Greer immediately felt that something wasn't right when she approached her home. Something just felt off. It made her skin crawl and her fur stand upright.
"Mom…?" Greer called out as she walked into her home. She was met with no answer. Her mom had texted her during school. It said she was going to be home early to make a nice dinner and spend some time with Greer.
Greer called out again. Her sharp hearing picked up a faint noise. Stepping into the kitchen, Greer saw her mother collapsed on the floor of the kitchen.
"Mom!" Greer rushed to her side. A neon dart stuck out of Catherine's neck.
"Greer…. Go…" She groggily moaned.
"Mom, what-" Greer froze when she smelled an unfamiliar scent. She curled her lip into a snarl.
A dark-haired man entered the room. He was huge, and covered in animal skins.
Greer growled again, "Who are you?"
The man merely chuckled. "This really wasn't much of a hunt."
Greer snarled loudly.
"Really, you must realize how silly you look growling at me with that stupid image inducer covering your magnificent body." He folded his arms and leaned on the doorframe.
"What did you do to my mother?!" Greer roared.
The man sighed and then charged Greer quickly. She hardly had time to react and moved to throw a punch. He easily dodged and his fingers nailed her in select places on her shoulder and neck.
Greer collapsed. Her entire body was paralyzed. Fear sank on and she struggled to get her arms and legs to move. Even her tail went lax and unfurled from her leg.
"What did you do to me!" She screamed out in panic.
The man knelt beside her and rather sadistically ran his hands through her red hair. He smiled when he felt the soft fur. He picked up her limp arm and turned off her image inducer.
"Magnificent." He purred as he studied her body. He was only met with a whimper. "You'll be perfect." He snapped his fingers and men entered from another room and began to pick up Greer's heavy body.
"Wait… Mom!" She tried again to move.
"No worries, pet, your mother will be fine." He caressed her again, she curled her lip in an angry snarl.
She felt a stick in her neck and something being injected into her body. Everything went black.
Greer stirred as she woke. She rubbed her eyes and pushed herself up. Her muscles ached as she sat upright.
"I… I can move…" Greer said.
"Of course dear. The nerve pinches only last a short time." His dark voice explained. He apparently had been watching her sleep. That unnerved Greer for sure.
Greer shook her head. She looked around and another fit of anxiety set in. Bars surrounded her on all sides. "No…. no no….. nonononono….." Greer charged the bars and received a violent shock. The tigress fell back. She groaned and sat up again. Underneath her was hay and a water bottle. Her stomach growled loudly. It was then Greer was fully naked. She gasped and covered her furred body with her hands.
"Relax dear, I am not interested in you for that reason." He merely continued to smile.
"Who are you?" Greer growled.
He chuckled and stood and approached the cage. He was so strong and large, even his footfalls thudded on the ground. Greer still had a head on him, but was not a strong, clearly. "My name is Kraven, and I am a hunter."
Greer swallowed and she felt her tail bush.
He read her reaction. Kraven pulled his chair closer to the cage and sat, folding his hands together. "Your body must be going mad…"
The tigress tilted her head curiously. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"Look at yourself, dear. You are a magnificent beast." Kraven commented. "A perfect blend of woman and animal. You were combined with an apex predator no doubt." His speaking interrupted by a snort from Greer. "Anyways, I imagine though you have certain instincts that are not being properly expressed."
"I still have no idea what you are talking about…" Greer huffed and crossed her arms.
"Come now, sure you have felt a need. A calling." Kraven continued. "You're hungry."
Greer merely rose a brow. "I eat well enough."
"Not that kind of hungry… You need to hunt. You can't tell me that sitting at a table, eating is satisfying."
Greer whimpered. He was right. Even after eating two or even three helpings, Greer was still hungry. Unfulfilled. She flexed her claws and even caught herself staring at squirrels and rabbits outside. There was also the incident where she chased a raccoon up a tree and she caught it. If her mother hadn't snapped her out of it…
"Mmm…. I thought so." Kraven cooed. Greer flattened her ears and watched him leave.
Four agonizing days passed.
Kraven kept her caged and denied her food. Though the sadistic bastard made it a point to eat his dinner in front of her.
