The concrete corridors of the City Sanctuary felt unusually cold as Samuel walked through them. The air was thick with tension, and a low, guttural roar shook the light fixtures overhead. The sanctuary director, a man visibly frayed by stress, walked a step behind him, whispering frantically.
“She’s a Code Red, Samuel,” the director admitted, rubbing his eyes. “We rescued her from an illegal roadside menagerie three weeks ago. Her body is heavily scarred from severe confinement, and her mind is completely broken. She aggressively charges the glass, refuses food from the handlers, and has already sent two veteran caretakers to the hospital. The board is terrified of the liability. If you can’t turn this around, they are scheduling her for euthanasia by the end of the month.”
They reached the observation window. Inside the shadows was a magnificent, rare white tiger named Luna. The moment her gaze locked onto Samuel, she lunged. Four hundred pounds of muscle slammed into the glass with a terrifying crash. The director took a step back, but Samuel didn’t flinch. He saw paralyzing terror.