Chapter 13: Predators Path

A tremendous sense of danger washed over me as I gazed into the hidden room, located deep inside the chambers of this mountain cave.

A large stairwell reminiscent of those in front of government buildings lead downwards into a cut off room with three eerie silhoettes of statues lined in the middle area.

And looking further you could see more stairwells behind the statues leading to who knows where. a few stairwells in fact, some leading down, some leading upwards.

My anxious heart was immediately jolted by this room, and it's dark and eerie ambiance. A premonition of lurking danger plagued me as I came to the realization this place maybe a dungeon.

A moment of silent trepidation, and I began to contemplate my plan of action. I knew all I needed was to somehow arrive on the ground floor of this mountain, so I wondered if I could survive a fall from the cave entrance. Instead of risking life a limb in this place.

Raking my mind I couldn't stop the image of my spinal cord being forced up to my brain by the momentum of the fall.

The location of the cliff was so high up that I couldn't imagine my regeneration creating any miracles.

Fortune didn't favor the foolish after all.

If I thought about it, I was only worried because i was expecting to run into monster and other wild life if this location was actually a dungeon.

But I was in the middle of a jungle miles away from home already. Either path would take me through monster infested territory.

Plus this area may just be an a abandoned secret building on the outskirts of a jungle. Just a normal abandoned secret building on the outskirts of a jungle...

Anyways, no matter what this place was. my best chance for survival persisted on bravely moving forward and facing the unknown.

 Facing the unknown I at least had a fighting chance.

Provoking my own fighting spirit. I hide behind the entrance of the room, and began to plan my journey. First by discarding delusional notions of crushing all obstacles in my path, like a berserk fighter. 

...

walking onto the stairwell I began to approach the closest nest to my location, paying attention to my footsteps, and adjusting them based on the sound made as I moved forward.

At first every step I took reverberated against my ear drum, exaggerated by my overacting mind.

My movements were stiff, and every step I took felt off balance, however noticing my problems I already began to fix myself, straightening my back, and relaxing my shoulder.

my steps became less heavy and more balanced, I still moved at a snails pace, but as I moved I could pay better attention to what was on the floor in front of me, avoiding any rubble and making sure I didn't kick anything loose.

Knowing it was impossible to climb the nest, without making noise I paused a quarter of the way before the nest.

Then moments later I broke off into a stealthy sprint....

Still watching the floor I ran within inches of the nest, then jumped into the air.

Lifting off the ground I soared halfway up the nest.

Rustle

Crunch

I grabbed onto the nest, and propelled myself upward again towards the edge, then pulling myself over the edge I dive into the nest blindly.

thud

From the point in which I began running, till the point I dove into the nest, less that ten seconds passed.

I ran at the fastest speed I was capable of, and managed to only make two sounds while climbing the nest.

Free falling, I landed a top a feathered body, and immediately reach for the creatures necks.

Ca....

I grabbed Both necks and squeezed tightly, I was still slightly too late to silence the bird, and it managed to make a little noise before I could do anything.

I squeezed both necks tightly not allowing any air to escape its windpipe, I even kick down into its body aiming to knock the wind from its diaphragm.

The bird convulsed sharply, rustling the twigs inside its nest.

I wanted to use the rib bone to stab the creature to death, but both my hands were needed to keep the bird from shouting and restlessly moving. 

Although I had studied the birds anatomy while eating one earlier. I still had not discovered a better way to kill them silently.

Rustle rustle rustle

It struggled like a wild bull, and when it couldn't move its body, it tried to flap one of it's wings.

Stomp

crunch

I brought my leg down on the wing, forcing it back against it body.

I stood there, on top of its body. One leg on it abdomen, the other on its wing, and my two arms gripping its neck. It jerked madly, and I felt like a surfer riding a huge unstable wave.

...

Several long moments went by, and during my struggle against the bird my leg slipped away from it wing multiple times, each time it happened I would stomp the wing down again.

...

Finally after what felt like forever, the bird slowly stopped struggling....

Tak

As it was dying I heard a sound, I stayed in the same position for several minutes not twitching a muscle as I listened to the surrounding.

I listened passed the furious thumping of my heart beating in my ears.

It was now absolutely silent, but I didn't feel completely relieved, I slowly put the dead bird in my grasp down, and climb to the rim of the nest. I peaked my head over the side, and there standing just below the nest, was another bird.

My first try at being stealthy was an immediate failure.

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alright guys from now on post are gonna be a little slower, but I am going to increase both the quality and quantity of each chapter. thanks for reading ">