NOVEL NEXT Chapter 6: In Africa
Dominic jogged lightly across the surface of the savannah, marvelling at the difference from only a short time ago. His paws fell softly on the earth, only a faint swishing from the grass around causing any noise at all. Perhaps this is a reason to make paws softer, he wondered, thinking back to one of his enhancement options. It hadn’t made much sense at the time to do that, but if it could improve stealth capacity, then fair enough.
His claws were sheathed, but he’d finally worked out how to use them, the knowledge clicking and becoming almost instinct now. It turned out that they were less like the fingernails he had been imagining, and more an extra joint to his fingers and toes which he had to flex to make them come out.
It probably would have been harder to work out how to suddenly move an extra muscle that he’d never used before, but Leo had been helping for some reason, shoving knowledge at him. He’d been suspicious at first, but eventually accepted it. I’m glad I did – this would have taken a lot longer otherwise.
Not only had Leo helped with his claws, but also with his tail – a long stretch of muscle that was completely alien to Dominic, and annoyingly important. As soon as he started moving with any speed, wanted to turn abruptly, or jump, that tail became integral to his balance.
Fortunately, once those two things got sorted out, the rest slid into place easily enough. He supposed that, even if he could suddenly take positions which would have been impossible in his human form, at least he was used to having four limbs and a head. The same could not be said about his claws and tail.
As for what he was doing now? He’d spotted something which Leo had identified: prey.
Some sort of warthog, he guessed, based on the colour and gait. A couple of parents and a number of youngsters. A sense of anticipation came from Leo. I guess warthogs are good eating? Dominic wondered. Just as well – all the practice he’d been doing had caused his hunger and thirst levels to pick up a bit again.
I should probably be a bit more stealthy than just running straight up to them, Dominic decided. The impression he’d got from Leo was that warthogs weren’t as fast as he was, but they could run for a lot longer. They probably would run away too, preferring to avoid a clash with a lion, even a solitary one.
Sinking close to the ground, Dominic willingly accepted the instincts Leo offered him in how to conduct a hunt. He didn’t know why his leonine passenger was being quite so obliging, but he wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Hiding in the long grass, he stalked forwards one quiet foot at a time. The quiet grunts of the warthogs were clear to his ears, their smell filling his nose and his open mouth. His head lowered, he froze as one of the warthogs looked his way.
They were wary. Unsurprising – they were used to being prey, and a moment of inattention could mean losing their very lives. It was probably the tensest moment of Dominic’s life. He didn’t know whether the warthog had spotted him or not, hidden in the grass as he was. Yet it didn’t look away.
Finally, it dipped its head. Dominic let out a silent sigh and kept moving forwards.
The moment repeated itself several times, the frequency increasing as he got closer. Perhaps it’s time for a change, he thought as he lowered himself to his belly. He was only about twenty yards away from his prey. It was close, but not close enough. The closer he could get, the more likely his hunt would succeed – his knowledge from Leo told him that.
Dominic had got within fifteen yards when the wind switched directly briefly. His scent was carried to the alert warthogs and warned them prematurely.
With an urgent squeal, the two parents took off, their children following them a fraction of a second later.
Cursing to himself, Dominic pushed himself into a sprint immediately. He wasn’t quite running flat out, but was close to it as he chased the biggest warthog.
I’m catching up! Excitement filled his thoughts. However, pride only came before a fall: he caught one of his paws in a hole he hadn’t spotted and he stumbled.
Although he managed not to fall, he immediately knew that his hunt had failed. It might have only been a momentary interruption, but it had allowed the warthogs to get too far ahead.
Dominic could feel the fatigue in his limbs and knew that he wouldn’t be able to catch up to them before his stamina bottomed out. Growling in frustration, he slumped to the ground and panted a little, his mouth open.
Expecting scorn from Leo, he was surprised when the leonine consciousness gave off a sense of disappointed indifference. Then again, he’d read somewhere that lion hunts were only successful a third of the time or something so perhaps it was expected.
When his breath was coming easier, Dominic pushed himself to his feet. Well, no point in hanging around here. It’s not like the prey was going to come to him.