Greer began pacing again. He also kept her from using a normal bathroom, she couldn't even bathe. Greer felt filthy, disgusting, hungry…. She felt like… an animal. Her middle growled loudly and she whimpered. Her body felt so weak.
Greers's vibrant orange and black fur turned dingy and dirty. She even caught herself licking an arm, though the taste of herself and all the fur she collected on her rough tongue repulsed her enough to not do it again.
Kraven's lackeys would come in of a morning and refresh the hay and the water bowl she lapped water from. They chained and muzzled her when they did so. After the third say, she didn't feel like she had the strength to fight.
Greer sighed as she watched the light change in the room. There was a tiny, vented window in the area her cage was kept. She caught slight whiffs of fresh air and could at least get an idea of what time it was. Dusk was dinner time, at least for Kraven.
His table was set for him and always a large meal was presented. It mostly consisted of meat though.
"So, dear… how are you feeling?" Kraven asked as he sat and uncovered the platter.
Greer gutturally growled loudly and he watched him cut a chunk of rare prime rib. She licked her lips and even salivated at the sight.
"Hungry, I assume?" Kraven said coolly between chewing.
Greer nodded, her eyes fixated on the helping of food he ate. Her stomach rumbled and it was loud enough for both to hear.
"Good, because I have a plan for you." He lifted a drumstick and tore off a chunk like a barbarian.
"What…. What sort of plan?"
"I have a test for you. You are a superb being. You need training, but I could give it to you if you prove that your animal instincts are alive and well. That you haven't completely lost them. If you do pass, I'll let you out of that cage and give you a feast. If you fail, then… well, you'll become a trophy of mine."
Greer was hardly in a condition to say no. She needed food, she needed to eat. If she didn't pass… at least her suffering would be over. Too weak to care, "I'll do it."
Before Greer knew it she was cuffed, leashed and being led out of the cage. Kraven walking in front and five of his employees surrounding her as they kept her in control.
"My dear-"
"My name is Greer." The tigress huffed. She was immediately met with a violent shock from a cattle prod.
Kraven merely rose a brow to the employee that shocked her, but shrugged and continued to lead the group. "Greer, your test will be to hunt and kill a sambar."
"A what now?" Greer cocked her ears. Never hearing of such a thing before.
Kraven pinched the bridge of his nose. "It's a large deer. I want you to hunt it, and kill it."
They came to a door and he nodded to his employees. They nervously began to unfasten her cuffs and the collar around her neck. Kraven pressed a button and the door opened as she was pushed inside.
Greer was now inside a large enclosure. Forested, natural. It smelled fresh. She felt so free. Her tail flicked, her tail twitched.
"Welcome to my private hunting enclosure, Greer." Kraven's voice echoed over a loudspeaker. "Over 100 acres of prime hunting. Now, begin."
Greer whimpered. She had never hunted before. She had heard her father occasionally hunting with some cop buddies, but she had never gone herself. A scent did tickle her nose though, her pupils dilated and something registered in her brain. Perhaps it was the fact she was literally starved but it was… food.
Greer held her head low as she tracked. Finding that she was able to single out the odor she was bent on, and disregard others. Walking like this on two legs was awkward, so she began to crawl on her hands and knees.
Something else unlocked in Greer's brain, and her body changed the way she was moving. Her padded feet properly under her body and moving faster. Greer discovered she was on all fours. As she did when Shocker attacked.
The scent grew stronger, and so did her urge. Her legs moving faster. Her mouth opened as she panted. Crashing through the brush now until she halted herself.
It was a large deer. A huge, fucking, deer.
It had paused for a drink.
Greer could smell it. He… it was a he by the huge antlers. Her stomach growled and her body completely froze, watching the large creature. Greer's muscles ached and nearly spasmed with need. She was so… hungry. The tigress gathered her legs under her and dug her claws in for traction before she leapt from her cover.
Greer misjudged her jump and missed the buck. It squallered, reared and escaped. A screeching sound from the loudspeaker.
"THAT'S A FAILURE, GREER!" Kraven hollered into the PA system.
"Wait! No! I… I haven't hunted before! Please!" Greer begged. She didn't want to die… She wanted to eat. Before even receiving an answer she took off again on all fours.
