Hoofbeats

Hoofbeats pushed the fish in front of the trap and crouched low in the bushes. Then came the wait. She watched patiently, rooted to the spot, one hour then the next, until night fell. Still she held her position, now alone in the dark.

Suddenly, a rustle!

Her ears perked up and her eyes transfixed on the trap. She leaned in with anticipation and gripped the axe at her waist. Then, her eyes widened when she heard the sound again and realized it was coming not from in front of her, but from behind. A cold breath ran down the back of her neck, and she spun around to find herself face-to-face with a pair of snarling jaws.

She swung at it, and the Timberwolf caught her axe by the handle in its mouth. She pulled against it, and the beast's mandible snapped, its lower jaw falling to the ground. The wolf recoiled, and Hoofbeats took the opportunity and pounced on the jaw bone. She could feel it begin to shudder beneath her body in an attempt to return to its rightful owner. The animal slashed at her and she leapt backwards, still gripping her wood. She managed to dodge the claw, but her hoof slipped into the trap and the rope pulled taut.

She knew that struggling would only worsen the situation, so she did her best to stay calm. The wolf crept towards her, its dripping tongue dangling from its exposed throat. Hoofbeats was too stubborn to release its jaw (the dream of tantalizing vibration for every groin was too delicious to let go), so she stuffed it into her saddlebag and buckled it tightly. The jaw continued to shake in her bag and made her whole body tremble. The wolf leapt at her and sunk its upper teeth into her flank. She bucked at it as hard as she could with her free hind leg. It flew backwards and hit its head against the tree. While it was still dazed, she quickly untied the rope and pulled her hoof out of the trap. It stumbled towards her and she bucked it again in the face.

She turned and ran, the bag shaking her every step. She made a mad dash through the forest worthy of a track star with Parkinson's. The wolf followed close behind and was quickly gaining ground. Hoofbeats made a sharp right turn. The wolf continued forward and had to stop and turn around in order to adjust its course. Timberwolves are swift and fierce predators, but, being plants, they aren't very bright. This put a little more distance between it and Hoofbeats. She continued running in a wide serpentine pattern, until she finally saw the light of civilization peeking in through the trees. She made a beeline for it, as fast as she could. She had to make it. She would not allow herself to die in the woods. Faster and faster she ran, until she finally crossed the threshold into town. The wolf followed, but it stopped short at the treeline. Hoofbeats panted and looked back at the wolf. It growled and backed off into the forest. She let out a sigh of relief that she and her prize were safe.