Underneath the cover of the tall green grass a young cub rolled around playfully in the dusty earth beneath her. She giggled happily, flipping back and forth, letting the dirt cover her back.

"Ninarika, come here," came the gentle laugh of her mother. The tigress padded over to her offspring, giving her a curious look.

The little cub flopped onto her side and looked up at her mother. She huffed with a little mischievous smile and rolled onto her other side. Her mother snorted, but her eyes flashed with amusement. She backed up slowly, raising her haunches. When the cub turned to look at her again the tigress sprang, pouncing on top of her. The cub squealed in surprise and jumped away. Her mother bounced back, laughing, and bounded off into the distance.

Ninarika chased after her, eyes full of energy and excitement. They reached the stream and the tigress stopped, flipping around to face her. The cub went to pounce, but her mother stood up and swatted a paw at the water, splashing her. She laughed, shaking the water from her fur.

Glancing down at the water's surface she noticed her reflection in the ripples created from the splash. She peered over the side, her expression changing to one of curiosity and wonder. Her fur was a soft golden orange faded out to white. Her stripes were also faded; a rusty rouge. She tilted her head. Her pelt was a much lighter shade than her parent's, theirs a bright orange-yellow with jet black stripes. Especially her mother, her fur extra dark, almost red it seemed.

Another wave of water doused her fur. The young cub shook her head clear and turned her attention over to her mother. The tigress smiled brightly before sticking out her tongue teasingly. Ninarika laughed and pounced at her. Her mother caught her and wrapped her arms around her, holding her captive. She nuzzled her nose to the cub's. Ninarika wined in protest, kicking out and nipping at her mother's ears. Her mother gave in and let her go.

The cub bounced away and quickly got down into a hunting position. Her mother laughed and leapt into the running stream, her tail flicking at the water's surface. Ninarika stood back up, looking confused at first, then a smirk formed on her muzzle and she took chase, prancing after her.

In her rush she slipped on the rocks and fell forward, falling onto her mother, whom toppled over with her. The two felines giggled as they splashed around in the cold water.

After they had their fill of fun they finally settled, resting peacefully in the stream, enjoying the coolness it provided them in the hot summer air. The trees and other plentiful plant life around them rustled in the oncoming breeze. It was starting to become chilly, and the day was beginning to end.

The tigress lifted her head looking out over the forest across the stream. The jungle was vast and green, quite beautiful really… but strangely quiet.

Her ears perked, her eyes searching.

The cub pulled her attention away from a stray leaf and glanced up at her mother.

"Mami?" she asked quietly, tilting her head in question.

The tigress remained unresponsive, continuing to stare out into the distance, her eyes sharp.

The cub watched her uneasily for a moment, and then fallowed her mother's gaze into the forest. One of the bushes shivered.

"Ninarika… Go back to the den…" her mother whispered, glancing down at her for only a second.

"But Mami…"

"Hush," she said gently, turning to her, stroking the cub's forehead with her soft paw. "Go back to the den. I will join you soon."

Ninarika gave her mother a look of worry before turning away and trotting back home.

Not long did it take for her to reach the den, given she and her mother did not wander far.

The young cub peered inside.

"Papa?" she called, but received only a hallow echo in response.

The cave was empty…

She turned and found her father out in the distance already with her mother. They both stood up, each talking it looked like. Then they suddenly stopped and looked off into the distance again…

"Papa…?" the cub whimpered, fear starting to sweep over her body.

Her father flicked his ears and turned to look at her. Both parents headed over to her, quickly and with haste.

"Ninarika, child," her father said softly, kneeling down in front of her, "We need you to stay here for now. We need you to stay in the den."

The cub looked up at him in surprise, "But Papa…"

"It'll be alright. Just stay here for us, oke?"

She shook her head slowly, unable to understand.

"I promise you everything will be fine," he said gently, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her into a big hug, "Just promise me you won't leave the den Ninarika…"

"… Oke…" she whispered, hiding in his embrace.

He let go of her and smiled weakly, his eyes full of insecurity.

"Good girl," he said before leaning down and kissing her on the forehead.

"We will be back soon. Till then just remember this," her mother said, leaning down and pointing to the shiny green emerald dangling from a tread tied around Ninarika's neck.

It had been a present her parents gave to her not long back...

"It will keep you safe…"

Ninarika looked down at her necklace than back up at her mother. She nodded in understanding and gave her a hug.

The two tigers stood back up and gave their cub one last sorrowful look before taking off and disappearing into the jungle.

Ninarika watched the place they had gone. Watched and waited. As if they would reappear at anytime. When they did not she shrunk back and curled up within the safety of her cave, hidden under the brush and tall grass. She huffed sadly, feeling abandoned and lonely.

The night fell fast and the air grew ever colder. The cub shivered and wrapped her tail tightly around her tiny body. She crinkled her muzzle and twitched her whiskers, and with a small puff of air she sneezed.

The sky suddenly rippled with lightening. A booming sound rang out across the jungle. Then everything went quiet.

Ninarika's hair stood on end, her eyes wide. Shaken up she began to tremble. She crawled forward to peek out of the cave, her body shuddering with every tiny step.

"Mami…" the cub whimpered, tears swelling up in her big golden eyes, "P-papa…"

No one responded.

"Mami!" she called out desperately, but her voice was so constricted that it sounded like a whisper.

"Ma-mami," she suddenly began to sob, her entire body trembling.

There was another bang, this time with no light flashing in the sky. The cub jumped with a light whimper.

She began to mew and cry, calling out to her parents. She would not cease her cries, not knowing how to stop, nor wanting to.

Then the sudden sound of footsteps stifled her mewling. She shrunk back into the brush, eyes widened with fear and horror.

"I found the den… hey look at this…"

A growl rose up in the young cub's throat as an unfamiliar creature peered down at her from outside the brush. A hand reached down to her but she retorted and hissed.

"Heh, a feisty one."

There were more footsteps and more sounds coming from other creatures.

The hand reached back down, but this time pushed past her gaping maw and grasped her around the scruff. She tried to bite, tried to fight back, but was somehow immobilized and couldn't move…

"Look at that coat! We could make a fortune off of this one…"

"What did you find?"

"A golden pelt."

"A strawberry tiger?"

"Ah, look at the pretty green gem around her neck…"

The cub couldn't think with all of the noises she was hearing all at once. She closed her eyes tight and tried not to move.

"Well put her in the crate next to the other Bengal's. We'll figure out what to do with her later. Maybe she will come to more use than they did."

She felt rough hands tear the necklace away from her and toss her into a hard, wooden crate… then it all went dark…