Author's Note

Sorry for the wait guys, I know this is a story most of you wanted to see more from but I’ve been busy. Hope you all understand but what’s more is I hope you enjoy this chapter.

A View To A Kill

The rifle clicked as Sam pushed a bullet down into the magazine slot, pulling his hand back he grabbed the bolt handle then shoved it forward and down into position. Laying the weapon across his lap he narrowed his eyes, the barrel had been cleaned, screws were tightened and scope zeroed.

Satisfied the rifle was ready for use he leaned back against a tree, let out a shaky sigh and closed his eyes.

Sam had been preparing for this day all week.

He used a special soap to rid his clothes of their smell and then showered, his scent was all but masked. Hopefully. Three days had gone into choosing the spot he wanted to use to try ambushing the Wyvern and he believed he had chosen well.

He had set up on the edge of a ridge deep within the Everfree forest, his placement on the ridge was well covered by a thick layer of foliage and a number of mossy trees. The individual tree he sat against was perfect, it provided good cover as it’s branches dipped low covering him from any animal’s view while providing a perfect line of sight down the steep drop of the ridge into the clearing.

It was a somewhat large circular patch of land that the forest, for one reason or another, had not claimed. A rocky creek ran through the middle of it and various grasses and berry bushes surrounded said creek. It was a peaceful little spot that Sam, unfortunately, was going to use for violent purposes.

Sighing the man looked down and took in the view, he could see for miles, the Evergreen was huge that was an unmistakable fact.

Samuel’s plan was fairly simple, with Screech and Silver’s help he had gotten ahold of a sheep from some poor farmer and then some pony blood from Ponyville general hospital. This morning he had led the sheep out into the clearing, slathered its fur with the blood and set it free to graze in the little enclave. The sheeps activity in tandem with the pungent smell of blood would certainly attract the wyvern and when it landed to feast he’d ambush it from the ridge.

He hoped a clean killshot would be all that was needed to do the trick, god knows what he would do if it didn’t.

When asked if there could be issues with this plan Sam had explained to his contractors that as far as he knew there weren’t any other predators in this stretch of land. Plus if a wyvern had claimed it then there definitely wasn’t going to be any competition, the wyvern would never allow another predator to disturb its hunting ground.

So he wasn’t going to fret about other predators possibly coming in and taking the bait, the one thing that did worry him though was the possibility of the sheep going out of sight. It was unlikely as the grass in the clearing was plentiful, but nevertheless still a possibility.

Confident that his scent was missing, camouflage was good and plan of attack sound Samuel settled in and began the long waiting game that only those who have true patience can play.

~

A swath of deep red sky appeared as the last of the sun dipped below the horizon, brilliant deep purples and dark blues colored the evening skyscape above Samuel. The few clouds that floated about reflected the sun’s light and made soft oranges and pinks, overall it looked like a Bob Ross painting to him.

Samuel wasn’t one for romanticism, but he had to admit even he was taking notice of this wonderful view.

Though that seemed to be the only beautiful thing about this moment, mosquitoes incessantly buzzed about him in the excessively humid air and the sheep down below had begun calling and hadn’t stopped. It was getting irritating.

So far there had been no sign of the wyvern all day, in fact he was beginning to think he might have been wrong In his guess all along. Still though from all he read they were smart creatures and might find a free meal like this suspicious, eventually though if it did exist it would most likely give in to temptation and show itself.

Until then Samuel could do naught but sit here and suffer the summer heat.

~

Samuel’s eyes shot open.

The sound of flapping wings had caught his attention, it had come from overhead. His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness as they roamed the starry night sky, turning about he looked over the clearing. Clenching his teeth he let out a breath through his nose.

He stifled a surprised gasp as a large dark figure passed overhead with a swish, it’s form blotted out a wide patch of stars as it passed by the ridge.

Picking up his rifle he tightly griped it’s wooden body with calm hands. Samuel took care to avoid making any noise as he pulled himself up into a kneeling position, a single crunch from a leaf and he could give up his position... and possibly his life.

Turning his attention down to the clearing he brought up his rifle and looked through it’s scope.

He caught sight of the sheep, it stood in the clearing happily eating away at the grass. Sam swallowed thickly, he watched intensely, cracks of doubt started to pop up on his head. He was a hunter sure, but who the hell had ever hunted a Wyvern before?

