Frostbound love

Prologue

Soft brushes of the wind tickled the round ears that swiveled this way and that. Breath passed between nostrils soundlessly. Pale green gold eyes stared at the deer herd locked onto them.Nothing about her prey escaped her notice.

The white tipped tail twitched slowly one way then another. Her body rose soundlessly from the tree branch. The tangled limbs in this forest surrounding the few meadows were perfect for her hunting. She was an apex predator that mastered the art of ambush.

She moved forward in a freeze frame motion she had perfected long ago. Leopards were known not only for their ambush skills but also the silence of the attacks. And if you ever dared to hunt a leopard beware. For many hunters had found their quarry had backtracked and killed them as they lay beside their comrades.

So silent and swift was the attack that the person laying beside them didn't even realize their friend was dead. So be warned when hunting a cat such as she. It was no easy task to make her your trophy.

She came to the edge of the branch and waited for a moment until the breeze died down. Her prey was in position and was calmed by the lack of scent that didn't come with nonexistent breeze.

She bound out of her tree in a leap and once reaching the ground took two long lunges to her prey. It never made a sound. And in the twilight the deers unaware of their fallen companion ate on as she carefully drug her prey into the treeline.

Normally she would take her prey up into the trees. She did not for she had a long way to go. She could only hope the elves would remain unaware of her hunts. The world did not need to know that she and her clan existed. The last time they had come from the shadows it had ended badly.

She was the only hunter to venture here for meals. In the realm of Mirkwood none dared trespass but she did. She feared not the kings wrath nor the elven arrows. The most plentiful game was here. The better change of success was here.

She couldn't pass that up. Not with children needing food. Not with so many mouths to feed. It was far beyond her to bypass such game for rabbits and squirrels. Her clan needed food and so they would have it.

She drug her prey on until the sound of elves too close for comfort made her abandon her kill. She just managed to drag it into a tree and hid herself when the patrol came.

They used the arboreal highways she fancied. Though one was upon the ground. This elf was known to her. He had long been king here. His desires for isolation were all the better for her kind.

"My kind.g you asked for a patrol to meet you at the meadow?" one elf quarried.

"Yes tell me why is the kings deer being slain? I found a pile orc innards in a pool of blood in the meadow a league from here. Tell me why is this creature still preying on deer belonging to the elves?" His voice regal and resonate. She could sense the frost of his soul. He did not like this elf. He was heartless and far too perceptive and smart for her liking.

"We have had no sightings of any strange creatures my lord. We are trying to track the beast but are unsuccessful in out attempts." the previous elf answered.

"Find this thing and bring it to me alive or dead. Or do I need to do your duty foe you?" oh yes this male was arrogant. She would love to see that arrogance swiped off his face.

"Yes my lord. You four scout the surrounding wood from here to the meadow the rest lets go to the glen and ffind any traces orc the beast."

"Oh yes and mind the trees this creature attacks from above."

If a leopardess could smirk she was doing so a the moment. The cat that ate the canary smile was plastered upon her face. If the king only knew she was far above him and his men in the thicker vegetation of the arboreol highway. She didn't fear the thinner branches she knew they would her and her prey up well.

'next time I will eat the guts istead of leaving them.' she reasoned silently.

A single trail of blood made its way down the branch and gathered to drop down below. When the bead of blood became too heavy it fell to land upon any surface below. It landed upon the cheek of the king.

His elven eyes shot upward to find her with her kill in the thicker lesser visable places of the trees. And without preamble she rose abover her kill and hissed. She knew what the king saw; he saw his death in those merciless eyes.

With no futhur hesitance he brought his bow up and fired. She was already off fleeing for the moment. It would be a long night of shaking the elves of her trail. She had to make sure none followed her to the northern mountain ranges.

She wouldn't dare lead them to her people. It was too risky. Though she wad glad to find some excitment her hunting trips had become far too dull as it was. Female had to have her fun.

'come and get me if you dare!' she mentally challenged.