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861 Words
Waking to the most intense stomach pain I barley make it to my side before everything and I mean next to nothing evacuated my system so forcefully tears are streaming down my face. Make sick, I hear that voice again, remembering everything that happened before passing out. I look around but don't see the cat. Something inside me feels like it broke at not seeing it around I don't know why but the cat felt important to me. I should probably feel fear that panther had to be 10 feet long, nearly as tall as me standing and I'm 5'3" and had 2 tails and yet I don't, I only feel intense grief its gone.
Its already getting dark, I should head back to the cave, I have no idea how many hours I have left until the hunt starts. I need to prepare, fortify the cave and make a few weapons. I spend the last few hours of light doing just that. Once the sun goes down I make my way into the cave and try and get comfortable. hours drift by and suddenly I feel.safe and falling asleep hard. I wake to light trickling in. I make my way towards the part of the riverbank I first started at. I'm almost there when I hear noise coming from the forest. Staying low I find cover and watch as 5 tall beings come out of tree cover, The only thing I have ever see that looks close to this is praying mantis, one is 6 feet tall and the four are 5 feet tall all in body armor and the four are carrying spears. The taller one is following behind, watching the surroundings and observing the I'm assuming hatchings.
I've seen enough, I slowly and quietly make my way to the cave, more hours stretch out and the sun is starting to get low when I hear them, the clicking and hissing. The hissing gets louder and I know they found my cave, the entrance isn't big enough for them to enter straight. they have to turn, because of where I was hiding the one didn’t see me and didn’t enter weapon first. I took my chance with the spear I made from a stick and my pocket knife, I drove the tip into its giant eye, it made an horrible screeching noise, I pulled my weapon out and drove it into its other eye. Not waiting to see if it lived or died before making my way out the other side.
It took less time then I thought for the others to follow, as soon as I saw the first one I collapsed the bolder from the top of the entrance, that one is definitely dead. I made my way deeper into the rock forest. Going up the tree I choose the night before, again I waited, taking small.sips of water. It was nearly dark by time I made it up the tree and I had no idea if they would follow at night. Hours slipped by without incident, even though it was quite I refused to sleep. The sun had just risen when I saw them, they where quieter now, moving more slow, the adult had their hand on a weapon and scanned every where.
They where almost under my tree, and almost close enough to the same murder plants that attached the cat. At the thought of the cat deep pain bloomed in my heart. a few more steps, I stopped breathing, waiting. Then tossed the rock, the plants exploded towards the remaining youth and adult. They scrambled back, 1 not fast enough and got caught by the vines, the other youth tried to help the adult taking shots a the vines. Well they where distracted I climbed down, coming up behind the adult, it was more aware spun, I hit its claws with my spear knocking the weapon away. Its other claws grabbed at my spear its now free hand swiping at me, getting me across the ribs and stomach. f**k that hurts. Diving to the side I just miss the claws aimed at my throat. I pick a rock up and throw it at the bugs eye, hitting it. I stand, rub and shove me shoulder into its midsection area, catching it off guard and taking it to the ground, not missing the claws that rake down my other side from shoulder to hip, fire and pain blazing to life.. I fall to the side gasping for breath, reaching for my spear, only for it to be kicked away. Using its foot it rolls me onto my back, "female, not prey" it says looking down on me with something I swear might be respect in its one remaining eye.
All I can think of is my son, of the animals, hoping someone knows I'm gone by now. That my son would know I didn't leave my choice. A lone tear leaks down my cheek, not from pain but loss. The Maintoid raises his weapon to end me when I hear it, what sounds like a chain saw with 4 motors on steroids in a hurricane.
- Writer
