A Darker Leopard

Chapter eleven: I'm not your puppet!

I stop and have a drink. Bliss. I explore further almost in a joyful trot. I was debating on whether I should take some of the livestock when a second leopard approaches.

Like any other time when leopards cross paths, we focused on combat. This was almost too easy, my opponent wasn't another show cat hill bent on the destruction of its foes. This fight is actually quite boring as there is no thrill of the possibility of death. Within moments I had it pinned down on the floor. I immediately bit the back of his leg.
"S... Shadowclaw-" it screams, but I cut it off by sinking my teeth into its neck to finish it off without thinking. The leopard beneath me was kicking and screaming and clawing at the ground, each movement becoming less and less powerful. It tried to scream, but all that came was the gurgling sound of blood that had risen in its throught. It eventually went limp.

What have I done? When I first escaped I hoped everything could go back to normal with just a scarred leg and leaving them to tell the tale, but nothings ever easy. I hadn't noticed how much noise we had made between us until the humans sleepily emerged from their dens/nests whatever they're called. In the arena we were allowed to make as much noise as we wanted, the more noise the bigger the show.

There were so many of them, mothers and their children and their fathers protecting them with weapons in hand. I grunt remembering that all my friends and family are dead. All guns pointed toward me, I did the only thing I could do. Run. I leaped into the air avoiding most bullets yet still some penetrating my skin. I darted for cover, I don't want them to use my battered hyde as a blanket!

I hid amongst the livestock, praying that they won't find me. A group of humans came over, but they weren't like the rest. One had the black box over its shoulder again which I now recognise as a camera. Only one had a gun and one had the loop on a stick. I have unpleasant memorys of that loop.

I'm distracted as someone steps on my tail. I force myself not to give my roar of protest while the humans walk past. One opens the livestock pen and has a poke around. I want to move out of the way so the human doesn't find me, but whoever is standing on my tail refuses to let me go. I attempted to get my tail free again, but I can't see who is keeping me back. I choke as the loop is put round my neck once again and I'm being dragged away. My tail is torn free and scarlt drops of my own blood spatter the ground. The loop cuts into my pelt as I resist being dragged further.

I just escaped, I can't be captured again.

I choke some more as I'm deprived of air, I'm not going that easily.