Shifting Hunting Ground

Karina was out in the jungle training as hard as she could. She needed some space from everyone after she had received that horrible news in the throne room. The Scouts had reported that one of their patrols had gone missing. They doubled up on the search pulling extra duty from the outpost at the ancient ruins never to find out what had happened to the patrol.

First their appointed captain of the ruins thought the patrol was slacking. Hiding out to avoid their duty though any of their soldiers knew of the heavy penalty for slacking. Flogged to the point where they could barely stand. Ever since the incursion of the Primates no one, especially the King, wanted to have the jungle intruded on by enemies of their kingdom and have a chance to rob them blindly and plot against the walls of their sacred home. Never again.

But as days passed with no sign of the patrol they finally found a clue of why the patrol did not report back in or return to the outpost for to switch out with the next patrol. Piles of bones were scattered among the grounds where they were designated to patrol. Some of the bone still had blood staining them. Other pieces were hung on vines strung out like a marionette. Something or someone had the patrol killed and desecrated their remains. The Way one set of bones consisting of a skull, chest and hands tied up to a tree with the mouth gapping open as if the deceased one was screaming. It was a horrible sign. Many of those that found the remains preached that it had to be a bad omen.

King Rama and the rest of his family were utterly shocked by the report. None of them could know what to say. It was beyond anything they could have imagined. The Queen was sorrowful for those of the patrol had to have suffered such a grim fate. Their service would be honored, and their remains would be taken and buried properly. Mowgli and Exon maintained themselves but swore to remain on their guard. Exon had suggested they tighten their patrols. More shifts and a lot more than three in a group. Three times as more. The larger the force in a patrol the more likely they would stand a chance to whoever had dared to inflict such a disgrace upon their people.

Keva and Meadow were just as horrified by the report. Who could ever think of doing something like that to one of their own? It was not humane at all. Even when they kill an animal to eventually feast on them and use their remains for other uses they honor what they take and make good use of everything given by the animal even their domesticated ones. But for what the lost patrol had been done to them something about how they were found had a touch a curiosity. Only a person of intelligence and a sense of cruel nature could have done that and if they wanted an answer they needed to look in the library of the palace for them.

Karina, however, after the meeting stormed out of the palace after donning her warrior gear and took her spear and bow and quiver of arrows with her. She needed some space and to train without guidance. The Captain of the Guard would have his hands full and those instructing new recruits would be far too busy to watch and advise her. She had been training for years now. She was confident in her skills, but she had to maintain them.

Having left out from the kingdoms gates by her request she went far from the walls but not enough to hear the shouts and commands from the guardsman. She was not going out to hunt but only to train and return before it would get dark. She had not eaten anything since the early morning not ever since she heard what happened to three poor wolves that somehow were not only massacred but their bodies displayed in such a horrid fashion it worried, Karina that maybe more could fall into that gruesomeness maybe even, Mowgli! Thinking of her beloved Karina shouted out and thrusted and swung out her spear. She imagined the enemy that had done that deed was in front of her. Taunting her. Bearding her. Calling her names consisted of sloppiness and weak natured. How she was a slave twice.

The Wolf Girl growled thrusting out her spear multiple times stabbing her imaginative enemy. It could be anything or anyone. Some of those from her past that never saw their deaths for what they caused her. The Bandits that raided her people and enslaved her. The Primates who captured her and enslaved her and nearly killed her. And the two imprisoned eldest sons who had caused such grief upon her and, Mowgli and their own kingdom. Times she wished she could have just walked down into that dungeon and end them for what they had done. But the King had commanded they would live only to long for death. To be alone with only their thoughts on all those they betrayed through blind xenophobic way of thinking.

