"You wish to play a game of hide-and-seek?" a confused, young dinosaur asked the young human swinging on the swing sets.

As if on cue, she launched herself off at the highest point and landed safely within Ethan's hold. She giggled as she petted his snout, eliciting a grateful purr. "Yeah!" she cheered. "I wanna play a new game with my best friend!"

Despite his thoughts melting into bliss from her pets, Ethan began to ponder this hide-and-seek. According to his research, the game is mainly composed of a single seeker seeking other players who are known as the hiders. The game is not won until the seeker achieves his/her goal of discovering the hiders. A very simple yet interesting game in his opinion.

Layla wiggled out of his hug. "Ok! I hide and you count to ten. All right?"

Ethan chuckled at her cuteness. "Very well, Layla. I shall now close my eyes and count to ten."

Darkness covered the dinosaur's vision. And within that darkness, he came the sound of running footsteps slowly fading out of his reach until ending with the sudden rustle of a bush. It had already been passed ten, but Ethan, knowing full well how easily he could catch up to his friend thanks to his speed, he decided to instead count to 100 instead.

As time passed, Ethan meditated on his calm breathing, to the birds singing within the trees, and to the soothing breeze flowing across the park..

96... 97…98…100, he counted. He opened his eyes.

It was almost as if Ethan was seeing the world in a strange trance. A voice kept echoing in his head.

"Find her," it persisted.

Ethan did not agree nor did he disagree. He just followed.

The dinosaur raised his snout to sniff at the air. The remnants of Layla's sweet scent still lingered. Without a single thought in mind, he brushed past the bushes and entered the dark forest where the shadows roamed. Layla's scent were small fragments his snout had to pick up, but the farther he slowly ventured into the forest, the more he was able to piece those fragments into a trail to follow. And that trail led to an open clearing where the trees could not stop the sun's pouring light.

Layla was hiding behind a huge boulder in the middle of the clearing. She peeked from the side of the rock, scanning for any signs of anything scaly, before quickly retreating back to sitting down and hugging her knees, giggling at her cleverness.

It would've been a decent spot if it weren't for a predatory gaze looming over her within the forest's darkness.

Ethan made a motion to take a step, but stopped.

How should he approach her? Should he simply step out and greet her? That is how the game is won, right? But why ruin the moment? Why when she looks so happy… so innocent… so helpless… so defenseless…

A voice from the dark corners of his mind told him to rush at her and pounce on her while the chance is ripe. Then, as she's pinned to the ground, paralyze her with his predator's gaze. Then after drinking in her fear, he'll-

NO, Ethan's consciousness roared, banishing that voice from wherever dark corner it came from. He will not harm her in any way!

Ethan inhaled a deep breath and stepped into the light.

Present Day

Layla fell to her knees, gasping for precious oxygen. She had been running through the forest for ten minutes straight nonstop! Her lungs pretty much begging for her to stop. What she wouldn't give for some cold, refreshing mountain dew.

Crack!

Layla's instincts immediately reacted. She turned her head towards the sound only to discover nothing but darkness.

Crack!

There it was again, louder this time… closer this time, but she couldn't find what was lurking beyond her vision. Layla strained her ears trying to pinpoint its location. That's when she heard it.

A feral, ungodly growl ensnared her in fear. She forced her head to check behind her to come face to face with a pair of blood-red eyes glowing in the void. It opened its maw and revealed row after row of sharp teeth just itching to tear something apart, dripping hungry drool.

Layla ran. She didn't know where but she just ran. She kept running and running until she broke into an open clearing. Her eyes spotted a boulder sitting at the middle of the clearing. She attempted a run for the boulder, but as soon as she took her first step, something large and heavy tackled her to the ground.

The wind was knocked of her body and her vision became blurry. The instant she regained sight, fear gripped at her heart. A big, hulking dinosaur was pinning her to the grass with his blood-red, predatory gaze bearing down overwhelming pressure. The full moon radiating behind him and his near-glowing red eyes made him a sight to both fear and behold.

The beast's snout darted for Layla's exposed neck and inhaled deeply her scent. Already it had drugged him and left him groaning in bliss. Next, the dinosaur began to torment his freshly caught prey by nipping at her neck. Layla whimpered in a mix between pain and pleasure and aroused her predator further.

He desired more.

The moment Layla gasped for air, Ethan shoved his tongue inside deep as he could. She could feel him thrusting that long tongue of his down her throat. Dizziness from the lack of air started to turn her brain to mush. But she didn't care. Never did she feel anything so intense and amazing!

It wasn't enough. The beast relinquished his tongue. He trailed his snout down while Layla's lungs clawed for breath. He came across his prey's small breasts, nudging them affectionately. He wanted to taste them, but his prey's infernal clothing would make the act impossible. He positioned his maw to bite down the bottom of her shirt. He proceeded to lift up the fabric, exposing her smooth belly.

"Ethan…" Layla moaned, realizing his intentions..

He passed over her chest and found delight in seeing her tiny breasts covered in such a puny, pink bra.

"…please…"

He was so close. The arms were the last he needed to pass.

"…stop…"

Ethan pulled back.

"Layla, forgive me!" he stammered. He finally noticed just how much fear he instilled into her. Tears were threatening to fall and her lips quivered uncontrollably. Guilt hit the dinosaur hard. If she hadn't broken him from his trance, he could have-

"Ethan, it's ok," Layla assured, wiping away her tears and giving him a smile. "Things just got out of hand, all right?"

Ethan removed himself from her and sat up. Layla sat up along with him. She stared at him for a few seconds, noticing how solemn his eyes were as he gazed at the moon, until deciding to nestle her head against his arm.

"I'm sorry," Ethan said.

She punched his arm. "Don't worry about it, Ethan. I'm getting used to this stuff happening every time we play hide-and-seek. And I kinda like it. I don't see any problems."

"The problem is that we play these games…" Ethan explained glumly.

A little hurt, she responded, "And what's that suppose to mean?"

"It is not what you think I mean. When we play these games, say tag or hide-and-seek, I start to perceive you as my prey…" he admitted with guilt.

Layla laughed. "Prey?"

Ethan looked down at her.

Layla froze. That predatory gaze that had trapped her had returned.

"And I, the predator," Ethan continued in a grave voice. "I can still feel the thrill of the hunt coursing through my veins. Your fruitless attempts of escape… your haggard breathes… and your fear arouses me like never before. With each hunt my urges only become that much harder to contain."

"And uh… just out of curiosity… what kind of urges are we talking here?"

Swallowing embarrassment, Ethan pointed at his crotch.

Layla's blush glowed brighter under the moon. "Oh… that kind of urges."

Ethan nodded.

"I wouldn't think too badly of it if I were you, though." She embraced him in a small, warm hug and it was Ethan's turn to blush. "I think it's pretty cool to think of you as my big, strong predator who loves his prey very much."

Ethan smiled as well and embraced her with his bigger, warmer hug. "Then I too will start to believe it is cool to think of you as little, cute prey who loves her predator very much."

Log: Predator and Prey

To be honest, I do not find the idea of a predator loving his prey and a prey loving her predator very cool. Rather, I find the concept of the relationship to be very… *cough *cough… sexy…

Ugh, I cannot believe I have just said that. Such a vulgar word to describe it, and yet, the only word I can to describe it. I can imagine myself, the predator, ravaging my prey, Layla, with so much love and affection I can not help but feel stimulated by the mere thought of it.

And that is where the problem lies.

How much longer can I contain my primal urges?

How much longer before I force upon Layla my primal urges against her will?

How much longer will it continue to be safe to love her?