The big cat had somehow gained
its feet, and lumbered toward him uncertainly. She started to warn him,
keeping her voice down only with an effort. But when he turned towards
her, his eyes were calm. He took a step back and away from the
entrance, and the tiger soon stood in his place. Its gaze moved back
and forth between the Wild and the man. Clearly it was not much
recovered. Unable to maintain the effort, it slid down to an unnatural
sitting position, with the bandaged leg splayed wildly. It let out a
growl of pain, and struggled to rise again. Succeeding only partially,
it clawed and clutched its way out into the snow. From there it could
go no further, and lay where it had fallen, pulling itself to a more
natural position and breathing heavily. Kalus said something in a
steady voice, then reentered and closed the door.
'Won't he die out there?' asked the girl.
'No. Not from the cold at least. He's so hurt and confused, I
wanted him to know at least that he is free.' He came closer, and she
saw that he was shivering. She put another fur around his shoulders and
made him sit by the fire, which she then repaired.
'He means a lot to you, doesn't he?'
'Yes. Perhaps even more than Akar did to you.'
She sat beside him. 'How do you mean?'
'In him I see myself, and I can love.
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