Free Web NovelChapter 28: Chapter 28: The Tigers Suddenly Attack the Sightseeing Vehicle
"Get up!" The room was dim, but Rhea Dempsey yanked the curtains open, letting a flood of sunlight rush in. "Michelle has been waiting for you for ages!"
Renee Jennings frowned, pulling the blanket over her head and grumbling, "Why is Michelle here?"
Rhea Dempsey snapped, "Didn’t you two make plans to go to the zoo today?"
Renee was speechless.
She pulled the blanket down, her eyes squinted open to a mere slit. "I completely forgot."
"Hurry up and get ready," Rhea Dempsey said as she left the room. Smiling, she then asked, "Michelle, would you like another bowl of soy milk?"
"Just half a bowl is fine, thank you, Auntie." Michelle Fuller was on the living room sofa, drinking soy milk with fried dough sticks and chatting with the cat.
Though she had no idea what the cat was saying.
Seeing how engrossed she was in the conversation, Rhea Dempsey placed the soy milk on the coffee table and couldn’t help but ask, "Michelle, can you understand what cats are saying too?"
"I can’t," Michelle Fuller said, waving her hand.
Rhea Dempsey had thought they had taken an animal language course together.
"Why are you here so early?" Renee Jennings yawned, plopping down next to Michelle Fuller. Her head lolled to the side, and she looked ready to fall back asleep.
Michelle Fuller replied, "I want to see you talk to the big tigers!"
Rhea Dempsey was stunned. "You can understand tigers when they talk, too?"
"Not sure," Renee Jennings mumbled, still half-asleep.
Rhea Dempsey looked a little disappointed.
If she hadn’t already made plans to go shopping with her friends, she would’ve loved to go to the zoo too.
**
Michelle Fuller drove while Renee Jennings caught up on sleep. By the time they arrived at the zoo, Renee was finally wide awake.
"Let’s go, let’s go! Time to see the big tigers!" Michelle Fuller chirped, excitedly linking her arm with Renee’s and making a beeline for the Tiger Park.
After buying some food to feed the tigers, the two of them got in line for the tour vehicle into the large-animal enclosure.
"Wow! Mom, Dad, I see a real-life big tiger!" a child on the tour vehicle shouted excitedly.
Michelle Fuller was excited too. She whispered, "Renee, can you understand them?"
Renee Jennings listened intently. Her beautiful eyes lit up as she nodded. "I can."
’It must be because tigers are part of the cat family. If I can understand house cats, I should be able to understand tigers too.’
"Whoa~" Michelle Fuller’s face was a mask of delighted surprise. "That’s so cool! What are they talking about?"
Several large tigers were lazing on a giant rock, watching the tour vehicle pass by.
"Alright, boys, more humans are here to feed us."
"Damn, these humans are annoying. They come in here and never stop shouting."
"But their meat smells delicious. If we get the chance, we should definitely try some."
"..."
Renee Jennings looked at Michelle Fuller’s curious face, unsure if she should reveal that the tigers were just discussing how they’d like to taste human flesh.
After a moment’s thought, she gave a concise answer: "They think humans are annoying and very loud."
As she spoke, some people on the vehicle had already taken out chunks of meat, ready for feeding.
The tigers perked up the instant they smelled the meat. Their massive bodies sprang into motion, and they all leaped in front of the tour vehicle.
The ground seemed to tremble, and the vehicle itself swayed.
"AHHH! The big tigers are here!"
"They look so scary!"
"Oh my god, it can jump so far in a single bound!"
The people on the vehicle shrieked with excitement.
Michelle Fuller frowned. "They really are loud."
Renee Jennings strongly agreed.
They had also bought some food, which they held with tongs and passed through the vehicle’s protective grating to feed the tigers.
Now that they were closer, Michelle Fuller was eager to see Renee chat with the tigers.
