Thirteen Days: Predators
Oct. 29th, 2007 06:28 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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xp_logsNathan, in the midst of trying to kill something for dinner in Tibet, has an unusual encounter - and then hears someone calling his name.
Nathan's eyes narrowed, but he stayed absolutely still, his breathing as close to soundless as he could make it. The hare he was watching paused, dark eyes blinking, ears twitching. It knows I'm here... just doesn't see me yet.
He adjusted his grip on the stick he'd fashioned from a fallen tree branch. It was about the right size and weight. Even if it's been about fifteen years since I tried this trick... But Clarice and Angelo needed something to eat. As he did, if he was planning to try moving them out of here. The weather this morning had been unpromising, and he'd decided to wait for long enough to see if he could kill them something to eat, for fuel.
He'd had to wait longer than expected. The hare's ears twitched, and Nathan saw the muscles in its hindquarters shift. Anticipating the leap, he rose in one almost-smooth motion and threw the stick. The animal squealed and fell, and Nathan hurriedly limped up the slope to finish it off.
It was a good-sized hare. Enough meat to give all of us a little energy. Nathan rose, lifting the carcass by its back legs. There was movement above him and he looked up sharply - only to freeze again as he saw the creature above him.
Damn. If he'd had any doubts they were in Tibet or somewhere in Tibet's vicinity, the snow leopard poised on the ridge above him would have answered them. It fixed him with intent silvery gray eyes and Nathan stayed where he was, remaining very still.
He'd seen snow leopards before in the Himalayas. It had been a pair of young leopards that time, leaping and attacking each other as they played in the snow. This one was clearly a full-grown adult. Just as beautiful as the adolescents had been, all silky silver-gray fur and bold black markings.
"I'm not prey," he said steadily. "Don't get any ideas."
The big cat blinked at him - and then laid down. Its posture was definitely relaxed - Nathan had seen enough cats in his life to recognize the body language - but it didn't stop watching him.
"Don't tell me you want the rabbit." The leopard's tail moved, suggestively. "Well, sorry, but that's our dinner." This really was kind of remarkable. Had it never seen people? Could explain why it didn't seem to be afraid.
We're farther from home that I thought, then. Nathan breathed out, a bit shakily, trying to resist the weight that seemed to be pressing down on him. He himself was fine - he could survive here for days longer with no problem - but Angelo and Clarice needed medical attention, and soon.
The leopard stared at him steadily, then rose. It was gone with a bound over the ridge and out of sight, and Nathan sighed. "Well," he said to the dead rabbit. "Glad I didn't have to get into an argument with him."
Someone was calling his name. Nathan stiffened, looking up almost instinctively, until he realized the voice was inside his head, reduced to a whisper in deference to his battered mind.
#Nathan.#
#Charles.#
Nathan's eyes narrowed, but he stayed absolutely still, his breathing as close to soundless as he could make it. The hare he was watching paused, dark eyes blinking, ears twitching. It knows I'm here... just doesn't see me yet.
He adjusted his grip on the stick he'd fashioned from a fallen tree branch. It was about the right size and weight. Even if it's been about fifteen years since I tried this trick... But Clarice and Angelo needed something to eat. As he did, if he was planning to try moving them out of here. The weather this morning had been unpromising, and he'd decided to wait for long enough to see if he could kill them something to eat, for fuel.
He'd had to wait longer than expected. The hare's ears twitched, and Nathan saw the muscles in its hindquarters shift. Anticipating the leap, he rose in one almost-smooth motion and threw the stick. The animal squealed and fell, and Nathan hurriedly limped up the slope to finish it off.
It was a good-sized hare. Enough meat to give all of us a little energy. Nathan rose, lifting the carcass by its back legs. There was movement above him and he looked up sharply - only to freeze again as he saw the creature above him.
Damn. If he'd had any doubts they were in Tibet or somewhere in Tibet's vicinity, the snow leopard poised on the ridge above him would have answered them. It fixed him with intent silvery gray eyes and Nathan stayed where he was, remaining very still.
He'd seen snow leopards before in the Himalayas. It had been a pair of young leopards that time, leaping and attacking each other as they played in the snow. This one was clearly a full-grown adult. Just as beautiful as the adolescents had been, all silky silver-gray fur and bold black markings.
"I'm not prey," he said steadily. "Don't get any ideas."
The big cat blinked at him - and then laid down. Its posture was definitely relaxed - Nathan had seen enough cats in his life to recognize the body language - but it didn't stop watching him.
"Don't tell me you want the rabbit." The leopard's tail moved, suggestively. "Well, sorry, but that's our dinner." This really was kind of remarkable. Had it never seen people? Could explain why it didn't seem to be afraid.
We're farther from home that I thought, then. Nathan breathed out, a bit shakily, trying to resist the weight that seemed to be pressing down on him. He himself was fine - he could survive here for days longer with no problem - but Angelo and Clarice needed medical attention, and soon.
The leopard stared at him steadily, then rose. It was gone with a bound over the ridge and out of sight, and Nathan sighed. "Well," he said to the dead rabbit. "Glad I didn't have to get into an argument with him."
Someone was calling his name. Nathan stiffened, looking up almost instinctively, until he realized the voice was inside his head, reduced to a whisper in deference to his battered mind.
#Nathan.#
#Charles.#
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