《The Predator》


 Chapter 1

    A small creature lay on the high grasses, giving the creature camouflage. Its eyes had full of skepticism, an odd prey is before it. It had a smell of delicious bunny meat, yet the scene made it feel disquiet.


    A bunny that was indeed a bunny showed no movement in the shallow winds.


    The brisk creature felt much temptation, she had not eaten for weeks. Her green eyes had some hesitation, yet her thirst for hunger was far greater. It slowly crawled in the grasses, only a small hush could be heard. With a small distance apart from her prey, she readied herself to grasp onto the prey.


    She leaned forward, wiggling her buttocks in excitement. She readied her legs for a leap and then exerted her whole body into motion. She ran as soon she came down from her leap, leaving the grass transient.


    The small creature now looked immaterial, her focus was entirely focused on its prey.


    The sky was bright, the creature with its four legs was full of motion, showing no stop of ebullition. Soon her prey was within reach, she readied another leap, and expulsed in her prey direction.


    Her claws went through her prey successfully, and her teeth held it steadfastly. She felt exult over her triumph.


    Yet as the creature excitement rushed, it all disappeared. She now realized her prey temperature was cold and had no warmth. The skepticism held by hunger now exploded, her skin shook in alertness.


    Her hungry eyes now looked all around in vigilance. Her suspicion was confirmed with a rope net flying towards her direction. The small creature let out a shriek, afraid for its life. She pawed her front legs to the side, giving a push in the air towards the other direction.


    With fright, the small creature now rushed into the grasses, showing no effort in hiding her presence. Yet her speed still, was as fast when she hungrily preyed onto her prey. With her escape, she gave no time for her hunters to react.


    She felt spite of these hunters, yet she happily looked at her prey held by her mouth. It had not left her since her teeth held it steadfastly. In the end, she became the winner, her escape left thwart to her hunters.


    Running in the high grasses, she gave no way of stopping. The sky now looked darker, yet the forest was still full of life. Small critters could be heard, bird calls are heard in all directions, and the basis of prey and hunter could be heard too.


    Now she felt reassured of her escape, she now headed towards her home, leaving the incident nothing more. In the forest, the incident was not rare. This scary species would sometimes roam in her inhabitant, she learned with her watchful eyes that they hunt in patience and in deadly means.


    She looked at this species as denizens and invaders of her land. They have arrived at these lands only recently, causing the forest to go unbalanced.


    She knew too well, in this multifarious forest, the hunting of predators varied from one another.


    She remembered when she was at her youngest, and inexperienced for the wild. She ran in these grassy lands, and she saw a vine. A still vine stood there, looking enticing to scratch, and to play with.


    With furtherance, she came close, and then the vine became a wild snake. Crawling to her being, with fright, she escaped with big strides.


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    Now looking, she was too innocent then. Her movement never stopped, in these unknown lands, it meant only death.


    She would soon to arrive at her home, then should she fill her longed hungry tummy. In the distance, a bunny like the one in her mouth could be seen, yet she gave no effort to hunt it.


    In these past weeks, she has seen many preys like it, yet all attempts came to failure. The bunnies and she were as fast, and their awareness was much more vigilant.


    Usually, she would hunt on mice perennially, yet finding them now was impossible. Her instinct leaned towards the invaders had something to do with it.


    Feeling lament of all her past troubles and her future ones brought her gladness of her soon to be food. Sadly what would she eat then, look for another dead prey, and hope to escape from the hunters.


    She felt unconfident, and was unsure of the future, and knew if no change occurs, it would look the same as in the past. An ambitious passion slowly brewed, could she leave the forest.


    Would all her troubles end, and her misery goes way. Outside of the forest was all unknown, she could explore, and hunt prey. She decided after her feast, and sleep, tomorrow she would leave this torturous forest


    Looking ahead, she could now see her home, but also a future full of enigma. Today she would feast, and terminate all the losses.


