Disclaimer: I do NOT own any of the characters from Ty the Tasmainian tiger, except for Ray (Ty and Shazza's son).
Oceans embrace.
Ty the tasmainian tiger walked through the soft shifting sand bank, the sand tickling the pads of his feet as he took a leisurely yet aimless stroll with the blue cloudless skies hung above to paint a magnificent day in Southern rivers, Australia.
The roaring waves of the ocean could hardly be helped as the currents mighty laps droned on and on in the background and made the scene somewhat...peaceful. Ty's fur was partially wet due to the fact that he had taken a dip in the icy cool salty sea water minutes prior to this precise moment and he didn't bother shake his yellow fur dry from the moisture covering him from paw to head.
The Tazzy tiger stopped whence his ears twitched at the sound of timid whimpering.
Ty slowly turned around, a kind and compassionate smirk becoming visible on his muzzle. He knew exactly what sound he was hearing right now and he was proven completely correct whence he saw a little beige-coloured ball of fur hiding behind a rock as the tiny bundle of fur just sat there huddled up.
Shaking his head a little, an action that made his cheek fur and long yellow locks sway in time with his head, Ty couldn't help but chuckle a bit as he slowly approached the tiny ball of fur which he recognised as the offspring of himself and Shazza the dingo.
Ray was a cute little Tazzy tiger/dingo hybrid. He had a lot of his father's looks but the differences were that his tail looked like that of a dingo, he had little pointy ears that were currently splayed back and he also had shorter spiky locks of hair sat in between his ears that overlapped each other in three different spikes.
The little cute hybrid currently wore a pair of green shorts but otherwise his tiny chest was way fluffier than his father's.
Looking up at his father with teary emerald eyes, Ray shied away and retreated further back behind the rock.
Ty slowly knelt down beside the pup and spared a reassuring smile with the cub, clearly trying to make him feel better. He knew exactly what the matter was with his boy and he knew it was something that bothered the tiny podgy hybrid.
He put a gloved hand on his cub son's shoulder and watched as the youngling squirm uncomfortable under his comforting touch.
The thylacine watched with a little grin as Ray looked up at his father with fearful glossy eyes. His crimson nose let out a small stuffily wet noise as if to indicate that the little one had a case of the sniffles.
The little child swallowed as he looked away from his father, trying to avoid his reassuring gaze.
"C'mon. The waters not gonna hurt you, mate..." Ty said, smiling gently at the child.
Ray didn't respond to that. He was too anxious to say anything and argue with his father and only stared at his shadow which stretched along the sand that very almost matched the colouration of his fur -almost. It was a touch darker colouring then his fur but that didn't change the fact that the little thylacine/dingo hybrid was staring at it as if it were naught but a mere reflection coated in the shade.
His father was trying to get him to come into the water but Ray didn't really feel confident about swimming. He didn't know how to swim and even though Ty wanted nothing more than to teach him, that didn't do much to lift the timid boy's confidence.
"A-Are you sure, dad?" Ray asked quietly, his pointy little ears down.
Ty nodded, his smile never faltering "Fair Dinkum. I won't let ya drown, I promise."
Ray stayed quiet but finally mustered the courage to look up at his father and he still showed traces of fear inside his big emerald eyes which shimmered with adorable warmth in the intense sunlight of summer.
Ray was a bit intimidated as he never really had contact with the ocean before but he was going to see what watched with interest as the older tasmainian tiger slowly stood up and started to walk towards the lapping ocean waves which made a long hush slide through the air whilst the sea tides softly grew higher.
Ty slowly stepped into the water, the tides making the level of it reach the base of his paws as he felt the gentle sea breeze bristle his orange fur as well as the locks atop his head. He closed his eyes when he felt the cold come into contact with his partially soaking wet fur and he even walked into the water with bold strides until the level reached his torso.
He stopped and slowly turned to face back towards the sand bank where he saw the little pup cautiously waddling down towards the shore where the water came enveloping the little slope of sand before reiterating back a ways and repeating the cycle over and over in an endless cycle until the wind decides to change.
Ray's little eyes hardened skeptically as he stepped up to the water.
He looked down at the waves distastefully, hesitating greatly as if he were constantly considering whether to properly go in or not.
Ray very slowly lifted his hind paw up and reluctantly dipped his toe into the ice cold liquid, only to quickly take it out when he discovered how below freezing it was as he gave a big shudder of his little furry body.
Ray slowly straightened out himself as he looked out into the water and saw his father smiling gently at him with his gloved hand extended out towards him.
"C'mon, you can do it." Ty coaxed softly, keeping his hand extended out towards the timid little cub "I know that the world can be fairly Dinkum scary, mate, but you'll always have me and your mum to guide you."
Ray looked stunned for several moments as he pondered on his father's words. He could feel his pulse stir at this as if he were suddenly supported by some new courage and he feebly clutched on to this courage and used it like a crutch as he shivered a bit. He hesitated for a few long moments but swallowed his fear and started to steel himself.
He slowly and cautiously stepped into the water boldly as he put on a face of pure determination.
