Of Birds and Cats

Featured Characters

 * Falcon / Sam Wilson
 * Redwing
 * Tigra / Greer Grant (first full appearance) (joins the Avengers)

Supporting Characters

 * Avengers
 * Captain America / Steve Rogers
 * Black Widow / Natasha Romanoff
 * Ant-Man / Scott Lang
 * Hawkeye / Clint Barton
 * Thor (mentioned only)
 * Hulk / Bruce Banner
 * Squirrel Girl / Doreen Green
 * Tippy Toes
 * Monkey Joe
 * S.H.I.E.L.D.
 * Director Nick Fury
 * Maria Hill

Villains

 * Zarda (death)
 * HYDRA
 * Arnim Zola
 * Carnage Strucker / Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker
 * Carnage Symbiote
 * Kraven the Hunter
 * Viper Empress / Madame Hydra / Ophelia Sarkissian
 * Unnamed Oscorp Mutated Monsters
 * Vultures
 * Lizards
 * Werecats
 * Human and Ape Hybrids

Other Characters

 * Cassie Lang
 * Norman Osborn (mentioned only)

Plot
It all starts in the plains of Africa, where Falcon is training with Redwing as Captain America suggested he should until they are approached Director Fury, Agent Hill and Squirrel Girl, who wonder if the two had seen anyone of their agents, who had been tracking Oscorp-Mutated HYDRA pawns since the New Avengers’ latest battle with them. Redwing quickly overhears some of them screaming in a nearby forest. They encounter a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent who is running away terrified because there is a feral werecat who has been stalking his fellow agents after the New Avengers’ latest battle against HYDRA and relentlessly attacked everyone who tried to get close to her. Just then, they are ambushed by the werecat, who proceeds to attack them.

Just when the beast pins Falcon down and right before she can do any real damage to him, Redwing, sensing a human heart inside her, quickly has her stand down. The werecat is revealed to be a Half Human Half Tiger teenage girl named Greer Grant (or as other call her “Tigra”). As she explains what happened and reveals she only trapped the agents in a tree nearby, Tigra tells them she is trying to avoid capture by the hands of a mad huntress with a violet armor and a hammer powerful like Mjolnir, whom Falcon recognizes as Zarda, who has been on the loose since the Squadron Supreme was disbanded. The two continue exchanging banters until their moment is interrupted by Zarda, who storms in looking forward to claim her prize, and Carnage Strucker, who is also seeking Tigra.

Falcon and Redwing battle and then, trick the two villains to fight each other and escort Tigra to safety. They are contacted by Captain America, who requests their aid to defeat the HYDRA agents targeting the other metahumans. Tigra, convinced that aiding the Avengers will help prove the other humans she can be a hero and not a monster (and gradually developing hidden feelings for Sam), decides to help them as well. They regroup with the Avengers who are battling numerous Symbiote-mutated agents and brainwashed metahumans. Tigra proves herself a powerful fighter, who effectively defeats the agents and mutates, including Kraven the Hunter, with her Tiger skills. They are suddenly confronted again by Zarda, who had managed to restrain Strucker by damaging his Carnage Symbiote, and Viper Empress, who is armed by a Sound Pulse Generator which gives her control over the mutates and she uses it against Tigra.

As Tigra struggles to overcome the device’s control and the other Avengers fight Zarda, Falcon attacks Viper and, after a small but intense fight, manages to destroy her device, freeing Tigra from her control and crippling the villainess with a piece of Vibranium gem in her ear which renders her unconscious. Grateful for him, Tigra shares a passionate kiss with Falcon after he claims she was worth saving. The two rush to help the Avengers and manage to defeat Zarda as Redwing uses his Phoenix powers to convert her hammer to the Phoenix Force, making her unable to wield it, and Ant-Man triggers a Antidote Bomb which reverts the Animal-themed metahumans (except Tigra, who had been enhanced by Doctor Zola with an unknown alien artifact which would make her the strongest of HYDRA’s pawns) back to normal. With their mission complete, the Avengers leave and with Tigra, offered by Sam a place with them, following. Zarda desperately tries to reclaim her hammer (which she is rendered unworthy to use) until she is attacked by Viper, who sees her like another unwanted rival and proceeds to kill her (off-screen). Back in the Avengers Tower, Greer feels upset that she might not see herself like the girl she used to be until Sam gives her a technologic necklace which allows her to disguise herself to her human form. She lovely shows bigger gratitude to him and is approached by Captain America who, impressed with her performance in the mission and clear dedication with Falcon, invites her to join the Avengers, which she happily accepts as she enjoys herself with her new home.

Previous Episodes

 * Animal-themed metahumans have been on the loose since the New Avengers’ battle with HYDRA in the Ultimate Spider-Man and the New Avengers episode Shadows of HYDRA.