No Safe Spaces

His shoulder connects, sending the tiger’s hind paw sliding into the muck, but nothing more. As he steps back to gather himself, he finds himself face to face with the striped feline. It hisses, spitting slobber in his face. Refusing to back down, Idris barks back, jumping out of the way of the gnarly claws.

Faking a lunge at the tiger to get it to try and swipe at him again, he dodges once more. Staying just out of reach, he notices in his peripheral the pale girl sweeping around the pool to behind the tiger. The slight distraction leaves the tiger open to claw him across the shoulder.

Just as Idris calls out in anger, so does the tiger. The girl is pulling him back toward the muck by the tail and now the tiger isn’t sure who to focus on. Full pissed off, Idris takes his chance and shoves the tiger once more with head lowered and aimed straight for the tiger’s chest.