A sweet story I hope to get to continue. This is only the start of a coming-of-age story featuring Blue, the tiger. The character is mine, although a pretty old one. Please leave any comments below, I would appreciate the feedback. But most of all, please enjoy!
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Blue Stripes
By Real Trash Panda
Chapter 1

Blue felt the sting of the antiseptic in his ear. He winced and felt a tear roll down his cheek.
‘I’m sorry that they hit you,’ the lady said.
She was a lot taller than him, and from this close Blue could smell her perfume. It was floral and sweet, and tickled his nose.
‘Want me to call your parents?’ she asked.
She was a bear. Heavily set with a winter coat coming through that poked out of the neck of her long sleeve shirt. Her paws worked gently at the small wound on Blue’s ear.
He gasped as a bolt of pain ran down his back. ‘Ah, I’m alright. Thanks. I uh… I can call them myself,’ he said as he reached a white paw into his pocket, pulling out his phone.
The screen was cracked and looked more like stained glass now than a screen. He ran a thumb over the rough surface and tapped in his password. He was presented with the same family photo he always had been: Four white tigers stood in a row. His mother and father stood on either side of him and his sister. All four of them had the same half-smile.
Blue tutted as the phone screen went unexpectedly black. ‘Shit,’ he grumbled. He sprang up and his cheeks flushed pink. ‘Sorry, I meant—’
‘Don’t worry,’ laughed the bear. ‘I’m not gonna tell.’
‘Thanks,’ he mumbled. His ears turned back as he dipped his head.
‘Stay still!’ she ordered, putting a large paw under his chin to keep his head in place. ‘It’ll take long enough as it is, don’t need you making me pour sanitiser down your ear.’
‘Sorry,’ he rumbled.

Blue looked at himself in the reflection of his broken phone screen. Through the kaleidoscope, he saw the same usual tiger that greeted him every morning. Just with a bruise already forming under his right eye, and a few scratches across his face and ear. He prodded the sensitive welt with a curious claw and grimaced. ‘Ow!’ he whined.
‘Well don’t touch it!’ the bear barked. She had sat down next to him now.
The pair were sat on an old stone wall outside of a shop. They had cleared the thick layer of snow which had settled on the bricks aside to make a seat. Passersby gave the bruised tiger odd looks as they went passed, but no one said anything. The estate around them had seen better days. The buildings were faded and cracked. The heavy snow had buried the broken fences and dilapidated gardens.
Blue pulled up the collar of his navy, padded coat and let out a deep breath which spilled out as a plume of mist into the cold air. He ran a paw down his jeans which had new scuffs and rips on the knees. He put a finger through one of the larger holes and looked at the raw skin underneath.
‘Hey, that’s in fashion,’ the bear said with a warm smile.
She was wearing a lighter shirt which fit snuggly to her. Her cargo trousers and backpack made her look more like a hiker than anything else. Her fur was patches of caramel with deeper mocha colours growing through. She looked almost like a dalmatian with her coat coming through as it was.
Blue snorted. ‘Yeah, at least I’ve got that going.’ He turned to her and was greeted with a warm smile. ‘I didn’t get your name…’
‘I’m Hannah,’ she announced. ‘And you’re Blue, right? Is that your actual name?’
The tiger shook his head and gestured to his stripes. They were an electric blue instead of the usual black. ‘I dyed my stripes just before college and the nickname stuck. I like it though. My real name is Arnav.’
‘That’s a nice name,’ she beamed.
‘S’pose,’ he mumbled.
‘Blue suits you though. Must’ve took you ages, your stripes?’ she asked.
His ears perked up and he nodded with a soft chuckle. ‘Yeah, took ages. My sister had to get me back,’ he laughed.
She laughed along with him. ‘What are you studying at college, then?’
‘Art.’ He said. ‘Illustration,’ he specified with a smile.
‘My son does art too. He just started last year at the one up the road. He does Fine Art, he really enjoys it, he says. Says it’s what really lets him express himself,’ Hannah explains.
Blue nods along and runs a paw across the tatters in his jeans.
‘It’s been lovely seeing his stuff though. Although, I always end up scrubbing paint out of his carpet!’ she laughed.
Blue followed a moment behind. Although he didn’t find it quite as funny as she did. ‘I go there too,’ he added while she laughed.
The bear wiped her cheek with the back of her paw and tilted her head. Her ears fell back for a moment before perking up. ‘You can meet him if you like!’ she gleamed. ‘We can sort your phone out at mine and chat with him about art while you wait.’
Blue felt a strange pang of worry rise up in his belly. He forced a nervous smile and waved his hands. ‘No, no,’ he stammered. ‘I just live down the road, I can sort my phone back there. Thank you though.’
I don’t fancy getting murdered, he thought. That made him feel guilty. She had helped him. But he’d always been told to be wary of strangers. But he didn’t really feel like talking to a stranger anyway, not in their own house, it’d be weird.
‘Plus, I’m all…’ the tiger gestured to his scuffed jacket and torn jeans. ‘Thank you, though.’
The bear nodded with what seemed like a sad smile. ‘Don’t worry, love,’ she said. ‘Get home safe, alright?’
He nodded and felt that pang of guilt again. ‘I will, I will.’
A massive paw rested between his black ears and ruffled the tuft of dyed hair. Blue felt his cheeks flush pink.
‘It was nice meeting you, Blue. I hope your art goes well,’ she said warmly. ‘And say hi to my Kai if you see him.’
Blue nodded and stood up from the wall. He turned and gave her a half bow, half nod. He backed out half way and felt as if he should give her a hug, but he stood there for a moment. He watched her smile and lift a paw to wave him goodbye. ‘Thank you so much, again,’ he said, giving her a small wave.
She laughed and waved again. ‘Take care.’