The morning and Mid-day seemed to slip سے طرف کی as quickly as it had arrived before Eight as his trek across the country side had shown no signs of slowing.
Since he had gorged himself on chicken the night before, he had plenty of energy and سے طرف کی this time, still a relative grasp on his hunger - یا rather, the lack thereof.
The دن was spectacular so far. He had a few lucky breaks in the last week that would put even the most heavy-hearted individual in a fantastic mood. The weather was prime for a half paced gallop across the almost flat and empty land before him. It was practically an isle, his own personal trail, 40 yards wide with solid درخت line on either side of him.
He had been running most of the دن seemingly without falter یا tiring at all. Although he had little idea for a destination when he left home, he knew that there were heavy populations of wolves in the mountains, typically. He had a few run ins with plenty of other creatures in the wilderness, some he was glad to leave behind him, but only one pack... Which, now that he thought about it, he was also مزید than happy to leave in his wake.
Eight pulled closer to the درخت line and padded along side it. He decided it may be time for a rest before he trudged on, after all, whats a travel if آپ don't take the time to drink in the sights? The breeze picked up a little bit, bringing a scent he was glad of, and with it, he figured he was coming up on a place that would be perfect for a rest.
He continued on about 30 yards یا مزید before he came to a cliff edge, not so high, but enough of a drop to end his walking the rest of the way of his little trip. What he had smelled was water, a river to be specific. Below the loose rocks and sheer drop off was not only the perfect place to stop for a rest, but also a slow paced and shallow area to پار, صلیب over.
He chuckled to himself and smiled once again at his fortune and sat for a moment.
The sun now behind him and hours before a dark setting, it was wonderful to take in the scenes of a quiet, windswept piece of the world. At the edge of the cliff, the wind tunneled through the river bottom and up along the edges, blowing through his mane, tussling the length of his فر, سمور this way and that across his face and along his back. He felt a rush of relaxation mixed with excitement come across him. And the world was perfect.
He sat for almost 20 منٹ in awe, his green eyes scaling the landscape, watching the shadows, birds, the water below. His expressions shifted here and there as he would focus in on something, یا watch an insect flutter by. Tail wagging gently from side to side he breathed in a full lung of water scented cool air as the riverbed brought it up to him before letting it out in a sigh.
"Okay then..." He کہا to himself, deciding that it was time to try to very gingerly navigate what narrow trails lay along the side of this cliff. It wouldn't be a simple task, but he didn't have much option. It was either here یا track through the woods into unknown territory for how ever long it took and then backtrack to this spot for an easy crossing. His paws found few spots that accompanied his weight as the trails crumbled down beneath his paws. His ears lay back as he jumped from one rock to another that turned loose before grappling a sturdy enough ledge.
All the nerves in his paw tips, legs and body stood on end, and felt every slightest sensation in the heightened state that his high pulse and دل rate brought on. His breath was short for a moment and his دل raced still as he neared the half way mark. Looking around and scanning the canyon side he picked out a spot and made his leap onto a quickly crumbling ledge. His claws clamored and grasped and scratched but down he went sliding for a moment along the دیوار before his freefall began - only to be stopped abruptly سے طرف کی the ground with an audible THUD as he hit the broad side of his body, knocking the air out of his lungs and covering his body in small rocks and dirt that trailed quickly after him.
He moaned, only momentarily taken back سے طرف کی his short fall to the ground. He looked back up as he began to stand, wincing just mildly.
"Damn it... It may not have been far," He began to protest, his back-woodsy drawl came through, "But that freakin' smarts."

In pain یا otherwise, he was at the bottom, and no worse for the wear. A bruise here, a nose full of dirt there - all part of the business.
He sidled up to the river and welcomed it with a lapping tongue, the cool and crisp taste in his mouth met his every need as once again he felt a limber sense of calm over him. For a moment.
Eight's ears perked up, his eyes opened wide, his mouth stopped drinking and his entire body tensed. The hair on the back of his neck bristled as an all too familiar scent filled his nose.
"Noooooo...." A whisper shot out of his mouth, part in disbelief, part in pleading. He jerked his head up and looked one way down the chasm.
"No, no.... no no no..." Now he was just pleading as certainty entered his mind. He scanned to his left down the chasm as he found his feet.
"No... it must have been... I made too much noise or..."
his feet moved him backwards toward the cliff wall, his ears perked and his eyes opened wide in terror.
"It must have been when I -" He bumped the cliff facing, he hadn't realized that he was relocating, and stopped short, frozen in fear.
His head turned right and immediately his ears lay flat and a tear came to his eye as his worst fear was confirmed.

There, down the cliff facing almost effortlessly. This grim visage, which took the form of a Mountain Lion scaled downward and downward, each step, each leap further sealed Eights demise.
He turned toward her, keeping his feet trained, there was no way he'd out run it. There's no way he'd out fight it, but if he showed signs of retreat, the big cat would give chase - it was their way.
The beast came toward him, almost 7 feet long, it must have weight 95 pounds. He was stricken with fear, but he managed to تحریر himself - everything but his eyes, which remained wide and fixed.
The mountain lion grew closer, head down and shoulders up with a low growl in its throat, its appearance now very apparent, matronly. Older, her فر, سمور and face showed signs of seeing much in her years.

There was no where to run. He had no choice but to stand. As she closed the distance between them, he couldn't help but lose all hope. And under his breath it came,

"Oh God..... Oh God, Oh God...."