For several seconds, nobody moved. The villagers stood on the wet rocks above the waterfall, staring at the Bengal tiger they had just pulled away from the crocodile below. The animal was exhausted, soaked to the skin, and breathing heavily. Its massive chest rose and fell as it struggled to regain its strength. Yet there was something strangely calm about it now. Rahim still had the rescue rope wrapped around his wrist. Samir stood several feet away, watching the tiger with wide, uncertain eyes. They had risked their lives to save it, but none of them knew what would happen next. Would it attack? Would it disappear into the forest? Or would fear finally give way to something none of them expected?
Then the tiger slowly raised its head.
It looked directly at the men who had saved it.
