Forgotten [Raakshyan Series Book 1]

Chapter 5

I was ten when my parents decided to take my brother and I camping. I absolutely hated the idea, but of course, why would my parents listen to me?

When we had arrived, I tried to act as stubborn as possible and did the exact opposite of what I was told to do. I just sat in my van, at least until my dad came and dragged me out. I refused to eat, until I started to starve and my mom offered marshmallows.

My brother on the other hand, loved it. He spent all his time with my dad, learning new things. I was furious. My brother always took my side, at least until that day.

After two days of acting like a stubborn little brat, I was close to giving up but then I had an idea. I told my parents that if they didn't take me home, I would go home myself.

My parents laughed and told me not to be silly.

That night, I packed my things in my backpack and grabbed my favourite blue teddy bear that I got from Paramount Canada's Wonderland and walked off into the dark forest. All alone.

I never really thought of myself as a dumb girl until that day. I refused to let myself believe that I was lost. It was dark, there were strange noises and after a short while, I started to hear thunder and it began raining.

That's when I freaked, thunder had always scared me.

I ran under a tree hoping it would keep me dry. It didn't, but it was better than staying out in the open. Or so I thought.

When the thunder got louder, I started to cry. It was then that I admitted to myself that I was a silly little girl for thinking that I could get home on my own. I cried loudly, hoping that someone would hear me, but obviously, no one did. I pulled my legs close to me and hugged them, squishing my teddy in between. "It's ok Wonderland." I said. Wonderland was the name of my teddy. I do that with all my stuffed animals, I name them something that reminds me of where I got them or who got them for me. "We're going to be ok. The rain will stop soon and we'll go home."

I then heard another strange noise; I didn't want to look because I was too scared. I was shaking so hard that I thought Wonderland was too. "It's ok... I'll protect you..." I said, trying to act brave. I then heard a voice, which made my head shoot up.

"Is someone there?" I called. Hoping it was someone who could help me.

I heard a hesitation, a small gasp.

"Please help!" I squealed, breaking out into tears again.

'A human...' The voice sounded disgusted.

"Yes! I'm a human! Help me!" I screamed.

I heard a growl that scared me.

Then, I looked around and saw the beast walk foreword. It was so terrifying with its teeth bared and he looked angry but at the same time, he was something to look at. It was a white tiger with blue stripes. Something I had never seen before. But the thing that caught my eye was the crescent shaped moon on its forehead.

I let out a little squeak when I realized that I was going to be cat food soon. A white tiger, my favourite animal. I knew enough about them to know that I would die in a second.

'Humph, scared is she? I guess I shouldn't be surprised.' The beast sounded amused.

I stared at it, not blinking. He was talking, without moving his mouth.

'Why would she be in the middle of the forest at night.' He shook his head angrily. 'Human parents. Such fools.'

"It's not my parents fault... I left... without telling them..." I whispered.

He stepped back. 'What the hell.'

My eyes widened. "You said a bad word!"

His eyes widened. 'This girl... can hear me?'

"Yes, I can." I said, still shaking.

He began to bare his teeth at me. 'Who are you?' He yelled. 'Tell me now! I will kill you if you don't!'

I started screaming then. I hugged Wonderland tightly and screamed as loud as I could.

The beast stepped back. 'Hush!' He yelled.

I didn't stop.

'Be quiet!' He growled.

His growling made me scream louder.

'Silence!' He moved closer to me, so fast that I didn't even realize he moved. The next thing I knew, he was on top of me.

My screaming stopped and turned into tears. "Leave me alone!" I cried. "I want to go home! Go away!" I hugged Wonderland tightly and turned to my side, pulling myself into a fetal position.

The beast looked at me.

"I'm sorry." I whispered to Wonderland. "I won't be able to protect you and do the things I promised." My tears made everything blur. "You're going to get hurt because of me. I'm sorry!" I kissed my teddy's forehead and closed my eyes tightly. I then waited to feel pain, waited for the teeth of the beast to bite down into my skin. But nothing happened. I opened my eyes and saw the tiger step back. I didn't move though, I thought maybe he was going to pounce on me.

But he didn't. That was the day that I first saw something so amazing. It was the first time I saw the blue lights and felt the strong wind.

