“Blite, I ask again, do you accept these powers and this name?” The Great Tiger seemed to stare right through Blite’s thoughts.
“I . . . I do,” he said, struggling to maintain his excitement and wariness.
The Great Tiger smiled and touched Blite’s nose. Energy seared through him like a bolt of lightning, and he fought to stay on his paws, gasping with the agony that came to him.
“Then, with the power of this agony, I give you these powers. Blite, you can now no longer feel pain, and turn into a spirit form. You can build anything as you please and talk to any living thing." The Great Tiger's eyes sparkled. "Tell me, Blite, would you like your new name?”
Blite stared in disbelief at the Great Tiger and his own body. He was blinded by pain, but he still had enough room to wonder, How are these many powers and abilities soaring through me right now?
Then, suddenly, the pain stopped, as quickly as it had come. In its place, he felt bolts of powerful energy and strength soar through his body, and he suddenly felt like he could do anything.
But Blite still had work to do, not sit there and admire his new overpowered strengths.
Blite held his head high and looked into the Great Tiger’s warm eyes. “I accept, and I want my name,” he growled. He lifted his paw and unsheathed his new fearsome claws, which looked long and deadly. He felt himself already full-grown, guessing the Great Tiger also gave him the power to change into any age form.
I’m strong now. I have all the power I’ve ever dreamed of. Whatever my name is, I’ll live up to it. I am ready to get my revenge.
“Blite, you are that name no more. By the powers of myself, I give you a new name that you will carry on forever. You are now named Invincible,” the Great Tiger said.
Invincible. Blite smiled. That’s perfect.
“Goodbye, Invincible. I will see you soon.” The Great Tiger disappeared, and so did he.
Invincible woke up, gasping for air. Chara and Calzar slept soundlessly beside him, Calzar’s tail and paws twitching in a dream.
Invincible got to his paws and felt super strength in that very step. It was so unusual, Invincible thought he would never get used to this. But I will. This is what I wanted, and the Great Tiger gave it to me. I’m going to learn it and spend it on revenge.
Then, a sudden realization struck him.
The Great Tiger said one of my powers is that I can change into either a spirit-form, or I can just go invisible and make no sound. That means—that means that I can check on the Streak! I’m not going to wake those two up yet when I don’t have to, and when I can check on my enemies!
It’s time to start the battle.
He suddenly knew how to do everything, and quickly changed into his invisible spirit form, and took off toward The Streak. He knew where it was, and he ran fast.
He got to the camp before he could blink or flick his ears, or say a single word. He stopped abruptly, and the breeze seemed to freeze with him. His body jerked with the quick stop, and he shook off the weird feeling of it.
Then, finally, Invincible stalked into the camp.
He spotted Howskie and Lichest, play-fighting again. Lichest gently bit Howskie’s ear, and Howskie snarled and cuffed Lichest’s muzzle. They rolled along the ground, and Invincible felt a sudden longing to be in that play-fight, happy and content in the safety of Flora’s Streak.
But Invincible shook his head from the thought. He was stronger than all of them combined, and way more than that! He had work to do, that would never be finished.
Flora was talking to Sixen and Miger, two of the senior tigers. “You take a hunting patrol through the slope, to the edge of our territory. Oh, and look for Blite. If you spot him, bring him to the Streak and we will permanently mark him. Oh, and we will also do that to his friend if she gets spotted with him. Take some patrol tigers with you.” Flora commanded.
Invincible growled in rage. Let them try to touch Blite and his friends. You don’t even know my name.
Sixen and Miger took Tigro, Slaver, Jhorn, and Treasure out on the patrol.
Invincible spotted Silver, his mother, eating the remains of a chicken. She gnawed hungrily, and Invincible watched, growling and snarling silently.
How could she—my own mother—agree on sending me out of The Streak? She’s no mother of mine! No one is. And Tigro—he went in on it too! And my tiger-brothers. They took The Streak’s side against mine when they’re my kin! Just—how could they? I wouldn’t take the Streak’s side if you guys were in the decision of getting banned if I wasn’t out for revenge. But look how you treated me! I still don’t understand one bit why they think having a unique coat is the definition of exile.
