Little Tiger Rescue

by Rachel Delahaye

  For two little tigers, Ella and Olivier

  – Rachel

  CONTENTS

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  About the Author

  Copyright

  “Let’s be wild monkeys!” Ella shouted, waving her arms. The little children copied her, spilling their drinks on the table. Fliss pulled a face at her best friend. Ella was supposed to be helping!

  “Don’t encourage them!” she pleaded. “Look at the mess!”

  “We’re in the jungle, Fliss. What do you expect?” said Ella.

  The children laughed.

  “We’re in the jungle, Fliss. What do you expect?” Freddie repeated.

  Fliss tried hard not to laugh. Her cheeky little cousin Freddie was celebrating his fifth birthday with a party at Jungle Fever, a big new jungle-themed play centre in town. Fliss and Ella were there to help organize some games, but when Freddie’s mum stepped outside to make a phone call, they found themselves in charge of his birthday tea. Most of which was now on the floor.

  “I think they’ve finished eating,” said Fliss.

  “Great, let’s go and play,” said Ella, jumping up and down. “Last one to the trampolines is a stinky hippo!”

  Fliss looked at the state of the room. Her heart sank. She loved trampolines but she couldn’t leave the place looking like this, could she?

  “You take them, Ella,” she said. “I’ll catch up in a minute.”

  The children dashed out and Fliss began stacking the plates as quickly as she could. A member of the Jungle Fever staff entered the room with a bucket and mop.

  “No, no, no. That’s our job,” the man said kindly, taking the plates.

  “But the mess – I feel terrible about it…” Fliss read his name badge, “Luke.”

  “Don’t worry, we’re used to it,” he said. “Did you enjoy the jungle-themed food?”

  Fliss’s tummy rumbled, remembering the fruit platters that had arrived and gone in a flash.

  “Actually, the hungry monkeys scoffed the lot before I got a chance to try it!” she said.

  “Here.” Luke handed her a drink carton. “Have some mango juice. You’ll need the energy if you’re going to chase wild animals all afternoon!”

  Fliss laughed and slurped the juice – it was deliciously thick and sweet.

  “I’d better go and find the others before they go totally wild,” she said.

  Feeling better about the messy room, Fliss went off in search of the party. The play centre was enormous, with lots of different activity zones, but eventually she found everyone. They had finished on the trampolines and were now in the Monkey Climbing Room. It had a giant climbing frame that reached all the way to the ceiling, surrounded by safety nets. Ella was swinging across high horizontal bars, while Freddie and his friends watched from below in awe.

  “Can you do that, Flissy?” Freddie asked.

  “Fliss isn’t strong enough,” Ella called from up high. “You need stamina, like Ella the Great.”

  “Ella the great … big baboon, more like!” Fliss teased.

  The children laughed and started making baboon noises.

  “How rude!” Ella said with pretend shock. She dropped from the bars and chased Fliss round and round until they both fell on a crash mat, giggling and gasping for breath.

  “Play with us! Hide-and-seek, hide-and-seek, hide-and—”

  “OK, Freddie, we get the idea!” Fliss laughed. “We’ll count to twenty. Starting from now! One… Two… You’d better run…! Three…”

  Freddie and his friends screamed with delight and scattered like rats, looking for hiding spots. Fliss and Ella covered their eyes and carried on counting.

  “They’ve gone everywhere!” Ella said, peeking through her fingers. “It’ll take forever to find them.”

  “Let’s split up,” Fliss suggested. “We can be like sheepdogs rounding up sheep!”

  “Does everything with you always have to be about animals?” Ella sighed dramatically.

  “Yep!” Fliss grinned. Fliss loved all animals, and wanted to be a vet when she grew up. She’d already taken the vet’s oath – a promise to care for animals in danger.

  On the count of twenty, Ella went left and Fliss tiptoed right, around the base of the huge climbing frame, keeping her eyes peeled for Freddie and his friends.

  The jungle decorations at the play centre were amazing. There were murals on the walls, toy animals in the trees, plants made of plastic and rubber. But where were those naughty children hiding? It didn’t look as if they were in the Monkey Climbing Room any more.

  Fliss started to explore the other zones. She checked the Forest Floor Trampolining Room and the swings in the Treetop room – but there was no sign of them. Then something caught her eye – a curtain of rubbery vines. Behind it there was a doorway, and a sign: ‘Deep Jungle Maze’. And from somewhere inside the maze, Fliss heard giggling. Aha!

  “Coming to get you!” she called, and ran inside.

  The make-believe jungle was thicker here. Pathways wove in and around tall plastic trees and bushy ferns made from felt. There were hidden speakers with sound effects: rainfall, monkey hoots, cheeping birds. But Fliss couldn’t hear giggling any more.

  “Where are you?” she called, walking deeper and deeper into the jungle.

  By the time she reached the centre of the maze – Explorer’s Rest – Fliss was totally confused. She hadn’t heard another peep out of the children. In fact, she hadn’t seen or heard anyone at all.

