by Amber Jacobs
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? and what dread feet?
—“The Tyger” by William Blake
Ashley was startled awake when something pressed hard against her mouth, her eyes flashing open with momentary panic at the feeling of being smothered. She calmed quickly when she found intense, cobalt eyes staring down at her and saw the familiar mane of tangled, ebony braids silhouetted against the dim, predawn light. As soon as she relaxed, the hand covering her mouth was removed and she sat up, pulling the sleeping bag tighter against her chest, self-conscious despite the fact that the darkness hid her nudity somewhat.
“Leandra? What are you doing here?” Ashley glanced to the side, where the phosphorescent glow of her wristwatch revealed the early hour. “It’s not even four o’clock,” she exclaimed, annoyed at the interruption to her sleep.
“Shhh.” Leandra put a finger to her lips, her eyes darting around. “Be quiet. You’ll wake the others.”
“So?” Noticing the strange look in her friend’s eyes, Ashley sat up straighter. “Is something wrong?” she asked, her annoyance replaced with concern. “Are you okay?”
“Fine. I just need you to come with me now.”
“Why?”
Leandra shook her head. “I can’t say. You just have to trust me. Please?”
Ashley studied the tension in Leandra’s dimly visible features, and her natural curiosity was piqued by this decidedly unusual visit. “You can’t say where we’re going?”
Again, Leandra shook her head. “We need to hurry.”
“It can’t wait until morning?”
“No. Please, I promise, if you just come with me now, it’ll be worth it for you.”
Ashley pushed her disheveled hair from her face. “How long will we be gone?”
“All day.”
“I’ll have to tell Grady. He’ll be worried.”
“No!” Leandra’s eyes flashed in the darkness like quicksilver. “The others can’t know where we’re going.”
Ashley hesitated, knowing what would happen if she took off without telling her partner. “Look,” she reasoned, “if Grady wakes up and finds me gone, he’ll get Tarun and come looking for me. Can I at least leave a note?”
Leandra considered, then nodded in concession. “Fine. But be quick. I’ll meet you outside.” With that, she turned and disappeared silently into the shadows outside.
Left alone, Ashley quickly got dressed and pulled on her hiking boots. Tearing a blank page from her notebook, she scribbled a quick message for Grady, explaining that she was with Leandra and that she would return when she was ready. Since she didn’t know for sure how long she would be gone, Ashley made certain that the note made it clear she would be safe, and that she didn’t want Grady trying to come “rescue” her. Leaving the note placed prominently on her sleeping bag, she grabbed her camera and ventured out into the darkness.
Wandering to the edge of the jungle, it didn’t take long for Ashley to rejoin her friend. Leandra moved through the night with liquid grace, silent as a wraith. The full moon revealed the shadowy stripes across her form, faded now but still effective camouflage, and her steely eyes flicked to the camera around Ashley’s neck. Her lips pursed in consideration, and Ashley saw indecision in the expressive face.
“I can leave it,” she offered, her curiosity now fully wakened.
Leandra tilted her head to the side, then waved her hand. “It’s okay. But promise me that any photos you take stay private. You won’t use them for your magazine, only for yourself and those you trust.”
“I promise,” Ashley agreed without hesitation, realizing that whatever Leandra wanted to show her must be very special, to warrant this kind of secrecy.
“Come,” Leandra gestured to the jungle, indicating a narrow trail mostly hidden by dense foliage. “It’s a long hike to where we need to get to, and we have to hurry.”
“Is it safe?” Ashley eyed the darkness with proper caution, knowing that this was hunting time for the jungle predators.
Leandra smiled mysteriously. “Just stay close to me,” she whispered. “Nothing will bother us.”
Together, the two women made their way through the forest. Ashley followed close behind the dim figure of her friend and tried not to trip over the exposed roots and fallen tree limbs that crossed the path. Again, she found herself wishing for even half the stealth and ease of motion displayed by the taller woman, and not a little envious of how easily Leandra moved over the often deceptive terrain. As the sun started to lighten the horizon to a rosy hue, the way became easier and Leandra quickened the pace. It wasn’t long before Ashley was asking for a break, already tired and starting to feel a little grumpy despite the exciting adventure. She hated being woken before she was ready, and her body was protesting the early start to the day.
