Melliza stalked through the tall, mustard grass, hoping to catch a glimpse of her prey - a wily field mouse tunneling through the savannah plains. Her lithe body curled downwards, paw pads barely tracking against the soil as her sharp green eyes finally caught sight of its huddled, scurrying form.
Silently she thanked the higher powers, the spirits of the hunt, for letting her get lucky. She would be proud, and maybe someone else would.
Someone.
Her stripes blended perfectly into the grass, giving her an advantage. Well, at least they served some positive purpose - it was hard to appreciate them after all the pain that being colored thus had caused her. The lions, as it turned out, were not so magnanimous as they liked to make themselves out to be.
At least, not any of the ones she had met.
Finally she leapt, and in one spry move caught what would, in moments, be her dinner. The mouse only had time to squeak twice before she swung her paw down with a lethal force, crushing the poor creature's skull.
Inwardly she frowned. She'd never drawn pleasure from hurting another creature - especially not one so small and helpless. But, she reminded herself, it was all part of the balance. She needed this mouse, and another like it, to feed herself and her two brothers.
She was about to pick up her kill and eat when she suddenly heard a gruff voice behind her, and quickly flicked her ear back.
"Uh, hello?"
A note of fear punctuated Melliza's voice. She wasn't sure what this stranger wanted, but his intentions didn't look friendly...