Chapter Two: 'Back to Civilization'

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I saw my parents from a distance. By the looks on their faces, it seemed like they came here for a serious reason. I walked over to them confidently and I told Helaki to stand at a distance. I didn't need her to see my weakness while I talked to my parents.

"Hi Mom and Dad. How's the going?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Good. We came here to take you for brunch." They said cryptically.

"Wow!" I exclaimed in fake surprise. "That's unexpected."

"So are you coming or not?" My father asked with a slight impatience that I didn't like. 

"Fine, let's go."

I started to head towards their car. It had been a week since I had been in the city. It's not like I missed it but having a break from my duties as the Tiger Virago would be nice. As I opened the door, my parents started to scold me.

"There's no way you're entering in there looking like that young lady."

"Why? What's wrong?"

I looked down at my clothes. I was wearing a tribal clothing for the Tiger Virago which was made out of animal skin. I looked at my parents who were looking at my clothes with disgust which was weird because they had never complained about the clothes. I decided to go back to my hut to change and Helaki followed me.

"So, what's up?" She asked.

"I don't know but it seems pretty serious, in their terms I guess. Also I'm going for brunch with them." I said nonchalantly as I looked for sneakers. 

"Well.... be back soon. It's going to be hard training your troop by myself." Helaki looked angry that I had to leave with my parents. But its not like I was happy about it.

"Just hope Joman does not come and disturb you." I teased her.

"I don't think he would because you aren't there." she told me.

"True. Now I have to go. Bye." I bowed to her. She did the same.

"Bye."

I ran back to the car now with a sleeveless t-shirt and jeans. When I wanted to open the door my mom spoke to me with disgust.

"There's no way you're entering this car looking like that!"

"What now?" I sighed exasperatedly. Every single thing  I did to them was wrong. Why couldn't they accept me for who I was? My mom then pointed at my shoulder and they both looked at it in disgust. I looked at my left shoulder to see my tiger mark. It was in black and it looked like a tattoo. It was a tiger with Ziabali language written below it. It meant 'courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear'. I loved the mark and my parents looked at it like they had never seen it before. Why were they acting so weird? I didn't like this but I decided to return to my hut to get a long sleeved shirt. "You know maybe this is is a bad idea." I muttered.

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We sat at the balcony of an Italian restaurant. I had ordered pizza and salad. My parents were concentrated on their phones. I really don't know if it was to make me jealous but I wasn't sure. I left  my phone at home which was in the city because I decided I really don't need it since I was serious on my duties in the village. I never had time for it anyway. The silence afterwards became unbearable so I decided to break it.

"So, mom, dad, is there a reason why you're acting weird? But you always act weird all the time so I guess shouldn't ask." I was tempted to retract my claws so I could threaten but I decided to give them time.

"We're not acting weird, you are." My mother said defensively.

"What!! I'm acting totally fine." I shouted.

"Stop Anne! There is a reason why we are here for brunch."

"You're going to Swellview." My mother added with pride. I spit the water I had in my mouth.I looked at them shockingly. Maybe my ears didn't hear well or I was dreaming.

"What........ what did you just say?"

"You're going to Swellview."my dad repeated the words.

No no no no no. This couldn't be happening. I was leaving Zambia for the USA. For Swellview. I was leaving the Ziabali tribe. For Swellview. I wouldn't be able to save animals from poachers. Because of Swellview. This was INFURIATING!!!

"ARE YOU GUYS CRAZY??!!" I screamed.

"Of course we aren't. We're your parents."

"But...but...but I can't leave the Ziabali tribe. I'm their Tiger Virago." I stated.

"You were our Roxella before you  became that tribe's tiger whatever." My father shouted.

"Why am I going to Swellview? Why not Brooklyn where we used to live?" I asked.

"Because one, we're not going with you second....." My mother started.

"Do you remember your cousin Charlotte?" My father went straight to the chase.

"Yeah I do." I answered.

"She lives in...."

"I do remember she lives in Swellview." I interrupted.

"You have been avoiding your classes for the last three weeks because of the Ziabali tribe and it's shenanigans." My mother said.

"The Ziabali tiger spirits chose me to....." I started.

"And you really believe that? You're going to Swellview on the day after tomorrow...."

"So you can continue with school and the Ziabali tribe won't be there to affect you. Charlotte is a very smart girl and she will help you catch up with what you don't know."

I couldn't believe this. I had never left Zambia for six years. I remember when I was nine and a scaredy cat back then. Now, I was fifteen and I wasn't scared of anything thanks to me being the Tiger Virago. Now I was going to Swellview where most of the population were weaklings. I started to stare at the buildings around me. I loved the jungle and I didn't think Swellview will have one. This was going to be really bad. My parents didn't know I was half human half tiger, I think. To them I was a monster. What if my actions scare Charlotte, my aunt and others? These people in front of me, my so called my parents didn't know the doom that was in for me. There had to be a way to talk them out of this.

"Is there a way I can talk you out of this?" I asked. I didn't want to waste my energy talking to them.

"No."

"Nope."

"Why are you doing this to me?" I frowned. I tried my best not to show any emotion but I could feel the walls crumbling.

They both hesitated and they seemed to look for the right words to say.

"So you can get back to civilization."

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