The Tiny Tiger

The tiny tiger peered his head over his mother's paw. He always had to sleep under her paws. His brother and sisters were allowed to sleep on her side. But not Tate. His mother was too scared her little runt would get hurt.

Tate was the tiniest tiger in the litter. His siblings often left him behind. As the cubs ran off for adventure, mom ran after them to bring them back. Mostly, she went to bring Tate back.

And poor Tate was too small to outrun mom. Any time he tried to go on an adventure, his mom quickly picked him up by the scruff and brought him back. She rarely let him leave her side. She was scared he might get hurt if he ran off with the others because he was so small.

But Tate was determined to join the others on an adventure one day. So while his mom was foraging for food, he slowly snuck away.

And he did it! He had finally gotten away! Tate was so happy to be joining his brother and sisters soon. He followed the path that they took. But after a while, the tiny tiger was alone in the middle of the forest.

He cried out for his siblings, "Terra?... Timmy?..." but the only sound he heard back was his own tiny roar. "Tabitha?..." Nothing. He could barely hear his own echo.

Rrshhhhh! The tiny tiger heard something moving in the brush. He crouched down and perked his ears up. But the only thing he heard was the chatter of the other critters in the forest.

He bravely stood with his head held high and continued down the path. "It was nothing," Tate told himself. "I am a big mighty tiger. I can take on anything if it tries to get me."

Rrshhhhh!

Tate crouched down all the way to the ground. The tiny tiger had made himself as small as possible. He didn't even move so much as a hair on his tail.

Then Tate heard laughter. He could hear the faint sound of snickering at him. "Tabitha, is that you? Timmy? What are you guys doing?" Tate's tiny tiger voice screeched. "I'll tell mom if you guys are being mean to me!"

He heard more laughter. This time he knew it was his siblings. He could distinctly hear the laugh of each and every one of them.

Then, pounce! Something came out from the bushes and tackled Tate.

"Help! Get off of me!" Tate cried in terror. Then he quickly realized it was one of his own. "Ugh, don't do that, Terra! I thought you were a wolf or something!"

"Ha, calm down squirt," Terra cackled. "You should have seen your face. You look like you saw a ghost!" And all his siblings, who had crawled out of the bushes, had a good laugh at him.

"Where are you guys going?" Tate asked.

"The pond," Tabitha said, as she made circles around him.

"The pond" was no place for a baby tiger. It was known for wolves and bears and other dangerous animals.

"I wanna go!" Tate contested, trying to sound brave.

"Yeah okay, follow us, little runt," Timmy smiled. Pretty soon all of his siblings dashed off and left poor Tate trying to keep up behind them.

"Wait for me! Guys, waaaait!" Tate yelled. Out of breath and feeling defeated, the tiny tiger gave up. He plopped down in the grass.

"I'm never going to be able to join them, " Tate sobbed. He laid his head down on his paws.

Rrshhhhh!

"Stop it, I don't want to play anymore," Tate snapped, thinking it was his siblings. "Leave me alone!"

Rrshhhhhhhh!

"I mean it, leave me alone!" Tate cried.

Rrshhhhh!

Tate perked his ears up. That was not a tiger hiding in the bushes.