Behind the Curtain ||DISCONTINUED||

Feeling Alive

Fear welled up in my chest. Even though I knew I could kill King, he had a whole squad of trainers with him, and I didn't want to find out what those metal sticks could do. I turned, and whisked away silently through the grass. I crouched low, keeping my head and shoulders below the grass. I wove in and out of the trainers, treading as lightly as possible. The whole field was full of trainers now, but they were loud and clumsy. Any creature could hear them from a mile away.

I picked up faint traces of Blade and Tele's scent, but decided against following it. I couldn't risk leading the trainers to them. Instead, I padded in the opposite direction, until I was far enough away to where the trainers couldn't see me. I poked my head above the grass, and saw them. They were all milling around, still searching. It wouldn't take them long to find my trail, I had to move fast.

I bolted through the grass, staying low to the ground. I ran around in circles, in crazy zigzags and spirals. I heard the truimphant yell of a trainer, and I knew they had found my trail. I stopeed and looked around. I had created a swath of flattened grass, with many trails leading out from it. That should slow them down and confuse them. 

Ahead, a small boulder protruded from the ground. I ran forward, and leapt up onto it. I stood for a moment, watching the trainers. They had begun coming in my general direction. As soon as they looked up, they spotted me. They began yelling, and running excitedly in my direction.

Like lightning, I leapt off the boulder, streaming away. I ran fast and far, before looking back. The trainers were close, but I still had some time. I doubled back, walking in my own pawsteps for a while, until I heard the trainer's yells. I pushed into the grass, doing my best not to move it, and crouched down low. Eventually, the trainer's boots came into view. They tromped past, yelling and waving their sticks. I hunched lower when a studded pair of boots arrived, followed by the sickly scent of blood.

King was standing just tail-lengths away from me. I could reach out and claw his legs to shreds, but I held back. There was an entire army of trainers ahead who would come rushing to his aid. I shrunk down as he paused, looking around. He still had that malevolent look, and I breathed a sigh of relief when he began walking again. I waited until I could no longer hear the calls of the group, and slithered off into the grass.

I walked back to where I had scented Blade and Tele, trying to pick out their trail from the jumble of trainer's smells. I managed to find their scent, though it was stale, probably a day old. I followed the trail, and it lead me deeper and deeper into the grassland. I realized the trail was heading toward the towers in the distance, which I assumed to be the city. 

By the time the sun began to set, I couldn't even hear the trainers any more. The trail had lead me closer toward the city, before it veered off to the left. Ahead, I could see a dense woodland area, full of large trees. I headed toward the woods, following the trail, which was faint. I had no idea how far Blade and Tele had gone, but the trail was getting fainter and fainter. As darkness gathered in the sky, I worried I would lose the trail. Storm clouds were gathering on the horizon, threatening to move in and wash away the last traces of Blade and Tele's trail.

I was under the forest canopy when the first slivers of moonlight appeared. The moon was full, and bright slices of light filtered through the thick foliage. I was exhausted, having traveled this far after being chased by trainers. I continued walking, following the trail as it lead me deeper into the woods. I was starving, and delicious scents of prey wafted toward me from the trees. I had never hunted before, but I needed food.

I veered off the trail, dropping low so the prey wouldn't see me. I kept my pawsteps quiet, and my tail hovered above the ground so as not to rustle the undergrowth. I sniffed, trying to pinpoint the scent of prey. My mouth watered at it's smell, but I couldn't find it. I closed my eyes, trying my hardest.

It must be by those bushes. That's where the strongest smell is coming from. Wait, what if it's the wind, blowing the smell that way? 

I perked up my ears, trying to see which way the wind was blowing. I was right, the wind was blowing against my side, drawing the prey-scent toward the bushes. I crouched low again, slinking toward the prey. I poked my nose through the bushes, and saw a strange creature. It was tall, with long skinny legs and brown fur. It had huge horns that protrude from it's head, that branched out like tree branches. 

I crouched low. This would be perfect. I kept my body low, whisking my tail back and forth. I thought I was being quite sneaky, but the animal must have caught wind of my scent or heard me, because it stood straight up. Before it could bolt, I launched from the bushes, unsheathing my claws. It reared, and bolted into the undergrowth, but I had latched my claws onto it's back. It screamed, toppling under my weight. I snarled, and clawed my way toward it's neck. It writhed beneath me, but I was too heavy for it to get up. 

I reached it's neck, and bit down, hard. The creature writhed a moment longer, before going still. I yowled triumphiantly. My first kill! It felt good, hunting like this, not waiting for meat to be thrown into your cage. I lowered my head and took a bite, the meat, still warm. It tasted wonderful, not like the disgusting smelly meat of the circus. 

For the first time, I felt truly alive. This was how it was supposed to be. I knew it. This is how my kind were supposed to act, hunting their own prey. I wondered if this is how Blade and Tele felt when they made their first kills. If they also felt this soaring wonder. Finally, I knew what it meant to be free, what it meant to actually feel alive.

And I fight tooth and claw to keep this freedom.