Hunted- Old and unedited!

Four

After hours of this torture the man left the cage. The old man placed down the bucket of meat and looked at Kayan with sympathy.

“I’m sorry for my brother’s actions. Please don’t blame him. Amala asked me to take care of you so I snuck in some extra meat. Good luck Kayan, you’ll need it.” With that the man left, leaving the injured tiger to eat in silence. Kayan finished his meal quickly, he could still feel hunger which made him scared to think of how much meat it was without extra. He looked at his fur and began to clean his wounds. He had received three large cuts and the rest of his injuries were petty and unnoticeable. He knew he had to escape soon before he lost his strength but it seemed hopeless. He rested his aching muscles on the freezing concrete floor. He had never slept on something so hard and he couldn’t get comfortable. He needed sleep if he wanted to survive his ordeal. Finally he managed to close his eyes and drift away but it didn’t help the fact that he was shivering violently.

 Amala woke the frightened tiger late in the morning. She did this by running into his dungeon and telling him all about the night before. Kayan was no fool and he realized nearly immediately that Amala could help him get out. He didn’t understand why she treated him so affectionately but that was at the back of his mind.

“Daddy said that I can take you outside! And we can play and I’ll introduce you to my friends and then we can have lunch! I asked chef to bring a whole raw salmon for you. You’ll love it!” She continued to roll words off of her tongue gaining speed and losing clarity. Kayan just stopped listening and pressed his maw through the iron bars. Amala stroked his nose with her hand and began to lean in and rub his chin despite her father’s warning. “Good boy.” She said with so much adoration in her voice that Kayan let out a soft purr.

“Amala! What are you DOING!?” A man roared. Kayan leapt backwards, entangling himself in the chain as he did so. Kayan looked and saw that it was the old man from the previous day.

Amala sighed with relief. “Uncle, I thought you were father!” The man smiled gently.

“You’re very lucky I’m not, now don’t let him catch you stroking that beast.”

“He isn’t a beast, he’s my tiger.” She said with pride.

“Your tiger?” The man said raising his eyebrows slightly, “Does your father know he’s your tiger?”

“Well, not yet, but he will.” The man chuckled quietly.

Kayan suspected that the old man was a kind man at heart. Kayan moved towards the pair and let out a small chuff of inquiry. Laughing harder the man grinned.

“Call me uncle, Kayan, for you are definitely a keeper.” He winked at Kayan who in turn growled quietly.

 “You mean father’s keeping him?” Amala said with excitement.

“Only if he does well.”

“I just know he will!” At that Amala exited the chamber. He old man lingered behind and said something he had not wished to say in front of his niece.

“You will be fighting many adversaries tomorrow, including your own limitations. Be prepared Kayan, and win for Amala.”

Kayan knew the importance of the man’s words. He had to win or he’d die, and that would crush Amala. Kayan lay down and waited for Amala to return. He heard footsteps approaching and didn’t raise his head, he was thinking of all the fun they’d have together that afternoon. He heard Amala chirping away to someone else and he then rose lazily from his resting place. The adolescent he’d seen the day before was standing there too. He held his keys and a twisted metal object attached to leather fixings. He had no clue what it was but seeing Amala he knew it wouldn’t be very painful. The boy unlocked the door and grabbed the collar around Kayan’s neck. He used the keys to unlock it then he yanked the object off. He lifted his other hand and secured the thing onto Kayan. The word came to him from Sapienti. Mussel. He was wearing a mussel.

Kayan growled deep in his throat and thrashed his head from side to side attempting to hurl the disgusting thing away from him. Snarling and clawing at it he worked himself into a sweat.

 “Stop it Ketut! Can’t you see you’re hurting him?” Amala said in much distress.

“Your father made it very clear he had to wear a mussel Amala. If he bites someone he will be killed. Do you really want that?” Amala turned away and then looked at Kayan with sadness.

“Come here Kayan.” She said extending her hand towards the tiger. Kayan pushed past Ketut purposefully shoving him against the wall and feeling satisfied when he heard him yowl in pain.