    She now in front of a whole hiddenly surrounded by clustered grasses, from a distance outside of the surrounding grasses, it would be hardly seen.


    She entered the whole, and what was on the other side was a narrow long path going downwards.


    Soon the path ended, opening to a cave. The cave size could be called huge in comparison to the small creature. The small creature enjoyed the sight of its home.


    She had only found this place by chance. When she dug a dirt hole for a home, she had accidentally dug into the cave. With some exploration, she excitedly discovered her man-made entrance was the only way getting in. Her greatest fortune and benefit in this forest was this cave.


    She remembered too, how she thought the cave was at peril, yet with passing time, no other creature had crossed this place.


    The thought crossed her, would she ever see this place after she leaves. She would no longer enjoy the comfort and security of the cave.


    Walking to her most enjoyable spot, the only area inside this cave that has dirt. The ground here was softer, in addition to apparatus for comfort; sticks, leaves, and grasses.


    It placed its food onto the ground, and slowly savoring the taste, and texture.


    The tasting of the rabbit ended, feeling sad, yet it knew it would find more food in the new inhabitants. The potentiality idea of new lands to be explored felt thrilling, and all the prey to be hunted felt exciting.


    It rested onto its comfy spot, knowing tonight would be the last sleep here, tomorrow night she would be sleeping in a dirt hole, a hidden bush, on top of a tree, or if luck has it, she could sleep in a tree hollow.


    She was self-reliant of her choice, tonight may be her last dwelling here, but in a week, she would have food, and in search of a new dwelling.


    She slowly turned and shoved on the comfy spot, slowly hidden by the sticks, leaves, and grasses, muffled in security.


    She laid in sleep, the creature slowly drifted into the world of dreams, letting out purrs, having spiked shaking, an observer would wonder what is the creature dreamt.


    The night went on, the forest still had predators and prey. Some prey was caught, yet others escaped to see another day, yet both were clueless that one of their own would soon leave the vicinity of the forest.


    The sun slowly raised, waking many, yet the nocturnal gave yawns, and went to sleep. The predators and prey now were switched with the day like creatures.


    In a cave with an entrance of a tiny dirt whole, a sleeping creature laid there a sleep, soon to awake with the rising sun. It went unsunned, unlike most creatures who slept on the surface. It kept sleeping for a minute longer than most.


    Opening its eyes, it rubbed its back on the dirt floor, letting out a purr in enjoyment. It slowly stood up, stretching its legs out of no thought. It looked around, thinking of all the searching for food, but would have no results like all the other days.


    It then clicked, yesterday she had found food, and decided to leave its habitat, and in search of new one. She had no time to waste, she did not want the hunger to linger once again.


    She knew today would come, yet the thought of the cave and her be in sunder saddened her. It climbed out of the dirt whole. Looking at the dirt hole, she slowly dug dirt into the hole, slowly in closing. It went unknown for when the cave under would have a creature to call home for.


    Looking one last time, it gave no more and started its long to be a journey, who knew when she would come back, chances are she would never return, be it because of happy living, or dead.


    Passing familiar trees, dead of life ponds and rivers. It looked upon a vine, it knew the vine is a snake in wait of clueless prey, much like she was in the past.


    It gave no stop, not resting until she leaves the forest. She has not seen anything that was explicable, yet the passing gave her many memories, which slowly came to her. It felt like leaving all she had here.


    The terrain slowly changed, the trees were now more barren, the grassed stayed as high.


    Now trees could be seen much farther apart from the other, it would rare for two trees to be ten meters close. The change gave the exploring creature a surprise, not expecting the dramatic change in environment.


    The land too changes, becoming flat, now the area slowly turned forestry to the plains.


    Looking at all these drastic changes, she slowly became hesitant of any furtherance in exploration. Everything she knew, learned, was now useless. Even the creatures changed, many were never seen, a few even felt able to catch.


    Yet all looked unknown, she wanted to hide in fright, and go to her cozy cave.


