Post History

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/19217
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I am writing a book about lions and other African predators. The main focus in the one I am working on is lions, but I do quite often refer to 2 big cats that aren't lions. Those are cheetahs and leopards. I'm worried about the reader confusing these big cats with each other.

When Duma (who is a cheetah) gets scared by a leopard, Anapumua Moto (my main lion character) tells him that it is one of his friends, I want the reader to know that Bella (Anapumua Moto's leopard friend if you haven't guessed) is climbing down as Anapumua Moto is telling Duma not to worry about the leopard. How should I go about telling this story while keeping the points of view clear?

Here is the part that refers to the leopard:

> He followed Duma towards a nomadic lioness.
> 
> Duma said "Look out! A Leopard!"
> 
> Anapumua Moto said "Oh, it's Bella, one of my friends."
> 
> Bella asked "Why are you following Duma? Aren't you supposed to be roaring and listening for lionesses?"
> 
> Anapumua Moto said "Duma knows of a friendly nomadic lioness. He met her when he was a cub. So I have been following him to this lioness. He will even hunt for me if I get hungry."
> 
> Bella said "He will get tired so easily. Why don't you let me hunt for you? I am after all the princess of stealth."
> 
> Anapumua Moto said "Okay. So Duma will navigate me, you will hunt for me, and then when I find her I will know whether she will be friendly to me or not."
> 
> Bella said "Exactly."
> 
> So Bella and Anapumua Moto traveled side by side.

Original score: 0