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I felt myself falling, and I didn't even have time to scream as I plunged downward. I think I might have heard a growl before I landed, but I knew when I hit, I couldn't move. I didn't make a sound, other than my labored breathing, as I heard the pacing around me.

A hot, wet muzzle came near my ear, and a dissatisfied growl came by my face. I was hardly breathing, no matter how much my impacted lungs were begging for oxygen. I heard yelling from above, most likely the two cops arguing, or yelling. I think it was the blonde one who was the loudest.

I mean, they obviously were not going to negotiate, if they dropped me into a fucking tiger's enclosure, but I had a good chance of surviving if I could just stay still. There was the pacing of paws, and then a huff as one of them sat close to me. Cautiously, I opened my eyes.

The tiger's rear was only a few inches from my face, but I still hesitated in my movements. I knew from here on out, I either got lucky, or decapitated. I figured my luck was pretty high, so slowly, I started to pull myself up, while at the same time, assessing the damage to my body.

Another yell came from above, and I knew this one to be Steve for sure. It was rough and growly, nearly grating metal to my ears. I let out a breath, and pulled up a little further. For the first time, as I paused to take a breath, I caught a good chunk of the conversation.

"What the hell man! You think you are all tough, pushing him in! Now he is trying to get up, and probably going to get killed." Well, that was Danny, I think, because he wasn't the one who pushed me in. Steve replied, softer, but I caught it.

"Danny, relax! The fall wasn't all that far, and those used to be circus tigers, retired in this lovely zoo. They are too old and tired to care all that much, and if they do, that sucks for him." I shook my head in realization, and thought about my odds again. I slowly moved my hand forward, then realized something else.

My wrist must have his something, for it was throbbing really bad, but it also must have been sharp, for the chain linking the cuffs had come clean apart. I finally was in a full sitting position, and facing a pair of amber eyes. The heavy breathing of the animal's flank instilled me with a little bit more confidence. Another yell came from above, this time actually directed to me.

"Damarian! Don't do it man! That's suicide! Just tell us what we want to know, and I can call them off with a steak!" Steve, for sure. I laughed, and yelled back up, trying to ignore the chills that came up my spine as the tigers shifted.

"Come on Steve, do you really think it matters to me if I die! If you can strike a deal with me, I won't feed myself to the tigers, and I promise I can give you any information you need!" I wasn't lying when I said it, either. They must have doubted it though.

As they argued, I got to my knees, eventually standing, only to find the two tigers circling around me. My heart was racing, my breaths coming quickly, but I tried not to let it show. The tigers I was sure could tell. I reached out a hand to the smaller one, the one closest to me. It let out a warm breath on my hand, then rubbed up along my side.

I put a hand out, in a motion of complete idiocy, and let it run from the tigers head to its shoulders. The big cat let out a hearty sound, then rubbed closer to me, like a huge housecat. Though the motion nearly pushed me over, I appeased it by petting it once more. The second one came up also, seeming to beg for attention too. I gave him his fair share, and eventually was standing there, half in amusement. I was under arrest, petting two tigers, while the two cops argued above me. This was surely a new one.

oooOooo

Steve looked down at the man petting two, ferocious beasts like they were common pets. It had totally made his plan backfire, which was to scare the man to the point where he shit himself so would tell them whatever they needed to know. Damarian yelled up to him once more.

"Seriously, I will come out if you just strike a deal with me. I am sure I could piss these kitties off, and they would eat me or maul me and you would get in trouble. You just listen to my words, agree to some pretty simple stuff, and I won't be tiger food. Okay?" Steve ran a hand through his hair and turned to Danny. The short man raised his hands into the air.

"Are you willing to listen to me this time? Because, if you are, it won't hurt just to hear what he has to say. If it is something doable, like solitary, or letting him have a beer before he goes away, just say yes. If not, get him out another way." Steve shook his head, bouncing between the two choices. He had done some pretty risky things before, but getting a suspect mauled was definitely not something good for his resume. Finally making up his mind, though not without a bit of self-loathing, he yelled back down.

"All right, Damarian. What are your terms? It depends on what you want, so, think wisely!" The man didn't hesitate a moment, and kept petting the two beasts as he spoke.

"My brother, the one that you, you bastard, shot. I want to hear how he is doing, and then make sure he gets a place in life. Get him a foster family or some shit until he is of legal age, in hope that he doesn't turn out like me. And, with my instruction, do the same with my sister. That's all, I just want to make sure they are all right before I go away." Steve was actually confused when he heard this. All the man wanted was to make sure his family was okay? This was hardly a normal request.

He turned to Danny.

"So, what do you think, Danno?"

R&R please!

Dancing Tiger, out!