My eyes widened when I saw what the beast had become. He was now a cute little kitty. For some reason, I got so excited. I wasn't thinking when I stuck Wonderland into my jacket and rushed towards him to pick him up. "WOW!" I said.

'Put me down.' He said, angrily.

And I did.

I saw him begin to sniff the air. 'Follow me.' He said with no emotion.

I looked up, realizing I was soaked. "No." I said.

'Listen to me.' He didn't seem to be patient.

"I don't like thunder and lightning." Right then, I heard the thunder. I pulled Wonderland out of my jacket, hugged her and closed my eyes.

'Now!' He yelled.

I was suddenly afraid of him again. I decided that it might be smart to listen to him, so I got up and as I tucked Wonderland back into my jacket, I followed him.

He ran quickly, and it was hard for me to catch up to him. "Wait!" I called. "Where are you going?"

He stopped and turned around.

I stopped too.

'No! Don't stop. Come here!'

I stared at him, confused. Suddenly, there was a bright light and loud noise that pierced my ears and threw me forward. I turned around and froze when I saw that the tree I was sitting at had burst into flames.

Something seemed wrong. I don't know why but I couldn't think straight. Lightning had just hit the tree that I was sitting at. I could have been there; I could have burst into flames too.

I wasn't able to take in the beast's voice. 'Get up! What's wrong?'

I still stared at the tree as the fire started to grow.

'Move!' He yelled. His voice seemed to get louder. 'Now! Damn it!'

My eyes were wide and it was getting hard to breathe. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain on my left shoulder. It took me a second to realize that the cat bit me. Something was wrong with this bite though. I've been bitten by cats before but this pain was a hundred times worse. His sharp fangs bit easily into the flesh right over my left collar bone. I let out a scream of pain.

'Pull yourself together!' He yelled. 'Now is not the time to show weakness.' He ran foreword and then looked back at me

When I wouldn't get up, he let out a loud, annoyed sigh. Suddenly, after another light show, he turned back into a tiger. The tiger ran up to me. His teeth bit into my backpack as he picked me up off the ground and threw me up into the air. I fell right onto his back. 'Hold on.' He said.

He threw himself forward and I felt like I was flying. My fist tangled into his fur as I tried to keep myself from falling off. Every second, I would check to see if Wonderland was still with me. Thankfully she was.

The pain in my shoulder didn't disappear though. I winced, every time my arm moved.

In a few minutes, we were far away from the fire. The beast dropped me on the floor and I whined in pain. I put my hand on my shoulder and when I saw all the blood, I burst into tears.

While I cried, I saw the tiger start to walk away but he stopped. He turned around and looked at me and then walked back. 'Forgive me.' He said. 'I thought you would move if I did something... painful.'

I continued to cry, shaking my head, hoping he would stay away from me. The pain was excruciating. It was too much for a ten year old to handle, actually, it was too much for anyone to handle.

He walked closer to me and when he was close enough, he dropped his head over me and began to lick the wound. Suddenly, the pain seemed to flutter away. I didn't understand why but then I remembered that all cats licked their own wounds. Maybe there was something on his tongue that made the pain go away.

I was then able to think again. I realized that he had saved my life. "My name is Aathiray, what's your name?" I asked when I had stopped crying.

He told me his name and I remember thinking that it was too hard to remember, so I shortened it to Kero. And that's the name he has gone by for the last seven years. I tried to remember what his real name was, Keroman... Kerolan... Kerosomething...

He protected me from the rain that night, keeping me warm and dry. I remember hearing the fire truck sirens and a commotion, which was far, far away from where we were. One thing I will never forget was how safe I felt. Throughout the dark, stormy night, I felt safe near my new friend. I will never forget that.

The next morning, he made a deal with me. He told me he would take me back to my family only if I promised not to tell anyone that I could hear his voice and that he could change from a tiger to a cat. So to them, he was just a normal cat.

And I promised. I just wanted to go home.

I rode on his back for most of the way home but when we got close to the main road, he turned back into a cat. He guided me out of the forest, down the street and to a park ranger's cabin. There were three police cars outside of the small house, which scared me.

Kero guided me onto the porch, I saw my parents through the window which made me feel a sense of relief. I ran to the door and knocked, trying to be polite. Kero stayed behind me.