Continuing to strike out at her invisible foe surrounded by the jungle that seemed more quiet and calm than usual. As she trained on Karina was getting the feeling that something was amiss. She should be hearing the songs of the birds and some distant roars of some animals but all she could hear was the shouting of the guards far behind her on the top of the walls. With the report on what happened with the patrol, King Rama had ordered double the guard on the walls. He would not allow a single beast or person of any kind into the Kingdom. Unless they are known and part of the kingdom no one is allowed in until he is fetched and see's if the person is there for peaceful intentions. But the Wolf Kingdom seldom had visitors rarely from outside the jungle. They had lived in seclusion since the formation of their kingdom and that was just fine with them.

Throwing her spear a short distance from herself the spear impaled a few inches into the tree. She remembered when she first started spear throwing she often missed and it barely went in her intended target but the years of her strict training under, Captain Lance and a few other instructors their routines helped build up her strength and focus. Much like with her bow she learned to aim a different way. A Mix of balance and precise aim with her arm she could now hit a target that is just over ten feet without missing but she still needed to aim at a precise spot. She still had much to achieve but as, Captain Lance once told her progress even by small standard is a great deal and improvement can be made through such little progress.

Pricking up her ears and looking around Karina still had yet to hear one sound of a bird. It was quite odd. Even inside the walls of the Kingdom there were plenty of parrots flying about and a few crows and vultures that often hung around waiting to eat out the remains from the butchers that were tossed out from their shops for them to feast on.

"This is peculiar." She said scratching the top of her head rubbing some strands of her hair that went over her head during her training session. Not a single sound was coming from the jungle only the very faint sound of the waterfalls in the great distance and the soft rustling of the branches and leaves in the canopy above, but there was nothing at all. Karina didn't like this at all. Something felt amiss and she had to believe that she may not be as safe as she thought she would going outside the walls to train alone.

Getting a feeling that she was not safe Karina went over to retrieve her spear but then there was a loud rustle nearby. She turned to the right to see some bushes moved about in the soft breeze.

Then another rustle came from behind her. She turned around in alarm only to see more bushes flowing in the breeze and the trunks of the trees creaking slightly. Karina sighed in relief. Perhaps the news of the patrols apparent murder had put her too much on edge. She was so focused on her training and the spite she felt for those that wronged her in her life was making her paranoid. She had to be better than that. Again, remembering lessons from Captain Lance about control. Emotions like Anger can fuel a persons resolved but by not channeling it into focus it can make one arrogant and easy to maneuver around and be bested. He knows from experience given from the day he saved, Mowgli from a rogue guard that tried to kill him and had arrogantly claimed that, Lance only received his title due to his close relationship with, King Rama which was not true but the Captain had to fight the anger driven guard and he had ended so easily with all his anger and arrogance bested due to being unfocused due to his emotional state.

Turning back towards her spear she went to grab it reaching out her hand toward it but just behind the tree a being with dozens of black spots and bright yellow coated fur leapt out from near the tree having hid in some of the bushes. It had long since left its old hunting grounds as it became far too dangerous to risk hunting. It had to find a spot that had prey that could be easy pickings. Though the area it was entering far from where it once came the animal had to try to risk going to a spot where the danger was high but not as bad as the part of the jungle it had left before. Picking up the scent of a wolf along in the jungle it had to try to get it as the leopard had not eaten anything other than the bones of carcasses for days on end. It was hungry and this time it would not leave until a meal was made out of the lone prey it was stalking until the wolf got close enough for the animal to strike.

"Aah!" Karina screamed in surprise dropping back just barely missing the claws and fangs of the snarling leopard. It leapt onto the ground behind her and quickly turned around. It hissed and snarled its face full of hunger and desire. Karina quickly got up grabbing her spear and turned fast facing down the leopard.

The Wolf Girl growled at the attacking animal that slowly started to circle her. Karina kept her spear pointed out at it and watched carefully. She did not know how or why a predator such a leopard would be this close to the Wolf Kingdoms walls, but she could not think of that now she had to remain on the leopard who continued to circle her trying to find the moment to strike again. It failed in its surprise attack, but it would not be deterred.