Renee Jennings was helpless against her friend’s pestering, so she had no choice but to address the big tiger in front of them. "Hello there, tiger. My name is Renee Jennings. What’s your name?"
The big tiger, who was busy eating, froze for a moment. It said uncertainly, "Hey, boys, is this human asking for the name of this handsome tiger?"
The tiger closest to him, a somewhat smaller one, said disdainfully, "Is she trying to be funny? It’s not like she’d understand you anyway."
Renee Jennings raised an eyebrow and glanced at the smaller tiger. "And how would you know I can’t understand?"
The tigers all froze. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
What?
’This human can understand what we’re saying?’
"She... she understands..." the big tiger said in shock. "Well, I’ll be damned. First time meeting a human who gets our tiger-talk. What a novelty!"
Renee Jennings smiled. "You’re the most handsome one here. Would I be honored with knowing your name?"
The high praise made the big tiger a little bashful.
It said proudly, "You’ve got a good eye. I am indeed the most handsome tiger here. Listen closely. My name is Rory."
Renee asked, "Rory? Does that mean you’re a wise tiger?"
Rory blinked his tiger eyes, not having expected his name could be interpreted that way. He was secretly pleased. "Yes. I am the wise tiger."
Michelle Fuller was beyond excited. She tugged on Renee’s sleeve and whispered, "Renee, is that tiger’s name really Rory?"
Renee nodded. "That’s right. The wise tiger, and the most handsome one."
Rory was overjoyed by the praise, and it completely changed his opinion of humans.
"Turns out not all humans are detestable! You’re a good one! What did you say your name was again?"
"Renee."
"This handsome tiger will remember you!"
Renee was speechless.
’So it’s not just humans who love being flattered; tigers do too.’
The woman and the tiger chatted away animatedly.
Rory even enthusiastically invited Renee to become his Breeder.
Renee was a little surprised. "I don’t think I’m the right person for the job, but I’ll come by to chat whenever I’m free."
The words had barely left her mouth when a small popping sound echoed, followed immediately by an enraged tiger’s roar.
The tour vehicle suddenly began to shake violently.
One tiger leaped onto the roof of the vehicle, while another pounced on its hood.
The people inside were terrified, breaking down into screams and sobs.
A startled Michelle Fuller hugged Renee’s arm tightly, with no idea what was going on.
Renee gleaned some information from the tigers’ roars.
"These damned humans! Do they think they can just mess with me? Think I’m desperate for their pathetic little scraps of meat? They tricked me into opening my mouth again and again!"
"I’m going to kill that human cub today! How dare it attack me with a firecracker!"
"..."
Renee whispered in Michelle’s ear, "Someone was deliberately teasing the tigers with the meat, and a kid threw a popper at one of them. They’re furious."
United, the tigers roared furiously at the tour vehicle, baring their fangs and brandishing their claws. The entire Tiger Park seemed to tremble.
Renee’s heart hammered in her chest, and she felt like her eardrums were about to burst.
The manager of the Tiger Park saw what was happening and broke out in a cold sweat.
The tourists in the viewing area outside the enclosure were also captivated by the unfolding drama.
"The tigers are going berserk! It’s too dangerous! Thank God I didn’t get on that ride!"
"Are those people going to be okay? Someone needs to do something, quick!"
"Why did the tigers suddenly attack the vehicle? This is terrifying!"
"..."
Michelle’s eyes reddened as she said furiously, "Tigers are ferocious beasts! How could anyone dare to tease them, let alone throw poppers at them? It’s like they have a death wish!"
Just then, the tiger on the hood began to bat at the windshield with its enormous paws.
The outer protective mesh buckled, and cracks spiderwebbed across the glass underneath. The driver was scared out of his wits.
Before long, the glass shattered completely. The tiger’s sharp claws ripped a hole in the mesh, and its paw reached through.
Seeing the sharp claws just inches away, the driver scrambled from his seat in a blind panic, crying, "Help..."
