Rat in a maze

The child began to wake as Taiga tried to clean the wounds as gently as possible. The feline's heart broke as the pup started to cry and plead for her mother. A low rumble reverberated through the cat and she nuzzled the soft spot between the pups ears. "We'll find your mother, sweet one. Do you belong to one of the packs?" Wolves all smelled the same to Taiga.

No matter where the pup was, they couldn't just stay here beside the wall. Taiga had run into too many bears along the stone divider. As though picking up a broken baby bird, one giant paw delicately lifted the child and placed her upon the lionesses back. Taiga was massive. Her back was wide enough to let the pup rest comfortably. Unlike normal lions, Taiga had a thick mane of fur around her neck and down her back. It would provide cushion and warmth for the girl. "My name is Taiga," she told the pup. "I know of a pack nearby and I'm going to take you there. If you get uncomfortable or you can't hold on anymore, let me know and we'll stop."

"Taiga"