Sabre: The Grasslands Book 1

Chapter 6

A slight breeze blew inside the den. The trees surrounding the huge rock swayed. The sun shone and the grasslands were alive with animals big and small. Voles, hares, herds of wooly mammoths, and deer. Kypress awoke. She stretched her long, lean body out in her den. Leaves fell into her den, raking against the floor of the stone den. All morning the tribe had been talking about the disappearance of Tara, apparently a cub. Kypress hadn't known the cub, but, she hoped it wasn't in danger. "Clan meeting!" Dagzer called. Kypress slunk out of her den and walked over to the rock, where Dagzer stood, his shoulders straight and his head held high. "Everyone, we all know about the disappearance of Tara. We will send out a search party, but that is all we can do. Tara is probably dead. We cannot search for a dead cub. We will go hunting today. It is fall and will be winter soon. We must get as much food as we can! Now, go!" Dagzer said as he turned around and stepped in to the rock den. Kypress left to go with the hunting party. On their way, she talked with Kife. "Is GrassLily okay?" Kife asked. "I don't know. She went limp a couple of times, and then started talking to me. I'm not sure. You can see her later though." Kypress told Kife. The hunt was on. Carp had spotted a weak, elder deer and was stalking up to it. Kife was on the other side, also stalking up to it. When the deer saw them, it ran. As Kife and Carp tried making the deer go left, it tried jumping over them. Finally, it was Kypress's turn. She picked up speed, grass flying in the air, As Kypress roared, the deer went faster and Kypress pounced. She felt as if she was flying. She landed on the deer's back and tried puncturing its neck with her large fangs. The deer swerved, flinging Kypress into its head. Kypress growled as she hung from the deer's Large front horns. The deer snorted and Tried kicking her off. Kypress tried dragging the deer's head down into the grasses. "Watch out!" Carp yelled. The deer had circled and was taking her into the herd. Kypress bumped into many deers. Her back felt bruised and raw. She sunk her front fangs into the deer's skull and it cried out in pain. The deer staggered to the ground and Kypress raised her fangs. She punctured the deer's throat and held her grip. The deer struggled and then eventually went limp. The light that once shone in its eyes, disappeared. Kypress pulled away and proudly stood at the foot of the kill. "Let's bring it back to camp. Nice job Kypress." Carp said as he brushed against her. Kypress grasped the kill and helped drag it back to camp. Flying squirrels raced through the trees. Their flaps of skin folding out as they flew away. Kypress placed the kill in middle of camp. The rest of the hunting team stretched out after the big kill. Sabertooth cats who walked by the kill eyed the carcass hungrily. It would be dark soon, and then it would be time to feast. "You know how to hunt. I'm impressed." Carp told Kypress as he walked by, smiling with his long, sharp fangs. "I was a lone Sabertooth for all my life. Of course I have skills." Kypress told him playfully. "Yeah, like I said, impressive." Carp told her as he trotted away for mid-day patrol. Kypress decided to visit Killira's den. "Hello, Killira. How is GrassLily?" Kypress asked. "Well, she's doing better than she was yesterday, but, she still is recovering." Kypress looked over at GrassLily. GrassLily was sprawled on the bed of leaves and grasses. She breathed slowly and had a deep gash on her throat. Kypress sighed and said goodbye to Killira. Hunger clawed at her belly and made her feel tired and clumsy. The bruises on her back hurt and ached. She decided to find out what had happened to Tara. As she began to walk out of camp, Renn pounced In front of her. "Wait! Where are you going?" Renn asked. "To find Tara, you can come if you like" Kypress told Renn. "Yes! I will stick right by you!" Renn answered. Her tail shaking with happiness. Kypress slowly walked her way to the cliff. The river rapidly raced below. 'She would've jumped off here.' Kypress thought. Kypress strode deeper into the forest. Renn following right behind her. Kypress couldn't figure out where Tara had gone. There was no scent of her. "Wait! Don't you smell that? It's Humans!" Renn screamed.