It took another half an hour, but Greer tracked the deer again. She was behind him, she licked her lips and her pupils dilated. She wanted that deer, she needed that deer.
Greer burst from the brush again. Landing squarely on his back, Greer held on for dear life, digging her clawed hand deep into the flesh on his muscular shoulder. In a fluid motion, she used her weight to topple him onto his side. Her free arm guided his head upwards, exposing his neck and Greer sunk her teeth into him.
Greer felt the warm rush of blood in her mouth. Her eyes rolled back and she bit deeper. The buck struggled hard, and she only locked her muscles further and deeper into him. Something about this was pleasureable. She enjoyed it and even elicited a groan as she felt the sambar's life slowly fade and his body go still.
Greer kept her body locked on his for several more moments. Her ears soon picked up the sound of hands clapping getting closer. Snapping out of her bliss, she released her jaws from around the bucks neck. His eyes glazed over in a stare of death. Greer panted, still staring at the corpse before tearing herself away to look at Kraven.
"Beautifully done my dear. I see you have not let your animal side completely die." Kraven grinned, showing perfectly straight, white teeth. "Enjoy your feast." He turned to leave.
Greer panted. Everything felt hazy. She looked to him curiously. Then looked back to the dead deer. Her body gave one last shudder. Greer licked her lips then dove back into to the carcass to eat her fill.
Greer was on her second hunt. It was only two days after her successful test. Kraven allowed her to stay in the enclosure, alone for the next two days. Again with no food. Fresh water flowed through large creeks and Greer kept her head to the ground.
A rancid smell then tickled her nose. She followed it though and she heard growling noises and flesh tearing and bones crunching.
It was Greer's first kill, the sambar, and a bear was tearing off what it could. It apparently sensed her presence and stopped, roaring loudly towards where she was hiding. It also wasted no time and charged her. Greer dodged the initial attack and lunged. The grizzly back handed her with surprise speed. Tearing the flesh on her cheek and above her eye.
Greer roared and backed off. But this…. Thing was in her territory. She didn't care about the sambar, this thing attacked her! The tigress lost herself and lunged towards the bear. Greer bit deeply into his shoulder. It reared up and smashed Greer into a tree by backing into it. It turned the bit into her arm, breaking the bones.
Greer gave a deafening roar. She swung a strong arm into the side of the bear's skull. Her clawed thumb gouged into his eye. The bear was weakening, but Greer never let up. Everything in her very existence screamed at her to survive and to do what it takes. She gained leverage and then climbed into the bear. She still had a hold of its head and with her good arm, twisted it into an obscene angle until she heard a sickening crack and the large body beneath her go completely limp.
The tiger's body was completely spent and she continued to lay on top of her victim. She hissed when she felt the broken bones knit together. Her healing factor beginning to work.
She heard brush crash then she immediately sat up. Her battle clearly wasn't over.
Kraven witnessed the battle and was concerned for his hunting companion. He signaled for medical to assist and entered the enclosure to find Greer.
Greer was completely gone. The large hybrid curled her lip to the dark-haired man. The man was unwelcome. Though still injured, she bellowed a roar and charged. She punched him in the side, swung her claws to tear into his flesh. The tigress even bit into his arm and shoulder.
Kraven was literally floored by Greer's vicious attack on him. Any trace of her humanity was gone and it was an injured animal protecting herself. Kraven finally shoved Greer off and he watched her striped form dart into the brush.
Greer slowly healed over the next two weeks. Physically. The tigress was unapproachable and rarely even spotted. Her human mind of logic and reason were shattered. She was fully an animal. A beast.
Kraven was forced to track her and he found her visiting a tree, repeatedly. Greer had even began to mark her territory.
Kraven was finally able to recapture her with a captive capybara. He caged her, which only made the feline more furious. Repeatedly charging the bars, shocking herself. Kraven had them disconnect the electricity and Greer only injured herself further by chewing on the rods and causing her nose to bleed by pressing on them so hard. Kraven wanted a thinking hunting companion, and for that he needed some of her humanity to return.
