Outside in the sun, I practice leaping and pouncing and stalking prey. In short, all the things that tigers are expected to do. Instinct has a way of taking over even when we're still overthinking. Muscles know what the logical brain doesn't.
With four paws, you'd think that I'd trip over them, and on my tail, but there is a reason animals develop faster than humans. It's called survival in the wild.
That said, my legs quiver, and I feel as unsteady as when I first was learning to walk. Why now? I was doing fine before. Maybe it's the aftereffects of getting sick? I haven't forgiven Vedette, who has yet to offer any good explanation for what she did.
Mercifully, she wasn't at breakfast when Kaline and I went down. A rasher of bacon for her, purple-looking eggs, and some strange and exotic fruits. I drooled over those, turning up my nose at the raw meat.
Kaline shook her head at me, with a "little mommy" expression. "You have to eat, Blaze. I see you eyeing the bacon, but tigers can't eat that. It's cooked and greasy."
Fine. Raw meat diet for me again. Obediently, I gobbled down the steak with some raw pork.
[Crunchy Exotic Fruits: +1 Strength. Increased Health and Vitality.]
Well, you heard the game lords, Kaline! Suddenly, I craved fruit like never before. When Kaline was busy talking to her mother, Minette, I scarfed down one of the small crunchy exotic fruits. Felt as velvety and seeded as a strawberry, tasted a bit like chocolates and açaí fruit. YUM again. I couldn't resist helping myself to more.
Minette seemed like a pleasant woman. Apparently, she'd been in the arena, but I never noticed her. Of course she would be there for her youngest child's beast taming debut.
"I want to see what kinds of beast taming tricks you learned when you were my age," Kaline said to her mother.
Come on, Mom. How could you say no to those big brown eyes?
Kaline's mother smiled gently. "Dear, your father and I had an agreement. He's the one who will teach you. And don't worry about your sister Vedette. We make sure she understands that what she did was wrong. It was an honest mistake, but it hurt this little one here, and made you feel sick." She scratched behind my ears, and I leaned into her hand.
"It wasn't that bad for me," Kaline declared. "I felt a little icky, but not as poorly as Blaze."
"I'm grateful to hear it," Minette said.
During this mother-daughter chat, I took advantage of the opportunity that the family bonding time gave me. Food for thought. With some fruit.
"BLAZE!"
Such agony, to have that plateful of heaven whisked away.
Kaline adopted her best scolding voice. "You naughty beast! I don't know if you can eat fruit."
Is she for real? I got the message about the crunchy exotic fruits.
With a frustrated preteen's sigh, Kaline burst out, "You had that awful potion! What if you got sick again fromcrunchy fruits?"
The fear and worry and guilt washed over me through the bond.
Awww. I was melting. My heart was a puddle. My tongue darted out, and I kissed all over her worried face. Sighing in relief and joy, she leaned in. "You're so sweet."
"Kaline," her mother prodded gently. "Blaze has been eating the fruit for the past few minutes. He seems to tolerate them. In moderation. I don't think he should have too much, but a little hasn't hurt him."
With a little gasp, Kaline said, "I am a silly dodo!"
Hmmm, I wondered if dodos are extinct here.
After consulting some sort of glowing scroll, Kaline proclaimed, "I have the knowledge from the game! According to the game, these fruits increase strength, health, and vitality."
Interesting. That was a very meta moment. Kaline seemed aware of the game occasionally, almost like breaking the fourth wall. Or maybe this was just part of their reality. Or maybe when she referred to the game, she meant this competition I was supposed to be training for.
"Attention everyone, Blaze can have crunchy exotic fruits when he eats his snacks," Kaline announced to the servants, to her mother, and to her father.
Now, fortified and with a strength boost from crunchy exotic fruits, I romp around the villa's yard near Kaline's little yurt. After spending time in her Barbie Dream bedroom in the villa, I'm still confused about the yurt. It seems to be a place to go for beast taming, or maybe it's her hideout.
"You'll be able to turbo pounce when you get bigger and stronger and faster," Kaline tells me, watching me run and jump and play. Tomas Willems, the servant, is outside puttering around. He's setting up some kind of obstacle course, the kind you would use for cat and dog agility training. Although the colors of the various obstacle course contraptions look all bright neon and weird, reminding me uncomfortably of the Netflix show Squid Game.
I try to smell anything off or evil about the obstacle course, but all I smell is magic. Powerful, fresh, sharp, spicy. Not only is this an obstacle course. but it's also a magical agility training deal.
Well, I'm game. I plant my paws in the grass and give my best, loudest ROAR. Not terribly impressive to my ears. I don't sound like the King of the Beasts. At least not yet. But hey, I can eat more of those crunchy exotic fruits and improve my roar.
"Oh, he's an eager one," Tomas Willems calls out. "Got plenty of spirit. Let's see what he can really do."
I'll show you what I've got.
Vedette comes out to watch, and beside her is a powerful-looking brown bear cub who sniffs curiously. The way the cub follows Vedette, this is her beast. So, we have an audience.
Kaline lifts me, then places me behind a starting line, facing the colorful and elaborate obstacle course. "Now, your training really begins! On my mark..."
Deep breaths. Be strong. No fear.
Kaline calls out, "GO!"