The Jungle Cats

Not many big cats can be found in most jungles especially altogether but the far off nameless jungle we speak of had big cats of every kind, in every corner of the forest, the mounds, the falls, combing the outskirts one would find cubs growing to maneaters within months and walking with the path cleared before them, stripes and spots decorating their fur coats, every single one having fangs and claws coming in for them to hunt for prey.

Seven cats in particular reigned over the jungle. There was the Lion, an alpha considered the most intimidating of all watching from the rock. The Tiger. magnificent and fierce causing a shudder with its every move. The Leopard, beautiful and dangerous stalking even from the highest canopy. The Panther, sleek and wise and camouflaged in the night. The Cheetah, both the fastest animal alive and quick to kill and yet shyest of all. The Puma, keeping low to the ground remaining sharp and unmistakable. The Jaguar, ferocious yet filled with insight and first to act docile and The Snow Leopard beautiful and silent up in the caves before descending upon high like the queen it was,.

The Protectors of the Jungle, alike they may be but fierce when they encountered the other. Often fighting over the bones and flesh of their meat and territory. Keeping apart lest serious business had to be discussed [challenged over] or a gathering of the jungle was called such as now, No beast alive could make them come together….until word spread that the Redeye had returned to the jungle.

Haunting the darker greens and wilted vines, the feared Redeye soon consumed the prey of the jungle. All were no match for it’s indestructible claws nor could they escape the red gaze or the shadowed fur and by the time one noticed the signs of it’s spiked tail, the paws that left prints the size of a rhinoceros, the snapping jaws sharper than an alligator, it would already be far too late. The beast ate prey and predator alike whether it be bear for breakfast, lynx for lunch and dingo for dinner. Wolf and tiger cubs were it’s most favoured snacks and even the gorillas could not evade the Redeye for long. It seemed only the jungle’s most unstoppable killers could take the monster on…the monster with a taste for jungle cat.

But the bravery of the big cats only extended so far. Thus the gathering ended in a stalemate. No challenger stepped up. All any animal could do was hide. But the wise panther realised that in order for the jungle to survive. the seven big cats needed to put aside their differences and work together to defeat the redeye for they could not hide away like the rest with such a creature hungering for their flesh.

The panther then made the first overture to the puma and then the snow leopard. But they could not be swayed. The cheetah had swiped at the panther and the leopard had told him to go away for even the fiercest predators feared the Redeye. The jaguar was wise enough to inform the panther that only if the lion and the tiger could be convinced to work together would the predators come together, so the panther told the lion that the Redeye meant to challenge the tiger and the tiger was told the Redeye meant to challenge the lion. For neither could stand being denied a challenge or having their glory potentially upstaged by the other and so they vowed to take on the Redeye side by side.

The Panther returned to the other cats and told them of the truce that had been reached to fight the Redeye, the leopard vowed that they would challenge the Redeye and of course the cheetah had to outdo it. The puma and the snow leopard all followed suit and the jaguar with a knowing look agreed at last.

The cheetah was the fastest, the lion was the strongest, the tiger was the fiercest, the puma the easiest to cause a distraction with its sharp ears, the jaguar had the strongest bite, the leopard had the best hearing, the snow leopard the finest at eluding an enemy, every one of them could lure their prey in, Every one of them had cutting teeth and a powerful leap, All had the hunter’s eyes and seven against one had a much better chance than any other. Grudgingly the lion and tiger consented to work together and with that all 7 big cats joined together to take on the beast.

When the Redeye heard the challenge a throaty roar escaped it before it accepted and charged to the centre of the jungle where all 7 awaited. While the Redeye started off strong, a chase from the cheetah distracted from the puma who bit down on the tail and the lion, the tiger and the panther each lashed out with their claws, both the leopards leapt upon the Redeye’s scarred back while the jaguar aimed for the massive neck. The Redeye fought back just as ferociously, Scars littered their bodies and fatigue set in even for the cheetah but eventually the Redeye outnumbered and injured backed away and fled vowing revenge for there was no animal alive it could not tear through but for now it could only lick its wounds. The pack were victorious and their grievances seemed unimportant in the face of their teamwork. Fear abated in the jungle as they tended to their wounds and each others.

The lion returned to the rock, the snow leopard ascended back to it’s cave, the cheetah sped off across the plains, the panther melted into the darkness, The puma bobbed in the grass, the jaguar curled up spaciously under the sky, the leopard climbed up its tree and the tiger headed to the water. Peace was restored and a truce was held.

The Redeye would one day return for it would never leave a battle undefeated but when the Redeye did, the jungle cats would be there to protect the jungle once more.