Midnight Snack

From the cover of the tall grass, Redrum watched with wide, golden eyes as Taiga prowled through the moonlit knoll. His heart raced in his chest as he witnessed her silent movements, her giant yet lithe body blending seamlessly with the shadows and moonlight. She was a predator unlike any he had ever encountered, her presence commanding both fear and awe. She was too big, too nightmarish. But the season was also weird. For all his nighttime hunts, there had never been a moon so… bright? It was odd. Even the prey animals seemed to notice the difference, their ability to see at night increasing as well – making for a lot more targets as well as more eyes to spot the predators that tried to hunt them in the night. It was as though the moon itself was taking sides, choosing to help the herbivores.

As Taiga closed in on her prey, Redrum couldn't help but feel a shiver of fear run down his spine. Fear for the antelope in spite of his rationality telling him prey was prey, fear that he would have to watch the ambush itself unfold… The sheer size and power of the lioness was intimidating, and he knew that crossing paths with her could spell doom for any creature unlucky enough to be caught in her sights. Yet, as he observed her with cautious interest, he began to notice something unexpected. She was having difficulty, due to her size, and the added obstacle of the increased activity from her quarry was also to blame.

Despite her obvious ferocity and strength, there was an odd grace to Taiga's movements, a… patience and precision that spoke of years of honing her hunting skills. She moved with purpose, her actions calculated and deliberate. Why? Couldn’t she just run out and catch something as easy as pie? He would soon come to understand. As Taiga positioned herself to make her move on the unsuspecting antelope, Redrum's instincts urged him to flee, to retreat to the safety of the dense underbrush. But as he watched the failed hunting attempt unfold before his eyes, a seed of doubt began to take root in his mind. Perhaps Taiga was not the fearsome beast he had imagined her to be. Nor was she some all-powerful monster. It was like watching himself back when he was learning how to hunt during the day, with his foolishly red coat.

With each passing moment, Redrum's fear began to ebb away, replaced by a newfound curiosity and intrigue for the cave lioness. She was a hunter, like him. She failed hunts, like him. As he watched her determination falter in the face of defeat, he knew what he wanted to do. If the prey animals were going to help each other out in the moonlit night, so would the predators. Summoning his courage, Redrum emerged from the safety of the shadows, his eyes fixed on Taiga with a mixture of trepidation and determination. He didn’t wait for her to notice him, instead the boy followed her line of sight, using his senses to lock onto her next target. Without hesitation, he dashed towards the lone buck, his agile form darting through the grassy landscape with a grace that showed his youth. He could do this. He could help her. She.. she wasn't so scary.

As he closed in on the buck, Redrum could feel the adrenaline coursing through his veins, his senses heightened to a razor-sharp edge. The moonlight was much brighter outside of the cover of the tall grasses, and the shadows tried to play tricks on his eyes… but his ears, those giant things caught the sound of hooves passing through the knolls. He paused, skirting around the buck, his smaller frame hidden among the tall grass – until he was in the right spot. With a flick of his tail, he lunged into action, snapping at the buck in an attempt to guide it towards Taiga, his heart pounding in his chest as he watched the scene unfold before him.

Taiga's eyes widened in surprise as the antelope buck bounded towards her, the scent of fresh prey filling the air. Without missing a beat, she sprang into action, her powerful muscles propelling her towards the oncoming buck with unmatched speed and agility. She took it down in a flash, her claws gripping into its flesh, fangs reaching and clasping around its neck with practiced ease. The moon cast its silvery glow upon the land, and with the buck felled Redrum approached the lioness with a hesitant search for approval. He wasn’t quite ready to get any closer, and was satisfied enough that he had driven the buck towards her. Maybe it was an apology of sorts for all his accusatory fear towards her… but… He didn’t speak, instead opting to turn tail and run off before she could speak a word.


WC total; 1522