Rare Find

by Dale Mayer

  Still emanating even, calming waves, Tabitha tried to get a better idea of what was wrong in the cat's world.

  And getting her vision back would be major.

  She sent out her energy in the direction of the cat's head. And into the skull and eyes. There was some resistance, but she thinned her energy to the density of the cat's energy and became one with it, helping it become comfortable with her energy as she became comfortable with its energy. She settled in. With a sigh of acceptance, of knowing, she sank deeper into the experience.

  Then the cat opened her eyes.

  To bars.

  Rusted bars of a small cage. Only big enough for the cat to stand, take a few steps and turn around. A plywood floor. An attached water dish was perched halfway down the inside of the cage. It was full. The cat was thirsty. But she was too scared to drink.

  Tabitha didn't blame her.

  There was darkness all around. A cover of some kind surrounded the bulk of the cage, but one end was open.

  She stared at the large paws crossed in front of her. A dirty gray paw with slight stripes. She was sharing space with a tiger with some variant coloring. There were many white Bengal tigers...but her coloring wasn't quite right.

  There was gray and a lot of it, but that could be dirt. Or it could be something else. A thread of excitement wove through her consciousness. There was an extinct species of blue tiger, the Maltese tiger. Some scientists believed it never existed in the first place. Rumor said their slate gray fur shone blue in some light. There were also black tigers, but then this tiger's fur was too light for that. If she could see more of its body, she might know for sure. She'd never expected to see a blue tiger in her lifetime.

  The tiger was slowly adjusting to its latest drug dose. Whoever these captors were, they were more concerned about the animal staying quiet and not hurting itself than having it actually eat and drink to stay strong and healthy.

  It was obvious this tiger had been hunted and taken from the wild. There was no sense of comfort or familiarity with cages or humans. There was no understanding of the confinement or the lighting. The water dish was new. Images of creeks and ponds flashed through her mind. The cat was desperate for water.

  But it was more desperate for its freedom.

  She moved back and forth as the big cat struggled to its feet and staggered throughout the small space. It roared in anger, a weak defiant sound echoing through the large space.

  And that brought up another issue. If the tiger couldn't be controlled, it would most likely be killed. Or kept so confined, it wouldn't survive anyway.

  Unless it was destined for a zoo. No. That wouldn't be. Not this way. If the animal was being imported through the proper channels there'd be vets, trainers, people to look after the tiger, to see to its comfort. All efforts would be made to reduce the animal's distress – and not through the overuse of tranquilizers

  Of course, it may be for a zoo in a third world country where the restrictions were lax and the paperwork wouldn't be looked at very closely if at all – for a price.

  This was likely a black market deal.

  As the thoughts took her to other animals in her world, Tabitha lost her focus. And couldn't see anymore.

  She closed her own eyes and breathed into the big cat that surrounded her and reconnected with it.

  Then opened her eyes once again.

  The room appeared in shades of beige and shadows. Cat eyes. Cat vision. It was likely to be dark in this room. Shadowy. Her human vision would have seen one thing and interpreted it with her human eyes, but her cat's vision was different altogether.

  And maybe that explained the color of her fur. Maybe dirty white fur looked like slate gray when viewed from a cat's eyes.

  Then she was distracted again as the big head swung from side to side as if looking for an opening, a way out. She studied the change in view as the head swung. The large warehouse was full of empty cages. There were double doors up ahead, but she didn't think the cat understood them to be an exit…as in maybe it didn't understand the concept of doors. But then her mind, or rather its mind, was groggy and dominated by confusion.

  Tabitha struggled to stay connected and yet separate. To keep in tune with the tiger but also to allow Tabitha to think on her own. Not an easy thing to do. But she had to keep clarity of her own thoughts and actions. Somehow she had to stay separated from her host so she could do something for both of them.

  What she really needed was to find out their location. In what city was the animal being kept? The man had spoken English. Guttural and slang, but English nonetheless. That might help narrow the country down. The man had said something about more traveling to come.

  Meaning they could be anywhere in the world – including the U.S. And as helpful as it would be, she didn't want to believe the tiger was in – or destined – for the U.S. Money drove the markets and poachers were in the supply-and-demand market. That meant global markets in today's world. So the tiger could be destined to be shipped anywhere.

  She figured if she could free the tiger, the big cat would release her. She could be dreaming, but that was her goal. A hope – and she needed something to hang onto right now.

  On top of that, she wasn't sure how her own physical existence was doing. How could she check? Would her attempt to return to her body trigger the tiger's strong emotions so she would be yanked back?

  How could she let the tiger know what she needed to do? And that she wouldn't desert her. She wanted to help the tiger.

  A roar ripped through her head. Of rejection. Of loneliness. And fear.

