He's Definitely Not Padington Bear

Thanos stood across from a large warehouse. There was nothing suspicious about it, nothing that would make someone think something wrong was transpiring inside.

But Thanos’ research suggested otherwise.

Straightening the lines of his tux, Thanos crossed the street and walked through the entrance. He had contacted the owner, a Mr. Jenkins, and informed the man that he wished to acquire a certain pet.

He had to assure the man that he was quite rich and was willing to spare no expense.

Mr. Jenkins might be a criminal, but he wasn’t a fool when it came to his business.

Stepping into the building he glanced around. The warehouse entered into a long hallway. The walls were bare cement and the hall was slightly drafty. Walking down to the only door at the end Thanos opened it to chaos.

The room was large with lots of red drapes arranged on the walls. The flooring was tiled and a red velvet rug created a trail for Mr. Jenkins’ customers to follow.

Thanos assumed that when the building was open and busy the room was organized, but right now, with an hour before it opened, the room was a disaster.

A few cages were over turned, the animals in them stressed and nervous. Men were running around, screaming at each other.

There was a loud crash to his right, immediately grabbing his attention and the attention of the other men in the room.

“There she is!”

Thanos recognized the voice of Jenkins and turned to find the man in the crowd. His bald head was barely visible over the mass of workers and his chubby bulk had to fight against the rest of the bodies to get into a position. Following the finger that Jenkins was pointing Thanos located the object that held everyone else’s attention.

High up near the ceiling, crouched on a shelf that wasn’t quite secure, was an adult Snow Leopard. Her lips were pulled back in a snarl and loud grumbling roars echoed from her throat. She was crouched down as far as she could go and watching the men beneath her warily.

“Hey! You’re not allowed to be in here!”

Turning to his left Thanos stared at the big blonde man beside him. The man was practically a tank, making Thanos stare up at him.

Which was something unusual, since he stood at seven feet two inches himself.

“Excuse me?” Thanos asked, quickly masking his shock at the man’s height.

“You’re not allowed here. We haven’t opened yet.”

His deep voice, blonde hair, and height could only mean one thing.

This guy was a polar bear.

Thanos contemplated his next move. Most shifters and animals were cautious around him, scared to piss of the big grizzly, but there was only one animal that a grizzly bowed down to.

And that was a polar.

“I have an appointment with Jenkins.”

The polar glanced over to his boss, “He’s busy at the moment.”

Thanos was about to say something when another crash cracked through the room. Turning back to his right Thanos watched with wide eyes at the leopard leapt from the broken shelf and into the air, just barely landing on the top of a large cage that housed three full grown lion shifters.

But it wasn’t the leopard’s exceptional balancing skills that had him staring in shock. No, what had him practically immobilized was the fact that she was carrying a tiny tiger cub in her mouth.

Now how was he supposed to get to Tyler?

*~*

I sent another low growl from my throat, the young tiger’s coat muffling most of it.

Ignoring the fear rolling from the little guy I carefully make my way across the top of the cage, trying to stay away from Jenkins, his men, and the hungry lions.

Taking another hazardous step I try to push the pain from my unused muscles away. It’s been so long since I could actually stand straight, let alone run or jump, that my muscles are undeveloped and weak.

But I can’t let this little tiger down, I’ll fight till my last breathe to make sure he doesn’t have the life I’ve lived.

“Come on Lixue, just give us the cub and we’ll let you go, and if you don’t want to go with the lovely couple that bought you you don’t have to. You can stay here with the cub.”

Turning to the man who has been the boogeyman my entire life I give another growl, staring him in the eyes.

Jenkins swallowed, a drop of sweat rolling down his face.

If there’s anything this escape has shown me, it’s that Jenkins isn’t all powerful. He only acts like an alpha when all the animals here are in their cages.

Just as I was about to jump to another cage I heard a loud roar followed by a thump.

Looking behind Jenkins and the group of men surrounding him I see a rather large grizzly standing on his hind legs, an unconscious shifter underneath him.

But what really made my heart soar was the fact that behind the grizzly was the door to our freedom.

Sending a calming chuff to the cub I prepare the final stages to our escape.