  She sat down on the bench. No one would mind if she stopped for a moment of peace and quiet. Filled with a sense of calm, she listened to the toots and whoops and sounds of the jungle. Closing her eyes, she imagined what it would be like to actually be there…

  Fliss was dreaming she was a jungle vet, caring for sloth bears and leopards, when she was woken by a sound – an almighty shriek! She sat upright and rubbed her eyes.

  “Freddie?” She stood up. “Freddie, is that you?”

  Reeech. There it was again! Reeech.

  The noise was harsh, like a dull scream. Was someone in trouble? Was a child lost in the maze, or perhaps someone had climbed a tree and got stuck?

  “Hang on!” she called. “Stay where you are. I’ll find you.”

  Fliss went back through the winding pathways, pushing through the dense greenery, searching every twist and turn for a lost child. But there was nothing.

  Reeech. Reeech.

  “Where are you?” she shouted.

  Just then, there was a rustle in the trees straight above her head.

  “Who’s there?” she called, looking up. “Are you all right?”

  A long-limbed shape swung down from a branch in front of her and then disappeared, quick as lightning, into the jungle behind.

  What was that? Fliss froze and waited.

  Nothing else moved. There was no sound. Not even a rustle in the trees.

  “Just a cuddly toy,” she said to herself. “A cuddly toy that came loose from a tree and fell down, that’s all.”

  Fliss wasn’t shaken but the strangeness of what had just happened made her more alert. She walked on, eyes and ears open. Bit by bit she realized that the maze room was changing. First it was the air, which had become warmer and damp, and then it was the path. Previously it had been rubber, now it was slightly squelchy and covered in leaves. Perhaps the Jungle Fever pl
ay centre had some air-conditioning problems, and definitely some plumbing problems – her sandals were getting wet! She should find someone and tell them.

  Suddenly an explosion of whoops and squeaks pierced the air. It sounded like a child’s toy zapper. Fliss laughed, relieved that someone else was in the maze with her.

  “If you’re zapping me with your toy, you’ve got me! Look! Aargh!”

  Fliss stumbled backwards, pretending to be hit by the zapper, but the kids didn’t come out of their hiding place. She called and called but there was no reply.

  Fliss decided to go back to the middle of the maze and take the quick exit path out. She should tell someone about the strange noises and the wet floor. But when she turned around, a tree was blocking her path! That definitely hadn’t been there before … or had it?

  Fliss placed her hand on the trunk. It was rough with stringy bark that peeled away in her fingertips. Then, with an almighty chorus of shrieks, the kids appeared…

  Five of them ran down the tree and then up another one. They scooted to the top and flung themselves around in the branches, slipping and tumbling like gymnasts. Fliss’s mouth fell open. Monkeys! Real live monkeys.

  One of them dropped down to a branch just above her and sat scratching its back. Fliss remained absolutely still and tried to work out what sort of monkey it was. It had a silky white coat and a round black face. Its limbs were long and lean.

  “I think I know what you are,” she said. At the sound of her voice, the monkey stopped scratching and looked at her. “You were in the Animals of India programme I watched last week… You’re a langur!”

  The langur made a squeaking noise and disappeared.

  “Well, one thing is certain,” Fliss said to herself, placing a hand on her racing heart. “I’m not in the play centre any more!”

  She looked round at the trees, and the plants that filled every gap between them – tumbling vines and cascading bushes with deep pink flowers. Fliss felt the leaves and rubbed them between her fingertips, releasing their earthy smells.

  She was half terrified and half thrilled. How had she ended up in a real jungle? She had been to some amazing places before, including the Serengeti and Antarctica, and she’d had to save a lost animal to get home. Would it be the same here?

  Fliss picked her way through the deep jungle, watching where she put her feet in case there were little animals on the ground. She listened carefully too. Bird calls echoed in the canopy above. It was all so magical and pretty, like a dream world. But a totally new sound made her stop dead in her tracks.

  Great crashes. Trees falling to the ground. Branches snapping.

  Crash, crash, crash. Like the footsteps of a giant.

  Fliss hid behind a tree, holding her breath as the noise grew louder. Whatever was making it was coming closer…

  Then elephants appeared, stomping over everything in their path. From behind her tree, Fliss could see six or seven of them, although there might be more. She stared at them in amazement. They were so close she could see their wise little eyes and the baggy grey-brown skin that wrinkled under their tummies and around their knees. They had smallish ears but it was the double bump on their heads that told Fliss these were Indian elephants. She shook her head in disbelief. One minute she was rounding up wild children, the next she was in a real jungle, standing alongside a herd of wild creatures!

  Fliss was mesmerized but she had to be careful. Elephants travelled in families – they were protective and loyal. If they felt threatened, they could stampede! She had to stay completely still. Breathing slowly to stop herself from shaking, Fliss watched as they snapped off juicy green branches with their trunks and fed them into their mouths.

  There was a rustle behind her. Something had moved up close. Oh no, had the herd surrounded her? Was she trapped? Slowly Fliss turned round.

  Fliss didn’t know who was more frightened – herself, or the herd of deer she had startled! She had been standing so still, the deer hadn’t even noticed her as they stooped to nibble the plants at her feet. Now they sprang, panicking, in all directions. Fliss only had a few seconds to admire their attractive markings – light brown with snow-white spots – before they disappeared into the trees.

