"How are they today Jack?" Cole asks his partner. They've been studying a tiger family to learn more about them for their zoo. Jack is the head tiger keeper and Cole is his second in command.
"You know the female cub?" Jack asks.
"Delia yeah, funny one she is" Cole states.
"I think I know why she's 'funny'" Jack says putting his binoculars down.
"Well, why?" Cole asks.
"Look tell me what you see" Jack says handing him the binoculars. Jack looks through them seeing the mother tigress Luna calling her cubs. The three boys immediately respond to her call whereas the call girl is staring off in the complete opposite direction.
"She's deaf" Cole states lowering the binoculars.
"Yes, that's what I think" Jack says agreeing as Luna picks up Delia returning her to the den. "A storm is coming and Luna is trying to lead her cubs to higher ground. With her having to keep carrying Delia it slows her down. They may all get caught in the storm or she may abandon Delia. Either way Delia won't survive in the wild" Jack explains.
"So what's the plan?" Cole asks.
"I know we don't do it, but I think there's no other choice in this matter" Jack mumbles.
"You mean take her away from the others and raise her at the zoo?" Cole says.
"Yes, it's our only option or she'll die one day" Jack states. "I'll call Laura and see what she says" he tells Cole as they return to camp. Laura is the zoo's manager and is in charge while the owner is away with his family. He went to the cell phone and called Laura's home number.
"Matrix residence, Laura speaking" she says answering.
"Laura it's Jack, I have important news" Jack tells her.
"Are the tigers ok?" Laura asks remembering he was on a recon mission studying a wild tiger family.
"Yes they are, but one of the cubs is deaf" Jack states. "She won't survive in the wild and the only way she will is if we take her away from her family. And raise her in captivity" he explains.
"How old is she?" Laura asks taking out the file on the current white tigress.
"Only five weeks, but a storm is approaching and Luna is trying to get her family to higher ground. Delia is slowing them down, they'll either all be caught in the storm or she'll be abandoned. Do you think Crystal would accept her?" he asks.
"She should, it's male tigers she dislikes" Laura states. "But it'll be a lot of work and will require patients. We don't won't either tigress hurt, I'll call Steve and notify him. If he gives the green light, retrieve Delia asap" she instructs.
"Got it, we'll keep an in on the situation in the meantime" he tells her before hanging up.
"So what did she say?" Cole asks.
"That she was calling Steve for his approval and to just watch what happens" Jack states. They have their dinner before doing their reports for the day and call it a night. Jack falls asleep praying Delia was still alive tomorrow and that they got approval to remove her from the wild.
(Two days later)
The approval finally came the day Luna abandoned Delia in hopes of saving her other cubs. Luna maybe a shifter, but it's important that shifters spend the first few months in their animal form after birth. With her mate not present, she could not look after all the cubs at once. Especially her deaf daughter who never heard her calls. She could not carry her and watch her brothers at the same time.
Jack found Delia calling desperately for her mother. But no reply comes. Cole was packing up camp and Jack knew he had to act quickly to save Delia. Or she'd be picked off by an other predator. So he approached her slowly and picks up the weak cub with his jacket. She yawls loudly trying to escape his hold not used to human contact.
"It's ok little one, you're going to make it" Jack assures her. Once Delia was calmed he walked back to camp. "I have her are we all packed?" he asks Cole.
"Yep, lets return to civilization" Cole states and smiles at the now sleeping cub. Cole drives them to the city where they head to the airport. Where Delia is feed before being placed into a cage for her journey to Australia. It was a six and half hour flight.
Once they landed they collected their luggage and Delia. Before meeting Laura who had come to collect them. Delia was in quarantine for thirty days before being introduced to Crystal. It was a week before the two were allowed in the same enclosure. Then an other month before they were left alone together. Before Delia was allowed in the day enclosure for visitors to see.
Crystal practically adopted Delia as her own cub even though she knew she was different. Crystal was patient with Delia and never got angry when she didn't reply to her calls. Delia came to see Crystal as her new mother and only likes Jack. She does not like the other keepers at all.
A/N
Picture above of five week old Delia and picture of Crystal on the external link. Three things you should know:
1. Delia is a shifter and Crystal is not
2. Jack, Cole and other zoo employees are human. As is most of the world population
3. Humans don't know about the shifters in their world, that take up a third of the population
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Deaf Tigress
RomanceDelia is a feline shifter capable of turning into a great tigress. Only two problems with that. She has been in captivity at Australia zoo since she was five weeks old and is deaf. One day the future king of cats arrived at the zoo. With his younger...
