Ok. Here's the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy it! And don't forget. Review! So yeah. Enjoy!
Chapter twenty one: Hard Times!
*Deep in the bamboo jungle. The secret hideout. Tanis' throne room*.
Tanis watched as the two sibling stared each other down. He smiled and continued his 'chat' with Tigress.
"Now, now kids. Don't fight. At least not yet!" Tanis said. Tigress turned to him and growled louder.
"Yes father..." Leon replied. He gritted his teeth together, trying not to growl anymore.
Tigress stopped for a moment, and thought about what he had just said.
"Wait a minute. 'Father'? You're calling this creep your 'FATHER'?" Tigress asked, jerking her head towards Tanis.
Leon tensed his muscles angrily and spoke in a menacing tone, "You will respect my father or I'll put scratches on your pretty little face, just like I did to your precious little Shadow!" Leon threatened.
Tigress scowled at him, "I knew you did it. But I never thought you'd have the guts to admit it!" Tigress growled angrily. Leon began to walk towards her. Ready to do as he said he would. When Tanis called him down.
"Enough! Both of you! Leon, I want you to go to your room and calm down, right now!" Tanis said. Rising to his feet, ready to stop his son and apprentice from ruining his long awaited plan.
Leon stopped. Then turned back to Tanis and bowed his head. "Yes, father." Then he walked out of the throne room. But not before he shot a coldhearted stare at Tigress.
"Tanani, come here!" Tanis said, as he walked back and sat down upon his throne.
Tanani walked up the stairs and bowed her head, waiting for her Master's orders.
"I want you to take Tigress back to her cell, let her cool off! And I want you to check on, Shadow! If she still is unconscious. I want to know. And also, check to see if she still has a fever. I can not have her getting sick. At least not yet! For now, I must have her alive or I will not be able to master her power over water, understood?" Tanis asked. Tanani held in the growl that came up in her throat.
She nodded her head, reluctantly. Tanis smiled. Then she walked back down the stairs.
"Come, Tigress. Let us get you back to your 'room'. Come along Sol and Sola!" Tanani said.
Sol and Sola nodded and watched as Tanani pushed Tigress in the back, to get her to walk ahead of them. Then the twin Cheetah's fell into step beside Tanani.
All the way back, Tigress continued to note her surroundings. She had to be ready for anything. When they returned to the jail cell. Tanani passed Tigress off to Sol and Sola. They stood on either side of her, to make sure she wouldn't try anything. Tanani unlocked the door and walked over to where Shadow lay on the bed.
Tigress scowled angrily when she saw her walk towards her friend.
"*growl* You stay away from her!" Tigress hissed.
"Oh! Don't worry, Tigress. I'm not going to hurt her. I'm just going to make sure that she's not getting sick. We might as well leave that job for Master Tanis!" Tanani said as she placed her paw on Shadow's forehead, to check if she still had a fever.
"What do you mean, 'leave that job for Tanis'?" Tigress asked suspiciously. But Tanani just ignored her, and continued her health check.
"Hmm... she's still a little warm! Sola, will you please go and fetch a bowl of cold water and a clean rag. I want to make sure she doesn't get any worse!" Tanani said. Sola nodded, then ran off to do as she had asked.
When she returned, Tanani dipped the rag into the cold water. Rung it out, then placed it gently on Shadow's forehead. She hoped it would help bring down her fever.
Then Tanani turned back to Sol and Tigress, "All right, Sol. You can un-cuff her!" Tanani said, as she pointed to Tigress.
Sol walked Tigress into the cell. Then unlocked the cuff's from around her wrists. Tigress walked over to Shadow, rubbing her wrist as she did. She looked at Shadow, then turned back to Tanani.
Tanani thought for a moment, that Tigress was about to hit her. But she was wrong.
"Thank you, Tanani..." Tigress said. She didn't smile at her. But she didn't flip out either. Then without another word she walked over to the small table, where Sol and Sola had put their food, and she sat down to eat.
Tanani stared at her for a moment, then walked out and locked the door behind her. Sol and Sola began to walk away, but before she walked off, she thought the least she could do was reply.
"Your welcome, Tigress..." Tanani said, turning to face her. She smiled at her, then walked away.
Tigress smiled to herself, and went back to eating.
Tanani walked along with Sol and Sola.
Tanani stopped and told them, "I'll meet you two in the Training Room! I need to speak with Master Tanis about the White Tiger!"
The twin Cheetahs nodded and walked on.
Tanani walked to Tanis' throne room and knocked on the door. She waited, then opened them. Tanis still sat on his throne. He looked at her and smiled. Then motioned her in.
She walked in and bowed her head, "Master Tanis. I did as you told. Shadow still has a slight fever. I've done what I could to help bring it down. All we can do now is wait"
"Exhalent! You are dismissed!" Tanis said.
Tanani bowed her head and walked out.
Tanis smiled and thought happily, 'Don't die just yet, Shadow. I've got something special planned for you!'
*Later that night*.
Tigress had finished her dinner, and sat next to Shadow's bedside. Soon, she could see the moon, shining through the barred window. She sighed and decided to try and get some sleep. If they were going to get out of here. They both needed their rest. Tigress soon, fell asleep on the other bed.
And not to long after she had. Shadow finally woke up.
"Unhhh..." Shadow moaned quietly. She slowly opened her bright blue eyes and looked around. Then she tried to sit up. But found that sitting up wasn't the best idea.
"AH!" she cried in pain, as her paws shot up to her head.
She closed her eyes, trying to make her dizziness go away. When it finally subsided, she opened her eyes and looked around. She saw Tigress, sound asleep, on the other bed. She also saw her tray of food, sitting on the table. She heard her stomach begin to growl. So slowly and quietly, she crawled out of her bed. She held onto the side, to keep from falling. She had walked a few feet, when she looked down and saw there was a small puddle of water on the floor. She looked closer at it and she saw her reflection.
When she saw herself. She felt tears begin to prick her eyes. She had three cuts, about four inches long, underneath her right eye. She wanted to cry so bad, but she knew she couldn't, because her tears would make her cuts sting badly.
She gently rubbed her eyes and walked over to the barred window. She looked up at the moon and the stars. They shone brightly in the dark night. She then began to think about her parents. About all the stories they used to tell her when she was a cub. All the things they had done for her. All the love they had given her.
Then before she could stop it, a tear slipped out and ran down her face. She winced in pain as it ran through her cuts. She wiped away the others, that tried to come after it. She began to think about her parents again. And after she did, her tears just continued to come. There was no stopping them now.
"I'm so sorry..." Shadow sobbed, as she fell down to her knees.
She buried her face into her paws, not caring about the excruciating pain. She let the pain come. Because nothing hurt as much as the memories of her parents and their final good bye...
Goodness. Seems Shadow had a hard past! But I'll spare you the details for another story! So yeah. Hope you liked it and don't forget. REVIEW! PLEASE! People. You have to remember that I live off those! So yeah. Please, please, please. Review! And hoped you enjoyed it!