Kraven had Greer brought back out into the enclosure and presented her with a structure, a human structure.
It was only then did her mind begin to heal…
It was a slow process. Greer's mind slowly began to recover. Kraven gave cell phone orders and texts. Greer refused to verbally communicate with him. Only returning with a series of grunts and growls.
"Go…" The order barked in her ear. The tigress snorted in acknowledgement and leapt from her perch. The past three weeks Greer excelled in suing her body to her fullest, and even unpredictable ways. From her drop, she reached out with both arms, and used the momentum to swing from one tree to the next as an ape would. The tigress landed on the third tree, her claws digging into the bark and she climbed down it like a gecko.
Greer pressed her body close to the ground and crawled through low, low underbrush, then charged the nigali. The stag took off, and Greer's body chased reaching incredible speeds, almost that of a cheetah. She caught up with her prey, tripped it, and bit down on its neck to kill it.
This hunt was later than usual and Greer was hungry. She licked her lips from the kill's blood and looked around. She lowered herself to begin eating.
A skull-splitting sound ripped through her skull. She backed away from her kill and the sound stopped. Kraven approached.
"That's a good Tigra…" Kraven smiled. Amazed with her progress. She now even more resembled what she was meant to be. A blend of human and animal. She was logical, but fierce. Greer could be reasoned with, but equally violent.
Tigra growled and moved away further. She hated contact with Kraven. He talked at her and still did not want to talk to him ever. He also had started calling her Tigra. She didn't really mind the name but it was the fact that he was calling her that pissed her off.
Tigra retreated to her "home." The treehouse that Kraven gave her. It also was a mix of human and animal. Minimally furnished with a bed and indoor plumbing. He also offered Tigra trophies from her own kills. The rack of her first sambar hung on the wall. Mostly for the sake of something to look at.
It was now as opposed to eating her kills raw, Kraven fed his companion. Sometimes the meat from her kills, or furnished something else.
One of Kraven's workers somewhat befriended Greer. Her name was Lucia. Greer only offered her a few words when Winifred dropped off Greer's meal, and whatever "gifts" Kraven decided to bestow on Greer.
"Hey Tigra…" Lucia greeted the tigress. She was tall with red, curly hair.
"….Hey." Greer grunted. She adjusted the skins she wore as makeshift clothes. Embarrassed she was talking to another human in essentially skivvies. Winifred could not be much older than herself. She griped about high school homework as well.
"Kraven said this was special for you…" Lucia gave Greer the small box. It was too small to be her dinner. It didn't smell like food.
Greer huffed and tore the box apart easily. She gasped a bit as it was real clothing. Though it was athletic clothing it was nylon and not dead animal.
"Wow, nice." Lucia commented. "Here, I'm sure you're hungry, Tigra." Lucia offered the box that contained her hot dinner. Lucia was the one that cooked the meat. Tigra's ears lowered and she locked eyes with Lucia. "My name's Greer."
Winifred froze. She rarely got more than a yes or a no from Tigra. "I…. I'm glad to meet you, Greer."
Kraven watched the exchange before a message beeped in.
"We have the next targets for Tigra."
"Excellent. Give me six hours…"
Greer studied the clothes for a while then tugged them on. She sighed happily. I feel…. normal… Or as normal as she could. She went into her bathroom where a broken mirror was. She modeled for a bit, admiring her body. She still retained her figure, perhaps even gained a slight bit of mass, but she was still… Whatever I am… Greer growled and stomped out and flopped on her bed.
Four hours later the cell phone Kraven issued to Tigra went off with a text.
Your next targets are ready.
"K." Was all that Greer returned with before leaving her makeshift home.
She was barely on the ground before she smelled the scent. I…. I have smelled this before… It made her fur bristle, but she continued to track it. Greer covered a great distance, she must have been on the other side of the enclosure. The scent… no scents… were stronger now. Greer tracked them to a clearing and saw two indentations in the grass.
She inhaled deeply. Female. Young. Tigra growled more. Two young females on her territory. Taking another deep whiff, she knew her prey was not that far away. Tigra bellowed an angry roar and began to run through the leaves. She worked too hard to survive here to have it taken away….
"What the hell was that?!" Jennifer Walter's yelled as she ran.
