The Ferocity of the Animal World -Part 5

The going is getting tough now in Bradan Writes Stories (a Medium writer) Seedling Challenge, as Step 5 calls for a Sudden Fiction short story.

Here is the original challenge Bradan put together for anyone who is interested in following along or even wanting to test the waters.

Can I continue my story in ‘Part 5’ of the Bradan Writes Stories Seedling Challenge? I guess you’ll only find out if I succeed and publish this on Medium, because if I was to fail, I’d just quietly slink away and that would be the end of my story.

So far I’ve completed Part 1 of the Seedling Challenge which was to write a Dribble. A Dribble is a flash fiction short story of 50 words and is harder to write than it sounds, but it’s also a lot of fun and a great sense of achievement when you succeed.

Go ahead, give it a try!

Here is my Part 1 Challenge entry : My Dribble and is the beginning of my fiction story.

The Ferocity of the Animal World

The survival of the fittest

The large python stalked the small piglet through the undergrowth, its skin undulating in stealthy silence.

With a resounding squeal, the piglet fought a hard fight as the python coiled tightly around its midsection, when suddenly the piglet’s mother flew towards the dangerous python and ferociously attacked in indignant fury.

Part 2 of the Seedling Challenge is a Drabble, which is a flash fiction short story of 100 words and to make it more interesting Bradan’s challenge asks that we build on our previous Dribble from Part 1 of the challenge.

By continuing on with Part 1’s Dribble, my fiction story will begin to build, expanding creatively into a longer fiction short story.

To read Part 2 in its entirety, please click on this link.

The Ferocity of the Animal World - Part 2

The survival of the fittest

With the continuous squealing of her baby ringing in her ears, Mama Pig’s fury knew no bounds. She attacked with the ferociousness of a ‘she wolf’ to protect her precious baby.

Hoofs flying, teeth gnashing, Mama Pig stomped and trampled the back of the large python as it tried to slither out of her reach, but there was to be no relief from the torment and pummelling it was receiving.

When a hoof landed on the snout of the snake’s nose, the snake opened its mouth to hiss in agony, suddenly forgetting the tasty meal it held in its mouth.

Part 3 of the Seedling Challenge is to write a Microfiction, which is between 101 and 300 words long. I’m going to attempt to write a Microfiction short story of exactly 300 words and it will be a continuation of my Dribble in Part 1 and my Drabble in Part 2.

The Ferocity of the Animal World - Part 3

The survival of the fittest

With a final squeal of fright, Piglet stumbled to his feet, fleeing into the undergrowth, heart racing as he ran the race of his life. The piglet could hear his mama snorting behind him as they rushed to safety, leaving the snake behind.

It was only when Mama Pig gave a breathless snort that they began to slow their racing feet, taking cover under a large weeping willow tree, hiding behind the curtain of leaves draping the shadowed ground.

The tiny piglet parted the sweeping boughs with his nose, peering out into the distance, watching for the sunlight to glint off slithering scales. He let out a snort of glee when he realised they had outrun the giant legless lizard and grunted in surprise when his mama laid her hoof upon his rump, giving him a kick.

That backside kick was a reminder from Mama to be silent. That snake was old and wise and Mama Pig is well aware it could be stalking them from a different direction. Her young piglet however, is not wise in the ways of the savageness of the animal kingdom and if he’s not careful, he’ll not grow older to experience his own aged wisdom.

After waiting an indeterminate period of time and seeing no signs of a slithering enemy, Mama Pig led her piglet from under the curtain of tree branches and further into the forest. After a race for their lives they both discovered they were ravenous and headed out in to the wild in search of food.

Piglet wandered into a bushy shrub, delighted to find a rabbit hiding within its confines. He chased the rabbit from the bush and into a nearby clearing, where he pounced upon its back, pinning it to the ground with his two tiny front hoofs.

Part 4 was to write a Postcard Fiction short story. A Postcard Fiction story is between 301 and 500 words, so I upped the challenge by writing exactly 500 words.

Here is the full version of Part 4.

