A new story. "A Springtime Hunt." sept 10, 2013

[Old Rabbit]

Here is a little story about a bird of prey.


   
   A Hawk’s world.

   Dawns first light was playing across a high cliff, where on a ledge the suns first rays began to warm a hawk’s nest. Sitting alone therein a hawk was restlessly sleeping with her head tucked under a wing.

   Suddenly a rustling of leaves, stirred by the morning’s first breeze awakened the bird. Her sharp eyes searched for any movement near by, feeling safe she then stretched her wings and legs. Crushing loose debris with her powerful talons as she stood, then quickly arose to perch on the edge of her nest. After taking the time to preen every feather she moved her head, twisting this way and that while using her sharp eyes to scan the sky and fields below for any sign of life.

   She cried out in shrieks to lay terror in prey that might be close enough to hear. She again examined the fields for any movement below. Perhaps a slight feeling of disappointment flew through her mind as she spread her stout wings and rose into the sky shrieking as she flew.

Far below the cries gave fear to a field mouse. It froze for a instant, then started to run. It knew it was too far from the safety of its underground home. Its small eyes quickly looking for any place to hide, but its movement had betrayed it's location and the hawk was now diving fast.

   Moments later a small life was lost, not in vain to rot in the earth, but to help another life to survive in natures plan. The hawk alighted on a nearby branch to partake a good meal. Perhaps to give thanks or most likely not, life is harsh wither one is eaten or kills to eat. She must keep hunting to continue her life, and takes to the air once more.

End.

Comments welcome as always.

Old Rabbit    

[Mylo]

Very cyclical and detailed.  Nice to see a piece by you Old Rabbit. :3

[Varg the wanderer]

Well written. I enjoyed this story of hunting to eat and the detail you put into it.

[Old Rabbit]

Thank you Mylo.. I thought about making this story a poem,
but I decided to just do it in a story form instead.
I plan to post more stories, and will be happy to get helpful
suggestions.

Thank you as well Varg the wanderer.  I haven't done much
writing for a while. Glad you liked how it came out. Hope
to do more stories along. Helpful suggestions are always
accepted.

I plan to write more nature related shorts.

Old Rabbit

[Old Rabbit]

Here is another short story. A night fox hunt.

A Fox hunt.

With the setting of the sun, the evening shadows stretch across the forest floor. Followed by twilight’s slow discloser of twinkling stars scattered across the dark sky. Before long the rising moon casts an eerie white light over the shadowed forest floor.

Soon the sounds of the night drift into a foxes den, and there it stirs a fox from its day of restful sleep. After a wide yawn, and a stretch, she quietly crawls toward the entrance of her lair. There the wilily old fox sniffs, and listens closely before sticking her head out into the cool night air.

Her empty stomach rumbled slightly while she raised her nose into a evening breeze. Smelling nothing of interest she scratched an itch and trotted down a forest path that she took on her nightly hunting trips.

Keeping her nose near the ground she took notice of every little scent. Her minds eye envisioned each with smell much as we do with our eyes. Catching a promising scent of a wood mouse, her nose went to the earth where she soon found the rodents trail. She was barely able to contain a yip of excitement, when in the moonlight she spotted a careless mouse sitting on a log as it feasting on a seed.

With a bound she snatched the hapless creature from its perch, and after devouring it she licked her nose before continuing on her way.  Nature seldom forgives a lack of attention. If the fox was careless she would likely starve. So it works the same both ways.

End.

Comments and helpful suggestions always welcome.

Old Rabbit

P.S. I am not picking on mice. Just can't bring myself to
use one of my kin as prey.  

[Old Rabbit]

Another short hunting story. This time about wolves chasing a stag.

A stags desperate gamble.

   The sound of a stag’s territorial roar echoed through the crisp fall air of a high mountain valley, where it attracted the attention of a pack of timber wolves. The pack leader turns with his ears up and sniffed the air. Again the stags call is heard, and this time the pack circles toward the sound while hoping to find the scent trail of the large deer.

    It isn’t long before the trail is found, and the wolves break into a run. It had been several days since the pack had a good meal, so their hunger sped them on. Otherwise if they had been more cautious, the male deer might not have seen them as quick as he did.

   Even with a head start the pack was soon closing the distance between them as there was little to slow the pack in an open pristine forest. Ahead lay a fast mountain stream that the stag easily bounded across, though the wolves found the water so deep they had to swim. The fast current slammed one of the pack against a boulder knocking him senseless, and his body was swept away not to be seen again.

   Another was nearly lost, but found her footing, and lost little time following the rest of the pack. Though they had lost sight of the deer they stayed on its trail, their howls and barking sped the stag forward over a rocky ridge and down into another valley. The pack leader now only a few dozen yards behind the large deer, only had thoughts of catching his prey, or to stop him anyway he could.

The stag was heading for a narrow chasm, if he could jump it he would be safe. It was a gamble of desperation. If he made it he would live, if he didn’t he would fall to his death, and the wolves would have him. If he didn’t try they would have him anyway.

His decision was made in an instant, he sailed over brush, and past large rocks. Then the chasm at its narrowest, a point where he thought he could jump came into view. The alpha wolf was nearly upon the stag by now, and perhaps knew the stags plan as he was frantically trying to grab one of the large deer’s hind legs, but was kicked away instead.

Even though the stag was getting tired he had no choice but to try, and moments later the great deer jumped, his powerful hind legs propelling him through the air to cross the rifts expanse. Time appeared to stand still as his body seemed to hang in space. The alpha wolf watched while sliding to a stop at the canyons edge, then stood as the stag landed heavily on a lower rocky outcrop across the way. His hooves scrambling to gain a footing while the great wolf panted, perhaps hoping his prey might yet fall.

This day brought no luck to the wolves, the rest of the pack arrived and watched the stag gain his footing and was soon out of sight. Many times even powerful predators loose and go hungry for another day.

End.

Hope you all enjoyed the story.
Comments and helpful suggestions always welcome.

Old Rabbit

   

   

   

[Old Rabbit]

Another hunting story, but a slightly different twist.

Springtime hunt.

Springtime with its warmer days melts the last drifts of winter’s snow. Gentle rains bring forth flowers, grass, and foliage with its showers. It is the time of year when creatures of the wild great and small bear their young, each according to their kind.

Nearby a litter of fox pups is being nursed by their mother. The father is out gathering food for his family. He isn’t welcome in the den, so he must leave the food where the mother fox can find it, so she can stay and care for the new born pups.

Following scents while he hunts, the fox stops to watch a fawn take its first few steps, minutes later its mother helps the youngster find its first meal. The scent of the birth was enticing, but the fox decided he best look for smaller prey to feed his family.

Looking down not far away, a squirrel noisily barks at the fox before quickly climbing to her nest of entwined twigs, and leaves.  Located in a branch fork high in the tree, making a snug home to feed and keep her little ones. The fox somewhat irritated gruffly barked once at the squirrel, somehow knowing its actions would warn nearby prey. He stood for only a few moments then continued on.

Sure enough a family of rabbits hurried into a briar patch at the sound of the barking squirrel. The fox caught their scent, but when the trail led into the briars he sat down to scratch one of his ears. He knew there was little use trying to reach them now, so he continued on his way.

Twilight deepened the shadows on the forest floor. The sound of an owl hooting caused some nearby wood mice to squeak and scurry, arousing the attention of the hungry fox. Using his keen senses he pounced, snatching one for himself, then a fat one to take home for his mate.

end.

Hope you all enjoyed the story.
Comments and helpful suggestions always welcome.

Old Rabbit