Hayley's Tiger

Hayley Bennet was an unusual girl in an unusual town. In this town everyone is partnered with a different animal. Hayley's partner/pet is a tiger she named Reika. Reika was a white tiger with the most stunning blue eyes. She was Hayley's best friend.

A lot of people believe their animals fully understand them. That these animals, often carnivores, were sent to protect them. Hayley believed Reika understood her, but to Hayley, it was her job to protect Reika. Everyone in their village of Melrania had a black panther, Bengal tiger, a lion, or in some cases, a bear. It is said by local legends that Hayley must have a special ability for a white tiger to have chosen her.

While it is true, in Melrania, the priestess in training was often accompanied by a white tiger. Hayley's job was to banish demons, to heal the sick, and perform rituals to protect her village's people. While no one knew, Hayley found she had healing and purifying powers.

Reika was very protective over Hayley, and sometimes it really aggravated her. If Hayley was practicing her archery or her dagger throwing, Reika would try to intervene in some way. Reika would purposely knock the weapons out of Hayley's hands. It was if she was saying Hayley did not need mortal weapons when she had her. If only that were true.

Hayley and Reika may be bonded together in some way, and that made them targets for demons. Hayley tried to stay at the temple at all times. Now the temple, it was the highest point in the village. Mountains surrounded it and it was completely constructed from stone.

It was suppose to be impenetrable. It was a fortress, and it had guards that watched after it night and day. Mainly because they were guarding the Stone of Tristar. The Stone of Tristar is said to grant a wish to anyone who is worthy to look upon it. It was given to Hayley's ancestors by the God Pluto himself.

It also could open up the Otherworld...and that could be catastrophic at most. Reika is said to be it's guardian. If any should escape the Otherworld, they will have to be killed by the tiger's claws and the maiden's arrows. That is why Hayley practiced night and day with her arrows and her knives. She had had a vision of the Otherworld being opened and demons come forward to destroy the village. This could not happen.

One day, Hayley and Reika were walking in the Forest of Lost Souls only to be interrupted. A man came running at them with a knife in his hands. Reika let out a guttural growl and pounced forward. Hayley was sure Reika had made contact with the man, but was horrified when she heard Reika let out a pained cry. The man came towards Hayley again, and she dodged his blow and threw a dagger and it landed right in his heart.

Hayley rushed over to Reika to see that she too had been cut close to the heart. Hayley prayed to the gods to heal her friend. Hayley tried using her on special healing powers...but nothing happened. There was only one thing to do. Take Reika to the Mountain of Phaedos.

There they could heal Reika and Hayley could get back to help guarding the stone. Though to go to the Mountain of Phaedos, she is going to have to have the Stone of Tristar. Will she be able to hold the stone? Was she worthy? Would the Stone of Tristar be able to help Reika?

There wasn't a lot of time to waste. She covered Reika with a blanket she had with her and she ran back to the temple. When she arrived, the guards tried to stop her.

"Out of my way! I need the Stone!"

"She is possessed!"

"No, Reika is injured. I have to get her to the Mountain of Phaedos immediately. I need the Stone of Tristar to enter the chambers there!"

"Hayley, one of us will have to accompany you there. We can't just let you leave with the Stone alone. Plus, someone is going to have to drag that heavy tiger through the mountain."

"I understand, but we haven't a moment to waste!"

Hayley ran into the center of the temple and bowed before the Stone. It was blood red and had a little purple flower in the center. Hayley prayed the Stone would sense her good intentions and let her come forward to grab it. This was her only hope for saving Reika. This was her only chance to save her very best friend.

Thinking about how lost she would be without Reika and without her friend, she let out a sob.

The Stone started to glow and it literally floated off the pedestal it was on. It glided perfectly into her hands. It had sensed her worry and her grief over what happened. It wanted to help her save the white tiger. It probably knew if the white tiger was down, the whole village would be in very real danger.

Hayley grabbed it, stuck in her satchel and left. She summoned her black horse, Treasure, and mounted it quickly. She looked to the guard on her right.

"Come, we haven't a moment to lose!"

He bowed and mounted his brown horse and off into the woods they went. They had grabbed some blankets, and some wood to make a pallet for Reika to lie on. When they came across her body, Hayley jumped down from Treasure's back and ran to her friend again. Reika's breathing was shallow. She didn't have much time.

The guard made quick work of the rope, blankets, and wood and it took them both to put the tiger on it. Once Reika was secured, Hayley and the guard took off. Luckily the Mountain of Phaedos wasn't a long ride. It took maybe a half of a day in normal circumstances. The woods flew passed them and the further they went, the darker it got.

The hair on Hayley's neck seemed to stand straight up. Something was coming. That's when she seen it. The demon was all black and had red eyes. His fangs were long and his claws seemed to come out of nowhere.

The guard, who had never seen a demon before, fell of his horse. Hayley reached behind her pulling her bow and an arrow out. She notched the arrow and pulled it tight on her bow. She took a deep breath and let it out when she loosed the arrow. A blue light enveloped the arrow on it's way to the demon's heart. When the arrow struck, the demon let out a bloodcurdling scream and vanished without a trace.

Hayley wasn't used to fighting demons. They attacked once in a while in Melrania, but there had been other attacks in the country. The thing they were seeking was the Stone of Tristar. Heaven help them if the demons got their hands on it. The world would never be safe.

Hayley came riding up to the guard who fell off his horse and offered him a hand.

"Sorry, mi'lady, I have never seen a demon before,"

"No worries, Blake, but we must keep moving. They know we have the Stone."

They rode on and on into the night until finally they made it to the Mountain of Phaedos. They had fought off twenty or so demons on their way. Reika was hanging on by a literal thread. Hayley took the Stone of Tristar out of her satchel and held it up at the stone entrance of the Mountain. The stones began to roll away from the entrance to allow them in.

Once they were inside, the priestesses began their work on Reika. Reciting healing chants, and of course, Hayley jumped in. Hayley could feel the life flowing back into Reika. When Reika stood up and roared that loud roar of hers, Hayley knew everything would be alright. Everything would be all better now.

No matter what, everything would be okay. If the demons try to fight them, let them come, Hayley and Reika would be ready. As they headed home they knew the only thing they had to worry about was getting the Stone to safety. Hayley could do anything as long as her white tiger was by her side. The world was not a scary place when you have the fierceness of the tiger's claws, the eyes of the tiger, and the mighty roar of the tiger guiding your every move.