Fighting For Them ☑️

Circle of Life

As the officer secured the people I ran up to the cages in search for Ryuu. I had to see him. He had't left my mind since I left him to face Antonio's wrath on his own. I found all of the animals there like they normally would be, except Ryuu. My heart skipped a beat once I noticed.

I stormed towards Derek who was talking to one of the officers. "Where is he? Where's Ryuu?"

"Who?"

"Smokey, where is Smokey." Derek shook his head.

"I don't know. When I asked Jerry about it before he wouldn't tell me. Something about him being sick. I think they kept him in the back tent though. I saw Jerry and a few others coming from there before feeding time." I quickly thanked him before rushing to the back tents.

There was a reason the back tent was hardly used. One, it was at the farthest possible point from everything else. Two, it was old and tattered with holes in it making it terrible cover. And three, the only things that ever went back there was any old equipment and cages that were too old and needed to be sold off later. Holding an animal there, where there was little cover and no equipment to care of them, made no sense unless they wanted to get rid of them quietly.

I could't find Ryuu at first. Frantically I search the area for him but I couldn't find him. I got worried that Derek was wrong and Ryuu wasn't here. Something bad had to have happened for him not to be here. Antonio could have ki- no I wasn't going to think that.

Just as my hope started to die I noticed the edge of a cage buried under all the equipment. Quickly without noticing the cuts and scrapes the old rusted equipment caused I dug my way to the center. I was right it was a cage. And someone had tried really hard to make it look like it wasn't there.

Ryuu was there. He was laying on his side in the center of the rusted thing. Normally he could have knocked the bars right out of their sockets if he wanted to. One touch and the thing looks ready to collapse but he was just laying there. His chest rose and fell heavily. He didn't move not even after all the racket I caused.

Quickly I pulled the side bars off until the tope of the cage was hanging dangerously. Then with one hard pull the top of the cage came off and he rest of the bars clattered to the floor. I stepped around them and went to Ryuu.

I fell to my knees next to him as I bit back tears. He wasn't okay. His coat was covered in blood and fresh wounds, more then when I last saw him. He was breathing heavily and it didn't seem he could move as he laid there with his eyes closed.

"Oh Ryuu. I'm so so sorry." I cried as I gently laid my hand over the wounds.

Don't cry young one. He breathed out. I jumped not expecting him up. He chuckled lightly before pain racked his body.

"It's my fault. I shouldn't have to left you. I should have stop Antonio but I ran away instead. Now look at you."

He lifted his head slightly and looked at me intently. It's not your fault. It could never be your fault. If it's my time it's my time. Life goes one, young one, don't let this stop you.

"Don't talk like that. Your going to be fine. There's someone here that can help you. You'll be okay. I'll go get him and then you'd be fine." I went to move but Ryuu put his paw on my leg. I froze not wanting to cause him anymore pain. I looked at him.

Don't.

"But-"

Look at me little one. I am blind. My body is broken. I am weak, defenseless.

"You are not weak." I shouted cutting him off. He gave me a look and I went quiet.

This is no way for a tiger to live. This is no way for me to live. Let me go.

"Please Ryuu. You can't ask me to do that. I can't loose someone else." Tears were now trailing down my cheeks. "Please let me get help."

Kay- he stopped abruptly. His head came off the floor again just enough so he could move around. I noticed his ears twitching like he could hear something.

"What is it Ryuu?" I whispered as I tried to hear what he was hearing.

There's someone here. He stated as he tried to listen more carefully. I strained my ears but I couldn't hear anything.

"Are you sure?" Just as I asked I heard something. Like metal hitting against its self. Ryuu snapped his head towards me.

Kay!  he warned. I jumped and went to turn around.

Hands grabbed be and pulled me back before I could. I went to scream but a hand smacked me across the face silencing my protest. Stunned I looked up to see Antonio glaring at me with a fire in his eyes.

"You!" he snarled. I shrunk back at his tone. "You've done it now." he stepped up towards me. I kicked out at him forcing him back. His hand caught my leg and he pulled me towards him. Using my other foot I kicked him between his legs. He yelled out as he crumpled to the floor. I scrambled to get to my feet.

Something clicked behind me making me freeze. I had heard that sound before, when Nadie was killed. Slowly I turned around with my hands raised. I licked my dry lips as I stared at the end of the same revolver that had killed Nadie.

"You just had to open your mouth didn't you?" Jerry stated. I didn't reply. "Now the police are here threatening this show and everything I've build. All that work for nothing because some little animal activist couldn't mind her own business ." I took cautious steps back.

"You've ruined everything. Now I'm going to ruin you." He pulled back the hammer of the gun.

I closed my eyes as the shot rang out.

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"Life is a circle. The end of one journey is the beginning of the next."

-----------------------Joseph M. Marshall