To most, the water was a crude representation of the things they couldn't face. It was something that was unknown to most and, even to this day, people tried to research it so they could understand and comprehend the magic that thrives just beneath the surface even though the magic can also be a dreadful curse that could drag you down into its depths to die.
The little Tazzy tiger/dingo hybrid slowly approached his father, the tides rushing in as to rise up to reach just below his pudgy little hips, and he froze in partial terror as his innocent eyes started to fill with tears.
Ty frowned momentarily in concern but smiled again whence an idea dawned on him.
The tasmainian tiger softly tapped at the twin boomerangs tucked away into a belt holster that he kept on his red shorts as if to remind himself of who he was and he slowly approached the little cub who trembled a little bit in fright.
Ty walked over towards his son and bent down to pick him up and he held him close and allowed the youngling to bury his little muzzle in his fuzzy chest. Ray was soaking wet and his beige-cream coloured fur was scruffier than normal due to the waves softly washing over him.
The adult thylacine had little care for the moisture coming off of his and Shazza's offspring and smiled down at him reassuringly with a liveliness igniting a fire of warmth in his soothing jade irises.
Finally, after stepping into water deep enough to reach up to his upper chest region, Ty held his son against his chest tightly. He made sure Ray wouldn't be swallowed up by the gentle lapping waves that came towards them.
But Ty had faced the horizon afar and smiled softly at what was in front of him and he even gently nudged the tiny beige tot with his big red nose. Ray reluctantly opened his little eyes and looked into the horizon with his father and noticed several things and his pointy little ears slowly perked up and a gasp of awe slipped through his throat.
Ray was in the water so only his head was poking out but he was held securely to his tasmainian tiger's chest by clutching handfuls of fur with his tiny hands and clinging on for dear life on to the adult's chest like his life depended on it. Even though the rest of his body was underwater. But he loosened his tight grip just a bit when he looked into the horizon and saw the setting sun.
The waves were gentle and calm as the bright orange sun set across the peach-coloured skies and started to sink behind the deep navy blue currents and making way for dusk.
It was a sight that burned this beautiful picture inside the tiny pup/cub's learning mind as his little mouth dropped open and exposed a little gleaming white snaggletooth that stuck out from the lower gums lining the bottom of his mouth. His eyes were wide and he slowly spoke in awe.
"Crikey...this is a beauty, dad..." Ray spoke slowly as his voice was laced with a whisper. His ears were erect and his 'hair' softly bristled against the soft breeze of the Southern rivers springtime that filled the little child's heart with joy. He was so happy that he could feel his tail wagging under the water.
Ty finally tore his gaze away from the setting sun and looked back at his son and he very gently rubbed his nose against Ray's small muzzle in a sign of affection. He felt the chilled breeze rushing against his face, his nostrils being greeted by a salty texture mixed in with the pure oxygen flowing around the atmosphere.
"You 'fraid of the water now?" He asked happily.
Ray shook his head with a confident smile, a motion that made his tufts of hair sway with the brusque motion. He had to admit it, he no longer was afraid of the ocean. It was like his father had somehow made the scariness melt away.
His youthful eyes brimmed with wonder as he realised then that as long as his parents were around, he would always be safe.
Ty proceeded to explain in a wise voice "Y'see Ray, even though some things seem scary, there's always something good that comes with it. That's why sometimes you gotta be brave: to see the reward that comes out the other side."
Ray smiled warmly, his eyes tearing up again but with happiness this time, and he hugged his father tightly by wrapping his little pudgy arms around the thylacine. Ty seemed surprised at first as he felt his son's nose press against his chest whilst he slid it in a rubbing motion.
He was so happy to have such a great dad like Ty the tasmainian tiger around!
"I love ya dad..." Ray murmured, his little tail wagging ecstatically.
Ty smiled lovingly and hugged his son back, his snout wrinkling as if to crinkle the yellow stripe of paint that stretched across the top of it, and he closed his eyes as if to hide the tears welling up in his emerald pools.
He held the little tyke close and he couldn't help but feel his heart swell with this adoring warmth whence he felt his little son's behind shake in an obvious indication that his dog-like tail was wagging a mile a minute. For several long moments, he couldn't make his voice work to come up with a reply.
The only sound between father and son was the ocean that continued to roar surprisingly quietly in the background in an endless repeat.
Although it was only a matter of time whence he did respond; he finally murmured his response whilst trying to keep his Aussie-accented voice from trembling just like his hands were as they supported his little one's little back.
He delicately cradled the cross-breed against his chest and snuggled the ball of cream fur.
"I love ya too son..."
A/N: Woah, it's been nearly a whole year since I've written a Ty the tasmainian tiger fanfic! Sorry I haven't been uploading that, guys, I just lost motivation in continuing it.
I may not even continue it, sadly. I'm sorry if that inconveniences you.
I do like Ty and little Ray's father/son relationship and I may make more about Ty, Shazza, Ray and the rest of the Ty gang later on in the future. We'll just wait and see.
Again, sorry about Bush rescue next gen.
Please review on this story, though.
-Chloemcg