<span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;">~Three Days Later~</span><br/><br/>We've split up by now, each of us dashing to different areas of the Nightmare Lands or out of the known territories all together. Prey is scarce and what little I can find must be scarfed down. There are patrols everywhere, both of Atma Kabile and Ursus. Nowhere is truly safe. There is no clan for me anymore; exile is cold, lonely, harsh, and unprotected. I can't stop and whine like this; it won't help me find new territory or find prey and water. I stiffened, sniffing the ground. The Ursus territories were closer than I'd thought. Hearing a soft trickle nearby, I slowly raised my head and pricked my ears. It was a sweet sound like no other on Earth; the soft gurgle of a stream. I let out a delighted growl, rushing through the underbrush.<br/><br/>Forgetting any sense of stealth, I charged through the brush, swatting away the lower branches and underbrush. I was breathing hard, heaving in great breaths of air as I leaped and bounded through the woods. I haven't had water or food for so long.... Imagining a stream surrounded by hundreds of lazy deer, I came dashing into a sudden clearing. Sure enough. There was my prize. I slowly stalked closer, licking my lips with a dry tongue. This would be such a relief; water, clean water, flowing down my throat in just a few seconds.<br/><br/>I slowly bent my head, my tongue flashing with speed and lapping up a long drink of water. I slowly dove in, splashing a bit to wash the mud and dirt from my fur. It was better than medicine or food. Cool water dripped down my fur, gently smoothing it down and then nearly plastering it to my skin as I got soaking wet. After thirty minutes of this joyous splashing, I crawled out and licked my fur dry and clean. This was the first good day since my exile. Letting out a contented meow, I wandered from the stream's edge, then spotted a deer.<br/><br/>Oh, this was too perfect, I thought, crouching down wind and out of sight. The deer was sleepily wandering to the banks of the river, completely unaware of the danger it was in. I flicked my tail slightly, gaining balance and bunching my muscles to spring. Slowly creeping forward, I pressed closer to the ground. Closer. Closer. There! Like the hunters of old, I gracefully leaped from the tall grass and towards my prey, claws extended. A second later, I slammed into the animal's neck, tearing at it with natural predatory ferocity. Lunch time.<br/><br/>After a hearty meal, I sat near my recent kill and licked my claws and maw clean of blood. My eyes flickered, noting the sun was getting low. At least, the trees were very high here; I'd have a place to spend the night. Turning to the rest of my meal, I gripped onto the carcass with my teeth and began dragging it with me towards the nearest tree. We slowly made our way up the tree, the dead deer and I. After a while, I settled onto the top branch of the tree and began another meal. It was so good to finally begin eating. Blinking in the dark, I suddenly froze. A full squad of bears was headed my way. I gulped, then dug further into the tree, shaking. This was the worst way for this day to end.