,footpr9ts 9 ! fynbos ,a leop>d 9 ! ,cape ,m.ta9s goes hunt+444 = a fr4 ,pr9t$ 9 ,,ubc ,5gli% by ! ,pione] ,pr9t]s ,p4,o4 ,box #iid ,worce/] #fhdi ,,rsa #bjba ,? ,brl book 0 cr1t$ by ! ,cape ,leop>d ,tru/ 9 "pn]%ip ) ! publi%] ,*ameleon books1 ! au?or ,liza ;,m ,r\x & illu/rator ,judy ,m>^/e4 ,? ,brl project 0 made possible by ! ,oak ,f.da;n4 #c ,leeto leop>d bl9ks 8 eyes1 yawns & lazily rolls ov]4 ,!n he sudd5ly rememb]s444 ,x's 8 f/ "d on 8 [n4 ,ye/]"d 8 mom told hm he's old 5 to make 8 [n life 9 ! fynbos4 ,leeto's feel+ brave & r1dy to face ! _w1 b he's l;g+ = a fr4 ,leeto jumps to 8 feet4 8,i c d ?10 he says1 8b f/1 ,i ne$ to g hunt+444 = a fr40 ,frankie ! francol9 ne>ly twi/s 8 legs z he jumps to fly t[>ds ,g]ald ! gu91f[l4 ,frankie 0 busy scrat*+ 9 ! soil 2l ! fynbos :5 he he>d ,leeto say+ he ne$$ to g hunt+4 ,9 8 f"r1 he made s* a noise t he didn't he> ,leeto say+ t td he isn't hunt+ = food1 b = a fr4 ,frankie is worri$ t if !y don't hurry1 !y'll all 2come leop>d food4 ,he flaps 8 w+s melodramatically & %\ts at ,g]ald & 8 family3 8,leop>d on ! hunt1 tell "ey"o6 ,leop>d on ! hunt1 tell "ey"o60 ,)9 seconds1 ! :ole flock scatt]s4 ,leeto he>s ! francol9 & gu91f[ls1 b h1ds 9 ! opposite direc;n1 t[>ds ! m.ta9s1 to look = a fr4 ,he's sure %e'll 2 "h "s":4 ,he takes a big br1? ( ! fre% m.ta9 air & eag]ly paces ah1d4 ,leeto notices t9y tracks 9 ! s&4 ,9trigu$1 he />ts foll[+ !m4 ,a ll animal runs ah1d ( hm & 9to a n>r[ tunnel "ugr.d4 ,x's a field m\se t qkly scurries away1 2c he ?9ks he's 2+ hunt$4 ,leeto wr9kles 8 :isk]s ?"\;lly & 3t9ues 8 mis.n to f9d a fr4 ,"s?+ sudd5ly fla%es 9 front ( ,leeto4 ,he looks up full ( hope4 ,cd x 2 a fr8 ,2f he c ev5 make \ :at x is1 x 4appe>s \ ( sid to look at ! small footpr9ts 9 ! s&4 8,duik]60 he says to hmf1 !n 3t9ues mak+ 8 way hi<] up ! m.ta91 8 tail curl+ 3fid5tly upw>ds z he walks4 ,!n1 unexpect$ly1 ,leeto sees a vague catlike %ape up ah1d4 ,he holds 8 br1? 9 #e anticipa;n4 8,t is def9itely a cat10 he ?9ks4 8,cd x 2 ano!r leop>d80 ,c>e;lly1 he />ts foll[+ x4 ,he alm c't 3ta9 8 excite;t4 ,)\t w>n+1 ! animal sp9s >.d ) a vici\s sn>l4 ,x's ,katie1 ! c>acal4 ,he %d h "kn :5 he saw t %ort tail & po9ty e>s4 ,bo? ,leeto & ,katie freeze 9 _! tracks4 ,x feels l "t is /&+ / :ile !y />e at ea* o!r444 ,katie backs (f f/1 b n )\t ano!r angry gr[l4 ,leeto gasps = air z he recov]s f ! f"r4 ,:5 8 br1?