Wild Cat

I was out later than expected tonight, when the lush forest blocks out the sun you tend to lose track of time, and the rest of the world. However, when you’re studying the raw, natural beauty of nature, the rest of the world is not nearly as magnificent.

Now I have nothing except my own good sense to lead me back to camp. The forest is peaceful, and the smell of the trees and oncoming rain put me at ease, so I walk slowly. Eyes of unknown creatures watch me pass from the shadows; I know my footsteps are not the only ones crackling the leaves below. Although I do this every other day, the sounds of the night strike fear into me, different sounds come from all difference discretions, screeching, growling, rustling, and more that I can’t identify. Above all the other sounds, closer than the rest I hear the roar of a wildcat above me in the treetops.

My instincts say run, but I know better, if I run the wild cat will chase me, but if I keep my pace, he may just keep stalking me until I’m safe again. I continue on, slower than before, straining to keep track of my predator. I can hear my own ragged breathing and my heart pounding in my chest, they’re much louder than the sounds of the night, only when I stop trying so hard is when I can hear him jumping and slinking over the branches and through the thick green leaves. I stop, standing still to get a good imprint of my surroundings. Every direction shows tall dark shadows of trees looming above me, it feels like they’re staring me down, on in and around them are eyes, eyes of all different sizes shapes and colors. A light mist has settled, making it hard to see my own hand in front of my face, although my situation is more difficult now I find the mist invigorating.

It feels like the whole forest has gone silent and lightless during my pause, there is not way I’ll make it back without using my flashlight. The click sounds like a thundering crack in the silence and the light is like the glow of headlights in the night. I gradually turn to get a complete picture of the jungle. Something snaps behind me, swiftly I whip around, only to see the beast that’s been stalking me right there in front of me, its lets out its battle cry, making the whole jungle echo, then it pounces like a monster out of a nightmare, its claws ripping and burning through my flesh, and warm blood trickles down from multiple wounds over my body. Realizing I’m not its dinner of choice, the wild cat leaves me on the forest floor to die.