I woke up and muttered an apology to Selicia for sleeping on her and losing my temper.

"The blood smell from the remains is strong," I noted. I went over and pulled a deer out of the pile and tucked it in. I didn't feel like hunting. That was until the sun started setting. Hunger kicked in and I left my cave. I smelled the air and picked up a scent. The amount of blood was larger than a meat bag's. I learned that meat bags were the alpha predator. Most of that meat was muscle. So for something to have more blood than muscles means more meat or something like that. Either way, it was worth taking a look at.

      And soon I found myself back at the frozen lake perched on a tree overlooking a king deer. It was massive! Its antlers were massive! And it was alone. This prey was all alone.

      Prey that was alone, while more alert, were easier to get to. Together it was harder to get into a good spot to pounce. It was easier to just run in and kill everything in my way.

      I sneaked a little bit forward before springing down at the big deer. It moved faster than I thought and reared up to meet me. My claws slashed through its left antlers and my right claws shredded through its left shoulder. Then my body landed on its remaining antler. I felt some pain and used my left hand to slice its throat.

      With a roar, it swung its head around and launched me. I landed with a thump behind it and instantly sprang up and jumped backward. Unfortunately, I underestimated the length of the big deer, and when it kicked backward one of its hoofs kicked me on the chin. I was forcefully made to do a backflip before landing on all fours again and lunging forward and biting the hind leg that kicked me. I then proceeded to bite off the leg. The big deer let out a mellow and hobbled forward, trying to escape me. I let out a giggle and darted forward and with one claw sliced its head clean off.

"Victorious!"

      I burst out giggling before calming myself and picked up the big deer's head with my mouth and dragged the body back to my cave.

….

"...and that's what happened."

      I was telling the story of the big deer hunt to Selicia while eating it. As usual, I placed the skull by my bed since it was new. I studied Selicia for any reaction before sighing when none came. I then dragged the remains of the big deer into the remain pile. I sniffed at it as I did so. Still smelled good.

Why not sing Selicia a song?

Good idea me!

"I'm so smart." I started out loud before trotting over to Selicia.

"Hey Selicia, remember this song?"

      I took a deep breath and gave Selicia a small smile. I was worried about her even if she looked safer than I do. Probably is.

"Tick Tock, time is running out. When the game ends, the outcome clear, the winner will remain."

"I'm coming closer and closer, ever closer, slowly closing in. Hide and hide, try to make it. Try your best to survive."

"Get to your objective or just hide but you know you can't hide forever. Place after place, the options becoming less and less. You know the chase that is coming if you go out so you better make sure that you are close...cause I am faster and if I see you the chase begins."

"Tick Tock on the clock, though you may hear it or not. It keeps on ticking, making the air tense as our game is ever drawn out."

"Clever plotting, clever thinking, each of each other trying to outthink the other, but sometimes simple is best. Each ear open, listening for one another, one searching for and one waiting."

"The game is ever drawing to a close, but not seeming like it. The game that everything plays, hide and seek, objective and hunting, survival down to its core."

"Get to your objective or just try and hide. But you know you can't hide forever, as each and every option starts coming to a close. The goal at the end if you come out and are spotted. You know I am faster than you so you better make sure you're closer than me."

"Tick Tock, on the clock. Time the enemy of us both. Ears are our biggest weapon, listening constantly for the other. Seeker and hider, hunter and runner, both having the same goal in mind. Get to your objective before you get found. And find the other before they reach their objective."

"Tick Tock. Better get running. Better get hiding. Cause when the count is done...the game begins."

"Get to your objective or just try and hide. Remember the other's goal and just try to win. You can run but you better be close. You can hide but not forever. And when you are spotted, either run and hide or go for the objective. But either way, the outcome comes closer."

"Tick Tock. Better get running. Listening for the sounds of the other. Not all about brains, not all about speed. Some of it luck, some of it skill. But the outcome of the game, determined by the two options. Run and hide, if you want to win. Tick Tock on the clock, cause when you are spotted, the outcome becomes clear."

"Tick Tock, ready or not. Our game has either started or is carrying on. The outcome, determined by two options, run and hide...and if you are spotted...your time runs out."

      I finished the song with a sigh. Me and Selicia made it up. It was a song we sang when playing Timeless Hunt. It was manhunt but different. We mainly wanted to make up a name for our own game. Manhunt wasn't really a good name.

