In the shadows of the night, I hunt. The half moon shines above as I prowl through the gloom, scenting my next kill. Darkness is my companion, shielding me from the sight of both prey and enemies. A lust for blood rises within of me, urging me to sink my teeth into the warm flesh of a prey animal, but I must wait. The hunt comes before the kill as it always has. Here in the depths of the forest, there is only one law. The strongest shall survive as the weak perish. I am a lioness of the mountain, and I am one of the strongest.

The smell of prey fills my nostrils, and I swish my tail in anticipation. The hunt is on. Making no noise, I creep through the trees, following the scent trail. The thought of a kill fills my mind, but I must focus on the hunt. Every detail stands in the forest surrounding me, mapped by my nose. Silver frost covers the ground, cracking slightly as I walk on it. An owl flies overhead, most likely on a hunt of its own. It is of no consequence to me. Smells of the forest swirl about me. However, it is the scent of the prey that is the strongest. My pace increases as I close in on the animal, a deer, limping on its hind leg into the middle of a clearing. Easy prey.

Stalking slowly up, I crouch down, ready to pounce. Oblivious to the hunt, the deer bends its head to graze. The kill is so near. Just as I leap towards the prey, my nose catches a trace of a hostile scent. I land short of the deer, and, alerted to my presence, it bolts. However, my focus is now on the strange smell; the smell of an enemy. This is my domain, and no other predator may hunt here.

I watch the intruder as it prowls into the clearing, evidently tracking the prey I just scared off. The hair on my back begins to rise. This is an ancient foe of my kind, a fierce and powerful predator. Shifting into a fighting position, I give the trespasser a warning hiss. It is answered by a growl from the large, male wolf.

He comes closer to me, his lips parted to show bared teeth. I let out another hiss. If it is a fight this wolf wants, then it is a fight he will get. Without warning, I attack, scoring a slash on his shoulder with my claws. The scent of blood fills the air. Snarling, the wolf leaps at me, narrowly missing my throat where my lifeblood flows. We circle one another, his menacing eyes locked with mine. This is no careless pup, but a seasoned warrior, with the scars of many battles apparent on his hide.

The wolf lunges again, and I jump to the side. He may have the strength, but I am faster. However, he leaps at me once more, and this time I am not quick enough, resulting in one of my ears being torn in half. Pain radiates from the remaining ear, but I ignore it. Blood drips from the wound, only serving to anger me further. This is my territory, and no beast will take it from me!

The spirit of the wild rises within me and I pounce on the wolf, sinking my claws into his back. Panicking, he tries to throw me off and then rolls on the ground, but I hold fast. Wolf teeth tear at my side, but it only makes my claws sink deeper into his flesh. Blood gushes from the wounds, intoxicating my senses.

All of a sudden, the wolf jerks violently, and I am thrown from his back. Lightning fast, he dashes in to the make the kill. Strong jaws close in around my throat. I struggle with all my might, but he does not release his death hold.

With my last ounce of strength, I swipe my forepaw across the wolf?s face. My claws dig deep into his eye, gorging it out. It is enough to make the wolf release me. In an instant I have regained my footing and am upon him. My teeth close in around his throat, and his lifeblood gushes into my mouth. I hold on until the wolf?s struggles cease. Then, I release my grip. The wolf is dead; my enemy has been defeated.

Filling my nose with the scent of his blood, I bend down and sink my teeth into his still warm flesh. I have proved my dominance over this opponent. The strong shall survive as the weak perish. I am the strongest. I am the huntress.