Free The Tiger Within by Amanda Anderson Page A

envelope her. Then she listened again. This time not only to the words being spoken, but those being thought as well.
    “She is beautiful.” It was the innocent thought of a child that gave her the courage to continue.
    “She could only be a gift from God,” she heard and felt the relief flow through her again.
    “Finally we will be blessed again.”
    She sighed and followed Henry as he ran toward the forest. Tonight she would hunt. Tonight she would be free. Several others changed to run with them. She felt the presence of her father and of Mrs. Chambers. She stopped suddenly when she also felt her mother. She looked to see her standing near the tree line in a shimmering mist, as if she were only a dream. She was not a changeling and she could not run with them, but Amelia sensed her presence. She gave her daughter a contented smile and evaporated. Amelia was finally whole. Her destiny fulfilled. Charlotte inhaled the night air. Now she could find her own contentment with out worry for her daughter.
     
     

 
    Epilogue
    Nine months later
    Henry was met at the door of his chamber by his physician. He had been in town settling a dispute when he had gotten word of Amelia’s distress. He rushed to her side.
    “Amelia, you must calm yourself,” he insisted.
    “I cannot. I can not control the change. Please, Henry, you must help me.”
    He concentrated, but felt forces fighting against him. “I cannot. I think the children are quarreling.’
    “I am so tired.”
    “I can help with that.” He lay down beside her and took her pain and her weariness. He had to grit his teeth to keep from crying out at the pain that wracked his mind as it wracked her body. How could she endure this? He felt his first twinge of fear. Could he lose her?
    The physician spoke then. “The birth is eminent,” he said importantly as if her were bestowing great knowledge on them.
    “Oh, please! The birth has been eminent for weeks! Do something you old fool or I swear I will rip your throat out.” Amelia surprised the assembled crowd with her words.
    It was tradition for all of the unmated males to be present at the birth of all female births. The girl would instantly know her mate and he would know her. This practice insured the protection of the mated pair. Since Amelia believed that one of her children was a girl, they were all assembled. They were separated from Amelia by a heavy curtain to preserve her privacy. Henry watched them all now for signs of distress. He saw none. He could not feel the thoughts of his children. He knew there were two, but nothing else would come to him. Amelia constantly talked to the children and often laughed as if they were speaking with her as well. He yearned for this connection and prayed that it would come after their birth.
    Amelia changed again and growled low in her throat. A tiny mewing sound filled the room as one tiny cub was born. Henry scooped up his child and wrapped it in a towel and rubbed it vigorously. He laughed delightedly when the tiny creature hissed at him. Amelia growled at him.
    “I will not hurt him. I only want to clean him up a little. I need to see him in order to choose the proper name. I think Colin will suit him. Do you agree?” She growled again and he placed the cub with her and she guided him to nurse.
    He had a son. Amazement washed over him as he looked at the tiny creature. He was unusual. He was mostly the vibrant orange of his people with only a streak of white that ran from his nose to the tip of his tail. His stripes were very dark gray, a bit darker than his mother’s. his eyes though were amber-green and held an intelligence unseen before in an infant.
    Amelia made a sound of distress and Henry placed his hand on her cramping belly. She sighed heavily as he bore her pain and pushed again and gave birth to her second cub. This one was almost completely white, but with black stripes and one orange stripe encircling the tip of he tail. The cub looked into Henry’s