Black Jade Tiger

Arriving with that bizarre herbivore at their home base Katsy dropped it near the hanging post where it would be hanged on the back legs to empty its blood.

She walked toward Alex and sat next to him giving him a prolonged glance she could see the exhaustion on his face and body language.

"You should sleep some after hanging the catch. You look horrible."

She teased lightly yet her tone carried softly and showed concern.

Alex simply nodded in affirmation and acknowledgment, striding slowly toward the thing he hooked its back legs giving the other end of the rope for the tiger to pull it up while he tied it securely.

"This should do."

He said in a low voice as he tested the rope once to make sure it wouldn't just fall back down before dragging his own tiered sorry hide to one of the tents he had installed to get some well-deserved sleep.

Katsy no longer could keep her own eyes open as well.

Needing much her beauty sleep as well and joined Alex down into the tent collapsing nearly instantly on her makeshift bed before snoring away.

In the meantime, the little boy watched over his little sister changing the hand towel on her forehead now and then, refreshing it with cold water to keep her temperature down.

They stayed under the shade of a lush tree where she was comfortably installed in a makeshift bed with layers of covers under her.

The day passed uneventfully around dinner time Kats and Alex woke up from there much-needed beauty sleep.

Once Alex got out of his tent he placed the little girl within Kats tent after making a bed for the little girl, for now, she would sleep with the tiger and the little boy would move to his own tent.

They only had two tents for now so they had to "squeeze" in a little.

Then once the girl fed her evening medication Kats came to talk with Alex and the boy.

"We have not addressed the issue of naming yet. I know you all were given names at birth but this name was of a previous life, hence a new one is needed."

katsy paused there a moment watching their reaction.

At first, they were a little stunned as they didn't think it would be addressed since the master was indeed a tiger even as intelligent as it is it's a beast nonetheless they slightly had underestimated the creature.

The boy spoke first looking deeply into the tiger's eyes.

"The name me and my sister carry now is not granted by our birth mother has we had been given a number after we were sold to the slavers."

His little eyes glittered with anticipation to have a proper name one that would mean his rebirth

The young boy fell to his knees and lowered his head.

"Please master divine tiger I, this subordinate wish for a name." His voice trembled a little as tears glistered in his eyes slowly a few started to fall silently as his small fist clenched.

Heart pounding in his c.h.e.s.t he would get a new name start with a new life one that was a thousand time better than he could have hoped for.

I sat down looking at the boy making a small sigh I communicated via the link.

"Very well then I will give you all new names to use in the future."

"You will be known as little sparrow" my paw patted the top of his little head as I spoke softly to the little boy.

"Your little sister name will be little Dove and for Alex, I'll grant you the code name Fire Drake, this should be satisfactory for now."

I smiled lightly as both Fire Drake and Sparrow kowtow three times in unison before me making me feel slightly odd.

"Alright cut it out you two it's not like its a god given name. Jeez's don't be so formal. It's only so your true names aren't used publicly if comes a day that you wish to leave... So... Don't make such a fuss."

A smirk curled my lip lightly as I sat facing them placing my paw on his little head and made a rum motion making his hair a mess I giggled lightly.

"I guess it's settled let's get the dinner done and wake is little sister since from now until the day you wish to leave we are family" I made a bright smile but I wonder if it looked like one but I guess neither of them where scared of it since they smiled right back at me.

The days pass turning into months quietly as we build our little fort of fortune happily living like recluses cutout from the rest of the world aside Kenshin visits from time to time.

Little Dove no longer sick in bed and can walk around somewhat although It must be a form of a motherly type of instinct I won't let her wander around so much.

Considering how small she is, three-quarters of the time she rides on my back.

While I am growing fast her weight is next to nothing I am now the size of a small horse! About 1m40 to the shoulder for a length of 3 meters from nose to tail tip.

Walking through the forest aimlessly roaming with Dove on my back we follow the brook upstream. quietly walking wile dove softly hums a little song.

I smelled a foreign sent.

None of the manor servants were allowed here so this implies that there is an intruder into the territory.

Sigh.

"Dove hang on tight there is likely an intruder we have to go look and report to the prince"

I paused my thought/voice for a brief moment before I continued.

"We don't need to engage them or him for now so don't be scared and don't make noises,

however if confrontation you need to run back I will stall them for time."

Dove made a small nod with a soft "Mm.." telling that she had understood the task.

I focus my energy and leap and bounce agile and gracefully running at full speed to the forest northern edge where the smell was the strongest.

landing on the ground gracefully yet powerfully I look sternly up front there is a camp set up there aren't yet on the land belonging to the prince but such camp makes it obvious why they're camping there.

ten horses, two bulls for cart pulling twenty tents of good size and thirty more of smaller size probably for soldiers or mercenaries as well as some hunters.

My tail wh.i.p.s the air as I ponder and observe the men trying to stretch my ears to listen to potential conversations.