“Where are we going?” she grumbled when they paused to rest a few minutes. “Can you at least give me a clue?”
“A secret place,” Leandra replied shortly. She stood impatiently, looking into the shadowy darkness and listening to the animal calls all around them. “We have to hurry. Come on.”
Ashley groaned and rolled her eyes. Her calves were killing her. “When I get home, I’m joining a gym.”
By the time the sun peeked over the distant mountains, Ashley was breathing hard and rubbing a stitch in her side. They were now farther from the camp than they’d ever been together, and Ashley looked around curiously as Leandra slowed their pace and signaled for absolute silence. The jungle was especially dense here; the dew hung heavy in the air, and everything smelled moist and earthy.
Leandra knelt to study a vague print in the soil, then smiled and waved for Ashley to join her on the ground. She looked seriously into Ashley’s wide dark eyes, leaning close to whisper in her ear. “Do you trust me?”
Ashley nodded immediately. “Of course.”
“With your life?”
Something in her tone made Ashley pause before she answered, and she considered gravely before nodding again. “With my life.”
“Promise me that this stays a secret,” Leandra whispered.
“I promise.” Ashley wasn’t sure what this was about, but her nerves were tingling with excitement and she gave her word easily.
“Good.” Leandra got on all fours and motioned for Ashley to mimic her. Feeling slightly ridiculous, she did so. “Do exactly what I say, when I say it,” Leandra instructed softly. “Don’t run. Don’t make any threatening gestures or sharp movements. You’ll be safe with me just as long as you don’t panic.”
At that moment, Ashley noticed for the first time how strangely silent the jungle had become—the humid air crackled with a breathless sense of danger and tension. Although the jungle was never truly quiet, the birds and other animals seemed oddly reluctant to make noise here. Her skin prickled, as Leandra led the way farther into the dense undergrowth, on her hands and knees. Heart racing, Ashley followed close behind, not wanting to lose the protection of her friend’s proximity.
After a few minutes of crawling through the ferns and foliage, Leandra stopped in a small clearing. Ashley watched, fascinated, as Leandra sniffed the air thoroughly, then made two short, stuttering coughing sounds: the same noises she had made when the two had first met.
Much to Ashley’s surprise, there came an identical reply from the jungle. A reply that was followed by something far more terrifying: the sound of a throaty, ominous growl so powerful and deep it put Leandra’s imitation to shame.
Ashley froze, feeling the strange sensation of her stomach turning to water as a cold shiver ran through her body. Rare fear flooded her senses, as she watched the leaves of the undergrowth tremble and then part, revealing ice-blue eyes set in a blunt, feline face.
Eyes that immediately passed over Leandra and settled on her with dangerous intent.
There
were few times in Ashley’s life that she had been afraid. Truly afraid, that was. The kind of fear that makes the skin shiver with cold sweat, the heart leap into the throat. Feeling the weight of that burning gaze settle on her, seeing the long, pearly white teeth gleam extra-large in the early light, Ashley couldn’t recall a time in her hazardous career when she’d been more terrified.
For thousands of years, tigers had been revered and honored by people all over the world. Their strength, ferocity, and sheer power had earned them a place in history and mythology that extended far beyond the lands of India and China. Creatures of fierce beauty, tigers had long been deified as symbols of courage and strength. Humanity’s fascination with the great jungle cats had, over time, resulted in their near-extinction from zealous hunters, and even though laws had been passed to protect them, the law couldn’t stop the demand for them.
Now, watching the great beast stalking slowly closer, Ashley understood why tigers had earned the fear and admiration of a hundred generations of people.
