Chapter 3 (part 4)

Just as her fingers brushed against the ball, a tight arm wrapped around her waist and yanked her away. Her father's frantic voice rang though the air.

"Pack only what's needed! We need to leave! They're after us!"

Slowly, panic filled Echo's chest and she clung to her father's arm. "Daddy? What's going on?" She nearly had to yell.

Her father's eyes filled with tears as he looked down at her. "Very bad people want to take you away from us." He said softly as he paused and set her on the ground and kneeled at her level.

For being so young, Echo's understanding was remarkable. She placed a tiny hand on her dad's cheek and he closed his eyes as he held her warm hand to his face with both of his considerably larger hands.

Echo looked at her daddy with love in her eyes. "I'm not ever going anywhere. I promise."

He opened his eyes again and smiled. "I know baby. But we still need to leave. They'll try to find you at this house."

***

The new house was bright and open. They had just finished unpacking everything and filling it with new furniture. It was a perfect little house for a family. The grass was warm and damp as Echo rolled through it.

The wind was light but still blew a scrap of paper that was on the sidewalk. Something playfull in her came to life and she found herself pouncing after it.

A little boy's voice across the street pointed at her and she froze, embarrassed.

"Look mommy, there's a kitten chasing some paper."

It confused Echo until she looked down and found that her hands were not fingers with a thumb, they were tiny furry paws.

***

Echo was racing through the trees, a young elegant tiger. She loved her gift despite not belonging in the croud. Her powerful legs and paws carried her through even the smallest gaps and past saplings.

It was beautiful with the air crisp and clean. So quiet you could hear a leaf fall. The steady breathing and air passing into and out of her lungs.

She was so free. Flying almost. The adrenalin fueled her and she was happy. Entirely happy.

***

Jerry was looking at her with a bored expression. She wasn't sure what to think of what was going on. They had dated for 8 months and now, he just wanted to throw her aside?

"I'm not a fucking ragdoll! You cant do this to me!"

His expression didn't change, he just seemed to look more bored if that was possible.

"I can very well do this to you. We're over. Bye Echo. You're considered a freak in the school. I cant be seen with a freak like you."

That stung. Tears bit in her eyes as she tried to force them back. "F...freak?"

"Duh, Echo. You can turn into a cat. That's really freakish. That isn't even possible. You aren't even human."

There was nothing else to do. Echo stood, shaking with anger and defiance. She wasn't about to let him see her cry. Hell blazed in her eyes and for the moment his bored expression changed to one of fear.

"E..echo?" he was afraid of her. She ignored him, slapped him across the cheek and sprinted off.

***

She slammed the door behind her and was about to go and collapse into a fit of tears on her bed when her mother stopped her.

"They know! How could you let them know! We told you to keep your secret!"

"I can't keep a secret like that forever mom!"

Anger brushed bright pink tones across her mother's cheek. "You are a disgrace. I was never your mom. We never wanted you. No one ever wanted you." Hate iced her voice as she hissed the words.

Echo stood there in utter shock. And then her mom was yelling again. "Leave! Now! We never want to see you again! We never wanted you! Just leave! And never darken our doorstep again!"

Echo didn't even think. She just rushed right back out the door and started to run. Once she hit the trees, she wasted no time in changing back into her favorite tiger form, white with black stripes and blue eyes. And she was gone. Forever gone.

***

Dymetri's face swam in her vision through her tears. He was holding her tightly with the traveling blanket around them. The soft hoof beats is the only thing that could be heard. Dymetri's arms were comforting, made her feel like she belonged. She was home.