Part 1 of a short story I wrote.
Cayel crouched on a tree branch listening to the forest around him. Night brought an eerie silence to the familiar trees. He had spent many years training to ignore the silence. If he focused, he could make out the sounds of the nearby wildlife going about their nocturnal business. None of the sounds he heard at the moment were important, though. He was listening for something else.
He peered up through the tree branches toward to the night sky. Both moons were shining down on the forest. Cayel smiled at the thought that both of the Goddesses were watching over him. It would make his task that much easier. Their light would help him find his target when the time came.
Time passed slowly, but the Elders had taught Cayel patience. He would wait as long as necessary. If he wanted to be a warrior like his father, he had to complete his task tonight. For that, he would crouch in the tree all night, if necessary.
He checked the long knife attached to his hip to reassure himself that it was still there. According to the traditions of his tribe, it was the only weapon he was aloud to bring on his quest. He had already made the same check several times tonight. He knew the constant checking was just a product of his nervousness. Silently, he berated himself for being so nervous. He was going to be a warrior and warriors should be able to keep their nerves in check.
He was still thinking about his nerves, when the sound he had been searching for reached his ears. It was faint, coming from a great distance, but he definitely recognized it. The sound was the distress call of a jinya bird, meaning a predator was nearby. The bird was alerting the other members of its flock. Fortunately, it also let Cayel know his night might be over soon. There was no guarantee it was a night wolf that the bird spotted, but it was the predominant nocturnal predator in this section of the forest, though, so the odds were in his favor.
The call came again a few seconds later and this time Cayel was able to determine the direction from which it came. He bolted into action, rising from his crouching position and leaping to a branch belonging to a neighboring tree. His bare feet barely registered touching the new branch before he was off again to another tree. There was never any fear that he would fall. He had spent his whole life in these trees. It was as natural as walking.
As he leaped from tree to tree in the direction of the birdsong, he smiled to himself again. The Goddesses must really be on his side tonight. His destination was upwind, so he had the best possibility of catching his quarry by surprise. He slowed his leaps as he drew nearer to the source of the call moving from tree to tree with trained silence. When he reached the next branch he came to a stop, peering through the branches.
He could see the jinya bird in the moonlight, sitting in the adjacent tree. It cocked its head to the side and let out it's song again. Cayel's eyes moved down the tree, searching the ground below. The birds eyes were sharper than his, so he was worried he wouldn't be able to see anything. He scanned the area several times thinking the pradator might have left already. He was about move to another tree when he spotted a hint of movement. He looked toward the base of the tree on the other side of the bird. The shadows there were just a little too black, given the amount of moonlight pouring through the trees.
He focused on the spot, not daring to move. He was rewarded when the shadow moved, stepping into the light. Cayel silently thanked the Goddesses as the night wolf moved full into the moonlight. He then realized it was one of the largest night wolves he had ever seen and began to wonder if his thanks had been in haste.
Unlike most wolves, the night wolf hunted alone and other predators were smart enough to avoid them. Cayel knew that he wouldn't have to worry about something else sneaking up on him when he went in for the kill. If he was as good as he hoped he'd be back home within an hour celebrating his success.
The wolf moved forward silently, staring up at the bird. It circled the tree looking for a way up. Cayel watched as the wolf circled around the tree. He slowly drew the knife from his belt, knowing the wolf would be moving under his position soon. If he timed it right, he may be able leap from the tree and end the fight before it even begins. He caught his breath, not wanting to alert the wolf to his presence and waited a couple of seconds more. As the wolf passed under his branch, Cayel whispered one final prayer to the Goddesses. Then he silently leaped from the branch, gripping his knife in both hands, intending to deliver the killing blow as he fell.
Continued in part 2
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