The cat was huge. It stood about four feet high at the shoulder and was probably about eight feet long from its nose to the tip of its quivering tail. It took a moment for Ashley to absorb that this tiger was unusual—where the thick fur should have been colored a tawny orange, instead, stripes of rich, chocolate brown marked a solid white coat. But when the growl turned into a savage roar, Ashley wouldn’t have cared if the cat was bright pink with blue polka dots. Only with an effort did she retain control of her bladder as the beast drew nearer, sniffing at the air and apparently not liking what it smelled.
But as the cat approached, Leandra moved quickly to position herself between Ashley and the white tiger, her own actions perfectly feline as she again made the strange coughing sound. Turning slightly, she glanced back at Ashley.
“Don’t look her in the eyes,” she ordered in a low undertone. “She’ll take it as a challenge.”
As soon as the instructions penetrated the cloud of fear, Ashley cast her eyes submissively at the ground before the giant predator, trusting that Leandra knew what she was doing. Flicking occasional glances at the striped woman, she watched the subtle interactions that were occurring between her and the wary beast.
The tigress stopped in front of Leandra, sniffing at her curiously and with definite recognition. She bared her teeth again, this time not in a snarl, but almost as though tasting the tall woman’s scent. A low, rumbling growl that no longer seemed threatening emanated from deep in the tiger’s chest. Leandra crawled forward slowly, dipping her head and exposing her neck. To Ashley’s astonishment, the tigress responded by nuzzling her, butting her head against Leandra’s in a manner identical to what she’d expect from an affectionate house cat. Leandra responded in kind, closely replicating the noises the tigress made and returning the nuzzling and head-butts before moving back to Ashley’s side. The tigress watched, then approached slowly, still wary and growling slightly. Leandra laid a calming hand on Ashley’s arm and offered her a reassuring smile.
“Trust me,” she whispered. “Just stay still until she gets used to you. She won’t harm you with me here.”
Ashley nodded to show she understood, but as the great cat drew closer, until Ashley could smell the rank scent of her breath, it became harder and harder not to leap up and run from the clearing as fast as she could. Leandra was making strange sounds again, sounds Ashley guessed were intended to explain that she was a friend, not dinner. The tigress sniffed at her, ears twitching. Ashley forced herself to remain completely still as a tongue with the texture of sandpaper swiped the side of her face, then she smiled with relief as the cat nudged her with her blunt face in a gesture of apparent acceptance. Leandra also smiled, watching the first meeting between her old friend and her new one.
Apparently satisfied that Ashley was no threat, the white tigress ambled back to the edge of the clearing and settled herself down on her haunches, panting a little in the heat, which was increasing as the sun warmed the jungle. Leandra patted a still-trembling Ashley on the shoulder. “You did well,” she said.
“Thanks.” Ashley was overcoming her fear, now that the shock was fading. She stared at the tigress in awe, marveling at how close she was to the great cat. She wiped at her face where she’d been licked, then turned her head and regarded Leandra with amazement. “This is one of your friends, I take it?”
“Sort of. Her name is Shar-Ranjana.” There was a momentary pause before Leandra added in hesitant tones, “She’s…my sister.”
Ashley looked from the tigress back to Leandra curiously. “Sister?”
Leandra shrugged and looked away. “That’s how she sees me. And it’s how I see her. It’s hard to explain, but—”
“No, I understand. You’re family to each other.” Ashley smiled reassuringly. “It’s not so strange, Leandra.”
A dark brow rose cautiously. “You think so?”
“Of course.” Ashley turned back to gaze at the jungle cat again. “Sometimes, family is something you find, not something you’re born into.”
“That’s true.”
As Leandra settled herself more comfortably on the ground, Ashley cast her a narrow-eyed look. “I thought you said there wasn’t any white tiger.”
“No, you said there was no white tiger.” Leandra grinned. “I just didn’t correct you.”
Ashley considered that, utterly enthralled by the magnificent creature sitting not more than fifteen feet from her. “She’s beautiful.”
“Yes, she is.” Leandra regarded Shar-Ranjana with a look that was affectionate, yet sorrowful. “I’ve known her most of her life. She was just a cub when I first came out here, and she grew up with me being near.”
