Wild Tundra

Daylight hovered across the vast, barren desolation of the arctic.

Snow drifts that resembled gigantic meringue mounds, gave way to the only barricades, which were the monolithic glaciers that stood entombed. But as the ice melts slowly turning to water, those frozen bergs disappear, drifting leaving many depressions, a sunken deluge of thunderous cracking, yet another barrage plummets, nose diving into the ocean below.

Treading in the footsteps of my ancestors has been no easy task, conditions mean that only the toughest survive my world. My thoughts often turn to those hunters that move like zombies across crystalline plains, wind whining and whipping through every bone in their bodies. I would compare it to the sound of shrieking banshees, a Judas to their cause.

I always keep my distance not wishing to be seen, solitude is all I desire, the desolation with its raw existence giving rise to displays of victory when my predatory mind kicks in and takes over as I pursue my kill.

While hunting seal once as a cub for the first time, the ice I was standing on began to split, suddenly I found myself floating away from land. Scared and not sure what to do next, I spied a seal under the surface, instinct took over as I entered the freezing water, my heart skipped a beat even with warmth of my thick fur. It was such a scary descent at the time as I wasn't prepared, thinking I might drown and vanish forever.

Then finding I could paddle my way through the sudden surge, it gave me reason not to give up the fight. A cacophony of chaos and confusion left me disorientated and blowing bubbles with each breath. Luckily I overcame my calamity, though scared and disheveled. Using all my body strength to scale the slippery surface my patience paid off in the end, with all the energy I could muster I pursued and conquered my kill.

My other reason for steering clear of humans, was while on a hunt as a young cub with my brother and mother, we roamed across the snow brushed Tundra with nostrils twitching, succumbing to scent of humans, hearing smatterings of droned conversations that resembled incoherent mumbling. Wind carried the yelps of their four legged companions, while the snow driven bleakness left us starving, not having eaten in so long.

Reaching the end of a trail, we found ourselves approaching their encampment. From past experience my mother knew habitation meant free food, pressure of hunger can lead to all kinds of dangers, though my mother had no problem with humans. As snow and wind persisted, lack of food became all too real. Nightfall will come soon enough and ramblings will diminish as scraps will be dispersed among their four legged companions that yap and howl incessantly till fed.

My stomach rumbled smelling food at the top of a large ramp. Turning I gazed at my mother who was otherwise occupied with my brother, his intention was to get inside a large crate.

Placing one paw on to the wooden construction I started to ascend, it felt springy as my body began to bounce, I decided to test just how strong it was while my brother continued with his escapade, my mother not amused.

This was such fun with the flexible springing giving me a sense of excitement, I was completely lost in this game. I never even heard my mother's cries, it was only the crack of explosion that alerted me. I watched with shock as my sibling brother was struck, he hit the ground, red liquid began oozing from his side covering the snow in all directions.

Shock caused me to fall backwards down the ramp, my four legs felt cumbersome at that moment of not looking where I was going, all I remember was plummeting as I slid backwards down a snowy embankment. My normal instinct would be to scramble out, but irritated and young as I was, I knew there was a need to separate myself from the situation.

My fear now raging as I heard my mother's call of danger. With heart racing I picked myself up, my stumpy short legs kept sinking in icy cold snow making it difficult to proceed with any swiftness, all my thoughts of mischief and hunger were long forgotten.

I remember my mother's whimpering cry as she lowered herself down and nudged her dying cub, the air slipping away, his body lay motionless. Her tongue licking the air, then with a huff of breath she rose and gave a last grunt of distress before turning and walking away. The choice to leave had not been easy, but there were dangers here. She searched for me, but I was too frightened to come out of hiding, my mind was a vortex of fear.

The sky turned a sickly color of Grey and pallid green, I scowled at the sight of those humans and wished my mother would come and save me, but as time went on and the wind picked up, I knew she wasn't coming.

I stayed where I was curling up in a tight ball, covering my eyes with my paws to keep out the worst of the weather and resting. By nightfall all was quiet in the encampment. With a feeling it was safe to come out, I clambered up the slope, smelling the air for any danger. Darkness rested over the cabins, but I could smell food. Bounding over towards one of the dwellings, I spy meat the humans had left hanging to dry, this was my only chance of a bite to eat, so carefully I sauntered over and without hanging around, grabbed some meat and quickly scarpered, not wishing to become a victim of their hate.

Driven by the urge to get back to the ocean, my fur kept me insulated from the freezing temperatures. Although feeling fragile, I'd eaten and there was a determination in my footing, I no longer felt the foreboding just a need to survive. For me the tasty fat of the ocean dwellers, outweighed anything else, even pain. My mother had taught me well.

The end.