  She tried to calm the tiger down again, but this time the tiger wouldn't let her. She was too agitated.

  Pulling back, Tabitha eased her own feelings down inside the tiger's ballooning emotions – so the big cat would feel Tabitha's emotions.

  She wanted out. The tiger wanted out too. They both wanted their freedom.

  How did she argue or try to show logic to a panicked animal? How could she prove she was trustworthy? That her word could be counted on when she was pretty sure tigers understood instinct and action, response in the present. Not promises of future acts.

  Especially when she couldn't guarantee that she could come back. Thinking through energy laws, she realized she could always find a trail back here. She'd use anchors to make the travel easier and faster.

  But she had to go deeper to place them. Deeper into the tiger's psyche to make sure they stayed in place.

  Only deeper was more dangerous. For both of them.

  But that recourse was likely the only answer.

  As she tried to descend to where she needed to go, emotions pummeled at her and images filled her. Images of the tiger's old life, the trees, tall grass. The wind. Racing across a field. Basking under the sun. Freezing in the snow.

  Still caught in the tiger's memories, there was a sudden pain in her shoulder and hip. Loud noises followed. Confused and hurting, the large cat had stumbled in a daze of pain. She struggled to escape. To hide. Only she could hardly move. The tiger’s body burned. She wanted it to stop. She could hardly breathe. Or run.

  The tiger hadn't gone down easy. And they'd shot her again. Only the cat had reacted badly to the drugs and she was sick. Tabitha saw the sweating as a separate issue now. Not caused by a sense of panic, but more by drugs. The cat’s body had reacted. Swelling. She found it hard to breathe. And she was so thirsty. She was already old. And now with the drugs...she was in a bad way.

  The poachers didn't seem to know about her distress – or maybe they didn't care. But a dead tiger wasn't worth much. In the Chinese medicine industry it was, but if capturing her was for that, they could have shot her dead up in the mountains. That would have been much easier. And much faster.

  The drug reaction explained the debilitating weakness, the fever and confusion. In fact, Tabitha would swear the big female was dying. And that made her own heart ache.

  But there was still something else in there. Tabitha went deeper.r />
  And found the other feline energy she had sensed earlier.

  What she understood at a primitive level made her want to rage against these men. And made her want them to pay.

  And made her want to help the tiger in a big way.

  Because, and against all odds – the old female tiger was pregnant and carried one cub.

  Had the poachers known? No. That would have changed the deal entirely.

  Tabitha had to help.

  But how?

  As she considered the almost full-term cub, she realized the energy of the cub was distinct, separate – and yet at the same time it was one with the mother.

  That made sense, as all energy was connected.

  Parts of other people's energy gravitated naturally to a person they connected with in some way. In her case, it was the energy of people she'd been closest to through her life and those that stayed close to her...some of their energy stuck to her. So therefore Tabitha should be able to find some of those energy fragments and follow them home. She'd already found Stefan's signature, but it was so faint that it wasn't usable, as if it couldn't quite reach her.

  Instead of an energy line, it was more a sensation of him being there, searching for her. Or maybe that was wishful thinking.

  But there was no denying Tango's energy. Whether it was the feline connection or something else, Tango's signature was strong and loving in Tabitha's heart.

  She sent warm loving energy to Tango. He'd be lost if she died. In fact, his energy vibrated at a tense level that said he was already nervous and heading into seriously scared territory. And the color had deepened to a dark blue instead of the lake-blue it normally vibrated with.

  She smiled. Maybe she did know what to do.

  Sending out a wide green band of healing energy, followed by a gently loving band in lavender, Tabitha surrounded the caged female tiger with energy that would make her feel good. Make her calm. Not afraid. Not alone. Letting Tabitha slip away. At least long enough to check on family and...her body.

  Next, Tabitha carefully wrapped her own loving essence around Tango's energy. Added layers and layers of loving, healthy energy like wisps of colored cotton candy until the entire thing was thick and solid looking. Then she blew a breath into the center, making a hollow, and sank into it. Became one with it. She shifted deeper and deeper, feeding the energy trail as she slipped along the pathway, following it back and back and back hoping to find the reality she recognized. Faster she flew as energy warmed, reconnecting to the animal that had shared so much of Tabitha's life.

  He'd been there for her after a trying day at school; he'd cleaned her face on the day she'd graduated; he'd been ecstatic over the arrival of Tripod. A kindred soul, in so many ways. A playmate for Tango when she was gone from the house.

  Tango had been there listening to her spout off joyfully when she'd gotten engaged, and he'd been there listening to her tears after she'd been jilted. He'd been there for her every step of the way.

  She knew him as well as she knew herself. As she thought all this, she fell into Tango's space.

