Author's note: Thank you LoutheHamsterLover for your opinion! This is the cat-in-the-wild story I promised.
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Chapter One
The golden light from the sun dappled her thick yellow pelt. Her night-black spots, solid against the pale primary color of her fur, reflected the shine, glowing darker still. The soft glare from the sun was littered with green flecks of light itself, filtering from the clustered canopy of emerald leaves high above her head.
It was her first hunt. She couldn't fail herself, or she would starve for the night.
Remeber the lesson Spotma told me, the young slender leopard recalled. If I don't, I'll fail, and I can't let that happen.
The huge cat ran through the instructions in her head. "Crouch and sneak up on the prey," her mother had explained forcefully, demonstrating. "But don't be too loud; the rustling of fur could alert prey, or worse yet, enemies." She shivered, shaking her head. Their greatest enemy was a great, giant black panther who prowled the rainforest at dark, attacking any unsuspecting creatures, and the creatures he took on rarely survived.
Suddenly, she twisted her head around. She could've swore she saw a large, bushy black tail disappear into the trees. But Jeerser couldn't be out during the day! He only attacks at night, when he can sneak up on cats or prey who can't see him! She suddenly realized the shape was heading towards her family's den.
No! She yowled in her head. The leopard tore after the dark form into the trees, but when she reached the den, she knew she was too late. Three bloody and bedraggled cats were strewn across the hard soil of the home, their eyes huge and lifeless, reflecting the sun above they could not see.
The leopard stalked close to them. Jeerser, she thought bitterly, observing the fierce bite and claw marks on her family's bodies.Spotma, Spotda, and Greatspot were all branded with the mark of a killer. He is now a lifetime enemy. I will hunt him down until he is gone, she bit her lip hard. But now I am Alone. I am Leopard. I am Victory.
