Part 8 (2/2)

”Please,” he implored to the moon, silently, ”please watch over Minli. Please keep her safe.”

The moon continued to s.h.i.+ne.

CHAPTER 29.

Minli's scream seemed to freeze in the air. The tiger leapt at her, his scowling mouth glittering with pointed teeth, his blade-like claws rus.h.i.+ng toward her. Minli knew there was no escape.

But! A flash of red violently knocked the attacking claw away. Minli gasped as Dragon roared, the tiger's claws ripping into his arm. With the brutal force of his other arm, the dragon threw the tiger back - forcing it to fly in the air.

”GO AWAY!” Dragon thundered, in a voice that even made Minli quake. She would never have imagined Dragon could speak that way.

The tiger glared like a spoiled child. Minli could now see it was not an ordinary tiger. It was bigger than a horse or buffalo and it was a dark, dusty green like the color of the sand, dirtied from ocean foam. Even in the dim light of the moon, Minli could see its eyes glower with malevolence.

”GO!” Dragon commanded again. Minli realized she had forgotten how big Dragon was. The tiger was large, but Dragon was bigger - though the viciousness of the tiger's expression made them seem evenly matched.

But the tiger gave another malicious snarl and turned away. Dragon stood his full height until even the tiger's moonlit shadow disappeared from view.

”Are you all right?” Dragon asked finally.

”That tiger...” Minli said in a daze, ”that tiger was going to kill me!”

”I know,” Dragon said. ”That tiger was truly evil. When you screamed, I could feel it.”

And strangely, without knowing why, Minli burst into tears. The tiger's roars still echoed in her ears and she could still see his cruel claws and eyes. Now that he was gone, her terror flooded out of her.

”It is okay,” the dragon said, gently putting his arm on her shoulders.

It was then Minli saw the four long gashes bleeding on Dragon's arm. The tiger's claws had been sharp and the slashes were deep. Minli shook herself and brushed her tears away. ”You're hurt,” Minli said, looking at the cuts, which were already starting to swell.

”It is all right,” Dragon said. ”Don't worry. Dragons heal quickly.”

They walked back into the cave and Minli poured water on the wounds to clean them. She wrapped her blanket around Dragon's arm, but it continued to slowly bleed. As he lay down, Minli noticed Dragon's eyes fade and blur.

”I am starting to feel strange,” Dragon said huskily. ”Perhaps I will sleep.”

”Okay,” Minli said, ”you sleep. Maybe when you wake up, you'll feel better.”

But Minli felt as if she had swallowed a frozen rock. Something was wrong with Dragon. She knew it. Throughout the night, his breathing grew hoa.r.s.er and his skin was damp. Every time she unwrapped the blanket, she grimaced - the ugly wounds had turned black and evil-looking liquid was starting to seep. Minli s.h.i.+vered, and it was not from the cold.

He's getting weaker, Minli thought. Minli thought. Something is very wrong. I have to do something. Dragon needs help. But I don't want to leave him. What am I going to do? Something is very wrong. I have to do something. Dragon needs help. But I don't want to leave him. What am I going to do?

By the time the first light of the sun crept into the cave, Dragon's breathing was rough; when Minli shook him, he did not wake up. Minli felt a surge of panic. I don't know what to do, I don't know what to do, she thought desperately. Her quick-thinking mind darted like a fl.u.s.tered b.u.t.terfly. she thought desperately. Her quick-thinking mind darted like a fl.u.s.tered b.u.t.terfly. I know, I know, she thought, she thought, I'll go to that village. Maybe someone there will know what to do. I'll go to that village. Maybe someone there will know what to do.

Minli stood up and whispered into Dragon's ear, ”I'm going to get help. I'll be back soon, I promise. Just hold on until then, okay?”

But Dragon did not respond and Minli felt tears start to form in her eyes. Quickly, without even gathering her things, she turned and left.

It was mid-morning outside and Minli squinted in the sun. The wind still blew bitterly, but she didn't even notice. Instead, Minli began to run toward the patch of yellow in the distance.

CHAPTER 30.

Minli's feet pounded against the rocky ground, fighting the uneven earth as she climbed upward. It was difficult. The wind-carved rocks and boulders seemed to grow from the ground like trees, confusing her way and disrupting her balance. Minli was so intent on her movement that she almost didn't notice a low growl. But she halted as soon as she heard it. The tiger!

She could see the tip of its green tail ahead over one of the large misshapen rocks. Quietly, she grabbed a sharp-looking stone from the ground and crept forward.

There it was, in a clearing of flat stone - the evil animal was pacing back and forth as if it were waiting. Minli tightened her grip on the stone.

Then she gasped. A plump little girl, dressed in brilliant red, was running toward the tiger! Before Minli could scream a warning, someone from behind her pulled her down and covered her mouth.

”Shhh!” the voice said, and Minli looked into the eyes of a small boy, who seemed to be the same age as the girl. Underneath a gray blanket he was using like a cape, she could see flashes of quilted red clothing that matched the girl's. His face was round and pink, as if it were more used to laughing than the serious frown it wore now. She nodded at his panicked gestures to keep quiet.

”Oh, Great Green Tiger!” the little girl threw herself on the ground in a trembling kowtow before the beast. ”Powerful Spirit of the magistrate my worthless ancestors angered! My brother and I were sent to you as the sacrifice you demanded.”

The tiger roared furiously and the girl cowered.

”I'm sorry,” the girl said, her voice quivering. ”My brother and I were both sent to you, but on the way here, another monstrous beast attacked us! He took my brother and so there is only me.”

The tiger made an outraged sound.

”Yes, another beast,” the girl said. ”This is what happened.”

THE STORY THE GIRL.

TOLD THE GREEN TIGER.

Your message to the family caused an uproar. There was great wailing and crying as A-Gong, our grandfather, told us that you demanded two children every month to be sacrificed to you. It was payment for the insult our ancestors caused you, he said, and if we paid you would leave the rest of the family in peace. It was a high price but we knew, with your immense power and strength, we could not disobey.

So my brother and I chose to be the first two children. As the family wept, my brother and I left our home to go to you. But as we made our way to meet you, an evil beast jumped from the rocks!

He looked like you - only not as strong or as mighty, of course. And he was dark, the color of a night shadow. He roared at us, but as we trembled to the ground I cried out, ”Do not eat us, Beast! We belong to the Great Green Tiger!”

And the beast stopped his roar at my words. ”Green Tiger?” he growled.

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