A Brave and Wonderful Jackalope [open]

[Capricorn and Hanahara]

Capricorn bounded through the Connewa Meadow, full of the happy, light-hearted joy that so well exemplified him. His short coat was such a dark shade of purple it was almost black, his antlers actually were black. He looked around with bright blue eyes, then halted, sniffing the air.

Blood, he thought with a shudder, jackalope blood... he shook the thought off and continued hopping along, Better them than me, though.

Capricorn, better known as Cappy, was a jackalope, and therefore wasn't as fazed by the death of another creature like himself. In fact, even though it did cause him to shiver, he was eternally glad it wasn't he who ended up bleeding on the ground. He supposed it was mostly due to the fact that his dark coat allowed him to blend with shadows and hide better than others of his kind. However, that didn't mean he hadn't had his share of close calls. He wiggled his rear end uncomfortable, still feeling a slight breeze on the bald patches of his tail where a wolf had almost gotten him.

As he hopped along, he sighted the carcass lying on a boulder, most likely the remains of some wolf's lunch. He couldn't help but shudder again. What barbarians! He hastened away from the area in search of a safe place to eat. Strangely enough, the rotting carcass made him hungry instead of repulsed.

Not to far from the boulder seemed good, and the little jackalope stopped to nibble the dry fall grasses.

"Another year gone..." he said to the air in general. He hadn't spoken to another jackalope for a few months then. They seemed pretty certain his oddly-colored fur meant death. If only they'd seen how well he could hide from predators! Then they'd absolutely love him!

"Yes..." said he with a sigh, "They would think of me as a very brave and wonderful jackalope, I think! They wouldn't turn up their noses then, would they?" he sighed and returned to his meal, content to think like this.

[clarity]

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[atrb=background,http://i45.tinypic.com/24o8212.jpg] Clarity watched the tiny jackalope from a distance, licking her lips hungrily. He looked innocent enough, perhaps naive enough, to be captured and made a delightful meal. She had to admit, however, that this creature looked slightly different than the rest of the ones she had encountered before. New species? Was he the "special" little bugger out of the litter? Maybe, but right now she hadn't the time to care about such details. Food was food and she wasn't going to get any by sitting around and watching the flowers bloom. Slowly, she pulled herself from her haunches and readied herself to a stealthier position. The rabbit was smart--prancing around and stopping to check for danger--perhaps this little guy would indeed get the best of her. But, not to worry, she had a few tricks up her sleeve to get what she wanted. This is all but a game, no? I'll roll the die and we'll see what we get, little jackalope. Close your eyes and start praying, because the time is ticking away at your short-lived life. Closer, closer...and then further away. The little jackalope picked up speed, fear pouring through the air and catching wind. She could almost see its eyes popping from its head as it scurried away from whatever frightened it so. Something else caught the air...blood? A familiar scent. Another jackalope?---Aha! There it is. The little guy found one of its own brethren, blood spilled against a flat boulder fit to be deemed a very large dinner plate. Afraid it's going to become a wolf's lunch, is it? Well, we'll see... The jackalope moves again. Does this guy ever sit still? She rolled her eyes in annoyance, attempting to close in on her prey once again. She was close enough to see its lips moving and hear an odd sound escape its minuscule mouth. She couldn't translate the speech, however, for she did not speak jackalope. Clarity raised a brow in confusion, wondering why a creature such as that would take the time to stop in the middle of a meadow to talk to itself. She wasn't even entirely aware that they had a function able brain that was capable of lone speech. Well, another day another thing learned. Do I dare spare its life?

[Capricorn and Hanahara]

Cappy perked up as the scent of a wolf reached his nostrils. Back for its old meal? Chasing him in search of a new one? He held still, antlers pointed towards the direction the smell was coming from. What was that? The flash of eyes in the grass? Was that a paw, upholding a tensed body that ready to spring?

Cappy turned, slowly, carefully, away from the wolf. Perhaps if he could just make it to the shadows... but then again, the wolf would know where he went, it was probably watching him right then...

He held still again, thinking, I'm just a tree, a little black tree, with a furry purple trunk... I'm a weird tree... don't eat me or I'll make you sick... He didn't have any "Great Spirits" like the wolves did, but he did have a few stories that, among jackalopes, explained why jackalopes were prey, or why they had antlers. The closest thing he had to a "god" was a mighty old jackalope of no real name, who he prayed fervently to.

PLEASE don't let me die![/i] he wailed mentally, I haven't even had a chance to find my dream girl.... can't you give me one more year? No surprise, he got no answer. He turned back to where he supposed the wolf was lurking. Even though he knew it wouldn't understand him, he decided to plea to it. Perhaps it would sense his desire to live and spare him. Perhaps it would think "Dinner and a show" and eat him anyways...

"Please, oh great predator of the earth, please spare my worthless, incredibly inedible life! I may look tasty, but I taste like black tar and dragon poop. You don't want me... I'm really not that pleasant on the tongue..." he trailed off, looking beseechingly at something he couldn't quite see yet.

[slaphappygirl]

Octavian ran through the plush, comforting grass enjoying the sun in what seemed to be a great start to his day. His stomach had to cut in with a sad rumble though. He hadn't had a meal in a few days and his young body still couldn't get a meal easily or make it last for a while. He got too arrogant when he wanted a meal and often wasn't patient enough to wait for the right time to strike.

