Author's note: I do not own the Predator franchise. This is just a work of fanfiction and I am not profiting from it.
I Can See You
I can see you. Here I am, looking down on you in more ways than one. You have gained my attention. Was it something you said? Something you did? Or maybe, it was just something in your possession. You will never know. You go about your business, unaware that I am watching. I am learning about you just by observing you. What you say. How you say it. What you do. The manner in which you do it. I am learning the right time to strike. I will only get one chance to get it right. I must be patient. If I fail to kill you with the first strike, your guard will rise. Those with you will also be on their guard. My job will become that much harder. Were I in a mood to challenge myself further, I might be tempted to alert you to my presence. However, I am not in such a generous mood. You are my prey. I am a hunter. You will not gain my sympathy, for I have none for you. You are not weak. You are not old. You are not with child. That means you are fair game for my hunt. The only uncertainty in my mind is what weapon in my arsenal will I use to kill you. Are you dangerous enough that I must keep my distance, or a target that I can take quickly? If so, then it will be my cannon. Will you be alone when I kill you? Will I provide you a measure of respect? If so, then I will use my claw. Are you a minor target that, in truth, should be passed over? If so, then I will use my disc. Of course, if you are to be a noble kill, then I have only one weapon for you. My spear. However, after watching you, experience tells me you will be worth my cannon. I can take you down quickly and move on to those you are with, for one of them already looks more promising than you.
You move away now. Spreading out from the others to cover more ground in a shorter time. Your weapon is drawn, you are on your guard. But you are looking in all the wrong places. You will never see me. Despite my size, you will not hear me either. I am so close to you now that I am practically breathing on you. Just a few more steps now. Wait. Wait. I hold my breath. Wait. Now you are mine! I let loose with a blast from my cannon. The bolt strikes true. It strikes you in the center of your frame. Those with you have not heard. Now I must move swiftly. I bound down from my perch and am on you in seconds. Quickly, I strip away your primitive equipment and cast it aside. Then I take you over my shoulder and return silently back to where I was.
I lay you out on the large limb of the tree I occupy. With the blade of my claw, I strip away your garments. You do not need them now. In death you have no need of modesty. I pull a cord from my pack and tie you at your ankles. With no effort at all, I string you up. Then, I cut you, letting your blood drain away. You are my trophy now. You are not the best I have taken, but you are far from the lowest. While I wait for you to be properly ready, I will observe the others. Which one of them will be next? Only time will tell.
It all begins again. Here I am. Watching. Waiting. You cannot see me. But, I can see you...
The End.
