My beast was ravenous as I stalked toward my prey. But I kept it chained in the back of my mind as I slowly made my descent down to the river bank below. My Prey was non-other than Samuel Gray. He was 25 and had escaped prison only days before his execution and was now living off the land.

I circled through the trees. Keeping my body as close to the ground as possible. I crept closer and closer toward him. And just as he made it to the edge of the water, I sprang. My jump forced both of us into the fast moving rapids. As I fought to stay above I could barely make out his blond head moving swiftly down the river and finally coming to a stop at a fallen tree. I made my way to the bank and pulled myself out. He was a bit shaken but from what I could see, he was all right. He tried to climb out by using the tree but I got there first. I was laying down on the only dry part of the tree leisurely licking my coat while he looked up at me with fright in his eyes.

"What do you want from me?" I glanced down at the man in front of me. As I changed into my half and half form I felt like laughing at the sight of his eyes enlarging to the size of walnuts. I was in my human form but had 2 golden ears atop my mess of light brown curls and a tail poking out from my jeans. I also had extremely sharp claws which are very useful…

"I'm here to take you back."

"No can do. But, sorry I'm kind of enjoying my freedom."

I feigned innocence. "Please… Everybody's waiting for you to come back."

"Hell NO…." I felt stupid when he said those words longer than they should be.

'Okay, no more being nice then.' I thought. I smiled wickedly at him.

"Do you want me to sharpen my claws on you?" He finally realized that he was in a very dire situation.

Golden eyes stared into dark green ones. We each waited for the other one to crack.

"Wait, Wait. Just let me get out of this water and then we will negotiate." He said.

'Negotiate? Who did he think he was talking to? Who did he think had the upper hand? Are all humans this stupid?' I thought.

I backed up and allowed him to climb out. It took one second and he broke out in a sprint. I groaned and ran after him taking him down before he could even get three feet.

"Well, that didn't go as planned." He grumbled out.

"You should have known it would just end up as a major pratfall, Samuel." I smiled.

"So you know my name but I don't even know yours."

'He's got a point there. Well he's going to die soon anyway so what the heck.' I thought.

"It's Chimala."

"What does that mean?" He asked.

"Beauty. My mother used to call me her Little Beauty and so the rest of the townspeople just started calling me Chimala." I grimaced at the thought of my mother.

He must have seen my face because his next question was one that I dreaded.

"Where's your mother now?"

"She's up in heaven. When the Red King found out that I was a shifter he came to take me away. But my mother wouldn't give me to him. And because of her resistance he killed her and all the other townspeople."

'Great, now I'm in a very melancholy mood…' I sadly thought.

"Well I'm sorry that I brought it up." He slowly raised his eyes to look at me.

"She's gone now so it doesn't matter."

"My mother was killed too. The Red King found out that she had given birth to a half breed shifter like me."

"You're a shifter?" I gasped.

"Well, technically. But I don't even shift. I just have sharper teeth than most people."

He was embarrassed. I could tell.

'Well at least you're not forced to work for the King…' I thought. As I fingered the collar around my neck.

"What's that?"

"Oh. It's a very novel idea that the King's Researchers came up with to keep the hunters in order. So if I step one foot out of the country I will be shocked." I said with venom dripping from my words.

"Well, do you mind if I try to take it off?"

"Sure, but it sometimes shocks me when I'm messing with it too much so be careful.

I sat patiently as he tried his luck with my collar. He pulled out a knife and immediately I had jumped back about five feet. He slowly made his way over to me and began fiddling with it.

One minute I was blissfully sitting and then my world erupted in agony. Let me tell you being electrocuted is NOT FUN. As I was rolling on the ground Samuel started messing with the collar again. All I heard was a loud cacophony of sounds. And as quick as it started it stopped. I heard the collar drop into the dewy grass.

"Chimala! Chimala! Are you okay? Say something? He asked while frantically checking to see if I was still alive.

"An elephant has a proboscis!" I smiled as I said that. Proboscis is such a funny word.

I could hear him fall back onto the ground with a long, relieved sigh.

'Well now I am definitely awake.' I thought.

"So where were you heading to when I found you?' I asked.

"I was going to gather volunteers to attack the King tomorrow night at his annual ball. We are tired of all the suffering that he has caused. Do you want to join us? I bet it's not fun when you're constantly following orders. Right?

"Well I have nothing else to do and plus I do kind of owe you for taking off that collar. So why not." I replied.

"Okay then it's settled. We will camp for the night and then set off at dawn."

As the sun came up we were well on our way already. We made our way to the town that Samuel had spoken of. All in all we had 9 people that were ready to rebel against the Red King. As we travelled across the King's wide expanse of land we came upon the edge of the King's Royal Castle. The moat around it was almost a half of a fathom deep! I couldn't believe it! As we walked through the gates we passed beautiful mausoleums and statues. Some were so old that they were cracked and breaking apart.

Tonight was the King's Annual Ball and Banquet. Our group was disguised as Lion Tamers. We were supposed to entertain the guests while they waited for their food. I was to be the lion, obviously. Samuel was the Tamer and the rest of our group were the assistants.

As we made our way inside, successfully making it past the odious and not at all impartial guards, we started setting up and talking about the "performance." As we were talking the trumpets began to blare announcing the King's arrival. The Red King was a very stolid and multifaceted man. He then began his extremely long Dictum. We all glanced at each other. The fun was about to begin. I grinned like a predator taking down its prey.

As the King finished his speech and took his seat and the crowd began eating. Samuel gave the smallest, most imperceptible nod of his head and we sprang into action. One of our female "assistants" pretended to faint and all the Lords and Ladies began to gather around her. I made my way toward the high table where the Red King sat.

I changed into my half and half form and sprang toward him but immediately spears came at me from all angles.

"Samuel!" I screamed.

He came behind me and began taking down guards left and right. I could already see that 2 of our people had fallen prey to the King's personal guard.

I was still fighting a guard when I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my right side. I screamed and fell onto my side. The guard above me laughed and raised the spear that was dripping with my blood and was about to make the final blow when he suddenly fell forward. Samuel stood behind holding a bloody dagger in his hand. I turned around but the King had already escaped. Guards were pouring out of doors all around us.

"Run!" Samuel shouted to our little group.

We all ran through the halls of the magnificent castle before finally making it to the gates. We had to get rid of a few guards before running away to the safety of the trees.

Samuel and I looked back at the castle. I put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"We'll get him next time." I say before walking into the night.