    The instinct wanted her to go back, but she reminded of all the spite memories. A fight began, it was between her frightened instinct and her horrifying memories.


    Her instinct wanted to return, yet her memories reminded her of all the bad, and her reason for wanting to live a better life.


    In the end, she decided to continue forward, she stayed credulity in her choice and told herself it was too late to run back.

 Chapter 2

    She felt exult at the sight of the mouse, a long to be seen prey of hers. A feeling of hunger could now be felt again. The meal last night was not enough to fill her.


    Her long traveling had yet to a stop, not resting since her leave. Fatigue could now be felt all over the body, she was now plodding with heavy steps in the grasses towards her prey. Her tired steps almost seemed to fall, yet they continued.


    Her orange-yellow eyes had the same hungry drive as her teeth and claws, ready to throw herself at the near prey. She readied for a leap, yet as she was about to go.


    An unexpected seen played, a bird flying above, unknown to her, had dived down at the mouse. She had no time to react, the bird''s claws snatched the mouse, and flew away into the high sky.


    She now realizes that the new territory is not as heaven looking. The bird that stole her prey was never seen in the forest. She had seen birds, plenty, but all were so smaller. She could feel the rise of danger, and did not dwell here any longer, she continued traveling forward.


    Passing trees were now getting rarer. Two trees being near as 20 meters would be very uncommon. This gave her a full lucid of future hunts. She had claws, claws that could climb trees as easily as walking. Now the trees were almost unseen, causing a severe disadvantage in her hunting environment.


    She had caught many preys in the past by falling onto them by using the element of surprise. Most of the times it would be the trees giving her such height. She now knew doing something similar, would be nearly impossible.


    Time passed, a creature unseen to most traveled with steady steps. The day passed, and the moon could now be seen rising, the sun was slowly going into the disappearance.


    The night has arrived, the creature had yet to find a satisfactory dwelling. The dwelling she searched for had to muffle her existence, to be unseen.


    A sound was heard in the distance, she quickly shifted her head towards it. Her vision could see day and night, as she was a nocturnal creature.


    A mouse, a prey she longed for, a prey that she was close to getting before was now seen ahead. All her fatigue vanished, all she felt was hunger.


    A familiar scene reminded her, she looked around making sure the creature wasn''t to bait her into a trap. After confirming, she as well realized the mouse was moving with vigor.


    Now feeling secure, she decided to hunt this mouse. She knew what was soon to happen can have varied results. Some would disappoint her, pitying herself for weakness. Others would bring her confidence and enjoyment.


    Both would result by starting off into hunting this prey, for which result would come, would only be known after the hunt.


    Her movement went unsunned, yet she knew it was useless, the mouse like her could see in the night, a nocturnal creature.


    Her steps couldn¡¯t be heard with the strong winds. Her orange-yellow eyes were the only hint for the mouse, happily, that went unseen, the mouse distractedly dug.


    She was self-reliant in catching this prey, she also knew mouse come with packs, finding a single mouse meant finding a group of mice.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.


    She felt ambitious, deciding to wait for the mouse return to its pack. If all goes well, she would have enough to eat for weeks.


    The little creature waited in patience. It''s waiting finally paid off, the mouse finally finished what it came for, and ran off. It did not let the mouse leave its vision. It took measure to not follow too closely, not wanting to let the mouse be aware of its presence, not wanting it to alert other mice.


    After a short travel, the mouse seemed to arrive at its destination. The smell here was infested with mice. At the last second, the little creature decided a change of plans.


    It would instead not scare the mice, and would only hunt small quantities, not wanting to make the mice here go either instinct or scared off. A single mouse for a week would be sufficient on living.


    The benefit would be treating this place as a snack stop, instead of a one-time hunt.


    For her first plan, in the short run, she would have an extravagant amount of food for weeks, yet after she would once again be desperately in search of food.


    While her newer plan would mean she would be hungry, yet she would always have sufficient food, and not to have to worry about starvation for a long time.


