The Girl and the Lions

8~Grandma's Advice and the Powers are Shown

Dawn's P.O.V

"My dear... I am sorry I haven't told you earlier.... I hoped you would never find out.." She looked so young, her long orange hair had little streaks of black here and there. Her golden cat like eyes glistened in the moonlight, still holding memories of the past. "Grammy..what happened to you? Why are you like this!" I said as I grabbed her shoulders. She hugged me, sighed, and started to explain, "I am one of the few shifters left in the world, many people were after me when I was younger so I was able to change my appearance to look older. Your father helped disguise me and I was passed off as his mother." She sat down beside me and continued on with her story. "I taught you that song for a reason love, so when the day comes that we part, I may find you yet again." I could see the tears in her eyes, waiting to spill from her heart. But she was still my Grandma, blood related or not, and I still love her. "But Grammy.....why did you disappear after the day I sang to the rhino? What really happened that day?" She sighed "I am sorry my child, but the sun is up, the zookeepers will arrive soon." I watched as she shifted into her tiger form, it was strange but beautiful. "I promise to tell you the reason soon enough, but for now, stay hidden, you never know who you can trust. There is only one person who knows of Corbins and my powers. And please....call me Tigris" She silently disappeared in the shadows. "Wait! Who else knows of your-" I then heard a click from the door behind me, interrupting me mid-sentance, and quickly ran behind a bush.

I silently watched as a young man came into the enclosure with a bucket of food and something that I did not like, tightly grasped in his left hand he held a wicked looking taser with a scared expression on his face. He was tall with dark red curly hair and Hazel eyes. I could tell he was new since he forgot to lock the door behind him. I saw Corbin peak his head through the door, seeing the keeper and immediately shifting into his cheetah form and running back to his enclosure. I was worried he would find me so I crouched down as small as I could, seeing Tigris do the same. He walked around, seemingly looking for Tigris. "H-Here kitty kitty kitty.....jeez, first week on the job and they ask me to risk my life feeding a tiger." I heard him say to himself. I saw Tigris slowly come out of hiding, walking up to the boy. She sat down a few feet behind him, waiting for him to notice, I could sense her hidden amusement. He turned his head behind him, seeing the sitting beast waiting for him. He yelped and threw the food bucket at her in fright, I couldn't help but let out a small giggle. Tigris looked very unamused now, she rubbed the meat off her face with her paw, throwing it on the floor as she walked up to the boy, attempting to frighten him to go away. But unlike myself, she did not notice the taser. He quickly thrusted it forward, shocking Tigris into submission. She fell on the floor in pain as the boy went in for another blow I did the only thing I could think of to save her. I felt my muscles tense up as I quickly leapt onto the boy, knocking the taser from his hands and quickly pinning him on his back.

He yelled in agony as my claws dig into his back. I didn't notice that I shifted, but Tigris did immediately. She quickly regained herself and knocked me off the boy. He ran to the wall and pressed his back against it. He silently watched as a young lioness and the elderly tiger growled, snapped, and argued at each other. 'WHY DID YOU ATTACK HIM!?' Tigris growled at me in frustration. 'He shocked you!!!! He was gonna hurt you!!' I roared back. 'Wait-Ahh WHAT HAPPENED!!?' I growled as I suddenly notice what happened to me. For the first time, I shifted. I looked at myself in the reflection of the glass. I wasn't that big, but I was clearly strong enough to knock down that keeper. My caramel fur was glistening in the early morning sun and my big brown eyes currently showed rage and surprise. The boy looked at me in fear, I did attack him after all.  My eyes grew in shock as I sat down in fright, with heavy breathing and wide eyes, I didn't notice to Boy walk up to me and press his hand against my head. I calmed down, seeing this boy show kindness to me when I just attacked him. He slowly pet my head while I was still in shock, Tigris sat a few feet away, quietly watching the young keeper. "Hi, I'm Ty. Are you new here? Maybe they accidentally put you in the wrong habitat...... I'll tell Miss. Rogers when she gets here." He placed a collar and leash around my neck and lead me to the zoo veterinarian.