He raced back to his sleeping-place, took his living form back, and gently nudged Chara and Calzar. They blinked their eyes open slowly and looked at him.
“Wha—Blite? What’s wrong?” Calzar asked sleepily.
Invincible looked at them. “My friends, I am no longer Blite. My name now is Invincible. King Invincible,” he said clearly.
“Hmm?” Chara fixed an eye on him. “What do you mean?”
Blite sighed. “The Great Tiger came once again, in a dream. He gave me all these powers.” He told them what he could now do, and their eyes widened rounder than moons. “And now, our work has officially begun. Now, to start, we have to trick The Streak. And I know just how to do that. We change into different-looking tigers, and we will become “members” of The Streak. Then, once we get enough trust, the night that I feel like it, I will go to Flora’s den, haul her out into the clearing, pin her down, call out to the others, tear her throat out, reveal myself, and take over The Streak. So, I will turn you into different-looking tigers, as well as myself.”
He cuffed each of their ears and nipped his own paw. He watched his forepaw as it changed color completely, his black-and-white coat turning into black-and-orange as Invincible stared in amazement.
Soon, he was all black and orange. And Chara and Calzar—they just looked different. Calzar’s eyes changed from amber to green, and Chara’s from green to amber. They grew a whole different pattern of stripes, and even their size changed a little.
“Woah, Invincible! That’s the first time I’ve seen you like that!” Chara yelped. Invincible nodded. “And you too look different! But, my friends, we can’t just stand here and gossip about how different we look. We have to take over the Streak, here and now!” he told them.
He trod once again lightly through the forest to the Streak’s camp, and Invincible kind of hoped a patrol would catch them and bring them to the Streak. They kept walking through the forest until it happened.
They reached the Streak’s territory.
“Stay quiet, and if and when they find us, act . . . powerless against them. Don’t let them think one bit that we are enemies, not until I want to strike. Just act like you want to join the Streak,” Invincible ordered.
They stalked through the territory, the air mingled with tiger scents. They were getting a little close to the camp, but still far enough, when the leaves crackled not far away and fresh tiger scents rose in the air. Invincible realized this was a patrol, and he shot his friends a glance. The leaves rustled again, and a branch snapped, even closer than before. Then, suddenly, the patrol burst out of the bushes, circling the newcomers.
“Who are you and what are you doing in the Streak’s territory? We will tear you three to pieces right now if you don’t tell us!” Miger snarled, and Sixen swiped an unsheathed paw at Chara, but purposely missed.
Don’t act too weak . . . show a little bit of courage. Invincible thought.
“Hello, Six—” he stopped himself. “Fellow tigers. I am—” He thought for a brief heartbeat. “My name is Rajah, and these are my friends, Cosimia and Ceart. We have come here to try and join the Streak.” Invincible said, without too much fear—fake fear, that is. He was a little disgusted with himself, cowering down to these weak creatures, his enemies. But he had to. It was the first act of revenge.
“Why would we let you join our Streak?” Treasure growled.
“Because we would help you with prey and patrols, and care for everyone. I promise we will become great members of your Streak.” Calzar stepped in, and Invincible dipped his head to him in silent gratitude. He had his friends and his great power with him. If this plan didn’t work out, Invincible would just have to take over the Streak the violent way.
Sixen and Miger exchanged suspicious glances but finally turned back to Rajah. “Rajah, Cosimia, Ceart, we will take you to the camp and to our leader, Flora Goldenclaw. Me and Sixen are Patrol Tigers, what we call Littleclaws. We will take you to camp, and Flora Goldenclaw will decide your future,” Miger said, keeping one eye locked on Invincible.
The tigers turned, Tigro flicking his tail toward them, signaling to follow. Invincible nodded to his friends, and they began the journey.
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