12th Day of Winter, 513AV Once again, the scent of deer had been lost; though Kalina had tried so hard to keep her nose close to the ground, and keep close to the scent of the deer. Since her fist sighting of one back in the Wildlands, when she and the rest of her party were travelling from Ravok to Nyka, she had been desperate to spy another, and possibly even catch one. This time, though, she had not seen one, only smelt it. The ocelot glances up, and cranes her neck around to look behind her. Down the steep hill she had climbed up to get away from the city, she could see the city of Zeltiva, it's high buildings and rooves just below her. Having been so intent on the trail, Kalina hadn't realised how far she had climbed, despite the warning her owner had given her to not venture too far. This not far, though, the ocelot tries to convince herself, I can still see Sel-va. And I not a baby, don't need looking after like Master thinks. And this was true, to an extent; as a human, the Kelvic appeared little more than a child. But, as an ocelot, Kalina was now almost fully grown - soon she would no longer be able to be described as a kitten. At five seasons old, she was physically more than capable of handling herself, though some of that might have been the over-confidence forcing its way through. Despite the fact that she had decided to ignore her owner's wishes, the young Kelvic doubles back on herself, intent of finding the scent she had previously been following. Mere chimes later, she has once again come across the scent for which she had been searching. Predatory instinct takes over the Kelvic, stripping the humanity away from the girl. This time, she would not fail. The scent is still strong, not like some of the others she had followed in the Wildlands. That told her that the deer had recently been here, and couldn't be much farther ahead. Her stomach drops to the ground as she traces it, her slit pupils dilating in the sudden desire for her prey. Her paw steps are slow, deliberate and silent. Remember last time, remember when you jumped too soon. Her better-than-perfect-eyesight could see something in the near distance, something that looks out of place amongst the bushes and foliage. A low, feral growl escapes her as she continues to creep forward, using the almost leafless bushes as cover; her spotted fur making perfect camouflage. Kalina is silent enough that the deer still has no idea of the approaching enemy. She begins salivating, now desperate for the deer in front of her. A few steps more and she notices the antlers. Kalina pauses in a moment of confusion; not all deer had the pointy things in their heads. Her nose hits the ground again, and she takes a deep breath; yes, it smelt the same as the last one. After what feels like countless bells, she finally decides that she is close enough. She crouches further down, but in that instant, her back paw, which has most of her weight on it, breaks a dried up twig. The buck startles. Kalina leaps. The chase does not last for long; the ocelot was close enough to keep up, and she was faster. But, with her final leap, the buck stops and spins, his antlers catching Kalina in her side. The ocelot sees nothing more of the deer as she hits the ground. |