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Leonardo Dewey Coltford by 12 as SonicHowler Originally published October 12, 2006

What's a tiger to do?

After his mother's death, Leo was stuck with his father. His father who hated him. His father who slapped him for daring to allow tears to come from his eyes while he stood at his mother's funeral. Still, Leo couldn't hate him. After all, he was his father, and he'd never been able to see him after he had walked out on him and his mother, until her death....

Leo hadn't been his usual hip-hopping, fun self since his father left him at Fur Coast University and said his last words to him:

"You'd better get used to living on your own, 'cause I'm not keeping you." He'd even spit right in Leo's face before hopping into his Corvette and driving off. What did Leo do? He just wiped his face, groaned a small "Oh," and walked sadly to the main office. Fur, he hated himself for that, but he just couldn't bring himself to retaliate against his dad. Maybe he'd just missed him too much. After all, his father hadn't been like that before leaving. The change had taken place some time after he left.

Fur Coast University looked huge to Leo, but he really didn't feel like exploring. His father at least had the decency to send his belongings in a moving truck. His uncle always had spoiled him with the latest gizmos, and Leo always loved the newest computers or MP3 players that he bought for him on his visits, so those and his clothes and bedding were pretty much all that was there to bring, with the exception of a few of his prized knick-knacks. They would all arrive later on in the truck. He just prayed that they were all intact.

He went straight to the gym for basketball practice. He loved basketball, was an excellent player, and knew everything there was to know about the game, but he still had to admit that everyone on the team was pretty amazing. It would take perfect teamwork to become a legendary team, however. The wolf called Ky really caught his eye, however. He really had some skill when it came to basketball. No wonder he was the one held high over everyone else at the national championship. Still, there was nothing he felt he could say to Ky at that time that he thought he'd understand. After all, the only thing on his mind was his father, and bursts of confusion, hatred, and sadness. He felt just mad at the world. His friends from his old school, Luke, Todd, Otto, and Doug, seemed not to wish to talk to him anyway, so he stayed on the outside, upset at everything for everything.

As the moving men took his things into his dorm room just after practice, Leo made his way to find Dean Tim. Leo liked Dean Tim. He was cool and upbeat. He knew that Leo was troubled, and he seemed comforting in a way.

"Leo!" the older tiger greeted. "Your truck's an hour early! I told your roommate it'd be here by four!"

"Oh," said Leo. "Well, better early than late, I guess."

"True, always true. Your roommate has nothing else on his schedule until tomorrow, so do you wanna wait up in your room for him?"

"Nah, Tim, that's okay. I'm gonna go get supplies for my classes, alright? I'll be at the stationery store on Coastline. Tell this guy he can just use my stuff in the meantime, if he wants to."

"Alright then, dude. Don't be too long, okay?"

"I won't be." Leo gave Dean Tim his backpack and walked off. He didn't like the idea of having a roommate. If it had been at any other point in his life, it would have been fine, but he really did_not_ feel like dealing with a roommate at that time.

Leo really missed his mother. She must've been the nicest tigress around. The worst of it was that it was his fault she died. If he hadn't let the fact that he was grounded for staying up the last night longer than he was supposed to get him angry, he would have been watching the road like always and been able to warn his mother about the car that had run the red light, and they would not have been hit. Tears were beginning to course down his cheeks, and he immediately wiped them off. He didn't want people to stare. All he knew was that he felt responsible for his mother's death and his father wanted nothing to do with him, as if he'd done something terrible, unforgivable.

What's a tiger to do?

Leo grabbed some random school supplies--colored pencils, pens, markers, a calculator, a protractor, and other miscellaneous items. He used a part of his monthly student allowance to buy them and began making his way back to the dorm. A few furs he recognized from his high school said hello to him on his way there, but he didn't feel like talking to them. He walked on as if they weren't even there.

Dean Tim was just leaving Leo's room as he returned. He gave Leo a quick noogie on the way, and Leo put his bags by the door, folding his paws behind his head.

Great, thought Leo immediately. Just my luck. None other than Ky Carterson from basketball practice was there on the bed.Now he'll want to talk.

"Oh, so you're my roommate," he said. "That's a coincidence."

Ky sat bolt upright. "Leo! Small... um... campus...."

Leo raised an eyebrow and sat on the other bed, beginning to open his school supplies and pack them into his backpack. He could tell that Ky was a bit uncomfortable, but he didn't really care about that right now.

"So..." the wolf began again, "that was some basketball practice. You're pretty good!"

"Thanks," replied Leo absentmindedly, continuing to pack his backpack. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Ky fold his ears back. Apparently, the wolf decided to go in for one more try.

"This should be a fun year," he said. "How do you like this campus so far?"

This was pathetic. Leo didn't say a word. He just dropped what he was doing and left the room, hearing a faint whimper of frustration from Ky. Nothing made him feel like talking to that wolf, or anybody, for that matter.

Slowly, he left the dorms and began following signs, walking the two-mile-long distance around some of Coastline Drive's buildings and to the shore. Looking back, Leo could see the campus. It was on a higher level than he was, on the top of a small, grassy, cliff-like structure. The sun shone brightly as it continued its slow descent behind it. Benches dotted the line where green grass became white sand. With a sigh, Leo sat in one and watched the eastern horizon. Small, white, peaceful clouds dotted the blue sky as the Atlantic Ocean's small waves licked at the shoreline and then quickly flowed back into the sea. Furs celebrating their arrival were scattered across the beach, but none were around Leo at the time. He sighed and folded his paws, leaning his elbows on his legs and staring out at the amazing view.

He could feel the mix of emotions within him still. He knew they needed to come out, but who would understand? He could already hear the calls of "wimp" and "loser" coming randomly at him from the halls of the classroom building. He took off the silver chain necklace he was wearing. His mother had given it to him just the day before the car accident. He had seen it in the mall a few months before that and fallen in love with it. His mother didn't approve of that kind of jewelry, but he loved it so much that she bought it to him anyway. "To show how much I love you," she had said with a wink, "but don't expect me to do this all the time!" Nothing would separate Leo from that necklace.

Suddenly, a voice broke his thoughts. "Hey! What's wrong, with ya, tiger?" A larger tiger in red swim trunks walked up to him, accompanied by a timber wolf in blue trunks.

This campus sure has a lot of tigers, thought Leo. "Beat it," he said simply.

"Beat what?" asked the timber wolf with a wink. "Only thing I'm beating is the heat! Why don't you join us? The water's kinda salty, but it feels great!"

Leo began ignoring him. He was by no means in the mood for talking with them. However, both furries decided to sit on either side of him.

"Name's Tigero," said the tiger with a toothy grin. The timber wolf flashed a peace sign. "I'm JT. You?"

"I'm leaving," said Leo irritably. With that, he got up and began to walk off, intending to head back toward the campus. JT and Tigero looked at each other and then back at the Siberian tiger.

"What's eating him?" asked Tigero.

"Seems like the lean, mean machine from planet Jerkonia," muttered JT.

Tigero chuckled. "Oh, you're so lame," he said, nipping playfully at his ear. JT grinned and shoved him off.

"Lame or not, we're gonna have to fix that tiger."

When Leo got back to his dorm, Ky was already fast asleep. It was only six o'clock, but the wolf had probably had a long day. Leo himself was pretty tired. Life was unfair and exhausting. He yawned and sat on the bed, and within minutes, sleep took over him.

To Be Continued....