The Tiger Within 33 Brotherly Love Part 1

He sighed, shaking his head as he jogged over to the stream. Sweat pouring from his body as he finished the cool down lap to the edge of his lands. Each tiger had their territory they were responsible for. A area they patrol and keep safe from hunters and maintain the peace of the feral beasts. A river ran through his lands, as well as fruit bearing tree groves and bushes of herbs. It was a prosperous area and with abundance of food and few predators rabbits and game were plentiful, making his yard their home. Sometimes these very residents caused havoc, and gave him a run for his coin as far as his patients could be pressed. Especially the Monkey folk, who were tricksters at the best of times and thieving beasts at the worst.

For the most part, his domain Silver Falls, had been fairly quiet. The beauty of being deep in the Jungle, far above the main s.h.i.+fter cities was the lack of people around. There was a lack of quarreling and destruction found near the s.h.i.+fter villages from young ones acting out against their parent's wishes. No one to trouble him, and as long as the ferals behaved he would have a quiet time. Other than the normal trouble making monkeys, and playful rodents there had been little to disturb his routine… until his bath. If he had known what was coming, he would have chosen another activity for sure.

The icy water trailing from the peaks of the Fifth Mountain was invigorating to his senses. The sensation of pins and needles as well as surge of awareness moving through each nerve ending. It was as much a pain as a pleasure to submerge himself, forcing his body to endure the touch of the mountain dew. The sensations making him more alert, as he slowly eased himself in. Due to this alertness, the sound of a branch breaking caused him to jerk his eyes in the direction of the errant sound. He was only about halfway submerged when he noticed the the blurred ball of orange in the air, quickly s.h.i.+fting color as it nearer the surface of the water.

Confusion then annoyance crossed Verone's mind as he shouted a rather unfriendly curse and braced for it. The splash across his chest that he knew was coming was not going to be pleasant. The water splashed onto his chest, face, hair and neck, causing his entire body to tense in shock. The orange ball, who popped up out of the water laughing, was a familiar youth.

Verone's eye twitched as he stared at the boy. Every muscle in his body was focused on holding himself back. "I swear if you were not my brother…" he began to growl but was cut short when another splash of water was sent at his face. If looks could kill, Talis would have been clawed through by the daggers in his elder brother's eyes.

"Oh but I am… so down kitty kitty." Talis teased with a grin. His boyish good looks and wild orange hair making him look even more mischievous. It was hard to believe this child who flirted with Verone's anger so easily became a nervous kitten when it came time to leave their domain. For a moment, Verone felt that familiar disappointment but then he remembered the boy from the day before… perhaps his brother wasn't the idiot here.