A Tiny Snore Gives Him Away

Papa Tiger’s ears twitched, his striped head tilting this way and that like a furry radar dish. Mama Tiger, who had been tiptoeing with the stealth of a shadow, froze mid-step, her amber eyes wide with a mixture of hope and exasperation. The jungle outside had hushed its evening chorus, the fireflies blinked their sleepy signals, and the moon, a fat, milky orb, was beginning its slow climb over the ancient trees. Yet, inside their cozy den, the sound of a tiger cub refusing to sleep was as loud as a roaring waterfall.

“Anything?” Mama Tiger whispered, her voice barely a breath. She smoothed down her own magnificent mane, a gesture that always meant she was trying very hard to be patient.

Papa Tiger shook his head, a low rumble in his chest. “Not a peep, my dear. He’s gone completely silent. It’s… unnerving.”