Pashmina

It was a winter's sunset.The silhouette of the sunset was mesmerizing,too calm.This blissful atmosphere was interrupted by a 5 year old tigress's roar.It was Pashmina,the glamour queen of the tiger group at Wild Animal Reserve.Pashmina was born at Alipore Zoo,Kolkata.She was malnutritioned as an infant due to which she was separated from her mother so as to minimize the problems her mother might face in the future in raising cubs.Pashmina moved on to Wild Animal Reserve which contained almost 7-8 tigers and other animals.

Pashmina was now a healthy and turgid young adult,yet shy and discreet.She walked by the pool to enter her den and have a peaceful nap when Hiro,Pashmina's nerd-buddy knocked.

"Hey,Pas! Whatcha doing?"

Pashmina had a quick reply in her usual melodious and feminish tone,"I hope,Hiro,you have eyes to see and a brain to figure out that I'm gonna go to a nap?"

Hiro apologized,"So sorry,mademoiselle.",and he laughed and departed.

Pashmina rested on her pillow,which was a rock covered in algae.She was almost off to dreamland when Hiro's alarm woke her up.

"Pashmina! Pashmina! Wake up,reina!"

Pashmina yawned and rebuked Hiro,"What is up with you,Hiro? I was in the middle of a dream!"

Hiro growled."Something very bad has happened...Sanghi was murdered by the poachers.",and then he growled again in pain and agony for his beloved friend

Pashmina growled in anger."It's impossible!! They can't enter the red zone."

-"We fear it's someone within the reserve who is killing for passion and skin.We can't lose to those brats,Pashmina.They're so barbaric!"

Pashmina ran to through the jungle to Sanghi's den.Hiro tried to stop her,but you know what they say about untamed beasts and Pashmina was one savage wild tigress.

"She.......never listens!",exclaimed Hiro.

When she reached the scene,she was speechless to see that Sanghi was ripped from the chest,while Krisi,Neel,Tinaa and others mourned sweet Sanghi's death.Sanghi's cubs were lying next to their mom's corpse and were grieving after the heart-breaking incident.

Pashmina walked in as a queen.She stood still,staring at Sanghi.None but Sanghi was her very best frined when she first stepped there 5 long years ago.Tears richocheted from Pashmina's red eyes.She held her head up high,"She was so sweet,wasn't she?"

There was pin-drop silence.

"Well,I understand.This is heartbreaking.I guess the authorities will pay a visit tomorrow.Stay away from each one of them.It's someone from this reserve.Poachers cannot enter this red zone.Cubs,stay with Aunty Tinaa and Krisi.",Pashmina departed.Back at her den,when she was resting nonchalantly,she heard a lion roar and shout,"Pashmina! Pashmina! Get up on the mountain,right now!"

Now since,humans don't understand animal language,it was alright to shout and sing publicly.

Pashmina jumped up to the little rock,nicknamed 'MOUNTAIN'. Remember how Mufasa and Simmba sat on that edge? Gives me chills!

Pashmina was looking at Veer,the lion.

"Pashmina,I heard those humas.Looks like,they're gonna take away Sanghi's cubs.I can't guarantee but probably either they will be transferred to Sunderbans or Alipore."

"Veer! The dinner! I will eat you alive today!",shouted Lila,Veer's inasane wife.

"Okay,I gotta go lest Lila should eat me alive.Hey,let me know if I can help.",and Veer made his exit.

Pashmina went crazy after hearing this.How could she let those savage murderers take away her best friend's cubs to a fight-to-survive zone like Sunderbans,where no cubs without a guardian would make it to one day? And how could she tolerate them living in cages in Alipore?

These thoughts wouldn't allow Pashmina to sleep.It was morning.Two men arrived near the border.They had a gun.Pashmina knew their silly tricks.They would throw meat after meat to attract every tiger and then dart all of them to either transfer them or to take cubs or take blood.So,even before everything happened,Pashmina ran away to the deep of the jungle to the family.

Panting,Pashmina explained everything."Here's what I want you to do."

The officers were surprised at Pashmina's behaviour.Suddenly they saw Pashmina was arriving with the cubs.They pointed the darting guns.When they were about to shoot,Pashmina jumped at them,crossed the fence and crumbled the guns.She scratched them and bruised them throughout.The rest of the tigers had arrived and Aunties,Tinaa and Krisi hugged and secured the cubs.They stood like a barrier to the cubs.Suddenly,one of the men took out a shotgun from his pocket and pointed it at Pashmina.His hands were shaking as he stared at Pashmina's red and aggressive eyes.When he stared at the pack,he could feel that the cubs were behind their family members.He backed up and ran away.Pashmina smiled.The cubs were staying!

"Adi! Adi! Close the TV! Pashmina show is over,na? Switch it off! You have got your online classes."

And this was Pashmina,the tigress!

Adi was in his room.He couldn't study.Something was special about Pashmina.He opened his laptop and searched more about tigers.He gathered information and got to know,tigers are very ferocious creatures and beastly.So,he found it awkward that Pashmina only scratched those eguards and didn't kill 'em.But Adi was very much interested in Pashmina.

The next day,he went to Galiff Street to look for pets as his dad was a dog lover.They selected a female German Shepherd.They came back home.

When the young GSD was pampered by Aditi,Adi's mother,Adi spoke,"Mum,what shall we name her?"

-"Which name is your favourite,darling?"

-"Pashmina. I will train her and mark my words,she will be the bravest GSD ever known."

Well,Pashmina grew up to be daring and audacious but something wasn't in her that was in Pashmina.One night Adi had a dream that Pashmina visited him in real life.

Adi woke up screaming and Pashmina woke up too.

He pampered her,"I wish you were real,and a tigress.I wish you were The Pashmina."

"Oh,I am.",replied Pashmina.

Adi sat speechless.What would he do?

"Pashmina,you know you're talking?"

-"I do.I do.",Pashmina,the GSD transformed into the tigress.

Adi was shaking in fear.

"Don't worry kiddo,your parents will never know and she slept on his lap.Come on,now.Care to hug me? I love warm hugs!"

Adi was confused.

"I..mean.umm.Is it real?",he pinched himself and guess what?

Pashmina narrated,"Some things are unbelieveably true,Adi.I was just waiting for the right time."

"But how will you transform into a GSD once again?

"It's this simple,lemme give you demo.",and she transformed into a GSD once agin.

Adi's heart was so full and satisfied.I guess sometimes,dreams come true if we try hard.And sometimes,dreams also come true if we imagine it to be true.

Pashmina,the GSD lived for 12 long years,some wonderful moments Adi will never forget.

But,Pashmina,the audacious tigress lived forever in Adi's imagination.