+ returns to normal1 he 3t9ues to se>* = a fr4 ,! gr.d 2comes /oni] & rocki] z he walks4 ,he looks up at a b\ld] :5 he he>s a %rill b>k+ s.d4 ,on cool morn+s s* z td1 rock hyraxes l to sit 9 ! sun 2f !y />t look+ = food4 ,n[ !y >e no": to 2 se54 ,! only sign ( !m >e small r.di% dropp+s on top ( ! cli6s4 8,": cd !y be80 ,leeto wond]s to hmf4 ,hi<] & hi<] up 9 ! m.ta9s he goes4 ,a %ape on a rock cat*es 8 eye4 ,he />es at x 9t5tly & 8 spott$ tail twit*es4 ,a klipspr+] is /&+ on a rocky \tcrop4 ,he looks at ,leeto cauti\sly & !n sudd5ly scatt]s4 ,) a few skill$ jumps1 ! klipspr+] is g"o4 ,leeto sees "s /eep cli6s ah1d4 ,he c explore ! /ret* up to ! cli6s1 b !n he w h to make 8 way d[n ag4 ,leeto sid1 :o is miss+ "o ( 8 back paws4 ,he limps "r up to ,leeto4 8,>e y go+ d[n "!1 "y fella80 ,he asks4 ,leeto nods4 ,simon %[s hm ! /ump ": a paw us$ to be4 8,i ne>ly got kill$ by a wire sn>e4 ,if x wasn't = a k9d field rang] :o rescu$ me1 nurs$ me back to h1l? & rel1s$ me back "h 9 ! m.ta91 ,i don't "k :at wd h happ5$444 ,wat* ": y walk60 ,& #g ) a flick ( 8 tail1 ,simon l1ves4 ,leeto walks d[nhill m cauti\sly ?an 2f1 c>e;lly wat*+ 8 /ep4 ,he he>s a rattle & "s"o %\t+1 8,hey60 ,he /ops 9 8 tracks4 ,x's ,p]cy porcup9e1 :o got a huge f"r4 ,he 0 /&+ 9 ! middle ( ! pa? ) 8 back t[>ds ,leeto ,- quills quiv]+ 9 fe> & po9t+ 9 all direc;ns4 ,leeto "ks j h[ %>p ! 5ds ( ^? quills >e 2c he's _h a few porcup9e 5c.t]s ) 8 mom4 ,he's def9itely n 9 ! mood = t td1 & 2ss1 he c't wa/e "t z he ne$s to f9d a fr4 ,he swiftly jumps onto a l[-hang+ tree bran* & ov] ! porcup9e to 3t9ue on 8 j\rney4 ,leeto /rolls d[n t[>ds a field ": he sees "s /range animals 9 ! 4t.e4 8,:at >e ^?80 he wond]s to hmf z he climbs ov] a f;e )\t ?9k+4 8,baa6660 ,!y're %eep4 ,a dog />ts b>k+4 ,leeto panics ,- ? m1ns dang]6 ,f"r5$1 he turns >.d qkly & ru%es 9to ! f;e4 ,he %akes 8 h1d to recov] & ) a p[];l jump1 l1ps ov] ! f;e & hides quietly 9 ! bu%es until he's sure ! ,anatolian %eph]d dog is g"o4 8,phew10 he quietly br1!s a si< ( relief4 ,t 0 close6 ,8 mom taums >e n safe places to g4 ,he m/'ve got 4tract$444 8,:5 w ,i f9d a fr80 ,leeto wond]s4 ,he sudd5ly feels r1lly tir$4 ,x's be5 q an ev5t;l "d & ! sun is v hot4 ,leeto spots a rocky \tcrop & decides to re/ = a :ile4 ,z he crosses a pat* ( grass to look = a %ady spot1 he he>s a sudd5 hiss4 ,"ey?+ happ5s v fa/4 ,he backtracks & 9/9ctively sn>ls z a b"r yell[ snake re>s up"r & spr1ds xs broad hood4 ,= a few seconds1 !y gl>e at ea* o!r4 8,y gave me a fff444fff444f"r6 ,i'll fff444 fff444f9d ano!r place4440 ,c&y ! ,cape cobra hisses4 ,%e sl[ly l[]s h] h1d & sli!rs (f 9to ! tall grass4 ,leeto rubs 8 side ag/ ! rockface1 ne/les 9 a corn] & dozes (f p1ce;lly4 ,he only wakes up a few h\rs lat]4 ,/ sleepy1 he notices ! swift move;t ( an eagle abv hm4 ,! raptor's %ad[ passes #i ov] hm1 foll[$ by a l\d commo;n 2h hm4 8,we ne$ to hide4 ,move1 move1 move1 come-on move60 "s"o yells f ! ov]hang+ rock4 ,"s?