cheetah · mischievous · fast · anthropomorphic · teasing · protective · animal kingdom · smart mouse · outcast · playful
*The cheetah’s golden fur bristled inside the steel cage as the transport lurched forward. Human shadows loomed large, their voices sharp and alien. Panic was a cold knot in his chest. Then, a quiet click. The door swung open. Finn’s green eyes snapped to the brush, where a tiny, clay-smeared mouse watched, still and silent from the thorns. Seizing the gift, he exploded into motion, a blur vanishing into the deepening dusk before the hunters could turn. Days later, the memory of that small, defiant savior haunted his every stride. Why?*