The craziness of the situation was finally realized in his mind and for a second he felt panic as his base instincts emerged.

Sam closed his eyes, shakily let out another breath and slowly calmed himself, his hands grew steady, his teeth unclenched and his heart rate slowed. If he could just calm down and do what he had to he might just pull this whole damn thing off and be done with this crazy shit.

”Well, come on then.” He thought to himself, the sheep down below stopped grazing and looked up. The dark form in the sky made another pass over head, it’s force rustling the trees and bushes around the animal. Sam watched the sheep react naturally to its predicament by beginning to call out and move around.

As the small farm animal began to run across the clearing for the cover of the trees the dark form came shooting out of the sky, faster then he could perceive Samuel watched the Wyvern bear down the sheep. It’s form slammed down on top of the poor beast with a crack, killing it in an instant.

The large reptilian creature, now silhouted by the moonlight in the clearing, drew in its wings. Samuel noticed how slender the thing looked, it was terrifying and could kill without a second thought yes, but it had a sort of grace to it’s movements that he’d seen only in cats and certain birds before.

Stepping off of its prey the elegant monster craned it’s neck down and sniffed, nudging the body it drew back slightly. Stepping forward it placed a front leg on the sheep and dug it’s claws in, then moved it’s head forward and bit into the soft flesh of the belly.

Sam could see it’s guard had lowered as it was beginning to feed. This was perfect, so far everything was going well and his plan was falling into place, now it was up to him to finish it all off...

Gripping his rifle he moved its barrel upwards, pointing it at the Wyvern which was very noisily crunching the bones of the sheep, he pulled it up to look through the scope. Drawing a bead on the side of its head he began to feel his heart beat even quicker in his chest.

If he missed, or hit a part of its head where the bone was to dense to penetrate, he was dead. Swallowing one more time he closed his eyes and cleared his mind, opening them back up again he steadied his scope and drew in a breath. His crosshair hovered behind the Wyverns shifting head right by its wide finned ear and end of it’s neck.

A good shot to the neck and hopefully into the spine would quickly paralyze and bleed the thing dry. Or so he hoped, he knew well that plans didn’t always work out perfectly.

Letting out his breath his heart beat subsided and for a second his body was perfectly still, he pulled the trigger.

The loud familiar crack of a high powered rifle rang out, the Wyvern lurched back and reached out to catch itself as it fell. The beast hit the ground with a loud slam, it’s weight disturbing everything around it. Samuel lowered his weapon as he chambered another round with the bolt and looked on, the creature on the ground was still breathing... and moving.

“Shit.”

Shakily the monster got an arm underneath itself, using the leverage it got its other arm out and on the ground then raised it’s upper body all the way up. Slowly it moved its head and looked up towards the distressed hunter, it’s yellow reptilian eyes filled with hatred bore into Sam’s own deep blue eyes.

He felt chills go down his spine.

It bared it’s long fangs which glinted in the low light, he could see its neck where he had shot it, blood came running out of the wound but not quick enough for the hunter’s liking. The now angered Wyvern drew itself up fully and whipped around to face the ridge, its tail raked along the ground behind it sending dirt flying as the beast extended its wings and gave a screeching roar.

Samuel, faster than he ever had before, jumped to his feet and ran. Running away from the clearing and his now compromised cover he heard the Wyvern take off with a flap of its wings, he could hear it in the sky behind him. It let out another howl of anger and snapped it’s jaws shut with such ferocity that the sound echoed.

Tripping and stumbling as he ran, he didn’t even have time to notice the vines and rocks on the ground never mind avoid them. He felt that he was now going downhill, his momentum was building.

The rifle swung wildly in front of him as he ran with it, his knuckles white around the barrel.

Samuel felt the creature getting closer, it’s labored breath and the rapid beats of its wings grew louder with every second. His heart felt like it was going to burst out of his chest, this was life or death, he knew it might be like this beforehand but no amount of preparation can ever really get you ready to face death head on.

”Shit, shit, shit, what am I going-” His thoughts were cut short as his foot caught the underside of a tangle of vines, he fell face forward with a thud into the hard ground.