*****
Two more unsuccessful hunts later, Dominic was a hungry and grumpy lion. He’d chased a hare, only to be so out-paced it wasn’t funny. Then, he’d found a herd of gazelle, but he’d spooked them too soon. He hadn’t even tried running after that lot, already knowing by the sheer head-start they had that it wasn’t worth the effort: he’d already noted that the more stamina he expended, the faster his hunger and thirst levels rose.
He’d already known that, though – it’s not like the system changed anything, just gave them numbers. But with his hunger already reaching over 50%, he needed to find something soon.
Although finding a trail wasn’t necessarily hard, finding something worth him hunting was. The next few imprints, he considered following, but then finally moved away from. The long talon marks were clear: ostriches. Not that he couldn’t necessarily take one down, but they were dangerous prey with their powerful kicks. Plus, this wasn’t one on its own, but a group which would defend each other. Without a pride of his own, Leo didn’t feel confident in taking one on, which meant that Dominic didn’t either.
However, the next thing he saw made Dominic stare in confusion. Leo was baffled too, though that was more because he didn’t recognise it.
A kangaroo.
In Africa.
Actually...Am in Africa anymore? Dominic wondered. A few things started clicking into place. The message in the void had mentioned having his particles disintegrated and reformed, or something of the sort. The fact that him being reconstituted had posed a problem because he was supposed to be reformed in the same space as Leo had put him off a bit but… What if I’m somewhere else completely?
It made sense, kind of. The savannah looked different from what he remembered, though only a little – most of the plants were what both he and Leo vaguely recognised. That would explain why I haven’t seen any roads, cars, or people, he continued to himself. I was in the middle of the Kruger park. With how far I’ve wandered so far, I should have at least encountered a road, if not a campsite. But I’ve seen nothing to indicate humans at all.
That there were humans should be the case – logically, why would the System have attempted to reconstitute him in the same space as Leo if humans and animals were separated? Until now, though, he hadn’t yet seen any signs of them.
Seeing a kangaroo, however, might indicate one of two things: that animals in zoos had been released and started wandering around, and that there was a zoo close by to the Kruger park; or that animals from different parts of Earth had been put in the same place.
As Dominic looked around the area and spotted something else, he realised there might be a third possibility. Is this new world a patchwork of the old one? He’d seen a stand of eucalyptus trees, familiar because he’d had one in the garden growing up.
Perhaps I’ll find more evidence later, he decided. For now, should he try hunting the kangaroo or not? Leo seemed uncertain, baffled by its completely unfamiliar shape, so Dominic had to rely on his own judgment.
From what I know, kangaroos have powerful feet and they ‘box’ with each other. They also tend to run in groups. Looking around, Dominic noticed something he hadn’t seen before: a few other kangaroos lying down in the shade or grazing on the grass near the feet of the trees.
The one he was looking at seemed to be a distance away from the others, though; perhaps a sentry. It’s taller than me, Dominic noted. Not by much, though, if I stood on my back legs, I don’t think. He was pretty sure he’d be heavier too.
He didn’t want to get hit by those feet or be the target of its boxing...but what if he could get a quick kill in?
If it doesn’t work, I’ll run away, Dominic decided. Or climb a tree – kangaroos can’t do that, he decided instead after a moment of thought, figuring that a kangaroo might have better stamina than him.
Dropping back down into the now-familiar belly-crawl, he fixed his eyes on his prey and moved towards it, one quiet paw at a time.
The kangaroo seemed to realise that something was a bit off, as it kept standing up to look around, but Dominic just froze at those moments, and the kangaroo didn’t seem to spot him. Closer, closer, closer.
The tricky wind switched direction for a moment and Dominic tensed as his scent was carried towards the kangaroo. If it started running, he’d charge. However, all the kangaroo did was shift a little uncertainly and then hop a couple of steps closer to its troop.
I guess, unlike a warthog, it doesn’t know what a lion smells like – or why it should be afraid, Dominic thought to himself with excitement. Ten yards. Seven. Three. He was amazed he’d got this close. The long tail of the ‘roo lifted and lowered almost in front of his nose as the kangaroo leant forwards to munch at the grass. A moment later, it stood upright once more, its head turning slightly to took around it.
Hesitating for one more moment - once he struck, he was committed - he firmed up his decision. It was a dog eat dog world; this time, it would be a lion eat kangaroo.
His tail now automatically moving correctly, Dominic fixed his eyes on his target, wiggled his hind-quarters, and then pounced.