    She quickly left the area, deciding to observe before making the final decision. After the whole night, she discovered to her fright that the population of the mice were huge.


    In fact, if she had decided to attack this family of mice, she would be quickly swarmed to death. Instead of calling this a family, it would be better calling it a hive.


    Her life dodged death by just a meter, if she had come any closer, mice would have smelled her, killing her in a chase.


    Feeling giddy at the dodge of death, knowing she would be most likely living another day.


    That wasn''t the only news, she had realized the mice here lived oddly. If the mice here were given names, they would be scouts, guards, scavengers, that is from what she had seen. She even bet that mice like caretakers and even royal mice lived in the depth of the hive.


    The best prey would be the scouts and scavengers. These two types of mice would go off some distance from the hive, doing their job. The better prey out of the two would be the scavengers.


    Scavengers, as they are called, look for food, either dead animals, or plants. It would not be rare seeing them snack on their findings.


    Now the plan had been decided, she climbed onto a tree, reaching the maximum height. A realization quickly came to her, in all direction, she could see the land. This was very odd, as in the forest, climbing a tree, would not let you see what was under you, as her vision would be blocked by branches of trees.


    Here, she could see as far her eyes could see. Not that it was impossible in the forest, but it was hard. To see such distances, she had to find the highest trees, here any tree would give her to see far.


    Looking off where she had originally come from, the forest she had originated from could be even seen. In the opposite direction, trees were more barren, and an odd structure could be seen, looking enigma.


    She felt the structure was unnatural, it felt familiar as the invaders. She looked away, knowing she could look at for a very long time.


    In conclusion, she had decided the barren trees did give her a lesser territorial advantage in the act of hunting, yet it did give a great view, letting her see the surroundings from close to far, making the act of finding prey or predators easier.


    Looking down, she quickly discovered many. Be it mice, rats, squirrels, and birds. Foxes could also be seen, her long lasting arch-enemy in the forest.


    A bird screech could be heard in the bright blue sky, looking up, her newer arch-enemy could be seen. The bird looked down, looking at everything in disdain.


    The boiling anger she held, quickly grew. She vowed that one day this prideful creature would be hunted by her, she would see how smug the creature would be in her claws.


    Having such fantasy was a dream, it was impossible to grow stronger when one is born. Looking down once again, knowing looking up would only make her day dream. She quickly found plenty of prey, she decided a scavenger mouse would be the first victim.


    Climbing down the tree, jumping off a branch to branch, until jumping off the tree fully when half way down. Landing onto the ground, without a grunt of pain.


    Her front feet landed first, and then they pushed off the ground without letting the hind limbs touch the ground. Such notion was a show of how amazing her legs are. Her feet were extremely tough, giving her resistance to height.


    Although propelling with her hind limbs would exhibit more strength, letting exert her maximum power.


    Not giving herself a break, she ran towards her where the prey was last seen, at arrival, the scavenger mouse could be seen smelling the ground, looking for tasty food.


    The little creature knew how the mouse felt, yet it knew that looking at prey rather than searching was much more delicious.


    Much like her previous hunts, she slowly came closer to the prey. Experience given her understanding of the art of hunting, she knew these mice could hear very well.


    Attempting to sneak on them was impossible. When she arrived at a somewhat near distance, she knew coming any closer would alert the mouse.


    She readied herself, positioning for a leap. Her buttocks wiggled, testing the strength of the ground. Not wanting to slip from the ground that is rocky or loose. Confirming the ground, she leaped off, giving herself a force to run with.


    The mouse looked up, staring at her in wonder. Unknown to her, the mouse was confused at her appearance, it had never seen or heard of a creature like herself.


    Closing onto the mouse, she pounced at the mouse before it had the chance to run. Her claws dug into the body, and her teeth went through the neck.


    The mouse had yet the chance to take any action since noticing her. The little creature felt joy, but also confusion. Yet it did not think much of it, it did not feel it should feel penitent for the mouse reaction. The life of a predator and prey were always on the line of death.