Humans think of us as big, brutal, lethal killing machines, and maybe we are but then again maybe we aren’t. With midnight black stripes that streak across our fur standing out against the dull orange, we blend into the shadows. Big paws weighed down by sharp, gleaming claws make no sound against the forest floor. A majestic head topped with soft, sensitive ears and electric yellow eyes. We are the tigers, and this is a story about one of our kind doing unheard of things to get her cub back.
I must get my cub out of here I repeatedly thought to myself as I raced through the dense forest. I could hear the monster behind me roaring with energy and crashing through the undergrowth easily. I made a sharp turn to throw the monster off, and then I followed a path to an old den where I could leave my cub until I escaped. I stopped and dropped my cub down the short tunnel leading into the belly of the den. Normally I would stand and fight to protect my cub but my mate was killed trying to defend us from the fur-less apes and their monster, so I fled. I reached the river that cuts across my territory and made a split second decision to cross. Even though I knew the other side of the river is dangerous, I continued. I swam easily across using my wide paws to paddle and maneuver around floating debris. After what felt like a life time I reached the opposite side of the river. I dragged myself out of the river and shook myself to get rid of the water that clung to my fur. I looked back and saw the furless apes standing across the river staring at me. I turned around and happily trotted away from the river into the forest. The furless apes had finally given up trying to capture us. Now I had to go back to get my cub and then we could get on with our lives.
I walked back to the old den to get my cub. I trotted down the path to the den and started digging it up because my paws couldn’t fit through the tunnel. When the whole den was dug up and my cub still wasn’t anywhere to be found, I started to panic. Then I caught the strong scent of the monster as if it was mocking me saying ‘I caught your cub ha, ha.’ I roared in fury. The monster and the furless apes took my cub, my baby! I immediately took off in the direction the smell was coming from. The only thing I cared about now was getting back my cub and saving her from the furless apes. In the distance I heard the monster stop and I ran faster to catch up with it. I suddenly burst through the undergrowth into a small clearing. The monster was sitting in the middle of the clearing and I heard my cub’s distressed cries coming from it. I roared again and started clawing the monster. I heard the furless apes yells. I saw my cub when I heard a big bang and pain suddenly exploded all over one of my front legs. I still kept clawing at the monster, determined to get my cub back and to kill my cub’s captor. I hooked one of my claws gently around my cub and I dragged her out of the mess that used to be the monster. Then I focused on the two furless apes. One of them had a stick in his hand and was pointing it at me. I growled at him and started to advance cautiously, not knowing what the stick did and why he had it. When I got close enough I pounced on him using one leg to easily tear him to shreds. Then, I remembered the other furless ape and looked around for him, planning an even worse death for him but he was gone. I wasn’t going to waste time looking for him so I limped over to my cub. She had a few small cuts but was otherwise okay. I, on the other hand, was covered with cuts, some shallow and some deep. I had a huge bleeding wound one front leg. I started to lick all my wounds to clean them off. When I came to my leg I knew that I would be crippled the rest of my life. I could still raise my precious cub but I wouldn’t be able to hunt big prey anymore and we would have to live off of small animals. All that mattered was that my cub and I were safe and together.
