I
Tyger Tyger, burning bright,
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye,
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
-‘The Tyger’ by William Blake.
Jagged shadows twisted wraithlike through the jungle undergrowth, flickering between the trees and grasses, forming a body for a pair of ice-blue eyes that shone with feral intensity in the darkness. She moved soundlessly along invisible trails, leaving not a trace of passage in the moist earth, avoiding twigs and surface roots with uncanny ease. From time to time she would pause to sniff the heavy air, and shafts of sunlight would reflect off bone-white teeth as her lips pulled back in a slight snarl, the rumbling purr that followed almost subliminal in depth.
She had stalked her prey for many hours now, and the stress was starting to wear on aching muscles. She would need to strike soon, before she tired, but she had learned a long time ago the merits of caution and patience. Prowling carefully around a shallow gully, her body held close to the ground, she listened to the unaccustomed sounds of the three men who had foolishly wandered into her hunting grounds.
David Tow swatted fiercely at a fly and scowled at his companions. "How much further? We’ve been walking for hours."
The man in the lead glanced back and smirked, enjoying his partners irritation. "Whatsa matter, Dave? A few insects too much for ya?"
"Damn straight! I can’t breath in this place without swallowing a bloody bug!"
"Be another hour at least till we reach Corbin’s camp," said the leader. "And that’s if he hasn’t moved on."
"Moved on?" The third hunter, a short, wiry man with asian features, wiped his sweating brow angrily. "What d’ya mean, ‘moved on’ Jaz? He knows we’re comin’, right? Why would he clear out?"
Jaz shrugged with a wry grin. "Jack Corbin don’t like to wait around. If he finds a trail, he’s gonna take after it whether we’re there or not. So pick yer feet up boys, and hope we ain’t too late."
Grumbling, the two men followed dejectedly in silence for long minutes. Dave eyed the jungle nervously, hearing the strange, alien cries of unseen animals. The dense foliage was constantly in motion all around, giving the eerie impression that invisible creatures lurked behind every shadow. "This place gives me the creeps, Tae," Dave muttered to the asian man.
Tae shrugged, unconcerned. "You never hunted India before, huh?"
"Nope, mostly in Africa...you know, elephants and stuff. Bigger game, bigger target. It’s a lot more open than this…you can see what’s coming."
Tae grinned. "Hunting tigers and leopards ain’t like that," he said. "You just gotta be real careful, and hope they don’t find you before you find them."
Dave shivered a little and clutched his rifle tighter, his eyes wide as they scanned the mysterious jungle undergrowth. "I got a bad feeling about this gig," he said in a loud whisper. "I been hearing things ‘bout India the last few years."
"Me, too." Tae’s expression hardened. "But I’m not letting a few rumors and ghost-stories keep me from hunting that white gold that’s out here."
"Damn straight," Jaz put in, dropping back to listen to the conversation. "You know how much we stand to make from this hunt, Dave? Hell, it’s spicy enough we got Jack involved, and he don’t waste his time on bullshit!" He grinned wolfishly. "When we walk out this jungle, we’re gonna be rich men."
"That’s if we walk outta here, Jaz," Dave said ominously. "From what I heard, lotta guys like us aren’t gettin’ to be that lucky." He slapped at another flying insect, feeling sweat trickle down his spine. "You hear about that team came out here three years back? Right in this same park, too, and huntin’ the same damn thing as what we are."
Tae’s face grew very still and he nodded. "I heard the bodies were so ripped apart the rangers didn’t even know for sure if they were human. Had to get some medical guy out from Delhi just to figure out all the parts."
"Bah!" Jaz waved his hand dismisively. "Amateurs! So they made a mistake and got shredded for it, big deal! All I know is, there’s a helluva good chance there’s a white tiger out here, and I want a piece of it. If you babies want to back out, go ahead. But remember…a chance like this only comes along once in a dozen lifetimes." So saying, the tall hunter stalked off, taking the forward position and eventually vanishing into the thick undergrowth.
Tae and Dave exchanged glances, then sighed. "He’s right," Tae said after a moment. "Poaching’s a dangerous game anyway you cut it. This is too good an opportunity to pass up."