Post by stormaf on May 15, 2005 20:26:02 GMT -5
The tiger had dragged his deer at least a half mile when he spotted the old barn sitting on a slight rise. The grass grew long around it and sections of broken fence stood up here and there like the masts of buried ships, the corn cribbing hanging from the posts like netting. Obviously, no one had farmed this land for a number of years. Whatever had happened to the homesteader was not the tiger's concern; finding a dry spot to eat his dinner before the storm hit was.
The stag weighed a couple hundred pounds anyway, Sharir estimated, but his powerful body hauled the carcass around with little discomfort. A section of rotted fencing barred Sharir's way to the barn and the tiger left the body as close to the fence as he could. Lithely, he leapt the fence and spun when he landed. One huge paw reached through the wire and claws hooked into the deer's meaty shoulder. With a cracking sound, the tiger forced the stag's body through the wood and wire, further damaging the fence.
Sharir again sunk his teeth into the back of the deer's neck and, slinging a front paw over the dead animal's limp shoulders, he began to haul it towards the half open barn doors.
As he entered the barn's musty darkness, mice ran for cover and the nesting birds puffed up their feathers and cheeped in alarm. A barn owl opened its round eyes and, looking very much as if the sight of a tiger startled it, it clacked its beak.
The tiger heard and smelled it all. He dragged his kill to a cozy corner and settled down to eat. He hadn't had the chance to take a couple of good mouthfuls before another noise intruded on his repast. Ears pricked and eyes intent, Sharir watched the bright rectangle between the dilapidated barn doors.
The stag weighed a couple hundred pounds anyway, Sharir estimated, but his powerful body hauled the carcass around with little discomfort. A section of rotted fencing barred Sharir's way to the barn and the tiger left the body as close to the fence as he could. Lithely, he leapt the fence and spun when he landed. One huge paw reached through the wire and claws hooked into the deer's meaty shoulder. With a cracking sound, the tiger forced the stag's body through the wood and wire, further damaging the fence.
Sharir again sunk his teeth into the back of the deer's neck and, slinging a front paw over the dead animal's limp shoulders, he began to haul it towards the half open barn doors.
As he entered the barn's musty darkness, mice ran for cover and the nesting birds puffed up their feathers and cheeped in alarm. A barn owl opened its round eyes and, looking very much as if the sight of a tiger startled it, it clacked its beak.
The tiger heard and smelled it all. He dragged his kill to a cozy corner and settled down to eat. He hadn't had the chance to take a couple of good mouthfuls before another noise intruded on his repast. Ears pricked and eyes intent, Sharir watched the bright rectangle between the dilapidated barn doors.