"I'm not looking to tell you!" Janet screamed back as she ran behind the woman.
The animal sounded closer and closer. They could even hear it crashing through. Jennifer tripped over a branch and doubled over. The young woman clenched her teeth and hissed. "Not now…"
"You're damn right now is not the time!" Janet exclaimed as she watched Jennifer's skin take on a distinctly green hue. The young woman groaned and doubled over as her body expanded, tearing her clothing to the very limit.
Tigra took this opportunity to charge and pounce on the woman. She was met with a strong fist to the jaw.
"What the hell is that?!" Janet shrieked and shrank in size. Her gossamer wings fluttering.
It looked like a tiger that attacked a shifting Jennifer. Jennifer managed to hold her own against the beast as she painfully changed.
"I… I don't know, but I think it wants to kill us!" Jennifer exclaimed. She decked the tigress again, bloodying her nose.
Tigra twisted in the air and landed feet first on the ground gracefully. She sprung forward towards Jennifer again. The two Amazons met hand-to-hand, Tigra growling loudly. Jennifer's strength pushing Tigra down onto one knee.
The feral woman gave a loud roar and wrenched one of her hands free from Jennifer's. She dug her clawed hand into Jennifer's midsection and gaining leverage. The warm, oddly green blood coated the padded palm and Jennifer screamed in agony. Jennifer was impressively lifted up and over Tigra's head and cast off into a mature tree, breaking her shoulder. The predator wasted no time in launching herself at the hulking teenager, jaws open for her killing blow.
"Jenn!" Janet squealed and charged her blasts. It felt like a swarm of bees stinging Tigra's furred cheek. Jennifer used the distraction to kick the feline in the ribs and away from, holding her injured shoulder.
Tigra panted as the battle wore on, her tongue hanging out of her open maw. All three women were getting pushed to their limits.
"Wait! We don't want to fight you! Please!" Janet pleaded in her miniscule voice.
Tigra froze. They…. They don't want to fight…. They're human… Meta-humans…. Greer grabbed her head. Kraven just made her hunt other metas. Who would be next…. Carol?
"I… I didn't want to hunt you…." Greer muttered and sat down on the grass.
Janet re-enlarged to her normal, albeit petite size and moved to slowly approach the tigress.
The area was suddently flooded with blinding light and the sound of crashing glass from above. Uniformed men and women were lowered from helicopters.
"Sergei Kravinoff!" A familiar voice sounded.
"….Lt. Joyce….?" Greer spoke, not having heard that voice in close to six weeks.
Both Janet and Jennifer looked at her. "You know Lt. Joyce?"
The redhead, using her ability to fly lowered herself two the three women. "Janet, Jennifer…." She turned and was equally stunned to see, "…Miss Grant….?"
The tigress gasped and felt her eyes water. Flooding memories of her own mother, Patsy and Carol came back. She embraced the lieutenant in a sudden, almost crushing hug. "I… I wanna go home…."
Lt. Joyce was unsure of what to do. She didn't expect to see Greer here. She cautiously wrapped her arms around the large, furred teenager. "I'll get you home." She promised.
"Ma'am, we've got Mr. Kravinoff…" Two men approached with a handcuffed Kraven in tow.
Greer snapped. It occurred to her that this man, this vile, evil man had kept her hostage. Away from her mother, her friends. Treated her like an animal. Wanted her to be a hunting dog. Both men arresting Kraven fled from the attacking tigress as Greer pounced on top of him. She brutally beat, scratched and bit him before Lt. Joyce pulled her off.
"Let's get you home…."
Catherine had called Lt. Joyce every day since Greer's disappearance, even twice a day sometimes. She struggled through work and lost weight. Catherine sat slumped against a couch.
"….M…..Mom?"
The voice stunned Catherine. She turned in the direction of the front door. In the doorframe was her daughter. Both were clearly just stupefied at seeing the other.
"G-Greer…?"
The tigress released a chuff and charged on all fours. Catherine barely stood before her large daughter nuzzled into her middle, pushing her back onto the couch. Greer had sat on her haunches and pressed her moist nose into her mother's midsection and sobbing fully.
