<a class="postlink" href="http://i1213.photobucket.com/albums/cc465/saphiraah1/Decorated%20images/fall-nature-trail.jpg">[ img ]</a><br/><br/><span style="color: #00BF00"><span style="font-style: italic">Silence was impossible. The trees had begun shedding their leaves, dropping them to the ground to let them dry in the weak fall sunlight. The result was a crunchy, brittle carpet that created a crackling rustle with every movement. A lone figure, recognizable as Braman and female, crouched low behind a bush, resting on her heels as she peered into the shadowy trees to the northwest. She remained absolutely still, barely breathing, as her eyes fixed on the shadowy space under the dense trees ahead. <br/><br/>Reaching down to the soft carpet of dry leaves around her, she pinched a leaf between her fingers and held it up before her. Closing her fist around it, she crunched it to powder before letting the fragments drift on the breeze. They floated toward her. Nodding, she stood once more. The breeze moved south, which placed her downwind from her prey. Delicately, she slipped out of the pack strapped over her shoulders. The strips of woven flax made a soft rustling noise as she carefully slid the straps down her arms and settled it at the base of the tree beside her. <br/><br/>Without her burden, she was able to creep through the brush easily, sweeping the leaves aside with shallow footsteps, rather than crunching the foliage under foot. In this way, she managed to cross the distance between herself and the buck grazing in a small clearing in the trees. He was majestic and proud, spreading antler's standing tall. Her hands instinctively tightened on the hilts of her swords as she drew them. The buck stood facing the northeast, still and peaceful, so she crept forward. Just as she was near enough to strike, blades rising in preparation, her boot settled on a twig she'd failed to notice, creating a sharp crack, and the buck jerked nervously, tensed and sprinted off to the west, disappearing into the trees. Growling in frustration, she watched him go, then turned to trudge back to her pack. The last thing she needed would be to lose her pack so deep in the woods and be left with no food, no water, no bandages, no fire kit...<br/><br/>Grumbling, she made no attempt at moving quietly as she stepped over jutting roots and wove her way around bushes back to the tree that hid her pack. Distracted as she was, she never heard the approach until it was nearly too late. The crash of movement came as a shock to her. She whirled, blades once more sliding from their scabbards. A great bobcat, far larger than any she'd yet seen, hurtled out of the trees... and she understood. She had not been the only predator stalking the buck... and she hadn't been the one to scare it away. <br/><br/>She felt her limbs burn with a wave of power as her body rose to the challenge. The beast leaped from the limb of a tree, letting out a fierce yowl, claws glinting in the dim, muted light of the forest. With a mighty swing, she stopped the arcing path of a giant paw, then swung immediately with the other arm, aiming for the beast's neck. Her weapon was stopped short as the animal landed on her heavily, teeth snapping. One of the swords fell from her hand as she scrambled to push the great maw away from herself, fist closing around the fur and loose skin harmlessly. The long blade of her sword was useless at such close proximity so she let it fall and twisted under the weight of the great cat, stretching for her leather boot. <br/><br/>Claws and fangs bit into her skin savagely and the weight of the animal drove what little breath she had from her lungs. Her vision began to cloud around the edges as she felt a massive pressure on her neck. Finally, her clumsy fingers closed around the knife sheathed in her boot and she drew it with effort. Unable to breathe or think, she acted on instinct and plunged the short blade as deep as it would go into the animal's side. For a moment, she just lay there unthinking, then jerked the knife back and plunged it in again. This last burst of effort set her head to spinning and her fingers fumbled the blade. Leaving it buried in the animal's side, her arm went limp and fell to the ground as her eyes rolled back. Darkness descended and she knew no more.</span></span>