"It was cut part-way through so it would break with strain," he said. He looked toward the cage that was being rolled in, and saw Shani pacing restlessly. "If that's the case," Walter replied, "it explains why the cats have been acting up. They've been harassed, possibly struck with a stick or maybe even prodded." Stefan glanced at the sleek black leopard. "That would also explain why Shani turned on me." He looked at Tony, who was ladling water into a cage, and motioned for him to come over. Tony replaced the ladle into the bucket and walked over to join them. He glanced at the rope that Stefan held out. "What's the problem?" Stefan brushed his thumb over the frayed end. "You're going to get your chance in the ring for the next three performances," he said. Tony flashed a confident smile. "I'll do my best." "That may not be enough," Stefan said, uneasy about Tony going into the big cage. He was a promising young trainer, but he lacked the years of experience needed to react in a crisis.
