Chapter 3

Ruaridh woke with a start; the snow tiger sleeping on. From outside, he could hear loud voices speaking. Ruaridh turned and looked through a small gap in the wall, he could see a large group of guards surrounding the shed. The tiger woke up as she peeked through the hole. Ruaridh placed his fingers over his mouth. Then suddenly out of the blue the snow tiger let out a offlay loud purr; Ruaridh gasped.

Scurrying across the floor, the tiger ducked down as the guards got closer to breaking down the shed. They ducked under an old large long table as the layed down in fear.

At that instant, the door fell down. There was silence , a feeling of something listening in the shadows. Candles lit and the guards began to search hard. Risking a look, Ruaridh turned over to see the guards standing in iron armor. Shivering Ruaridh and the snow tiger curled up in a warm ball. As the waited until the guards moved on.

It felt like days, but had probably been an hour by the time the guards had gone. It was sunset now, in the silence the snow tiger suddenly spoke to Ruaridh without actually speaking to him. As if Ruaridh had the same mind as the tiger. She started to explain about a gateway the gateway to her own world were she would not be caught and killed.

Ruaridh had a spark of idea the gateway must be at Ballast Bank. The tiger looked weaker as its legs collapsed, the walk would be long and dangerous. Ruaridh wondered if they could make it.

Ruaridh knew his family would be worried about him but there was no thinking twice he had to save the tiger, no matter what was holding him back. As they made their way closer as if were stuck in a deadly game of hide and seek.