Stalking Prey Part Two
Welcome to Thursday and the conclusion of Stalking Prey. Some stories flow nicely and some seem like pulling teeth while writing. This one, honestly, was a bit like pulling teeth. So although I’ve posted the story, I feel it could definitely use some work…perhaps in foreshadowing, characterization, maybe in the world building itself. Moyra doesn’t feel very fleshed out to me. So I would welcome any suggestions or comments you might have.
Otherwise, I hope you enjoy and thank you for stopping by =)
Stalking Prey Part Two
“I…” Moyra hesitated. Was she imagining things?
Then, remembering the smell, she pushed on and explained her unease.
“Lion, eh? All you got is that knife?” Master Ryan pointed a large hand at the hilt she grasped above her belt.
“It’s all I brought,” she admitted with a sheepish grimace.
“Well, that won’t do, let me get Layin’s bow and long knife.”
Moyra opened her mouth to protest but he was out of the room before she could speak up.
Layin was Master Ryan’s daughter but Moyra had never met her since they were several years apart in age. She had some misgivings about borrowing from a girl she’d never spoken to.
Maybe she could buy a better weapon from Master Ryan instead of buying chickens today. The chickens could wait. With that idea in mind, she moved to follow where the large man disappeared.
She ended up traversing the shop into the house behind and exiting through the back door into the yard where Master Ryan had several fires going to smoke meat.
Stacks of wood lined the yard. By one of these stood a slim girl chopping wood. Although she was slim, she was five years Moyra’s senior.
Moyra hesitated. This was the first time she’d seen Layin up close. Considering her father, she was very slight but she had his dark, curly hair.
The girl glanced up as the door swung shut and paused.
Moyra smiled but the expression froze on her lips.
Tawny fur with rounded ears moved on the stack of wood behind Layin.
Sound stuck in Moyra’s throat. A squeak escaped but it wasn’t loud enough to reach the girl.
The cat’s muscles bunched.
Where was Master Ryan? Moyra couldn’t place him but it was too late for him to be of help.
Layin sensed the danger. She started to turn with the axe half raised just as the lion leapt from its perch.
The stack of wood wobbled under the force exerted from the feline’s rear legs. Several pieces fell with soft thuds.
Moyra stepped forward, sound finally leaving her throat. “Down!”
Layin dropped with the axe swinging over her in a defensive ark as Moyra pulled her knife.
Photo courtesy of Sebring’s Snapshots.
It didn’t feel inadequate now. It didn’t register that all she held was a six-inch blade. It felt solid, the wooden hilt sliding through her palm in a move she’d practiced for fun millions of times. The flat of the blade slid into her waiting fingers. Moyra stepped again, rocking forward at the same time the knife left her hand.
The knife made a soft hissing sound like steam escaping a kettle before it boiled. Neck out stretched and jaws open, the cat’s head jerked as the knife slid home into its glittering eye.
Layin cried out. Her axe narrowly missed the fur on the lion’s belly. With a thud, axe and cat hit the ground with the girl berried beneath.
Moyra’s muscles wouldn’t move. Hearing the door behind her, she glanced back to find Master Ryan standing there, mouth and eyes wide while he held a bow and long knife in his hands.
“Layin!” he dropped everything to rush to his daughter.
Moyra held back, afraid of what he’d find.
Shoving the large cat off his daughter, Master Ryan flinched back as the cat jerked. It wasn’t alive though. Morya stared at the one good, open eye. There was no life in that glassy gaze.
Someone coughed and Morya jumped, relief flooding through her as Layin sat up. Master Ryan enveloped her in a hug. He looked at Moyra over the girl’s curly hair.
“I believe you can have chickens free for the rest of your life,” he announced.
Morya chuckled and collapsed to the ground, her muscles finally relaxing. At least she could go home without worrying now.
The End
Blessings,
Jennifer
