Sabre: The Grasslands Book 1

Chapter 1

They had seen her. They came as quick as lightning. Tar Tribe. They had found her scent and we're going to kill her. Kypress tried not to panic as the ever growing growls grew closer and closer. Her paws rapidly paced the ground as she struggled to stay hidden and race to the bushes at the same time. Kypress slid into the thick forest. Her heart thumping, she saw a concealed cave.She darted into the cave and ran to the back. She laid down on the hard, cold rocks and felt her eyes widen as dark encased her. Someone growled. "Get out! If you don't show yourself, I can have the pleasure of ripping your throat out!" "We will leave, next time we smell your sent, we will kill you." Another voice said. The other male tried arguing, but they both stalked away in the end. Kypress panted heavily, her eyes wildly searching. She picked herself up and started towards the entrance. By now, the moon had strewn across the night sky, the cold air filling her nose. Her fur ruffled. She loved the night. It was here time to hunt, her time. Dire wolves howled in the distance, deep, loud howls. Kypress shook, and then rumbled away to a nearby rocky cliff. She rested by the cliff under the protection of a pine tree. Soon, she drifted off to sleep.
Kypress awoke to the sound of birds chirping. She sharpened her dull claws on the flat rock. Today, she would go hunting. She had not eaten in 3 days, but, that was what she should expect. Kypress had dreamed about joining a tribe.It was SwiftTribe, the fastest cats in the land. They lived by a giant rock overlooking the grasslands, the lake, and the forests far beyond. They had welcomed her and she had had a good life. Kypress sighed. She was a lone Cat, nothing else. Kypress jumped her way down the slope and picked up the scent of a Vole. The Vole squeaked as she picked it up and broke it's neck. The dead Vole would only give her a bit of energy to find something bigger. She gulped down the Vole and sniffed the humid air for a scent. She sniffed the grass and the ground and anything she could to give her an idea of where it was. Kypress followed the trail for hours, the trail that would lead her to the dead carcass. Finally, the carcass was close by, it was laid on a rocky slope surrounded by trees. There was only one problem, it was surrounded by SwiftTribe. They would kill her for sure. She was lucky the wind didn't carry her scent. SwiftTribe had apparently killed the carcass hours ago and now, the Tribe was ripping away at the bloody flesh. Kypress drooled looking at the bloody hunk of meat. It was decided. She would wait until they were finished hacking at the meat, and then she would finish what they had left. Kypress shook her head. She remembered her mother saying, "Never ever, ever! You never ever take other kills! You are not a scavenger! You act like a weakling!" Her mother had hissed when she as a cub, and had tried taking her brother's Mouse. Kypress slowly walked away through the thick grasses. Hours later, they were finished with the carcass. The leader glanced behind his muscular shoulder, at the grasses one last time before he stalked off into the forest with the rest of the pride. 'Why is life this hard, one day, I will join a pride.' Kypress thought as she carefully climbed to the Fresh carcass and scavenged what she could from the remains.