  His energy kicked into overdrive. If he could have twisted his lithe body around her, he would have. Instead she was the one wrapped around him. Inside him. Outside him. She was him.

  He jumped and spun and howled. And his roar was deafening.

  His joy...her joy. Both brought tears to her eyes, if she'd had eyes...or tears.

  She cried out his name repeatedly. She couldn't seem to stop. The sense of safety and being home overwhelmed her. Such a relief. Such a feeling of joy. It was finally over…

  Only not quite. Reality intruded. She was in Tango's body now. Not her own. Still, she'd managed to leave the other tiger – mostly.

  Tango, I need help.

  The purr increased to deafening proportions. He'd always understood her moods. And she his.

  I need to get to my body.

  She stopped and thought about what she'd said, what she was doing. This was stupid. Tango couldn't go to her body. He was trapped inside his own massive physicality. She needed a way to get from here to her body.

  Then she heard footsteps. And a voice.

  Tango? Are you all right?

  Stefan!

  ***

  Stefan wandered through Tabitha's living room looking, seeking something that had to be there, but not sure what. The house was old and empty, but there was a disturbance in the atmosphere that went beyond the lack of furniture. Part of the house had felt empty on his first pass – as if Tabitha had disappeared completely.

  Tango had lain despondent in a corner of the large enclosure. Not eating or drinking. Tripod was acting the same. Just like any well-loved pet would, given the absence of their beloved owner.

  Stefan wandered back through the house again. He'd learned a long time ago to not ignore his instincts. That prodding voice that said to keep looking. He was here because he was supposed to be here. If he was lucky, he'd understand the reason why. Soon.

  He wandered over to Tango's cage once again. He searched for a change. Something to understand this nudge inside him to keep searching.

  Just then Tango came racing through the pen into the main area where the caged wall was all that separated him from Stefan.

  But he looked different. Happy. Energized.

  Stefan narrowed his gaze and studied the tiger. It was almost delirious. Rolling on the ground, rubbing his back on the floor, all four legs in the air as he tossed his head with abandon. It was a joy to see.

  The cat looked...ecstatic. And how could that be?

  "What do you know that I don't, Tango?" Stefan murmured, studying the big cat's aura. Sure enough, the color had shifted, brightened. Was now surrounded by a lavender sheen.

  Tabitha?

  Surely that was her energy mixed into the big cat's energy. Could it be?

  He stepped close enough to press his face against the heavy gauge divider.

  "Tango?" he called out. "Come here, boy."

  Tango jumped to his feet and bounded to Stefan, rubbing his side along the cage. It was if he understood Stefan. Or someone connected to Tango understood and brought the big cat close. What were the chances?

  Tabitha? Is that you? Stefan asked telepathically. Are you with Tango?

  Yes!

  ***

  Fez walked calmly into the warehouse. At least on the outside he hoped he appeared confident and in control. At least someone needed to be. Keeper was there waiting for him. "How is she doing?"

  "Not eating, but maybe had water."

  Fez brightened up. "Water is good."

  "And the bleeding stopped."

  Fez closed his eyes briefly then said in an ominous voice, "What bleeding?"

  "From the original poachers. They shot her with tranq darts, but one site seemed to close over, only she gnawed on it and ripped it open. But it's stopped again."

  "That's a good sign." At least he hoped it was. "We need her to eat." He lifted the blanket slightly and the rank odor of meat gone off filled his nostrils. "No wonder she's not eating. What is this crap?"

  "I'm hardly going to put good stuff in there to go bad. When she's hungry enough, she'll start eating. Then I will get her fresh stuff." Keeper spat on the old wood floor and walked away as if the conversation was over.

  But it wasn't. Not by a long shot. Fez didn't know where the boss had found this guy but he wasn't worth the pennies he was paying him.

  Fez grabbed him by the shoulder and spun him around. "She gets the best. And she gets it now. You aren't paying for her food. We are. Now go and clean that shit out of there and bring her fresh meat."

  "You ain't the fucking bos—"

  Fez punched him in the nose. "I'm the boss when the boss isn't here. I'm following his orders and you will follow my orders. Now get to it. And give her fresh water too."

  When Keeper shot him a resentful look, Fez smiled cruelly and said, in a soft voice, words that echoed the boss, "And do it now – or else."

  Chap
ter 10

  Sunday noon

  At the sight of Stefan, a wave of sadness washed through Tabitha. Hers or Tango's? She didn't know or care. There could also be vestiges of the other tiger's energy floating through her energy space. And that tiger also had homesickness as a major issue.

  The poor thing.

  What thing? asked Stefan accurately, reading her mind.

  She quickly explained who the other tiger was and what had happened to her, then tried to explain what had happened that Tabitha had ended up inside of the tiger.