Escaping Predators

Dawn was approaching quickly. As my siblings and Mother nestled in to sleep, my Father was preparing to go out hunting for the day. There had been a strange feeling in the burrow for some time now. But it upset Mother when I tried to ask about it and Father was always tired from hunting all day. It was against our natural instinct to be awake during the day and sleep at night...so I knew something was off when my Father began day hunting. But this morning was different, this morning was much worse.

Father crept to the front of the burrow, where we had a large stone wedged to stop predators getting in. He looked out, to check the coast was clear.

His eye's welled up and I could see he was holding himself back from squeaking with despair. Instead, he backed away from the blocked entrance slowly and softy wept to himself. He didn't realize that I was still awake. It was apparent that he didn't want to wake any of us...with what was clearly a disturbing discovery.

"Father, what is it?" I whispered, trying not to shock him further.

"Sorry son, I didn't mean to wake you?"

"You didn't." I assured him. "I know something's going on. Something terrible. Tell me, I want to help."

"I guess it's time." He said, drying off his tear soaked whiskers.

"It all began on the last full moon. It was a bright night, but there was a thick fog covering the ground. So I knew I was safe from predators above, as long as I stayed very quiet. I was finished my hunt and about to head back to the borrow with dinner. When I see two yellow glistening eye's, staring straight at me through the fog. I had to decide in an instant, which escape route to take. I remembered that there was a large thistle bush not far behind me. If I could get to it. I could take cover for long enough to think of my next move."

"What was it? What did the eye's belong too?" I asked.

"Our biggest predator on the ground son...Mr. Brown." He said, with a fearful rattle in his voice. He stopped to calm himself. I could feel the fear of the memory in his voice. I waited patiently, even though the suspense was almost unbearable.

"So I went for it." He continued. "I ran as hard as I could. With nothing but hope pushing me. The hope that my need to live, was faster than his need to kill."

"I got there. To the center of the thistle bush. I hid near the stem, where I felt most secure. I heard a hiss of pain, as I reached the stem. I turned and looked out through the bush. Mr. Brown had caught a thorn is his eye and was flailing around in pain. I had a gushing feeling of relief wash over me. This would surly be my chance to make a run for it." He said with a sigh, shaking his head.

"What happened?" I prompted.

"As I turned to make a dash for it. I heard Mr. Brown's voice, ragefully hissing through the thistle bush."

"Don't think I'm giving up on my meal that easily!" He said, quoting Mr. Brown.

"As I turned around slowly. Realizing that he must have had a way in. I see those eye's once again. He was laying flat on the soft soil and ever so slowly, slithering in under the thorns. His strong back armor, protecting him from all of the spikes. He was too close now, too close for me to make a run for it. I knew that was it for me. My whole body was trembling."

"But you're here Father. You made it!" I said, consoling him as best I could.

"That's right. I am." He said, with a joyless chuckle, as he continued. "Mr. Brown was taunting me, smiling with triumph as he was about to strike."

"But then, there was a loud thump. The look in Mr. Brown's eye's turned from triumph to defeat in an instant. Before either of us could react. He was gone. Yanked out by his tail...quickly disappearing into moon filled night sky. I was lucky that day."

"What was it, what saved you?" I asked.

"It was a barn owl." He replied. "We've never had one in this territory. So I assumed he was just passing through and spotted Mr. Brown when he spiked his eye."

"That's great! Now our worst predator is gone...right?"

"That's what I thought son. But I was wrong. It's even worse now. Much worse." He said, hesitant to continue the story.

"The next night, I went out hunting with your Uncle Bucky. The one with the enlarged teeth, you know the one. Well Bucky and I were down by the stream. We stopped for a drink and were probably being less cautious than we should have been. Now that Mr. Brown was gone, we'd let our guard down slightly."

"All of a sudden, we hear a mighty screech. We scrambled, trying to find cover. But it all happened so quickly. I heard the loudest squeak of pain I've ever heard that night...I turned to see your Uncle in the talons of the winged beast."

"I was in absolute shock. My heart was beating so loud, it sounded like it was beating in my ears. I looked up at the giant owl and he was staring down at me. Right into my eye's. With an evil smirk on his face, as he said..."See you here for dinner tomorrow night."

"...So Uncle Bucky's gone?" I questioned in disbelief.

"Yes son. Uncle Bucky's gone. That's why I've been hunting in the day. So I don't get caught by that monster."

"But that's not enough now...." He nervously sighed.

"What do you mean?" I could see that he was struggling to continue, but we'd come too far now.

"I've felt off hunting in the day. Not just because it doesn't come naturally. But because I felt like I was being watched. A hunch that was confirmed this morning."

"How do you know? What was outside the borrow this morning?" I insisted, the suspense was overwhelming.

His eye's welled up with tears again. But he pushed through, he forced out the word's. "The owl left a message outside the burrow, letting my know he knows where we live...a pellet from his gizzard. It's Bucky's remains. I knew straight away from the teeth."

My heart dropped into my stomach. My inquisitiveness turned to fear. I'd never even left the cave and already, I had an enemy.

"What do we do?" I whimpered, suddenly feeling the threat. For the first time in my life, having to come to the reality of my place in the food chain.

My Father could see the fear in my eye's and hear the uncertainty in my voice. He hugged me for a moment and then put his hands on my shoulders.

"Here's what we're going to do son...Half way through the day. I need you wake your Mother up and tell her what happened this morning. Tell her to ready you all to leave. I'll hunt and bring back some food. I'll also find a safe place for us all to stay for when night falls. Somewhere beyond the view of the owl. When I return, we all need to leave...so we get there before dusk. If I don't return before the sun is in the center of the sky, you will have to leave without me. Do you understand?"

"Yes" I replied. Still shaking with fear. "Will we live there? Where we're going I mean?"

"No." He replied briefly. "We will have to travel many day's like this until we are out of the owls territory"

"How will we know that we've gone far enough?" I questioned.

"We won't know for sure. But in a world full of predator's, we just have to trust our instincts and hope that luck is on our side."