The Hunter

Darkness surrounds me Leaves whisper in the wind Shadows all around me As I manoeuvre downwind Like a dark patch of silence I move low through the brush My muscles pent up violence Ready for the final rush I catch a scent upon the air Musky and fresh in the night I pause briefly to stare But nothing yet is in sight Onward I slink through the dark Listening hard for little sounds Trying to pick out my mark Hiding in these dense surrounds At last I hear their breathing Coming from close up ahead My claws I am unsheathing My hunger will soon be feed My whole body quivers ready Like a fleshy coiled spring But I appear calm and steady While all my tendons sing The soft and furry quarry Lies unaware not far ahead I will soon pounce with glory And devour it shred by shred It lifts its head in question Way too late to save itself Panic fills its expression But I just grin myself I surge forward like an arrow And with claws I grip it tight I can already taste the marrow My blood lust at its height Finally it struggling ceases And I bring my teeth to bear I rip its soft flesh to pieces And my hunger stops its glare