Her eyes widened in fear.

"Wh-what are you doing?" she stuttered, her voice shaking in panic. "Please d-don't."

The prowling thing continued to stalk closer, it's huge paws silent on the soil.

"Nali! Stop!" The woman's voice neared hysterics. "What did I do?!"

Gleaming yellow eyes peered at her sadistically. A growl followed the sharp gleam of bared teeth.

"NALI!!"

Screams pierced the humid air as the silky black tiger lunged through the air, muscles rippling, and sunk its teeth into the woman's body. As they clamped down on her throat, the screams cut off.

The tiger dragged its prey into the cover of the bushes, and the jungle returned to its night-time symphony: tree frogs croaking, beetles and crickets making their music, and the soft padding of night-hunters' paws on the forest floor.

Nali.