Balance, Perfect. Steps, silent. Target...unaware. The cold, emotionless eyes of a predator rested on the younger girl; although she would have passed for a boy had he not know her better. The bagging jeans and over sized hoodie disgusted her figure whilst her cropped hair and ringed eyes hid the slighter features of her face. Quick flick of coiled tail as he moved closer. A twitch from the yellow ear was betrayed by the brown tip as the girl's light brown eyes glanced up. The stalker's eyes were also brown- a shade darker but so similar the average eye would miss the difference. The hunter and his prey were very alike in truth: his gold fur a few shades brighter than the yellow in her dual coloured coat; her second colour matched her eyes. Both had short hair although his was the same rich gold as his coat and her's matched the brown in her coat. Even their tails were similar as they curled inwards naturally at the tip and flowed smoothly. She stood a fraction taller than him but he had the larger build. Pounding filled his ears in a steady rhythm as adrenalin took over. Everything became clearer. The bright glare from the midday sun vanished, a few metres away the teenage girl's brother was strolling and listen to the nearby birds. Scratching emerged from the tip of a pen grinding in rapid, smooth motions across slightly coarse paper in a diary. Shadows, reaching out to the silent watcher like good friends to mask his presence in an otherwise perfectly normal scene. Barely audio able growl that was surprising given his species as he fought his tail's urge to move. He could not fail this time. The flawless white fangs he had inherited broke through the gap in his lips to form a twisted smile. Eyes shimmered with pleasure as he crept along the wood's edge on his belly. The field's long grass had led to her demise as this time she was unaware of his approach. He felt the tremors her lashing tail caused on the ground and froze. The very blood which aided his assault had alerted her to an unknown threat. In his mind's eye he pictured her standing up and frantically scanning the field, perhaps even calling her brother in an attempt to end the game... she would have no such luck. Soft crunch as she returned to her seat among the plants but frozen he stayed. Now she was alert he would have to be twice as wary. Gingerly placing one foot forward he froze again, straining to catch even the slightest sound of movement. It was all over if there was! She did not stir and the twisted smile became a sneer at her own foolishness. Lighting quick movement brought him to the field where he risked a brief dash into the open. She never looked up. Panting emerged from his frantic lips and his body trembled with anticipation. Another twitch of an ear and the panting was ceased. Every movement seemed to drag out for the desperate hunter but the distance between himself and his prey decreased with every step. Soon he was close enough to witness the sweat forming on her slender neck from the heat of the day or perhaps fear. The second filled the stalker with a ferocious glee! A few more steps and he could see the ribbon of fur where yellow dived frantically into a sea of brown. He bit back a snarl. Three more steps and he could have touched her back but that was the last thing he wished to do. Lowering his body to the ground he hesitated. Quick shift of balance that was invisible to any watchers. He sprang... with supernatural reactions she twisted away from him so that only the tips of his outstretched fingers brushed her ears before he was sent head over heels down the bank. A soft laughter reached the teenager's ears and he finally released the snarl he'd held back for what seemed like a life time. A lifetime to achieve and a heartbeat to destroy. The creature who'd laughed emerged from his hiding place in the grass and flashed an award winning smile at the younger being sprawled on the ground
"Next time then kid?" was the enquiry
"I'll get her" the hunter snarled "and when I do neither you nor her will be laughing"
The hand was offered but the predator declined "I don't need your help" he growled whilst his former prey watched from above with a wild grin on her face.
"Same time tomorrow then?"
Slowly other figures emerged from the field, all of them laughing, laughing at him! A growl escaped the hunter's throat and he quickly stalked away. He was a lone wolf he didn't need them. Although while he was on that thought he bore no resemblance to his sire physically. In fact apart from his colouration the only similarities he shared with his father were in the deepest recesses of his mind... not that they'd ever discussed that. It was hardly light conversation the predator chuckled to himself as he once again vanished into the shadows. Next time he'd succeed and then he'd be the one laughing. That made him smile. His instincts ruled supreme.