The marks were from a tiger standing on its hind legs and clawing the tree.
“How big must it be to leave claw marks that high?”
“It must be at least twelve feet tall.”
“Good grief.”
Tigers hated intruders in their territory, so all of these marks were from a single tiger.
The closer a tiger is to its mating season, the more frequently it marks its territory, and this one seemed to be in heat all year round, making it highly sensitive.
Such a tiger should never be provoked.
“I saw offerings being made at a temple up there near the mountaintop, so it’s probably not just a ‘normal’ tiger but something close to a mountain god or a deity.”
“Good point. Messing with such an ominous creature will bring nothing but misfortune and bad omens. I’ll make sure to inform the authorities.”
“Let’s get down quickly. This mountain gives me the creeps even in broad daylight. It feels like there are more than just tigers here.”
“Hey, can’t you see the Buddha statue above us?”
