Silent Paws

Captured

Cita silently crept through the golden grass. The muscles beneath her white fur quivered slightly as she carefully pressed one paw after the next onto the ground. Her eyes were fixed ahead on the antelopes that grazed by the water hole.

The grass rustled around her from the wind, carrying the scent of dirt and water. An antelope lifted its head, sniffing the air. When it found nothing out of the ordinary, it resumed drinking.

Cita's wide golden eyes were staring unblinkingly at the injured old antelope at the side of the water hole.

If she could just get close enough, she'd finally have some food in her stomach-

The wind blew stronger across the land, changing direction. At once, all antelopes stiffened, their heads snapping up with their nostrils flaring.

Cita crouched down and her muscles tensed. 

Then she dashed down the hill, her hind paws digging deeply into the dirt. She leapt into the air, feeling as if she were flying across the land. The antelopes shrieked in surprise and sped away, the young ones staying close to their mothers.

Cita's legs pushed her forward, increasing her speed and she ran, faster and faster, her eyes fixed on the old antelope that limped badly.
Adrenaline pumped through her and Cita began to pant as she passed the waterhole. She was fast, but she couldn't keep this up for long.

Like a bullet, the cheetah raced across the ground, the grass brushing past her underbelly. Cita opened her jaws, breathing heavily as she neared her prey. Only a few more seconds- she pushed her hind legs into the dirt and leapt forward, claws stretched out-

Something crashed into her side. Cita roared angrily when a net wrapped itself around her limbs, cutting into her skin and causing her to tumble sideways into the grass. She spun over several times, the world a blurred mass of blue and golden, until she finally stilled.

Breathing heavily, Cita growled and tried to get up, but it was futile. The net was tying her legs to her body; she couldn't even move her head.

"Now that's a catch!" said a male voice and footsteps neared her. "Let's see what Skender will say to this beauty."

A human entered Cita's view, holding a stick of a sort. She growled warningly and her pupils constricted.

A boot kicked her in her stomach and the cheetah roared furiously, exposing her sharp canines.
"The one will do," said a second voice, "It's fiery enough to last a few weeks."

"Such a shame though," a third human behind Cita said arrogantly, "It would look great on my wall. Never seen a cheetah without spots before."

"It has spots, see? They're just real faint."

Cita trashed around, trying to slice with her claws through the net. But all she did was entangle herself further. She felt fear mix with her fury when she realized, she couldn't get out. Cita's wide eyes stared horrified at the sky; it was a bright blue with a few clouds drifting across.

Cold laughter rang down from all around her.
The one man lifted his stick and pointed it at her. A blue light shot out of it and hit Cita in the head. She slumped down, unconscious.

                                   ****

When she awoke, she felt that the ground beneath her was cold and hard. Cita groaned and opened her dry eyes, her head feeling like it had been split in two. Her tongue was stuck to the back of her mouth and tasted like moldy water.

"Oh good. You're awake," said a voice happily.

City lifted her head. Through a row of vertical bars, wide brown eyes were staring at her. An elephant baby, not much older than a few months, lifted her trunk as a greeting.