Snow Leopard (bxb)

Chapter 21- "You set pasta on fire, how does anyone do that?"

We didn't go to school today either, as dad had said, where there was one group of poachers there was always more. He still had to go to work and so did mum but Otto, Jasper, Emelia, Ro and I stayed at home, my older brothers being in charge of the door in case someone knocks.

After we'd had breakfast they set off for work and Otto and Emelia sat watching TV in the front room, I had curled up on the armchair with a book and Jasper and Ro were sparing in their shifter forms in the garden. Jasper hadn't really accepted Ro, but he was on the way, their fighting helping with that, a bonding experience of sorts, well Jasper said he needed to make sure that Ro was capable of protecting me.

It was about half ten when a knock sounded at the door, the three of us in the front room looked towards the entryway and Otto sighed as he stood up, walking over to the door, Jasper hot on his tail still in his tiger form. Ro came in from the garden as well and laid down at the foot of the armchair.

Otto walked back in with a man in his 20's, Jasper close behind. He had a mustard yellow aura and smelt very familiar, he was a tiger, but not the same as Jasper or Dad. He smelt like freshly cut grass and pine, with a lemony hint. He had light skin, many freckles and light curly ginger hair. He was big like Jasper, but even more so, muscle-bound and tall, almost as much as Otto.

I looked over as they entered and the man looked me over closely, his pale hazel eyes studied me and he sniffed the air. I didn't really know how to go about this, what was I supposed to do? Do I talk to him? Introduce myself? Due to my uncertainty I just stayed quiet. "I'm Arnold." He spoke, holding out a hand for me to shake.

"Nobu." I replied, shaking his hand quickly before letting go, being around new people always made me nervous.

"What kind of tiger are you?" Jasper nosed, having shifted back, pulling on a pair of shorts before crossing his arms. Arnold looked over at my brother, glancing over him.

"Amur." He answered. Oh, so he was a Russian tiger, they're the biggest type, makes sense. Jasper harrumphed at that, sitting down on the sofa next to Emelia. Otto gestured that Arnold could take a seat on the love seat and he did, and Otto sat back down in his original place.

"Soo..." Emelia trailed off, the air around all of us awkward. "What do you do Arnold?" She asked, trying to break the tension.

"I'm a firefighter down in Lauderdale." He answered. Emelia wiggled her eyebrows at me when he told us his occupation but I just rolled my eyes.

"Then how can you afford to look at the database?" I questioned.

"Our community pitches in and we all share it." He revealed, now that was smart.

"Everything you expected?" She continued and Arnold glanced at me, probably wondering why I wasn't asking the questions.

"How do you mean?" He wondered, the question was a bit ambiguous.

"My brother I mean." She elaborated. Ro grumbled a little and sat up, resting his head on my lap and snuffing when I started to scratch behind one of his ears. Arnold frowned, at the question or Ro's actions I didn't know. He looked over at me again and I lowered my gaze, were all the visits going to be like this?

"I've never met a Snow Leopard before, the scent it quite unique. I already saw his picture on the database but it doesn't do him justice. Seeing anyone in person you get a feel of them, he has a calming aura." He told us.

"But what about the colour of it?" Otto spoke up.

"Like peppermint creams, a pale green." He divulged.

"You're a mustard yellow." I informed and he looked a little disappointed at my words. "Umm Emelia can I talk to you for a second?" I requested, she made a confused face but stood up and we went into the kitchen.