The park ranger opened the door. He was wearing his uniform and looked very good looking (of course, I didn't think that back then) and he was surprised to see me. "Are you..." He looked at me, and then to at a picture he was holding in his hand. "Aathiray Aryan?" He asked, dumbstruck.

I nodded, hugging Wonderland tightly and then I turned to see if Kero was still behind me.

He was.

The park ranger stared at me for a while. And then he turned around and looked into the room. "Mr. and Mrs. Aryan? I think you have a visitor." He smiled a friendly smile at me and stepped away from the door. "Come in, sweetheart." He said.

I walked into the cabin right when my family walked out of an office and stared at me.

My mom's eyes were red and her hair was messy.

My father looked absolutely stressed and afraid.

My, at the time, thirteen year old brother was still crying his eyes out.

My dad was the first to react. Without a word, he ran up to me and pulled me into his arms.

"Aathy!" My mom yelled as she ran up to me, she continued to smother me in kisses when my brother ran up to me too. "Where were you!?" He yelled, wiping away his tears, trying to act tough.

I smiled at all the attention.

"Sweetie, don't ever, ever, do that again!" My mom said. "Please, please! Don't ever scare us like that!"

"Young lady, may I know how you got here? On your own?" The park ranger asked.

I shook my head. "Kero brought me." I said, as I pointed at the door where Kero was still sitting. He was looking at my parents.

The park ranger looked at him. "This... cat?" He asked, doubtfully.

I nodded. "Yup. I was sitting at the tree that was hit by lightning last night." I said, shivering as I remembered the scary sight.

My mom gasped, "Are you ok, darling?" she asked.

My dad immediately started to inspect me.

"Yeah! I am. Kero took me away from the tree right before it got hit by lightning! And then he took me far away from there and then he protected me from the rain and then he brought me home! He saved me!" I turned around and smiled at Kero.

My mom and the park ranger looked at Kero.

My dad, gasped, noticing the bite mark on my shoulder. "What's this?" He asked. "What bit you?"

When my mother looked at the scar, her eyes widened. "What happened sweetie? Does it hurt?"

I then saw the three adults stare at me, shocked at my torn and muddy clothing.

"Tell us what happened, love. This could make you sick if we don't know what bit you." The park ranger said.

I looked at Kero and then told my parents the truth, with a little bit of twist so that they wouldn't know that Kero could talk. "Kero bit me because I wouldn't move. He wanted me to follow him but I was so scared when the lightning hit, so my feet wouldn't listen to me. So he bit me. And I'm ok now, it doesn't hurt!"

My brother looked at me and then at Kero. "You saved my sister?" He asked the cat.

Kero didn't react. All he did was put on the 'I'm just a normal cat that doesn't understand you' act.

My parents thanked the park ranger and the police officers before we left. We were going home and my mom was going to take me to the doctor to get that bite mark checked.

While we were walking to the car, I turned around and waved at Kero who nodded his head at me.

I got into my car and hugged Wonderland. It felt strange, leaving him behind. "I want to bring him home with us, Wonderland." I said to her.

I held her out in front of me and her head dropped a bit. I took that as a "Yes. Me too." I turned and looked out the window and saw Kero walk away. "Wait!" I called.

He didn't turn around.

I opened the car door and jumped out. "Kero! Wait!"

My family looked at me as I chased after the cat.

Kero stopped and turned around.

"Why don't you come home with me?" I asked.

'I can't. I need to go.' He said.

"Why? Please come! I promise I will owe you for saving my life!" I said.

'You don't need to.'

"Please!" I begged.

I continued to beg until my brother walked up to me. "Great idea! Let's take him home!"

My parents walked up to us. "Well, he is our girl's hero. Is he not?" My father asked. "Do you really want to bring him home with us?"

I nodded eagerly.

"Do you promise you will take good care him?" My mother asked. "Having a pet is a great responsibility."

For some reason, Kero snorted.

I nodded, as I turned to look at him. I gave Wonderland to Aathavan and held my hand out. "Please come home with us." I asked, again.

Kero looked at me, and then my hands, and then at me again. He then sighed, and walked into my arms.

And that was the day Kero became one of the most important living things in my life.