To Love a Tiger-
Not yesterday, not yesterday but long ago…
In the world before there was the sun and the moon, only the stars existed. And there among the black and white and colour, among the heat and the cold was a wild untamable tiger dwelling amidst the white-hot luminary, stalking burning comets as he left the heavens quaking with a great roar. His coat of orange fire bright, sending light throughout creation could only compare to the cold of his eyes- one liquid silver, the moon; the other a bright amber, the sun.
His roars would make the child stars quiver in fear, dropping great tears– rain. He would take to sharpening his great claws on barren planets and dead stars – thunder and lightning. The great beast was the creator of storms. He was the result of the grand winds that ravaged the deserts of earth, as he chased at such high speeds after smoldering comets. The tiger was the creator of fire, for when angry, he would light up, orange, red and white– flames enveloping his body, blazing. This great beast was untamable, uncatchable.
Uncatchable, until one day, the great God's daughter went walking among the galaxy, visiting the cold graves of departed stars, when she came to Venus, and there happened upon the sleeping tiger. Upon sensing an approach, he snapped his eyes open.
Cold bi-coloured eyes regarded the maiden standing before him. "Oh, Great Tiger," she said in that strange clicking language of the gods as she laced her fingers together in greeting and bowed before the animal. "It is such an honour."
He stood languorously, growling softly, warning the girl against any sudden movements. (How is it that you are not afraid?) His eyes read.
The tiger walked around her, analyzing her, her dark inky hair, bright ebony eyes, and umber skin. As he walked, the air stirred around her, moving her lucent dress around her legs. "What is your name, Oh Mighty One?"
(I have many names, choose whatever you wish.) He said as he stopped in front of her
"Then I shall call you Kahawia (Amber) after your eye." She lifted her hand tentatively from her side and held it out to him. "I am Sarabi."
He placed a monstrous paw in her delicate hand, watching as her fingers laced an irregular tattoo through his orange fur. "Such a soft pelt…" she muttered absently, her hands falling back to her sides. The tiger kept its measured glance on her for a moment longer before it turned and quietly stalked away.
She watched him walk away with an air of grace; and smiled at the stately look upon his potent face; a face that is perfectly embossed in the stars beyond. He seemed to call out to her with his mighty roar. And his eyes glittered brightest, watching carefully as she took in his beauty; Eyes that held such an arrogant power.
–
She watched the great tiger stroll calmly and peacefully amongst the stars that seemed to empathetically entertain him. She followed, walking in his great paw-steps, and he turned sensing her, but not registering who she was. As he springs and pounces over her shivering body, she is like a naked baby beneath him, helpless, quivering– trusting. He stood large and firmly rooted, stealthy and steadfast glaring at her. "Hello, Kahawia." She clicked away.
Fierce, sharp and his growl sounded out. (Sarabi.)
As she courageously looked into his hollow eyes the errand of his prowl changed to a hazy endeavor and as he turned his head to walk away his tail brushed her cheek soft as a lovers caress. She smiled.
"Nakupenda." She clicked softly after him.
–
The wind holds it breath and the stars watch, eager to see what the mighty god will do, yet fearful for the great tiger. The God advances, enraged– How dare she fall in love with a... a… A BEAST?
He raises a dark hand to strike the mighty tiger who in turn reared up to attack, offering up a mighty roar that shook the heavens and the earth. The gods hand come down, and he felt the flesh give way to the blade. He laughed uproariously, the beast was dead. But when he looked down, it was not the tiger but his daughter who lay dying.
–
(How is it that you are not afraid?) The tiger's eyes read as he repeated his first ever question to the umber skinned daughter of a vengeful God.
"Kwa sababu… mimi… Nakupenda… Kahawia." (Because… I… I love you…Kahawia.) She whispered as her hands rapped out a jagged tattoo through his fur, leaving black marks and blood behind on the once flawless orange pelt.
He leapt at the God, tarnishing his ebony body with his gleaming claws and bright teeth. Rivulets of blood stained the heavens, soaking deep into the stars. The great God tore out the tigers silver eye and consumed it, becoming the cold, silver Moon. And the tiger, with his single amber eye became the vicious, fiery Sun. Their battle over the great lady, Sarabi, was fought at intervals, and is a continuous cycle of sunrise – sunset. Nether won, but both will continue to fight until the destruction of the Earth.
–
The tiger's eyes gleamed of fury as he paced back and forth across the sky. The great tiger was angry, savaging the stars. A storm was brewing, threatening to drown out the earth. The grand lady and the God were gone. He was alone once again, but for the stripes on his back; the marks of his lady's love.
Bi-coloured eyes blink.
"Nakupenda." A voice clicks.
3