The Ferocity of the Animal World - Part 4

The survival of the fittest

Mama Pig snorts angrily at her baby for playing with his food and promptly pushes Piglet roughly to free the rabbit.

Piglet rises to his feet and glances at the rabbit still frozen in fear. He trots to the rabbit’s side and uses his nose to give it a little nudge but the rabbit continues to shake in fear, too scared to move.

Piglet’s sad that he’d traumatised the tiny creature and gave it a further nudge but the rabbit is just plain terrified. Piglet decides to give it a little time, to teach the rabbit that he could be trusted. He’d prefer to befriend this tiny hairball, rather than eat it. Piglet sure gets lonely at times with just his mama for company and would love a young friend to play with.

With this in mind, Piglet gently lays by the rabbit’s side and waits. Every few seconds he tilts his head and gives the rabbit a gentle nudge. He then faces forward, places his head on his front hoofs and watches the world go by, before turning and nudging Rabbit once more.

While patiently waiting, the sun begins to shimmer between the leaves of the surrounding trees and bathes them in its golden rays. They both begin to relax and stretch out luxuriously in the glorious warm golden rays.

As one, they roll onto their sides and snuggle in closer as they enjoy the warmth and comfort.

Mama Pig smiles at the scene playing out before her own eyes. Who’d have thought of such a strange friendship. Her baby and what should’ve been his prey, cuddled up together like they were born litter mates. It makes Mama Pig happy.

Happy but not relaxed. Piglet may have let his guard down but Mama Pig is still aware of their recent close call. She prowls the edges of the clearing keeping constant guard, only allowing her gaze to wander for the few seconds she takes to eat some of the delicious new grass shoots, as she passes on her rounds.

Piglet, on the other hand, has forgotten all about his hunger, what with his joy of making a new friend.

Eventually, Mama Pig nudges Piglet awake, snorting at him to remind him to eat. Piglet raises himself from his slumber, nudges his new friend and wandering to the edge of the clearing he begins to feed on juicy grass shoots.

It wasn’t long before Rabbit rises and hops over to Piglet’s side, where she too enjoys the succulent grass shoots. They silently gnaw away, the only sound the gnashing of their teeth as they chew their delicious meal.

Tummy satiated, Piglet and Rabbit begin to chase each other around the clearing. That is until they hear the fiercest screech and look to the sky to see a bald eagle hovering over their clearing, peering down at the two small animals.

Piglet and Rabbit know that sound and both rush to hide under Mama Pig’s hefty girth, shaking in sheer terror.

So onwards and upwards, here is my attempt at a Sudden Fiction short story, which consists of between 501 and 1,000 words. Can I make it a little tougher by writing exactly 1,000 words? I can but try.

The Ferocity of the Animal World - Part 5

The survival of the fittest

Mama Pig stands strong, hiding Piglet and Rabbit beneath her immense stomach as she stares up into the eyes of the hovering bald eagle. She is waiting to see if this bird is friend or foe.

Mama Pig is not concerned for herself as she is too big to be wary of feeding this great bird of the sky, however, her baby and his friend would make a perfect sized snack for this sky king.

Is that his intention? Is he planning to rob her of her offspring in the same manner as that pesky python?

Well it’ll be over her dead body if he thinks he’s going to take Piglet or even his friend, Rabbit. She’ll defend them both to her very death.

She lowers her head to check that Piglet and Rabbit are sufficiently hidden and then looks back at the eagle, daring him to try.

The eagle is flying above circling the clearing, his screeches painful to her ears and echoing across the forest floor. He sure does have a lot to say but he doesn’t seem to be trying to attack. Is he here to give them a message? A warning of some kind?

Mama Pig begins to take in the world around her, still wary of the big bird above, but also noting the sounds of the surrounding forest. Whereby she remembers the chorus of the flock of lorikeet parrots that were in a nearby tree, she now notes their disappearance, their silence. This in itself should have been a sufficient warning to the threesome as they were frolicking in the clearing, without a seemingly care in this world.

