Cover by Lindsey>>>
"White Tiger"
2013 Copyright © All Rights Reserved.
Stryder Sweetman.
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Chapter 14
It was a new day, it was time for a fresh attitude and a new challenge.
I woke up as the sun's rays filtered through the window above my bed. That, and Ani jumping up and down on top of me like a five year old on her birthday.
Then I realised- Ani always acts like a five year old- which could only mean... The reason Ani was jumping up and down on my bed like it was her birthday was because it was her birthday.
Shoot.
And I had another challenge, and I had yet to get her a present, and I had yet to help Macy with breakfast, and I had yet to-
Ok, so I was trying to pile up a load of things I had to do so I didn't feel guilty.
It didn't work.
Why didn't someone remind me?
Usually Ani would go on about it for days, or Willow would at least remind me...
Why didn't Libeth remind me?
In fact, Libeth has been awfully quiet these last few days... I searched through my mind, looking for Libeth... She was... Sulking?
Why would Libeth be sulking?
I realised that I should stop asking myself questions about Libeth, when she was right there. She was always right there.
The real reason why I was wasting time, was because I'd wanted to keep the positive glow I’d had since the day before. I didn't want to sulk like Libeth, because chances were, if it made her sulk, then it would make me sulk too.
After all... We're practically the same person. I'll ask her later, I decided.
I had someone else entirely to deal with at that moment, and if I didn't pay attention to them in the next ten seconds, then I was going to have to deal with them sulking.
"Morning, Ani!" I yelled at her, trying to be cheery.
But I think I put too much cheer into it, because I ended up screaming it right in her face and it scared the heck out of her.
She fell backwards and tumbled off the bed, I quickly jumped off to see her in Walrus form, on all... Threes?
Her vocal chords were still human, I realised, as she said, "A cat always lands on all fours."
She clearly believed she was a cat, and a Walrus doesn't pull off a smug face very well, so I ended up on the floor with her, laughing until I cried.
She didn't seem satisfied by my reaction to her cool remark, so she wondered what was going on.
Ani looked down and saw that instead of having the paws she had planned on, she had flippers.
She stumbled over to the mirror behind the door, and when she saw her reflection she let out a cross between a gasp and a screech.
A very bizarre sound to come from a Walrus.
By then I had a sore stomach from all the laughing, and I had to look away, so I could breathe. I jumped up from the ground after catching my breath, and I walked towards the bed, without looking her way.
When I got to the bed, I sat down, and I forced myself to look at her.
She was still staring at the reflection, her Walrus mouth slack, almost as close to the floor as her tusks.
I cleared my throat after a few minutes and her mouth snapped shut, she then shifted in to a Siamese cat and acted as if the Walrus situation didn't just happen.
I decided to let it slip, and instead I yelled, "Happy birthday!" to her.
She seemed pleased and changed back to her human self. She hopped off her butt and asked, "So, where's my present?"
I shifted my weight awkwardly and sent her a shy smile, "You have to wait and see." I said.
She was satisfied by this answer and she grinned at me, "Let's wake up Willow!"
The following two hours were fairly uneventful.
We woke up Willow, she knew I didn't have something for Ani, but she didn't have anything either. She used the same explanation I did.
We woke up Nixon. Willow and I left, not comfortable watching Ani make out with him. We waited outside until they came out with goofy smiles on their faces.
We woke up Jer. Same situation, except it was Willow and Jer this time.
Ani went back to her bedroom and got in to bed, then forced us to make her breakfast, therefore, breakfast in bed.
In the end, Ani was waiting for me and Willow to get her something. Nixon gave her a golden charm bracelet that looked extremely expensive, Jer got her a diary that she could draw the cover for (she drew a unicorn), and her Aunt and Uncle got her a hot pink convertible Bug car.
It was up to Willow and I to come up with something to blow her mind.
But not before challenge two, Libeth reminded me.
I'd found out from Nixon that today we were going back to the same paddocks, but this time we were showing our elemental abilities.
Shifters were capable of gaining elemental abilities depending on the form they took, for example, when in Dragon form, some shifters are capable of breathing small amounts of fire. This was how Tigenres gained the ability to control elements.
The elemental ability of a shifter differs in each individual.
So we headed out to the paddocks, this time Willow followed me out, and Ani followed Nixon to go watch Jason.
I really think these challenges are just for the pack's entertainment.
I hopped into the paddock and waited for the command. My first challenge was to use fire.
I didn't shift, because being a Tigenre gave me the ability to control elements in any form.
I took a deep breath and raised a hand, clenching it in a fist as I watched small flames lick at my feet. the fire didn't spread in random directions, but rather spread in a circle, before burning out. Then three more spots of fire appeared inside the circle, two burnt out, and the third spread in a curve. When the flames flickered out of existence, the burnt grass formed a smiley face.
Giggles erupted from the crowd as I grinned at my handiwork. I turned back, to see Santa Beard, and waited for his command.
"You need to show us air control now."
I twirled a finger, and a little whirlwind appeared. I grinned as I directed it toward the ten year old kid from the day before, and lifted him off the ground. I spun him round in the air for a bit as he laughed uncontrollably.
A woman I assumed was his mother looked worried, so I gently lowered him to the ground.
I looked at Santa Beard and asked, "What's next, Santa?"
He grinned at the name and answered, "Earth, duh."
I rolled my eyes at his child-like speech and held out both hands as some stone raised from the ground. I shaped it into what appeared to be a small, fluffy dog. Vines grew from the ground and provided the fur.
