Claws (mxm)

Hunt

(This song... poor Mina) 

He might have just peed himself. Mina tucked his dampening tail tighter beneath his belly as he hunched down to the ground, shaking. His instincts told him to hide in the grass, but it wasn't quite tall enough to disappear in. He couldn't get his animal to understand that, though. It refused to move, even as a giant lion came prowling straight toward them. 

Please, let me move my feet! Paws! Whatever! 

Mina had no experience what so ever with shifting, himself. Sure, his father and mother were both shifters, a cheetah and lion, but when they realized that he wasn't, they had kept their shifting to a minimum. He also had a brother who was quite a bit older who also shifted, but he'd also tended to keep it at a minimum when he'd visited.

I really wish that I had at least asked instead of just being upset that I was the only nonshifter in my family. 

The lion began to slow as it got close, then changed direction to begin circling around him. Mina tried to push himself up off the ground, but the slight bit of control he'd managed to wrestle away from his animal self couldn't function with how badly he was shaking. 

He stumbled about like a newborn, growing frustrated. 

Why can't I just move? Please let me help us! Mina thought to himself, trying to get his new animal side to understand. He knew that it took a little while for the animal and person to truly become one once born, but they really didn't have time for bonding right then. 

Please. We're in big trouble if you don't let me try. We'll both be dead if we can't work together and at least try to get away from him. 

He felt his instincts flare as the lion gave a content grumble, but Mina pushed them back as hard as he could. You might be young and just doing what you think is best, but I understand that there is a way out of this situation. Trust me, please. 

The little lion mix's claws dug into the damp earth beneath its paws for a moment before it slowly allowed Mina to finally have control of his body again. He knew that it wasn't technically an entity, but instincts weren't something he was used to having. It felt almost like another voice in his head, trying to persuade him without really taking the time to think through the decision. 

Alright. Let's see how this thing works. He thought as he finally stood up straight on all four feet. 

The lion came to a stop in front of him, the tip of its tail flicking back and forth behind it eagerly. 

He wants a chase. 

Lowering his little ears, Mina gave his best growl, earning a deep rumble from the lion in return. 

Mom had always been really fast... here's to hoping that I got a little bit of his speed with my new tiny legs. 

Mina slowly crouched, turning as he did so until he had the lion on his right side. Trying not to give himself away too quickly, he stumbled once, but as he was picking himself up, bolted toward the woods. 

He didn't hear the lion follow right away, but he had expected it not to. Del had said that he was ten thousand dollars. Considering the situation, Mina figured that whoever the lion was, they had paid that much to be able to hunt him. 

Del is a sick guy. To think that I thought he was nice. 

Mina remembered the man in the lobby that had shoved that nasty medicine in his mouth right then. 

Of course he's the lion. 

With a determined mew he scrambled over a fallen tree, then ducked beneath several bushes. He wasn't sure where he could possibly hide from the crazed feline until he realized something pricking one of his paws and looked down.