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She waited a solid minute before she crossed the house and slipped into the dark office. She peered out the window and watched him walk around the barn that he used for work. She scowled.
So, he had been lying to me. If he was going to work, he would have gone inside.
He took a trail road up into the woods, and she frowned. Where in God’s name was he going, she wondered.
He didn’t get in a car, so he wasn’t going far. He was on his feet, but she squinted, swearing she saw him get on all four. She quickly shook her head and turned.
She wasn’t going to see anything from the window. It was still a little too dark. She needed to go outside. She walked into the nursery and wrapped Zara up to her front. She strapped her close and wrapped a poncho over them both. She grabbed a bottle and tucked it into her pocket just in case she needed it.
She would be lying if she said she wasn’t excited. She was, and she liked the idea of spying. It got her adrenaline pumping, and it was a nice change of pace from how her life had been going.
No, spying is wrong. I know that, but it’s the idea of finding out someone’s secret.
She rounded the room and headed down the hallway to the back door. She slipped outside, taking in a deep breath of fresh air. She stood just a moment to soak it in before she pulled her phone out and flicked her flashlight on.
She rounded the house and followed the trail up past the barn and into the woods where she knew that Henry had headed. She looked into it, taking in the trees and all the sounds it had to offer.
Her phone gave her very little light, but she knew what was ahead of her, and the sun was coming up soon. She started into the woods, following her light.
She stepped quietly and walked as swiftly as she could. But a sudden noise made her entire body freeze up. It was a loud purr like a cat, one she’d heard many times.
It made all the hair on her neck stand up, and her arms tightened around Zara. She suddenly wondered if this was a good idea.
She turned slowly, and her light shone down on an animal just a few feet away. Her eyes widened as she took in a tiger.
It had the same purr she’d heard in the cabin over and over.
She screamed and quickly began running as fast as she could back towards the house. Her heart was beating quickly, and she was sure she was about to die.
She could hear it behind her, bounding after her. She quickened her step, squeezing Zara closer to her. She felt tears build up as she grew closer to the house.
She rounded the barn, sprinting to the house. She grabbed the door and rushed inside, slamming the door behind her. She couldn’t breathe, and Zara was crying now.
Her mind was going a mile a minute. There was a tiger here! In Colorado! And she just outran it. Wait? No. That was impossible.
Her mind refused to settle, as did her heart.
SIX
HENRY
He could smell the bear this morning. There was one that had been persistent in coming onto his land, and it was pissing him off to no end. He was out looking for it but was unable to find it.
He didn’t like lying to Kirsten about what he was doing, but he couldn’t tell her. It was too dangerous for her. She would want to help somehow if she knew the truth, and he couldn’t have that.
So, he rounded the barn and headed up the pathway. Once he knew he was far enough away that Kirsten couldn’t see him, he shifted. He allowed his tiger to take over, and he took off into the woods.
He ran north, finding no scent of the bear. He had followed the scent yesterday as it had been strong, but today it was weak. He headed around when he caught wind of it again. He followed it for some time but soon lost it once more. It was crossed with another animal, and then it disappeared.
He dug his paws into the ground and growled. He then turned and stopped when he noticed a light flickering over the woods.
He looked a little closer and realized it was Kirsten hiking into the woods. She was packed up in clothes and walking with determination. He couldn’t help but laugh.
He wasn’t even mad because ... how could he be? Her curiosity had peaked. She’d been stuffed inside so much, and it was only normal for a person to become interested in knowing why. But he also knew she was going against his word.
He’d asked her not to enter the woods, and that was what she was doing. And he figured she probably had Zara with her, which made it even more dangerous.
It was still early in the morning, and there was little light since the sun wasn’t all the way up yet. So, it would be easy for him to move without her seeing him. He needed to prove a point and get her back inside the cabin.