      In our game, there is no time limit and the runner, or hider, whatever you wish to be called, must complete an objective, either getting to a certain area or doing multiple tasks or maybe just one task. Whatever the option the rules are clear. The hunter can't camp an objective and they have to touch the runner or hider. The runner or hider can't run right off the bat and have to wait a minute and a half before they are allowed to run or even move unless they were found. They start in a fixed position and have only the barest hint of their objective. The hunter chooses the objective and its location. After the runner or hider runs they can only do so for twenty seconds before they must hide. During a thirty-second cooldown if they are found again they cannot move. This rule is so that even if the runners or hiders are faster than the hunter they are "slower", as in they can't outrun them. This also takes away running as a solid play to do. The final rule is that as long as they WALK they can hide or change spots as much as they like unless they are in a cooldown in which they can't move at all.

      It seems complex but it really isn't. I'm probably missing a few rules but that is the gist of it. Meaningless to say, me and Selicia played it a lot.

      I started drawing again. I was bored. Again. I don't have anything to play with.

Why not make something then?

Oh! Good idea!

"Time to make some dolls!" I declared. I went over to the remain pile and started pulling out bones and bits of flesh and tendons when I hit something hard.

That's not right.

      I frowned. I definitely didn't touch a bone. This felt metal. I searched around until I found the thing again and ripped it from the pile. It was...a magazine? Wasn't what I touched hard? Wait, what is this magazine about? Hmm...those are some pretty women. Are these male models? I've seen female models but not male ones. Then again I was never interested in that stuff.

Huh. What is that pink thing? Must be delicious since that woman in the bunny costume is sucking on it. Hmm. What is a vibrator? Feel the sensation? Um...okay?

"Actually, how come I didn't see this before?"

      Well, let's see what else is…

"Why is this thing sticky? Well I know because of the blood. I'm not stu-...What is this sticky white stuff?"

      Annoyed that I can't read much of the magazine I flipped to the last page that wasn't stuck.

"....."

Some things are better left unseen.

Agreed.

      I threw the magazine in the corner. Must be some kind of black market magazine.

"I wonder if that guy deserved to die having this? Nah, he didn't. He may be into weird stuff but no one deserves to die for liking weird stuff."

      I walked over to his skull and picked it up and balanced it with one finger before tossing it up in the air and catching it with one finger again.

"Sorry. You probably had a life. Something to get back to. For me, I only have my little sister and Selicia. I at least know my little sister is safe with her friends down in Georgia with our grandma but Selicia is all alone. I can't leave her alone."

      I placed the skull down and looked over at Selicia.

"This is the least I can do."

….

Ceartas

….

      It soon came to my realization that I had a tail. I went to sleep after reading the magazine and when I woke up I went out hunting. I changed my claws to climb up trees better. That was when I felt something odd wrap around the tree. I had practically jumped out of my skin. Wait, what does that mean? Ack, it is pissing me off that I don't remember.

      When I looked down to see what was up I saw what looked like a snowish grey tail. I thought it was a snake at first since, in the beginning, they had attacked me but after a while they avoided me. That was when I flicked it up. It was my tail alright. Black spines ran down the middle of it and it ended in a sharp-looking spear-like end which blended in with my skin. It was whiter than the tail skin. It looked nice. The tip that is.

      I decided that it was there to help me survive so I might as well experiment with it, see what it could do. The first thing first is how sharp and strong it is. For that I jumped off the tree I was on.

Alrighty. Have at thee!

      I swung my tail at the tree I was just on. I blinked when my tail passed through it like it was a ghost. The tree stood standing for a while until a gush of wind went by. The tree then slowly leaned to the left of me and-

KABOOM

"Huh. That's useful."

      Next is strength. I went to another tree and lined myself up like a baseball player with the bat. I then struck the tree with the flat side of my tail. The tree was practically sent flying twelve feet in the air before it crashed somewhere down a ditch. Well, the ditch was convenient.

"Wait. Why is my tail stronger than me!?"

      I stood up on my two legs and started pouting at the unfairness of the world. If I accidentally hit myself with my tail I'm screwed. Be nothin' but a bloody paste. Ah, I just went British again. I do that when I'm upset.

That's it. Time to train me on proper tail control!