Moving fast it came at Karina trying again to strike but, Karina kept her spear out and moved out of the way of a swipe from its claws and manage to hit the animal grazing it at its side. It yelped from the cut through its left front leg, but it did not back down. Hissing angrily, it leapt at her again. Karina moved back and kept the spear forward. She just needed to pierce the animal and move her weapon deep into it to finish it off or at least disable it to allow her to kill it with ease.

But the Leopard was starting to see that the sharp stick the wolf had in its hands was where it was encountering its problem. The stick had wounded it slightly, but the wolf could be vulnerable if it got rid of it. Karina took the opportunity to counter believing that the leopards wound in its side was enough to keep it from attacking further. She thrusted out her spear at the leopards head but just before it could penetrate it the leopard moved to the right side fast and with a quick snap of its jaws the front tip of the wooden spear was broken in two with the sharpened end falling onto the ground.

Karina gasped at the sudden destruction of her weapon, but the leopard took the opportunity to attack. Leaping onto Karina making the wolf fall to the floor it tried to bite at her hand but, Karina used what was left of the spear to hold the animals mouth back having pushed it horizontally into its mouth.

Grunting painfully with the weight of the leopard baring down on her as it tried to swipe at her with its extended claws, but she managed to move her head side to side narrowly avoiding its sharp claws while desperately keeping its mouth back with the remaining bit of the spear. If it managed to bite her it would be over. Even if she cried out for help there was no chance anyone would get to her in time. She had to think of something. Rearing her head upward enough to see behind her she saw her bow and quiver on the ground near enough try just out of reach. She had to get them. It was her only chance.

Snarling and gagging out from the wooden pole in its mouth the Leopard tried to bite it, but it was too deep to bite it with enough force to shatter it. Karina brought up her legs and beneath the underside of the animal and with all her might she hit it from below with both her feet knocking the leopard off of her sending it tumbling back. This was her chance!

Rolling onto her front and leapt with her legs and arms she rolled towards her bow grabbing it with one hand and pulled out an arrow from her quiver quickly loading it and turned around sharply with the bowstring pulled back and the leopard only just got back on its feet with, Karina aiming her bow at it.

She only had one chance. No time for another reload if she missed. She had to do this right and waited.

Enraged over the prey's continued defense the Leopard snarled menacingly and ran for the wolf girl. Fangs on full display it leapt at her once again and, Karina on one knee aimed her bow and just before the leopard came down she released the string sending the arrow straight into the eye of the leopard.

Quickly rolling to her right the leopard came down hard and flailed as the pain overwhelmed it desperately tried to pull the object that was implanted into its eye and right through its skull but within seconds the leopards flawing ceased and with a final breath the leopard died on its side with a soft stream of blood coming out from where the arrow was shot into.

Taking a couple deep breaths Karina got to her feet and stared down at the dead predator. Her expression quickly changed from shock to a look of triumph. She had just defeated a leopard single handedly and even survived its ambush attack. Holding up her spear she howled in great triumph so much that the guards on the wall nearby looked into the distance of the jungle hearing that howl that sounded as if someone had just won a tremendous victory.

Karina kneeled down to one knee again next to the dead leopard pulling out the arrow from its eye making the body twitch slightly before going stiff. As glorious as this was for Karina there was no real call for celebration. This was another serious matter that needed the King's attention. A Predator was close to the walls of the kingdom when the area around the walls were once free and clear of any threat. The Animals of the jungle knew well what areas to avoid. Why would a leopard come so close? There were questions needed answering though it was a wonder if anyone knew and answer.

Gathering her bow and quickly putting them both over her shoulders she grabbed some vines from the trees and tied them over the leopard binding its legs and mouth just in case and left a long string of vine for herself to pull the animal back to the kingdom. Anything that is told to the King would need proof and an entire leopard would undoubtedly prove to, Rama that now the hunting grounds of one predator has shifted close to their home. Other predators could be doing the same. First the missing patrol and now this? It had to fall on the King to see what could be done. But it would not be easy at all and if their people are now going to be at risk just by stepping out from the gate on the wall then their troubles were truly just beginning.