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“Who are you? What are you doing here?” Blite growled. He bristled and puffed himself up, making him look twice his cub size.348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNoRtjubOzq
“I . . . I mean no harm,” the she-tiger stammered slowly. She was a tiger cub.
“That’s not my question,” Blite retorted. “Who are you? How did you end up coming here?”
The she-cub looked up and met his eyes. “My name is Chara. I am here because I have no Streak, and I traveled here. The first thing I experienced was my mother, Flame’s death, fatally ill after having me. I never knew my father. I saw you kill the mole, and I wondered if such a fierce tiger cub like you would be friends with me. But maybe not. I’m sorry.” She looked at her paws.
Blite tilted his head, thinking. She had come all this way, and wanted to be friends with . . . him? Did she not see who she was even looking at? It's not like he was an ordinary tiger cub she found in the forest!348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5wwKOpsDTn
He kept his gaze locked on her for a moment, thinking, before speaking after another heartbeat. “I am Blite. I'm sorry for the loss of your mother... I'm impressed that you made it all the way to my Streak on your own. You're... you're welcome to be my friend, Chara, if you'd ever accept that. That would be . . . nice,” he said, a short smile forming on his face.
Chara returned her gaze to his, her eyes widening like moons. “Really? You’ll be friends with me?” she asked, her face lighting up. 348Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfM5gvaEkW
Blite bowed his head. “I have gotten treated pretty badly by my tiger-brothers, and even my tiger-parents sometimes seem like they hate having me as their cub, all because I look... like this. I hunted this mole to show them that they were wrong. I am as much of a tiger as they are!” he growled.
“That's... unbelievable. You do look very different, but in a good way. I don’t see anything too unusual with you, except that you’re someone who will actually accept my friendship,” purred Chara.
“Yes, yes," Blite smiled, turning. "Now follow me. I can take you to my Streak. I will probably get yelled at for leaving the camp as a cub unsupervised, but... hey. I’m used to it,” Blite sighed and rolled his eyes, starting toward the Streak with Chara following behind him.
He and his new friend trod through the forest until they reached the den-area. He pushed through the leaves and brambles and was immediately engulfed in snarls and shouts.
“Blite!”
“Tell me where you have been!”
“Have you been out into the forest?”
“Is that a mole in your mouth?”
“Where did you go, black-and-white Blite?”
When he heard that, Blite snarled furiously. “I might look different, but that doesn’t make me worse than any of you! What do you think, fur color depends on how you get treated?! You are all fools. I went out into the forest and hunted this mole to show you I’m as great and ferocious as any orange-and-black tiger!” he growled.
Flora Goldenclaw, the leader of the Streak, stalked forward. “Where have you been, Blite?” Her voice was calm but stern, ignoring everything Blite had just said. “And who in the name of the Great Tiger is she?” Flora pointed with her muzzle at Chara.
Blite looked at her with fearless silver eyes. “This is my new friend, Chara. I finally found a tiger that doesn’t mind my fur! And you are not going to send her away! I’m not afraid to fight anyone!" Blite snarled, fury overwhelming him.
Flora blinked. Blite’s Mother and Father tiger, Silver and Tigro, leaped forward, confronting Blite. “You don’t speak to your Streak leader like that, Blite! How did my cub even become this . . . thing?” Tigro snarled.
Blite's eyes widened and his fur bristled in bewildered fury at his Father tiger. “You think I’m just . . . a thing?” he exclaimed.
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