The morning sun was just starting to creep up over the horizon as I made my way through the spring forest. Life was teeming all around , reviving after winters frost had started to fade. My approach to the clearing ahead was slow and deliberate. Careful to keep my fur from brushing tree bark. I was testing the placent of my foot before shifting my weight to it fully. I passed just feet away from a squirl that was digging near a tree trunk looking for an old stash of food. So busy, it didn't notice passing behind it.
The small breeze brought with it the sweet sll I had been expecting, and it made unconsciously crouch just a little lower to the ground. A break in the trees allowed to see my prey, but I made sure not to focus on it too intently. Prey and predators alike could sense when they were being targeted. Instead, I focused my attention on a rock just to his left. Knowing that I had the wind advantage to but being smart enough not to co from the direction that the wind blew toward, tricky prey always kept an eye on that direction, knowing it was a weak spot.
I was angled to just the right of his blind spot as I slowly got closer. All my movents were slow, but fluid. My eyes widened as he glanced in my direction, I held perfectly still. The prey looked away, and my back claws dug into the ground. The best ti to strike was when the prey had dismissed an area they had just looked, the surprise of an attack from that direction would be that much more of a shock and delay its reaction more than normal.
I burst from the side of the clearing in one mighty leap, my surprise had been complete. He tried to shift away and escape my grasp, but my right paw hit his shoulder and spun him to the ground. But by the ti I had landed and turned towards his direction, he was on his feet in a runner's stance, teeth bared and hissing. I roared back in response, a challenge. He accepted and charged towards . I let him take a few steps to make sure he was committed to his approach, and then I leapt towards him with my paws extended. He tried to reach for , but my reach in this position was greater than his, and I struck his chest, flinging him backwards to slam into a tree.
Before he hit the ground, I was on him with my snout placed at his neck, a low growl leaving my throat.
"Whoaa, Thomas. Easy there, partner. You just about gave a heart attack, and that's an accomplishnt."
I backed up and let Jasper relax. Then made my change back to human form. "I thought for sure I had you on that first pounce. Your reaction speed is beyond astonishing."
Jasper stood up and brushed so dirt off his back. "It's hardly fair that sothing so large was able to get so close to without noticing. The first five minutes, I was reacting to every critter sound in the area, and I had to tune so many out that I missed your approach once I tuned them out. If you weren't so big, I bet you could have gotten another five paces closer to and I wouldn't have been able to react at all."
I laughed, "Yeah, my size looks and sounds impressive. But it had a lot of drawbacks in sparsely forested areas. If I could catch you at a dead sprint inside five minutes, we could have a fairly even fight. But everything I have found online and in practice shows that I am an ambush killer for sure. I am not the Wolves who can chase their prey down and tire it out by working together. Tigers are solo hunters, it's a whole different style."
I walked over to my backpack and started to get dressed.
Jasper just shook his head in resignation, "You managed to get the drop on , even when I knew you were out there. So much for Vampires being the top of the food chain. Your first strike would have done more than just knock down if you had been using your claws. If you hadn't ripped my arm off, you would have pulled in to go tumbling with you, and there is no vampire I have ever seen that will co out of that ball of fur, claws, and teeth in good shape."
I laughed at a thought I just had. "Next ti you and Emtt are going to go wrestling in the woods, let know and I'll give him the surprise of his life."
Jasper started to laugh along with . "That's terrible, he would never forgive . I'm in."
After a few monts of laughter, I slipped my shoes back on and stood up fully dressed. "So, is everyone good with Bella coming over this afternoon?"
Jasper sighed, "Rosalie is going to be difficult, I would imagine, but Emtt will keep her civil. Es is going to burst with happiness, and my little hummingbird is ecstatic. She can't wait to et her best friend. I will be keeping my distance a bit, not to be rude, but… human blood is still a major temptation to . I thought about hunting last night, but I hate being the weak link, so I'm pushing myself a bit."
"You are stronger than you think, Jasper. When you need it, you will find your strength." I waved goodbye to him, "See you tonight at the ga. Edythe wants to look over my new house, and I am more than a little curious myself."
I made my way back ho, wondering if I would get in a shower before Bella woke up. Charlie had the weekend off work and planned to do so shooting with a few friends. I was aware of the irony that when Bella introduced Edward to Charlie later today that he would most likely be cleaning his guns. It would be far from threatening to Edward, but it would make Charlie happy and embarrass Bella at the sa ti so no way I was spoiling that.
I lucked out and no one was downstairs when I got ho. I rummaged through the fridge and decided a good old ham steak and eggs breakfast would be a good start to my day. Pulling it out of the fridge and leaving everything on the counter I went up to my room to drop off my bag. I saw Charlie's bedroom door was open and heard the shower going, so I figured I would start his breakfast the sa ti as mine.
By the ti he made it downstairs with a gym bag in hand, I had his coffee on the table and scooped 3 sunny side up eggs onto the top of his ham steak that covered most of his plate. He thanked when I placed it in front of him.
I looked at the bag and saw it had a combination lock on it, "What's in the bag?"
"Got my service weapon in there and a couple others that I will be shooting today. I need to requalify for work and a couple others need a good cleaning after being stored for so long. Figure if I am going to clean them, I may as well send so rounds down range with them first."
Firearms didn't hold much interest for , so I just nodded and started my steak's. I had cut a portion out of one for Bella, knowing there was no way she could finish a full one by herself.
When I sat at the table with my food, Charlie asked, "You headed to your mom's old house today?"
I quickly swallowed the food I had been chewing. "Yeah, I am curious about it. Edythe should be by in an hour or so to go with ."
He paused and looked at , "Just rember, you are welco to stay here as long as you want. Don't go feeling that you need to move out just because it's an option. But I also understand the drive to take control and live under your own roof. Either way, I will still be here for ya."
"I plan to stay here at a minimum until this school year is over. I agree that it would affect my schooling to do it right away. Besides, I will probably want to do so renovations before moving in."
The rest of the morning was just a quiet al. Charlie insisted on washing up the dishes, so I went upstairs to shower and brush my teeth. By the ti I was done, Charlie had left. Leaving to wait for Edythe to pick up. I sat at the computer and sent an email to Renee and look up so more information on Nepal.
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