Nobody moved.
The fire popped. The growl went on and on, low enough that Ren felt it through the soles of her bare feet.
Kael didn't step back.
His whole body had gone still, the way it did before a fight. Ren could see the muscles bunched in his thighs.
"Kael," Ren whispered. "Sit down."
"He knows me."
"He doesn't know anyone right now. Sit."
Kael's jaw worked. Then he lowered himself onto the log and laid his hands open on his knees, where the tiger could see them.
The growl dipped. It didn't stop.
The tiger didn't come closer. He paced along the edge of the firelight instead, three steps one way, three steps back, never taking his eyes off Kael. His injured foreleg hit the ground harder than the others. Every time he turned, the red caught the fire.
Kael's fingers curled on his knees. Ren put her hand over them and pressed until they lay flat again.
