Just Imagine...

Catch a Tiger

It had been a while since Sam had felt an evening this warm. In Cardiff, the only time the temperature was suitable for an evening outside was in the summer, but here at Harmony Palace you could stay in the yard long past sundown and still feel the heat of the day any time of year.
The sky was golden as the sun sank into the sea, and Sam was lying down in the tall grass with Zephyr next to her, on her back as Sam rubbed the soft, white fur on the tiger's belly.
Owen, Gwen, and Rhys were inside playing pool, Jay was upstairs washing the dishes, the kids had gone to bed, and Jack, Ianto, and Tosh were on the deck watching Sam and Zephyr rolling around between the wildflowers.
All was right with the world.
Zephyr lazily rolled onto her side and batted at Sam with her paws, claws sheathed. Sam swatted back, tapping the tiger's big pink nose. Zephyr chuffed in response and quickly sat up, flicking her ears. Sam could tell by the sparkle in her peridot green eyes what she had in mind, and she grinned.
"Go for it, then." Sam murmured, and Zephyr took off running across the yard, Sam waiting only a couple seconds to chase after her.
She could hear Jack, Ianto, and Tosh cheering and laughing from the porch as the yard became a blur. Sam dropped down on all fours so she was running like a tiger, bounding through the tall grass after Zephyr's flicking tail. Over the garden wall, crashing through island rose bushes and under golden night flower trees, both of them sneezing as yellow and pink petals rained down on them. Then into the fountain, startling koi and frogs and dragonflies into fleeing as they both got soaked. Zephyr ran up the hill and Sam followed her, now on two legs, laughing and panting as her heart thundered in her ears and a stitch began to form in her side. They turned at the same moment, tumbling back down the slope before Zephyr leaped back to her paws and made for the garden again. Sam was still pursuing, climbing up onto the stone terrace and leaping onto the tiger's back from above. Zephyr roared in surprise as Sam tackled her to the ground, rubbing her belly again and scratching her around the jawline. Zephyr responded with another chuff and a slow blink as the two of them caught their breaths.
"That was amazing, Sam!" Tosh exclaimed, and Sam grinned at her.
"Guess she's not the queen of the jungle after all," Ianto chuckled, "Sam is."
"Nah," Sam laughed, sitting back and allowing Zephyr to get up, "Zephyr will always be the queen. She knows that better than anyone."
"Well you'll always be the queen to us, Mom." Jack murmured, and Sam's smile widened.
"Thanks, Jacksie." She murmured.