+ falls onto 8 back & !n l&s "r next to hm4 ,leeto _c 2lieve 8 eyes4 8,w[60 he exclaims4 ,x's an >madillo girdl$ liz>d1 roll$ 9to a ll ball1 bit+ xs [n tail to protect xf4 ,"ey"o 9 ! m.ta9s "ks ab ^! special animals4 8,hi1 :at an hon\r to meet s* a r>ely se5 animal4 ,i'm ,leeto1 by ! way10 ,leeto 9troduces hmf & smiles4 ,! liz>d looks w>ily at hm & sl[ly rel1ses ! grip on 8 tail4 8,= a second ,i ?"\ y 7 a m;goose ab to eat me4 ,i'm ,goldy1 & x's n e "d "o gets to meet a leop>d 9 ! ,cape ,m.ta9s60 ,"o by "o1 ,goldy's family memb]s />t popp+ \ f cracks 2t ! rocks ": !y _h be5 hid+4 ,!y >e v ke5 to take a clos] look at _! unexpect$ gue/4 ,leeto w alw rememb] ? special mo;t1 b n[ he ne$s to 3t9ue on 8 j\rney 9 se>* ( a fr4 ,leeto is n[ wide awake & />ts walk+ ag4 ,he sudd5ly 2comes aw>e ( a /range smell 9 ! air4 ,he looks up1 notic+ ! air is hazy ) smoke4 ,fire6 ,a "p ( ! m.ta9 is sm\ld]+ & a fire is spr1d+ 9 8 direc;n4 ,he "ks ! import.e ( fire = ! fynbos ": he lives1 b he c]ta9ly doesn't want to get cau.d & />ts runn+1 n /opp+ until he's sure he's safe4 ,he r1*es a fre%wat] /r1m ": he cat*es 8 br1? & ?ir/ily laps up ! cool wat]4 ,) 8 ?ir/ f9ally qu5*$1 he notices ano!r animal at ! wat]4 ,x's ,l>ry ! leop>d tortoise1 p1ce;lly mun*+ on a fl[]4 8,hey ,l>ry1 y look s relax$4 ,don't y "k ab ! fire80 ,leeto asks4 ,l>ry looks up sl[ly1 8,x's n a problem4 ,if x's a qk fire1 ,i c simply retract my h1d & legs 9to my %ell & wait x \4 ,i w survive40 ,leeto is v impress$4 ,l>ry is lucky to h a %ell4 8,well okay ,l>ry1 ,i'm (f ag1 to look = #aa a fr60 ,leeto is j a few metres f ! wat] :5 he sees leop>d footpr9ts4 ,? "t he "ks = sure6 ,he />ts foll[+ ! pawpr9ts 9 ! s&1 b :at is t sc5t8 ,he lifts 8 nose to sniff ! breeze & at ! same "t notices claw m>ks on a ne>by tree4 ,? is a gd sign & 8 he>t />ts p.d+ 9 8 *e/4 ,cd x 2 ! fr he's be5 look+ = all al;g8 ,b ": is %e n[8 ,! trail ( footpr9ts sudd5ly /ops4 ,leeto is feel+ r1lly 4appo9t$4 ,%e's g"o4 ,z he /&s at ! base ( ! scrat*$ tree1 a ?"\ sudd5ly dawns on hm4 ,:at if %e climb$ ! tree8 ,:5 he looks up 9to ! bran*es1 he cat*es si spott$ patt]n6 ,l>a leop>d grace;lly jumps d[n & s(tly l&s next to ,leeto4 8,hello10 %e says1 smil+ %yly :ile batt+ h] eyela%es & lift+ h] tail4 ,he takes a /ep clos] & _! noses t\* 9 a frly greet+4 ,f9ally1 ,leeto has f.d 8 fr6