He sighed a low warm breath and started sniffing the ground, wishing he could see the wildflowers swaying in the soft breezes. He pauses as he picks up the small scent of a possible meal. He starts lurking toward the source of the smell- a jackalope if his perky ears didn't fail him. It obviously was unaware with his presence and was nibbling away at a tall, luscious blade of green grass. It paused for a second, most likely searching the perimeter for any threats that would stop him from finishing his lunch.

Octavian crept ever more closely at the now within jumping distance prey. Of course, the jackalope started to get uneasy, nibbling away at now double the speed:soon it will spring away from here and he'll have to start all over again hoping for a meal before sundown. He bent down cocking his legs for a large spree and got ready for his meal. Already tasting the warm flesh and getting cocky.

Then he sprang up from his hiding place in the tall weeds and grasses and smiled at the fact that his prey for the time being sat there with probably a shocked expression on its face. Then he started to get doubtful: why is my prey just siting there if not to jump away at the last second? Could I be so mad with hunger that I could be imagining this whole thing?

His slight worries and hesitation was enough for the small beast to dodge the poor attack and disappear into the marsh. And Octavian lay there with a sprained paw, hunger on his lips, and a murderous look in his glowing green, useless eyes.

[Capricorn and Hanahara]

Cappy looked in surprise and horror as another wolf, with a different smell from the first one, sprang from the grass. His every muscle tensed, he was ready to run, but... but although his mind was screaming for him to go, he couldn't seem to move. He could see this confused the wolf, who paused as well.

"Please don't hurt me..." he squeaked, both to this wolf and the one still hiding. He didn't know why he kept talking to them. They obviously didn't understand. However, fear was forcing his tongue to move. He talked when he was nervous, and he was nervous alright. What if these two weren't the only ones? What if there was a whole pack surrounding him? All this work... for one jackalope? They probably wanted his funny pelt and his black antlers.

Capricorn wiggled his tail a little, a gesture of peace among the wolves, as far as he was concerned. Or did it mean he wanted to play? He didn't know, but he wiggled anyways, trying to mimic the wagging motion he had seen wolves do while he was watching from some hiding place. He didn't have much tail, and the motion wasn't natural to his body, so it came out more like a spasm of his rear end, but it was worth the try.

Looking up at the visible wolf with wide blue eyes, he squeaked.

"MercygreatwolfI'mwaggingmytailseeyouwannaplayrightgood'causeIwannaplayohgoshsomeoneheeeeeelp...." his words melded together into a single stream of terrified wailing. He hoped that his little gesture meant the wolf wouldn't eat him. He really, truly hoped so!

[eldtor]

The meadow was a potential death trap to many prey creatures. Its open spaces drew a wolf's attention to the slightest hint of foreign movement. Many lives were taken whilst they roamed the plush green grass. However, the meadow always appeared abundant with life during the spring and summer months. Perhaps it was the land’s pure beauty that drew them to their deaths? Or was it because some powerful, omniscient force decided they did all they could in their present life? Whatever it may be, whether by fate or pure stupidity, those who ventured here are forced to be on their guard every waking moment of their short and inextensible lives.

Although it gave the supreme predator an upper hand at surviving, the meadow was not on the elderly keiyou’s “most favorite vacation resort” list. If a troublesome wolf wanted to try and attack him, he would not be able to fly away as many of the older wolves of his species would. Plus his limping gait, which at times made him look like his left leg was greatly shorter than his right, caused him to stumbled over misplaced stones and twigs. He was just as vulnerable as the weak prey that were considered a mere snack to the much larger predators.

He held his head low to the ground while his lion-like tail was held out to aid him as he walked. Ever since he was injured and unable to fly, the keiyou found that his tail that once helped him during flight now helped him from falling over. His ears swiveled atop his head catching every sound loud enough to be heard by the old wolf. His nose, twitching every now and then, soaked up all the scents of the Connewa Meadow. “Blood,” he thought. It was faint, perhaps hours old, but it was enough to draw the wolf towards it. He had become more of a scavenger than a hunter in his later years, and he hoped that there was just enough meat left on the carcass of what ever had passed away.

He quickened his pace though only slightly. He stumbled as he did so, making his bones ache with weariness. He paused when the ear-piercing wail hit his ears and cringed at the shrill pitch it held. “It cannot be any wolf,” he thought. The names of the prey known to this region buzzed through his mind. It has been awhile since he last hunted making it difficult for him to remember what each sounded like when they came face to face with a wolf. The sandy colored wolf quickly ascended up the small hill in hopes of finding the source of the scream. And, to his surprise, there stood a rather odd colored jackalope who was not to far away from a wolf who obviously seen him as his next meal.

He hopped down the hill as fast as his old legs could carry him. Once he was at the same level as the wolf and jackalope, he placed himself halfway between the two. The wolf could not help but stare at the purple creature. He’s never once seen such colored prey, well not alive at least. He did remember coming across an all black winged fish before, though only its head and part of its side was left. He also remembered seeing a black unicorn from afar. Ahhh, how he got lost in his memories.

When he escaped from his reminiscing, he looked over to the wolf. “Excuse me, lad,” he spoke with his gruff voice, “do you think it may be easier for you to just feed off of that carcass over there?” He would hate to see such a rare creature die in his presence. The world was already empty of them and a little bit of individuality wouldn’t hurt. He knew the poor young wolf was probably starving, he knew his own stomach rumbled with hunger, but the jackalope was helpless against the wolf and Eldtor may just be the only chance it has of surviving this encounter.