His face ached and it felt like a rock had jabbed him in the side, the wind had been knocked out of him and he struggled to draw in a breath. A whoosh passed over him, summoning as much of his strength as he could muster Sam forced himself to roll over and with as much breath as he could he spit, flinging the dirt in his mouth upwards.

He felt blood making its way down his forehead, he’d hit his head on a rock as well.

The Wyvern passed overhead again, the blast of cool air felt oddly nice and Samuel couldn’t help but sigh at the feeling. An intense pain filled his side as he drew in a deep breath, forcing himself up he sat up. Frantically he reached out and felt along either side of himself, his grasping hands tearing at vines and raking the soil.

A boom resounded not ten feet in front of him as his right hand fell onto the stock of his rifle. Sam gasped, his long hair thrown back, he looked up and his eyes widened. The beast’s own malicious eyes stared right back, he could feel it’s hot breath billow over him, he nearly gagged at the smell of rancid meat and it’s acidic tang.

He could see the sheep’s flesh and presumably other creatures as well stuck in between the dense line of fangs the creature flashed at him.

The two hunters stayed in position, neither moving or blinking. The Wyvern’s wings raised up in an intimidating manner, it’s slitted eyes measuring up the man who had hurt him so much. Sam for his part didn’t back down either, his hand tightened on the rifle and his eyes narrowed as he bore back into the beasts own eyes with a ferocity to match.

The Wyvern felt his anger slip away for a second, a small twinge of fear replacing it at the look in this, things eyes. Any other creature would have tried running by now, this was willing to fight till it died...

This whole ordeal must have only been a couple of seconds but it felt like a couple of minutes... to the both of them.

Samuel broke the stillness, giving a deep breath he moved with lightning fast speed, the Wyvern barely had time to move itself before Samuel had his rifle up to his shoulder and his eyes down it’s sights. The beast felt it’s anger return immediately and like a train shot forward, it’s strong front legs propelling it’s powerful mass towards the small creature that sat before him.

Another gunshot shook the air about the two as Samuel fired again, the Wyvern gave a crying shriek and thrust it’s wings down throwing itself into the ground with all its might. The beast gave another shriek, this one more like a whimper than the last.

It pulled its wings in tightly and it’s breathing quickened, the Wyvern lay there on the ground, the moonlight breaking through the forest and providing a dramatic lighting that one might say was cliche for such a scene. Samuel sighed and lowered his gun, he worked the bolt back and forth again before placing a hand on the ground, the blood from before made its way down his face and tickled his nose as he stood himself up.

Grunting as he got all the way up he looked back to the beast, it gave soft whimper like cries as it grasped at its face, he could see from here, his rifle had made its mark. The monster seeing the man back on his feet lurched back in fear, looking at the man with unmasked fear in it’s remaining eye.

Samuel took short breaths and walked forward slowly, he made his way to the cowering creature. He stopped in front of the Wyvern and looked down at it, a drop of blood fell off his nose. Slowly he pulled his rifle back up, the monster’s blown out eye was gushing blood, strands of what was once there now hung out the side of the monsters face.

He stood there a second watching the Wyvern cower before him, it crossed his mind how pitiful the giant predator looked, Samuel even considered simply letting it go.

“No, you’d go right back to hunting ponies down the second you felt better wouldn’t you.” Samuel finally decided to finish it off and put the creature down.

Sighing he once again pulled his rifle up against his shoulder, he aimed right for the middle of its forehead, at point blank the bullet would get definitely through its skull. It gave one last whimper before Sam pulled the trigger.

This shot seemed to echo louder than all the others he had fired that night.

The Wyvern unceremoniously went limp and completely collapsed, Samuel lowered his gun and then sling it over his shoulder. Reaching around to his side, he took his time to unlatch the sheath keeping his knife in place, pulling it out he walked forward.

Without wasting time he grabbed hold of the dead monsters upper jaw, jabbing the knife in he wrenched one of the smaller fangs loose. Reaching down he gave one last yank and pulled the tooth all the way out, quickly pocketing the trophy he stepped back.

He gave one more good look over the beast he had fought so hard with,”Heh, wonder what people back home would think of all this.”

He jerked slightly as he his side hurt once again, sighing he made peace with the fact that the trek back to Ponyville was gonna be a painful one.