I turned and grinned at Willow, her eyes widening as we both realised what to get Ani for her birthday- she would love a puppy.
I was suddenly impatient to finish the challenge.
I sunk the rock back into the ground, and turned to look expectantly at Santa.
"I think it is obvious that we want you to show us water, it is the last thing left, after all!"
I grinned at him and looked upwards.
Rain started falling, but only around me in a U-shape, so that it created a dramatic affect where there was rain surrounding me, without touching me, but not blocking my view of them. I raised a hand, and the water stopped falling- the droplets were floating in mid-air.
I heard a few gasps and saw the looks of wonder on the crowd's faces. I clenched my fist and the water formed a ball in front of me.
I spun the ball, made it change shapes and moved it around in the air. I split it into two balls and then a third, and I pretended to juggle. I joined the water again, to make one ball, and I froze it.
I raised it far above my head and sent it flying towards the ground. The ball smashed on impact and broke in to pieces, I melted the ice and left it to soak up in the grass.
I turned to see the stunned faces of the crowd and I grinned. Then I ran over to Willow, and waved goodbye to Jeremy as I pulled her along behind me.
We rushed around the side of the house, and leapt into Willow's silver Corolla, which had been waiting all year while we'd been gone.
We pulled up outside a pet shop, and leapt out the car doors. I rushed inside, closely followed by Willow, as I headed to the puppy section. Inside an enclosure, was the fluffiest puppy I had ever seen. It was pure white, with dark eyes, and lots of fur. His chart said he was a Maltese cross Shi tzu cross Pomeranian.
I pulled out my platinum card and bought him, Willow carrying him to the car as I entered the 2-dollar-shop next door, and purchasing a hot-pink ribbon to tie around his neck.
When we arrived home, I quickly headed to the computer room, and made up a card.
We hurried over to Ani's room after putting the pup in a big cardboard box. I had shifted into a puppy just like him, and told him to keep quiet until we said he could make noise. He was a strange puppy, but happy, none the less.
We walked in the door to Ani's room, and she was waiting expectantly on her bed, "I was wondering when you two were going to give me my present."
Willow and I grinned. I handed Ani the card. On the front, was the hilarious picture of her and Nixon, the night they made up.
Inside, was a bunch of stuff about friendship and birthday wishes. After she read it, she gave us a hug and demanded far too eagerly, "Now give me my present! Please?"
Willow chuckled as I opened up the box and pulled out the little fluff-ball.
I plopped him on her lap, and I nodded to him. He let out a little yip, and looked up at Ani, wagging his tail.
She stared at him, her eyes getting impossibly wider.
And then she fainted.
Dang it, I sent Willow.
Always the drama queen. She replied.
I giggled as she fell backwards, but the pup was confused. I explained what had happened so that he understood. He seemed preoccupied with his thoughts.
I told him we needed to wait for her to wake up. He turned to look at me, and pulled the cutest face I had ever seen.
Puss in Boots style.
Then he asked, "Can I lick da face?"
"What?" I asked.
"Can I... Lick... Da face?" He yipped each word slowly, his eyes seemed to be getting bigger.
I couldn't resist that face, heck, Willow couldn't resist that face!
I nodded to him and he bolted over to Ani's face and started licking it all over. Then Nixon came in with a confused expression on his face, and he just froze in the doorway as Ani started to wake up.
She shot up from the bed and grabbed the pup, hugging him to her chest as he continued to yip and lick her neck.
I shifted back and started laughing when I saw the loving expression on Ani's face. She was in momma-bear mode.
Nixon walked over to the bed and said, "Hey, little fella, what's your name?"
Ani grinned and said, "I'm calling him Leroy!"
Ani hugged Leroy for a whole hour, not once letting anyone touch him.
Eventually we forced her to let go and take him outside to pee.
During that hour, Ani had explained that Jason had made a complete fool out of himself during the challenge, he even lit the fence on fire with one of his tiny fire puffs.
He did have control over water though, and was able to make it rain, though it took concentration for him to stop it raining.
Jeremy had joined us at some point during the hour, and was completely infatuated with Leroy. He didn't take his eyes off him once.
I think I know what to get him for his birthday, I thought.
We all followed Ani down the halls and stairs, and we eventually made it to the front door.
That is, after we made it through the massive crowds that formed around Leroy.
Eventually, I got fed up and turned to face everybody, "Give a puppy some space!" I ordered.
The crowd dispersed, and only a few people lingered around, giving Leroy longing looks. It would seem he already had a fan club, it mainly consisted of teenage girls and children, though there were a few adults, as well.
We headed back inside, and decided to play cards when I got an idea.
As we sat down to play Black Jack, I shifted to speak with Leroy. He did as I said and moved into the middle of the circle, then he sat next to the pile of cards and waited while I told the others to shift into dogs.
Leroy followed the steps I told him, and pushed the cards out with his nose. That was as far as his participation went. For the rest of the game, he just sat there, staring at Ani with wide eyes. We were literally a group of dogs playing cards.
A highly entertaining night. Libeth muttered.
At the end, we all separated and split off into our rooms. I brushed my teeth, and shifted into some pyjamas. I jumped into bed and drifted off to sleep, thinking of Leroy and Ani.
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I thought that since everyone has been so supportive, that i should give you a new chapter quickly.
So, what do you think of Leroy?
If anyone out there is an ARTIST, then i think you should know that i would like for people to send me some Book Covers?
Send me a message and i'll give you my email address so you can mail me the cover?
Thanks guys!
Stry.
VOTE COMMENT FAN!
And try to make a cover!