Don't Set The Sky On Fire

Weaving around a precarious column of rocks Wyndelin completed his climb, gazing out across the canyon that cut down into the ground, creating a rich and strange looking land. It was a pretty if s bit barren for his taste. The rocks were striped in gold and orange and rust. Various rock pillar stretched up from the canyon floor and various ridges. The summer sun had broken free from the horizon for a moment but on the horizon he could see dark grey clouds gathering, their undersides growing dark and thick with rain. With a little luck they'd grace the redwater rocks and quench a thirsting land. However, with the west still in the grip of summer he rather doubted that. The clouds would likely drift around or right on by before letting loose their rain.

Morning was slowly creeping dawning, the sun stretching up over the clouds to touch the earth with its light. Wyndelin welcomed the warmth that it brought, at least for now. It wouldn't be long before the temperature went from warm to blazing and he'd be sent seeking shelter away from the very sun he was welcoming. Wyndelin's stomach rumbled. He hadn't eaten much for dinner and was sorely regretting going exploring in a desert without a full stomach. Oh well, he couldn't really do anything about it now. If he could magic prey into existence he would but so far he wasn't seeing much of anything. Well, almost. Wyndelin leaned quietly into the shadows of a large rock formation as he eyed a lizard sunning itself not too far off.

The lizard was rather pretty as it sat upon a dark red rock. It was about two feet long and covered in cream colored scales on its lower half and tan scales on the upper half. It was mottled just enough to look like spots. A curious reticulated pattern. He was pretty sure he was looking at a desert iguana, though it didn't look terribly much like its more tropical cousins, bearing no spikes down its back. The lizard's eyes shut for a moment then opened as it tilted its head. Wyndelin remained still though he noted that the lizard seemed awfully sluggish. No doubt it hadn't had enough time in the sun to fully warm up. A two foot long lizard would make a decent breakfast if Wyndelin could just catch it.

He slowly lowered his body, slinking along toward the lizard and doing his best to stick to the shadows where his dark pelt blended in. He carefully crept forward a step at a time knowing that if he rushed he could ruin his shot but if he waited too long the lizard might fully warm up and be even harder to hunt. Especially with so many rocks and crevices about he wouldn't be able to chase the lizard down. He'd need to catch it in the first shot or so or the whole thing would be a waste. It was in times like these he could see the advantage to being an ambush predator like a cat . Wyndelin was not designed for such hunting. He was meant to be in a pack and to use his endurance to run his prey right into the ground.

Wyndelin got as close as he dared and carefully coiled his hind legs beneath him, muscles flexed and ready to launch him forward toward his prey. He sized up the distance between himself and the lizard as well as some of the paths the lizard might take when it fled. Wyndelin took another step the froze, eyes fixed on the lizard. It twitched then yawned and the moment its mouth opened Wyndelin leapt. Fangs dug into the side of the lizard's body, just behind it's front legs. He'd been aiming for the neck but as the lizard attempted to flee it displaced his attack. Wyndelin bit down hard and thrashed his head as the lizard twisted and squirmed. It was difficult to kill it with the current grip he had.

Wyndelin lowered his head and placed his front paws on the squirming lizard. He released his grip just long enough to reposition his jaws over the lizards neck. He bit down swiftly as the lizard continued to squirm and flail. Eventually though it perished and Wyndelin took off, looking for a good place to enjoy his meal away from buzzards and other potential scavengers. He wandered over the rocky terrain, noting that with the sun rising as it was the air was getting hotter. Maybe he should find a nice shady area to enjoy breakfast. He eyed a stack of rocks for a moment but decided it looked to precarious. He didn't want to get squished while he was trying to enjoy his meal. Eventually he found a nice area with a rocky hill that he was able to put between himself and the sun. Settling in he set the lizard between his paws and began to eat.