The Year of the Tiger

Chapter 6

[Main character] waited in the bushes for the boy to return. She reassured herself that he had gone to get food. But after waiting for what felt like a long time, she started wondering where he got the food from, wanting to get it for herself. She gave up on waiting and walked around, hoping to find some berries in the woods. After walking around, she realized that she had walked back to the sycamore tree where she met the boy. Seeing something on the ground, she picked it up, and recoiled, drooping it back onto the ground. It was a tuft of soft, white fur, with smears of a thick, red liquid on it. Then she heard it. A pitiful voice, coming from somewhere in the forest.

"Help! Help me!"

She walked around, not knowing where it came from.

"The tree. I'm in the tree."

[Main character] looked up, confused.

"The sycamore tree."

She walked over, and found a rough edge on the trunk. She edged her fingers under it and peeled it off, expecting to see the boy, or at least the dragon that seemed to appear whenever he was nearby. It was empty.

"I'm down here." A voice rasped.

She looked down, and saw the rabbit. His soft, white fur was torn up. He was slumped against the trunk, looking far more miserable than the last time she had seen him.

"Who did this to you?"

"I told you. I warned you. And I paid the price. You cannot trust the Dragon King, Tiger."

"You keep calling me that! And you keep calling the boy the 'Dragon King'. Are you sure you're okay?"

"You really don't know then?" The rabbit sighed. "A long time ago, twelve exact years ago, I made the greatest mistake of my life. The dragon came into my cave, asking for an arrow. Or rather, an arrow with the magical property of being able to turn a celestial animal into a human. At the time, none of us knew what the Dragon would do. What he was capable of doing. That night, I found out that even a celestial animal can have one of the darkest of souls. I gave him what he wanted, and he left, holding the arrow like the most important thing in his life. I wondered what he would do with it. And I found out. I followed him out of my cave, curiosity winning over logic and loyalty. I saw the dragon, perched under a mountain ledge, ready to shoot the arrow. I heard the beginning of a roar. I looked up, seeing the Tiger. I saw as he fell, growing smaller, until down in the lower world, where I am now, a human completed the roar. The other animals were furious, and they expelled me down here, to punish me. Now you know, Tiger. Now you know what happened."

[Main character] nodded, trying to keep down the unexpected fury that had surged into her throat when the Rabbit had told the part about helping the Dragon.

"So, you helped him? You helped the Dragon, my mortal enemy? Now you know how it feels to be banished into this world. And you deserve it. Every last bit of it." [Main character] said, pinning the rabbit to the tree.

She let go, letting him slide onto the floor. She gasped, staring at what she had just done.

"I-I'm sorry. I don't know why I-"

"No. It's ok. It is I who should be apologizing. If only I knew, Tiger. You and I were the greatest of friends."

"I- I don't know what to say." [Main character] said, lost for words.

"It's fine, Tiger. Let's go."

[Main character] helped the Rabbit get up, and he shook out his fur.

"If you're really the Rabbit, like the Rabbit, are you really all-knowing? That's what my mother told me."

The rabbit shook his head. "I'm afraid that is not true. I am wise, but not all-knowing. I would like you to take note of the fact that the Tiger- I mean, you, were very prideful, and you loved to boast about everything. Even your best friend's wisdom."

"But that means-"

"Yes, the Tiger did indeed bless your family, [Main character]. At least that part of what the Dragon said was true."

"The Dragon? That was the teacher at school!"

"You really don't remember anything, do you? The Dragon is the shapeshifter. Every celestial animal was given a gift after the race."

"Really? What was mine?"

"Well, Tiger. When you roared, everyone in the lower world could hear you. The fact that you were so well-known might have been what made the Dragon snap, and betray us."

"So the teacher...was the Dragon?"

The Rabbit opened his mouth the answer, but didn't get the chance, as a loud roar pierced through the forest.

"What was that?"

"The Dragon." The Rabbit's voice was tense. "You see, when you trap a celestial animal, that animal's powers are slowly sapped out. The Dragon must have trapped you, gaining a bit of your roar."

"He didn't trap me! I was sleeping in a bush!"

"And did he force you into the bush?"

[Main character] blinked, straining to remember last night's events.

"I-I don't know!"

The Dragon roared again, and [Main character]'s legs moved for her, something pushing her towards the noise.

"What's happening?!"

"The Tiger part of you. He recognizes the sound of his enemy." The Rabbit said, easily sprinting next to [Main Character].

"The enemy? He was my friend!"

"Would a friend keep his name from you? Would a friend feed you a rock, hidden in your soup? Would a friend hide you in the bushes, and take a portion of your powers? Would a friend turn you into a human?"

[Main character] gaped at the Rabbit, suddenly realizing what the Dragon had done to her. She subconsciously roared in response to the Dragon, and ran faster, some imaginary force bringing her towards the echoing roars. At last, she saw a glowing red creature, perched in a tree. She growled in frustration, and let her mind relax, trying to free the Tiger inside of her, letting it take over. Nothing happened. She marched over to the Dragon.

"I thought you were my friend!"

"Friend?" The Dragon sneered at her. "The Dragon doesn't make friends."

"You did this to me!"

"Did what? I thought you liked your life as a human."

"The Rabbit was right. You're evil!"

"Rabbit? What Rabbit?"

"You see him! He's right behind me!"

[Main character] looked behind her, only to see that the Rabbit had disappeared.

"I told you, [Main character]. You cannot trust the Rabbit."

"But you were lying!" [Main character] said, not knowing what to do, and who to trust.

"The Rabbit was telling me the truth!" She cried, trying to make herself believe it.

"Really." The Dragon smirked, knowing that he had made her question herself.

Then [Main character] heard a voice whisper in her ear.

Don't listen. I cannot come out. He'll hold me hostage, trying to get you to rescue me. You have to turn into the Tiger. Summon your anger, and turn them against the Dragon.

"Rabbit?" she breathed.

Yes. It's me. Turn into the Tiger.

"I can't!"

The voice inside of her head grew frantic.

[Main character]! The Dragon! He is escaping! You have to follow him!

[Main character] turned around, just in time to see a glowing red tail swish away, towards the temple that the boy had warned her about.