“What about her parents?” asked Ashley. “They must be like her, right? Where are they?”
“They’re both dead,” Leandra whispered. “So is her brother.”
“Oh.”
From the look of regret and sorrow on Leandra’s face, Ashley wondered if perhaps she was the one responsible for their deaths. She was reassured when her friend added, “Her father was the one who helped keep me alive the first few months I was out here. He was…” Leandra hesitated. “He was very special to me.”
“How did he die?”
“Poachers.”
Ashley reached out and patted Leandra’s shoulder, sensing how important Shar-Ranjana’s father must have been to her. “I’m sorry.”
Leandra smiled at the gesture of consolation. “Thanks.”
Ashley returned her attention to the white tigress, who watched them with lazy interest. “I guess you were right. This surprise certainly is worth the early wake-up call.”
Leandra waggled her eyebrows. “Oh, this is only half the surprise.”
“Really?”
“Uh huh. The other half should be coming any minute now.” No sooner were the words past her lips than the jungle undergrowth behind Shar-Ranjana began to quiver and jump.
Ashley watched nervously, not sure her heart could take the appearance of another tiger. Her concern was replaced with amazed delight as two small, orange, fur-covered forms tumbled into the clearing, stopped their playful wrestling when they caught sight of Leandra, and rushed over to greet her with juvenile enthusiasm. Ashley watched, as Leandra smacked and nuzzled the two tiger cubs playfully, before they turned their attention in her direction. After a few moments of caution and a lot of sniffing and licking, the two apparently decided she was okay and grappled for her attention enthusiastically. Giggling, Ashley sat cross-legged and let the cubs crawl over her, careful to avoid their needle-sharp claws. Aware of the ever-watchful eyes of the resting Shar-Ranjana, she took care to be gentle and didn’t protest when they started chewing on her arms.
“They’re gorgeous!” Ashley exclaimed. “Ow, be gentle.” She carefully disengaged one of the cubs, laughing and petting them both happily.
Leandra crawled
over to where the white tigress sat and joined her there, the two watching Ashley play with the cubs. She settled herself against Shar-Ranjana’s warm flank, purring with quiet contentment. Ashley focused her camera and started taking photos of her new playmates, giggling and laughing at their antics, as they pawed curiously at the strange device. Shar-Ranjana licked the paint and sweat from Leandra’s back as she watched over her cubs. She seemed happy enough to let someone else deal with their energetic exuberance for a while.
Pausing in her play, Ashley looked up and smiled at the sight of Leandra sitting next to the white tigress. The image was almost too perfect: the orange and tawny striped form of the dark-haired woman beside the enormous pale cat, their expressions somehow identical despite the obvious differences in their features. Grinning, she brought her camera up and snapped several shots of the two, intending to have a copy enlarged and framed for her private collection.
“I can’t believe this.” She cuddled one of the young cubs, stroking its orange fur. “Why aren’t these two white, as well?”
“They were fathered by a normal Bengal,” Leandra explained. “Shar-Ranjana has to stay in hiding because of the poachers; they’re still looking for her. If she’s found—by either the rangers or the poachers—she’ll be taken from the jungle and kept in a cage. Or worse, she’ll be shot and butchered for her parts. A white tiger is worth its weight in gold.”
Ashley nodded, understanding how much Leandra was trusting her by sharing this secret. “You didn’t have to show me this,” she observed. “You could have let me leave without ever telling me; I never would have known.”
Leandra shrugged, avoiding her eyes. “I wanted you to see.”
Ashley flushed with pleasure at the gesture of such faith. “Thank you,” she said. “This really means a lot to me. And you can trust me not to tell. I know Simon and Grace are only trying to protect the tigers, but you’re right. They’d want to put her in a zoo or something.”
Leandra nodded, her eyes soft and reverent. “That’s not where Shar-Ranjana belongs. She’s a wild animal. The jungle is her home.” With her right hand, Leandra stroked over the great cat’s head and tugged gently at her ear. “Nothing so beautiful belongs in a cage,” she whispered.
