The Tiger Within

Kyera laid at the top of the rocks basking in the sunlight . It had been a few days since her capture now, but her wounds were still healing . The sound of the waterfall below her was relaxing . There had been few animals out this way or humans either, so she had rested well in peace .

Advertis.e.m.e.ntShe heard little footsteps long before she saw the child totter into the clearing on the pool bank . At first, Kyera ignored it, laying in the sun fairly sure the humans couldn"t see her up here . Even if they could, the blasted collar should ensure they left her be .

The trappers had put a magic contract on her, despite every bit of magical and physical protest Kyera had been able to muster . As if that wasn"t humiliating enough, they put a shiny new collar on her and brought her here . The leather smelled like deer pelt at least, not a wolf or tiger coat . It felt suffocating as the power of the spell gathered in the stone at the throat . Its magic clashed with the magic of her Shadow Stone, weakening the contract just a bit, making it more comfortable for Kyera, though still annoying .

They had moved her after that Prince had taken the body of that little wolf away . Put her in a cage and carried her here on the backs of 3 oxen . She hated every moment of if, being gawked at in the streets . Not only was she a tiger, a beast most commoners never saw much of or lived to tell the tales of, she was different . With white fur streaked with the silver rather than the black . So many commoners stared and she couldn"t blame them . She was a rarity and she knew it . However, so did her captors . She could blame them, and she did . Bluntly showing her off like that when they could have draped the cage with cloth . They had taken her this place . The "Garden of Serenity" Kyera had read on the gate . How serene could a place be for those who were trapped here?

She was drawn from her thoughts by the realization that there was silence down below . With a bit of effort and a soft groan Kyera turned onto her stomach again and glanced down . She almost couldn"t believe her eyes . It was her little Princess again .

"No wonder the garden was so grand, it must be attached to the royal palace!" Kyera realized as she sat up and looked around . She sighed "why does it look like the child is alone . Again?" after studying her for a moment Kyera stood and began to carefully climb her way down . "and crying too . Why do I keep finding her like this?" Kyera wondered as she leapt the last few feet to the gra.s.s . She jolted slightly at the pain in her shoulder . Her heart quivered for a moment as she worried after Talis, who had taken most the damage of that collision .

The child had sat down on the gra.s.s by the water, wiping her little eyes with the sleeves of her dress . "Daddy . . " she whimpered softly and Kyera"s heart broke for the little lost child . She was so engrossed in her fear, Raina never noticed the Tigress approach . Kyera walked forward lowering her head to try and look at the little one"s face . The cloth draped there was concerning . Why was she hiding behind it?

Realizing she didn"t see her yet, Kyera stopped and chuffed softly to get her attention . The child looked up in shock, and then the fear set in . To Kyera"s surprise the little girl tried to stand but fell back onto her back and tried to scramble back . There was true fear in her eyes, and her breathing was quick, she reeked of terror that completely baffled the tigress . They knew each other, why was she behaving as if Kyera was a monster . Then she saw the tigress face reflected in the child"s eyes .