DONAI

The Leopard

Moments upon moments of silence seemed to pass by me, which was perfectly fine by me and in fact I wouldn’t have it any other way. Belly up in the grass, my price hanging delicately by a thin flap of skin in my teeth, and I watched the clouds go by me as a gentle breeze brushed my fur. Quiet… and peaceful….

“….Are you in need?”

…What…
Hearing a cynical voice cast over me like a shadow, my eyes widened in surprise and dropping my prized bird, a rush of adrenaline sent me rolling to my paws with haste and my head shot up to rise above the grass to meet the eyes of an intruder. For a moment my heart stopped at the very size of the animal I stared at, I had little consideration for paying attention to detail, all I could gather is it is big. My ears flattened to my skull and I watched the animal with petrified eyes, my feet ready for the dart, ready to spring into action and send me up the nearest tree. Yes I am a predator but I am what, 2 feet tall? Hungry, no, starving? Weak, thin, and found myself in a new alien world? My prey is barely as big as me; gazelle, antelope, young and weak calves fresh from the womb and barely able to walk.
This animal towered over me, and if there’s something you learn as a predator it’s: ”learn to pick your fights”, you don’t mess with a 1500lb buffalo as a 80lb predator unless you have a death wish.

“I am only your enemy if you wish me to be”

The animal made no hostile action towards me, no signs of intended attack. Gradually I calmed down enough to make a few observations, it’s big and it has a horn, and unless that horn is used as a means of reproduction I’m going to assume it’s a weapon. It’s definitely prey, tipping my nose to the air I catch the feint scent of an animal that feeds on plants. Still, it’s big, I watched the animal examine me just as I studied it. I could tell by its posture and tone that it wasn’t afraid of me, who would be? It knows I’m weak and hungry, it knows I’m small and that I don’t have the energy or power to take it down let alone defend myself should it decide to engage.

Silence dominated the moment, fearing the animal would lose patience my mouth opened in preparation for words. But before I could answer another form burst from the trees taking a spot beside the first, he was slightly smaller than the female, but still no less intimidating. He didn’t seem to notice me until he tried engaging the first beast in pleasant conversation. I could sense a lot less confidence in the male and I let my guard slip a little, though as the male approached me, my heart pounded intensely in my chest. As his shadow came over me it felt as though my heart was going to burst from my breast and I reacted quickly darting to the foot of the nearest tree, creating distance between myself and the male and grasping the bark of the tree in my claws. If they made any action to approach me, I would fly up the tree faster than a mouse darts for cover.

"Are you okay?"

His words were friendly, soft, gentle, and compassionate. He didn’t seem harmful, but he too has a horn, a dangerous weapon, and on top of that a comrade.
Looking him over it wasn’t until I got to his legs that I realized in my hurry to get away I’d left my beautiful blue bird carcass laying there in the grass. And there it was… sitting right next to the animals feet, I frowned at the idea this animal was going to be nasty enough to stomp it into the dirt ruining the smoothness of the feathers and tainting the colors of blue and green with dirt and mud…

”I’m not from around here.” I finally answered my voice soft and gentle, but clearly uneasy. I didn’t really know what to do from there; do I tell the animal that I’m starving? It would be the greatest of fortunes if the animal just dropped dead in front of me or lay down and offered herself up as an easy meal. I mentally chuckled to myself at the though, but nah, dream on.
My mouth opened as I tried to speak but the words got stuck in my throat, my subconscious taunting, laughing at me for the stupidity of the statement trying to force it’s way from my gaping mouth. ”I-I’m hungry.” And there it is, the statement of the century, a cat telling a prey animal that it’s hungry in hopes of benefiting from this. Well done, Donai.
I waited for the results of my bewildering statement.

OOC: So much muuuuse :D