Primitive Instincts

Chapter 14

I was right about Hunter finding me, for the first time in my life I wanted to be wrong so badly it hurt. That the legend of Hunter Bloodmoon was nothing but overhyped nonsense made up by children. But it seemed for once the stories were true.

Stopping besides a small hollowed out log, I panted furiously to catch my breath. The sun was shining brightly giving the winter white forest a magical shimmer, but I was to exhausted to notice or even care for that matter. My legs turned to jello and could hardly hold me upright, I guess sprinting for hours on end will do that to you.

So far the scariest thing of encountered was an aggressive tree which sprang out of know where and knocked into me, stupid Mother Nature. Still, at the smallest noise I go into full blown defensive mode with fur puffed out and teeth bared, to be honest it I felt a little ridiculous about it but then I remember I am actually being hunted.

If you ever played an intense game of man hunt or hide 'n' go seek then you'll know the feeling of being constantly unsafe and vulnerable. The sensation of someone about to pop up out of no where and catch you. Well this is that but ten times worse, every ten seconds I would check behind me out of the fear I was being followed.

Letting my mind drift as my body was recuperating it wandered to the memories of Louisa's famous coconut cream pie, instantaneously my stomach growled reminding me of its emptiness. It felt like days since I've eaten last and the amount of running I've been doing was only making it worse.

As if on cue the crackle of snow being crunched and rustle of branches moving alerted me I wasn't alone. Crouching I crawled to investigate the source of the noise. Being on a hill I was looking down at the distribution and what I found surprised me senseless.

The very same rabbit I was hunting a few days ago before Rachel scared it away was innocently hopping around searching for some vegetation. I released a breath I didn't realize I was holding in, stressed out was putting it lightly how I was feeling.

Watching the rabbit unknowingly chew on a stick I began to ready myself to pounce. My mouth instantly began to water, the taste of fresh meat driving my instincts wild driving me to kill. A quick snack would be worth the time lost in the long run because then I knew I wouldn't faint from lack of energy.

A small spark of thrill bloomed in my stomach at the remembrance of hunting. I forgotten this feeling with all the chaos going on my life, it felt truly refreshing and gave me a strange sense of serenity. If I could a small relaxed smile would play across my lips, until now I didn't realize how depressed I was feeling. Laughing with my friends was like a photo from the past, frozen in my head but impossible to get back. My life seemed like a fairytale before all this complicated mate stuff got in the way.

Still, at least it was still my life.

Right before I can pounce on the warm blooded fluffy mammal something caught the attention of the rabbit, it stood up on it hinds legs before scrambling into the brush in a panicked fashion. Letting out a huff of disappointment my hopes drooped and I felt my heart drop. The stupid thing must've sensed me or something, this was the luckiest bunny in the entire planet. Escaping my jowls not once but twice!

Like a child that didn't get the toy they wanted I frustratedly stopped the ground and turned back around to get ready to run for another 3 hours. Then I came face to face with one of the most dangerous pair of yellow eyes in the world and practically jumped 10 feet in the air.

Hunter glowered down at me with as much power and strength as I remembered him to have. His black coat contrasted with the fresh white powder that dusted the entire forest. The shine glinted it off him reminding me of an oil slink or the shiny feathers of a raven. I could seen his muscle ripple still, Hunter's huge bulk clashing with my slicker and more compacted build. This wouldn't be a fair fight by far, he probably weighed almost double me easily.