I dragged my haul of Huon pines to the woodpile and let the axe fly into their hard shanks. I could heft an axe all through the day and gain no more discomfort than a few calluses upon my hands. With each blow I tried to spend one angry thought: How will I save my tiger?
Even if I trapped him, there was his mate to consider as well. The tiger population had grown scarce and I might have encountered one of the last pairs on the island. My actions had to be swift.
“What are you thinking about, Myko?” I turned to see Tilly sitting on the yard’s stone wall, her bare feet swinging before her.
I returned to the pines, taking up the axe again.
“It’s tigers,” she said.
“What?”
What“You are thinking of tigers.” She jumped down from the wall and walked towards the woodpile, swaying her arms as