She searches the sky but only the screeching bald eagle can be seen up high. He seems intent on something down wind as he hovers above her one minute and then flitters over to the clearing edge on her right the next. He must see some danger that she is not yet aware of and is trying his dammdest to bring it to her attention.

Swishing her head to and fro, Mama Pig listens to the deepening silence of the surrounding countryside. The chirping of the crickets crescendoing into a musical opera, so loud it too is painful to her ears. The chirping revolves into waves, letting her know that danger is passing them, creeping closer to her position, but she is still unsure of what danger is approaching.

Could it be one of the big cat families stalking her and her little ones? Or maybe a crocodile or are they too far from the riverbank? Whatever it is, the forest is trying to tell her to beware, from the screeching of the bald eagle, to the silence and disappearance of the lorikeets and the crescendo of the chirping crickets.

Something terrifying is coming their way.

She must check it out and discover exactly what it is she is up against and she must prepare to defend her family.

Mama Pig leans her head down to where Piglet and Rabbit are patiently waiting as they look to her for their cue. She gives Piglet a gentle nudge, pushing him from beneath her and continually nudging him in the direction she wants him to take, confident that Rabbit will follow along behind his friend.

With further gentle nudges and quiet snorts, Mama Pig corrals both little ones into a razor grass hump, hoping the sharp blades of the grass will protect them, while she goes to investigate what is terrifying the forest animals. She licks her piglet to let him know she loves him and she won’t be far away.

With this reassurance to her baby, she turns away and as quietly as piggly possible she trots to the edge of the clearing, in the same direction that the eagle, who is still screeching above, is worried about. The direction of the forest silence.

She eases through the bushes at the edge of the clearing, raising her nose skywards and attempting to sniff out the obvious predator but as it is down wind to her, she scents nothing. No clue as to what she’s about to come face to face with.

Moving further into the forest, every sense attuned to the different variations of noise, scurrying and panic that she hears and sees from those she shares her world with.

Off to her left two partridge flutter from the grasses where they’d hidden, flying up to the branches of the nearest tree.

The predator is getting closer.

She follows the direction of the disturbed bush birds, gingerly stepping around the bushes still fluttering from their abrupt abandonment, but there is nothing on the trail in front of her. Where is this beast, that has the forest so stirred up, hiding? She’s sure she has the direction right but there’s nothing to see.

She moves further along the trail, worried now about the distance between her and her baby. Should she turn back, stay closer to the clearing and wait?

But wait for what?

Going by the animals in her vicinity and their reaction, she can only assume this is an apex predator and it is big, whatever it is. She is officially worried.

She freezes, in two minds as to whether she should continue forward or return to the clearing. She raises her head and squeals loudly, a sign to Piglet he needs to let her know he is safe.

She waits in trepidation for his reply and her worries ease a little, as she hears his responding squeal, off in the distance behind her. He is still safe, as is his friend.

She makes the decision to move forward. Not too far mind you but she needs to know what is coming, because it is still headed their way. This is obvious by the unsettled environment surrounding her.

She takes another couple of steps and then freezes once more.

There to her left, the sun glints off the large scales of a python she instantly recognises.

For those that are following along with Bradan’s challenge, here are the steps to this challenge in Bradan’s own words :

Stage Breakdown:

Try not to skip around and start at the beginning. Grow and develop your story in stages but remember, have fun!

1. Dribble: 50 words (Optional start) - Completed

2. Drabble: 100 words - Completed

3. Microfiction: 101–300 words - Completed

4. Postcard Fiction: 301–500 words - Completed

5. Sudden Fiction: 501–1,000 words - Completed

6. Short Story: 1,001–2,000 words

7. Novelette: 2,001+ words (Optional hardcore ending)

Will this be the end to this challenge or will I find the courage to attempt Part 6, a short story? I guess time will tell.

Please click the link below my name to read more of my work. I would also like to thank you for taking the time to read this today and for all your support.

If you enjoy this piece, you may enjoy this one too.

Please visit my website if you'd like more information on my newly published book, Battle Angel : The Ultimate She Warrior.

Originally published on Medium