory is invaded."
Mason smiled as she looked at one meerkat who had hopped up on a tall rock near the front and seemed to be staring right at her, its little paws together like a dog sitting up to beg. As she gazed, entranced, Brutis seemed to tug at the leash. He was staring at a pale blonde woman. Brutis tugged free of Mason's grasp - to her astonishment, as he didn't do such things - and went over to the woman. Mason trailed after him, wonderingly.
As she approached, Mason would swear that the woman was talking to Brutis, and he was answering. The sense of their conversation was so vivid that Mason was not a bit surprised when the woman greeted her with a warm welcome and told her how affectionately Brutis felt about her. Mason apologized, amused, for Brutis's forward behavior, and was met with a look of canine reproach from her pet.
Strangely... the woman spoke in an archaic form as she expressed how glad she was finally to meet Mason. She introduced herself as Lyness, and seemed to already know just who Mason was... ah, Mason understood when Lyness said she knew Lucille. Mason wondered if this woman were a vampire. If so, she was like no other vampire Mason had yet encountered.
Lyness seemed free of the darkness that brought sorrow or cynicism or self-hatred to all the Kindred Mason had previously met. Instead she had a sense of connection to the world that animals dwelt in and humans found in their moments of regression. Mason minded Lucille's constant commentary that animals found her kind frightening and repellent; Lyness surely could not be of their number. Yet, what was she? Some sort of spirit of nature?
Lyness was saying that the zoo held many wonders... and offering to initiate Mason into them. Mason accepted eagerly. She and Brutis accompanied Lyness to the lions' cage, after Lyness bid the meerkats farewell. Lyness whispered to the king of beasts and he answered her quietly; Lyness rubbed against the soft mane of the lion and drew Mason close to do the same. Mason, terrified, fascinated, awed, reached out and petted a lion. His fur was coarse yet soft, cool and textured. She combed it with her fingers gently. Lyness continued to rub and whisper to the lion, who seemed content.
They went next to the ocelot, who was withdrawn... she was lonely and mourning her mate's absence, and would not be petted. Mason felt sympathy for the animal, and hoped her mate was well and would be returned. She considered asking after him at the zoo administration, later.
The final wonder of the night was to see the aviary. Lyness lured her there with a line of poetry... would Mason like to see the rainbow sing? Birds landed on Lyness with pleasure and abandon; Lyness sang one down into Mason's outstretched palm, and a dove onto her shoulder, cooing softly. Mason cooed too, though only in imitation. The feathers were so very soft and warm...
Mason's daydream was interrupted by a whine... Brutis wanted out. She hopped up, smiling peacefully, feeling happy, and snapped on his leash, opening the apartment door and letting her dog lead her out into the morning sunlight.