— " Your Lordship the camp is ready we can commence the exploration of the forest."

A soldier within a tent said not too loud nor too low normal humans wouldn't have heard it, but I am now a tiger beast with a fairly decent cultivation while an *army* this size would be a problem.

A small battalion of 20 peoples would not be far-fetched for me to decimate anyhow all to say that my hearing is keener than a dog's ears!

— "very well commence the first phase I heard that *he* found a new beast and is rearing it inside the aim is to capture this beast while it's still weak enough to be subdued and tamed."

The soldier with his head lowered wouldn't spot the greed that had flashed into the mysterious lord eyes when he spoke but it was also cast into his voice.

— "this subordinate understands your lordship." With a salute bow, the soldier took his leave and exited the tent I held my breath a moment as my brain digested the information gathered.

"Dove hangs on we need to leave now. There actually after me, lets get out of here before we are spotted."

Suddenly a vicious chill crept up my spine as I turned to leave I found that feeling of danger creeping ever more until no longer it became unbearable.

BOOM!

I jumped to the left narrowly avoiding an arrow which impaled the ground where I was standing before!

Both I and Dove lifted are head up toward the right but we couldn't spot the attacker.

The creepy laugh sounded inside the forest from all angles it definitely was trying to spook us and keep us from running back into the forest, forcing us into the open.

I grit my teeth together pressing hard I made a bold dash toward the middle slightly toward the left.

A man jumped down from nowhere and aimed a sword down trying to slash both me and little dove but obviously, it was aimed at the little girl on my back.

At the last moment, I twisted my long body and avoided the impact that would have certainly been lethal to the small girl.

I landed facing the man claws and teeth bared out my fur stood on its end.

Sadly I didn't have that "cold killer aura* likely because I had never killed a human before, but still my *aura* still is impressive.

Spotting the glint that had flashed into the unknown man eyes at my action that ends up saving the little pipsqueak on my back without her issuing a single voice command or any actions.

I figured the man likely thought that this pipsqueak on my back likely was my contractor or "master" seeing how I had defended her from harm.

We glared at each other for awhile, energy gathering lifted up many small rocks and blew and disintegrated leaves and grass scattering them to the four winds.

The man looked quite handsome even if it was all destroyed as he made a contempt smirk as he eyed Dove it was obvious to him that the girl didn't have a shred of power yet she sat on me like a mount!

— "Little girl if you wish to live be good and hand over the tiger beast it's not something that the like of you should own." He malicious sneer formed as he spoke maliciously.

His voice full of competent and hatred toward dove made my inside swirl and tighten, no longer able to tolerate those insults toward the little girl that I dotted most on I let out a very low threatening growl while I cured his nineteen generations ancestors.

I guess dove could feel me cursing as she spoke to the man in her sweet little voice.

"It says your nineteen ancestors are unworthy, your whole family is not worth a fart."

her facial expression didn't change and stayed cold and unreadable as she translated the message to the man as if it wasn't her that was speaking.

The man face became black as a burned pot of charcoal. Tree lines appeared on his forehead as he stared silently anger obviously stirring.

"Girl doesn't be foolish you obviously do not have any martial arts, how can someone like you be worthy to ride on a mighty divine beast? Be a good girl for this daddy and this daddy will let you live after giving you a good spanking!"

His anger was leaking through his voice as he struggled to not :blow: his mind sockets.

Dove shyly looked down she likely couldn't handle his pressure, of course, not too long ago she still was in a cage displayed as a :product: an item to be sold her confidence in herself was near zero how could she hold head against an arrogant master?

SHE JUST COULDN'T!!!

My poor tiger heart bled for her which ignited my ire toward this bastard even more! Does he dare bully My little dove?

He sure got a death wish!

"Dove hang on tight don't let this jerk distract you" I gently reminded the little girl it would be a catastrophe if she were to fall off my back.

My gaze got murderous for the first time since I transferred to this world I felt like I could end a human life...

I guess he could feel my intent as his gaze finally left Dove to fall onto me.

He clearly had seen the girl retract into her shell and hold on tightly to my shoulder neck fur clenching her little first tightly at the edge of tears from being scared by him…

Yet she stayed silent while the menace he felt from me grew by the minute.

"You dare me? I will fulfill your wish for death girl." He rained down his threats the tone was bone chilling.

Dove clearly was trembling now I was furious I let out a low roar when he jumped forward aiming at her my paw lifted and while I jumped up to parry the blow.

BANG!

Energy clashed again powerfully turning the nearby trees into sorry figures of sticks a few of them fell down like they had been logged swiftly and cleanly.

We both stood our ground after leaping back we glared at one another then I swiftly took my leave as so did he after are commotion was heard by the other soldiers.

Seems we are lucky the stranger also didn't want to be discovered by the other intruders.

In all likeliness, things were now bound to get lively...