A lil story for my Half-Light Hunter, Tobias. I'll probably add on pages when I get bored or can't sleep...which is kinda why I'm starting it now to be honest. The image below will take you to his bio/contest page. <3
Faint glimmers of moonlight trickled through the gaps between trees in the ancient deciduous forest. Leaves cluttered the ground, offering shelter to the small creatures that could be heard scuffling back and forth on occasion. Deep green bushes and ferns sprouted in all directions; some stout and thick, others twig-like and tall. A rustling could be heard as a cold breeze stirred the otherwise quiet setting, beginning a softly swaying dance of foliage. In the distance, a faint glow could be seen in small patterns, moving quickly through the underbrush. Glimpses of yellow were all that could be seen as the glow darted from place to place restlessly.
In the blink of an eye, the luminescent hunter leapt from the shadows, kicking up a cloud of leaves. A frantic squeaking tore through the peaceful night as a chaotic squabble between predator and prey began. The lithe brown tomcat swatted his paws in front of the rodent he had ambushed in an attempt to block its escape. A moment's hesitation on either end would mean death or hunger, which sent a fiery burst of adrenaline through the rune cat's veins. He shot his head forward, attempting to clasp his teeth around the critter, but its desperate struggles were far too violent to hone in on. Sharp teeth clacked against each other in the darkness, and once the tom had pulled back, his prey was already gone, hidden in the duff.
"Augh, seriously...!?" The tabby flattened his ears and sat twitching his whiskers. Almost as if to mock him, a gurgling sounded from his stomach. "Ngh, I know, I know!" Tobias hissed in annoyance to himself. His tail curled around his paws. At least nobody was there to see him fail once more in these unfamiliar woodlands. He reached for the accessory dangling from his neck, feeling the smooth amber against his paw, "I could use some good luck now, c'mon," he pleaded with the stone. Of course, there was no response. He turned to gaze behind him; yellow eyes piercing through the night. It had only been a few days since he had started traveling and already things weren't going well. Maybe he should've stayed in the nearby village...surely something was left to scavenge, and maybe a human would've come by eventually to check on all the smoke. Yeah, that was...probably a better idea, honestly. But staying put waiting for rescue just wasn't his style. Especially when his arrogance had convinced him that going back to his roots and surviving on instinct like his parents had taught him would be easy. But by now, the village was at least two days North, and with all of the failed ambushes he had attempted, Tobias' sense of direction was...not the best. Striped ears flicked in annoyance at the situation he had gotten himself into, but now wasn't a time for self-pity. If he wanted any chance of continuing, he needed food. With a sigh of resignation, the tom moved toward a patch of thick bushes, disappearing as he abandoned the vacant hunting grounds.
The half-moon hung low in the sky. It threatened to disappear as the beginning rays of sunlight crept over the hills to the East. The beginnings of birdsong brought the forest to life, though in hiding, the stray rune cat couldn't help but feel a pit in his stomach as it confirmed that he had gone another sleepless night trying to figure out how to survive. As he stepped into the open, his jewelry caught the light, standing out much more now that his fur was beginning to lose its glow. Dead leaves stirred as his black-tipped tail brushed against the forest floor. His eyes seemed glued to the ground as he continued his near-silent exploration; only to flick upward as a blur of feathers struck past him. A chickadee perched on a fallen log and began to hop back and forth, examining the dead wood for termites. Tobias immediately hunkered down, stretching his off-white paws in front of him as he silently took up a pouncing position. Under his breath, the cat murmured a 'thank you' as he stalked his prey, inching ever closer with bated breath. His paws itched to spring, and after a silent moment of calculation, the tom was airborne.
His landing wasn't the most graceful; as he overshot the downed log, though his outstretched claws were able to snag onto his target. Before it had time to chirp, Tobias was clawing at it with the finesse of a half-awake kitten. Thankfully, that was all that was needed. As he bit down, he could feel a rush of warm flavor. The tom quickly righted himself, standing on all four paws and proudly holding his catch. While he would've loved to dig into his food right then and there, a glance at the forest floor stopped him. His stomach did a small flip. Okay, living with humans really must've made him soft. When he was a kitten, he wouldn't have batted an eye at the concept of eating off the floor, but now...? Yeah, he had definitely gotten spoiled. He carried the bird to the nearest tree, and with the help of his claws and his strong back legs, he was nestled securely on a branch overlooking the scene. For the first time in what seemed like ages, Tobias felt his fur settle. At least for now, he was fed and safe. After eating what he could, the rune cat laid his head down and closed his eyes. Exhausted, the tom's tail curled around his lackluster form, bringing the amber adorning his tail tip next to his muzzle. A sense of calm washed over him, and within minutes he was fast asleep.
