Never Promised

He had cursed silently to himself when he figured out he was being followed. So much for slipping away, though he had to admit he was a hard sell and he didn't blame them for their caution.

His mudpuddle pelt slithered along the ground and waited for the next unsuspecting beaver to pull itself up onto the bank. He wriggled silently in between the fresh growing reeds, hoping to cull the beaver silently and not alert any of the other beavers to its missing member.

He drew in a slow steady breath, his muscles braced for a quick kill. The ripple along the surface of the water was his signal that his patience would be rewarded. He watched as the beaver scrambled onto the bank and began cleaning its whiskers. Just as it lifted its head as if to scent him he struck with lightning speed. His jaws cinched around its throat before it could let out an alarming call.

He pulled back from the reeds with the kill limp in his jaws while he slunk back to the high ground.

He froze as he saw the bright rose pelt of the Crown Judilan Prnicess, watching him with her holographic eyes. He narrowed his eyes with a predatory pleasure, she had witnessed his prowess in action.

He found a dry spot to lay his kill and waited for the woman to approach him. Perhaps while they sized each other up he could skin and harvest the resources from the beaver.