  Fliss’s heart was galloping. Luckily it had only been deer! Next time it could be something bigger, or an animal with sharp teeth. She had to be watchful – she was in the real jungle now. And if she was here to rescue an animal, then she needed to find it. The trouble was, it was hard to spot anything in such dense jungle. There were only plants and trees as far as the eye could see.

  Everywhere Fliss looked it was the same. Green to the left, to the right and even up above, where the trees created a roof of leaves and she couldn’t see the sky beyond. How was she going to pick a direction to explore when she didn’t know which way was up or down! She had to make a decision.

  Fliss chose to go in the opposite direction to the elephants. Although they were amazing, she didn’t want to disturb them, and it would be safer to stay away from the herd.

  As she walked, the bird calls echoed continuously and Fliss started to feel a little dizzy. She put one foot in front of the other, floating in and out of thoughts. She was woken from her trance by a distant roar, like the thundering of a waterfall.

  She made her way towards the sound. And then she saw it – not a waterfall, but a wide, rushing river. If she followed it, maybe she would find a village and someone to talk to!

  Feeling happier now, Fliss continued more quickly, not caring that her feet were sinking into soggy ground right up to her ankles. Eventually she came to an area where the plants had been cleared away and the ground was smooth. It looked like a place where boats might be launched into the river, although there were none there now. No one would be crazy enough to go fishing when the water was so choppy. On the other side of the clearing, a path continued along the bank. It was clearly marked, with two parallel lines grooved into the forest floor. Tyre marks! It has to lead somewhere, Fliss thought. She started to run.

  As she ran, Fliss was so busy watching out for animals she didn’t notice the surface beneath her feet change, and she tripped.

  Concentrate, Fliss! she told herself. You don’t want to fall over or twist your ankle.

  She looked at the ground. The tyre tracks had gone! Turning round, she saw that a few paces back they curved sharply to the left, away from the river. She’d run straight on without noticing! Fliss kicked aside the leaves and soil to see what had made her trip. Stone! Stone slabs like stepping stones, which formed a new path. Who would lay stepping stones in a jungle?

  The path was slippery with moss and wet plants and the way ahead was thick with bushes. Obviously it hadn’t been used for a long time… But Fliss was intrigued. She had to know what was through the overgrowth!

  Fliss fought her way through the bushes until she reached a big stone courtyard. It was surrounded by tumbledown buildings. Some had flat roofs, others were domed. Some had no roofs at all. Thick vines wrapped themselves around pillars and columns like the tentacles of a giant monster. The whole place looked ancient and forgotten. As if the forest had taken the land back for itself. Fliss felt as if she had stumbled across a secret.

  “A temple,” she gasped. “An ancient temple on the banks of the river!”

  It was enchanting. The air was still and thick with moisture, and even though it was right next to the roaring river, it seemed perfectly tranquil. There was no sound within the temple grounds apart from the dripping of water and Fliss’s footsteps as they scuffed on the stone, then—

  Mrrrrow.

  It was a tiny sound but Fliss heard it. It sounded like a cat’s meow. Fliss turned in circles, hoping to see what had made it.

  “Where are you, kitty?” she called.

  Mew. Mrrrrow.

  There was something about the cry – so tiny and desperate. Could it be an animal that needed her help? Surely cats weren’t supposed to be in the jungle. Fliss had to find out if it was OK
. But where was it? She made her way through the fallen walls and rocks, searching for a sign of life. The cry came again, and Fliss stopped and listened. Over there!

  The mewing echoed from inside a temple room that was still standing, unharmed by time or creeping vines. It was dark inside and Fliss hesitated in the doorway. She didn’t want to scare the cat away. Tiptoeing as carefully as she could, she stepped forwards and peered into the gloom. It took time for her eyes to adjust but when they did her mouth dropped open.

  The cat was there but not the sort of cat she was expecting.

  “What are you doing here all alone, little tiger?”

  The tiger cub jumped up. It stood and wobbled a bit, before padding towards Fliss clumsily on giant fluffy paws.

  “You’re definitely meant to be in the jungle,” said Fliss, laughing to herself. “But it looks as if you’re desperate for some company!”

  Fliss stared at the creature, amazed. The tiger cub was one of the most beautiful animals she’d ever seen. But even though she wanted to pick the fluff-ball up, she knew she’d be in danger if the mother tiger was nearby. “Wait here, little one.”

  Fliss ran back outside and took a good, careful look around the ruins. She strained her eyes and ears for the sign of another creature but there was nothing. Just the rush of the river to one side, the sound of the jungle birds on the other and the rustle of leaves above. She waited and waited but no tiger came. Something brushed against her leg and Fliss jumped back.

  “Oh, it’s you!” she said. The little tiger drew back its puffy, whiskery muzzle and mewed. “Perhaps we should introduce ourselves. My name is Fliss.”

  The tiger seemed to like the ssss sound of her name. It pricked up its ears and then nuzzled against her shin. Fliss crouched down and stroked the cub’s back. It was bony. She frowned. Wild animals were usually leaner than domestic ones but this tiger was very thin.