The night was dark and cold, the moon rose slowly, the light glimmered casting shadows. The sounds of the night as always drowned those of the days, the owl, the fox howl, the hens alas safely tucked away in bed. The night provided the blanket for those who dared to become the shadows of the night, naked but unseen these shapes moved in and out of the background. This was a game, no one could see, but this was fun, naked as the day that they were borne.
The stakes were those of the pursuer's design and the captured had to submit, these were the rules. Everybody knew the rules. These sexless bodies were divided into two groups the prey and the hunters. Hunters could be caught by other hunters, but prey must hide and survive the darkness until the sun broke the horizon. The hunting ground was large and everybody started from grid references just before dusk all were naked and had just their wits to survive the night of chase.
I am a hunter by instinct and luckily I was chosen as one tonight on other occasions I wasn't that lucky and I knew what could happen. This was what I was good at, I spent years chasing other quarry and I knew how to track anything or anybody. I set out upwind everything scent and noise would come to me whereas my movements would be shielded. I had to catch my quarry for those who were not successful they had to submit to those who were not captured. The night was beautiful a small chill which added to the excitement this was nature at its best, the shadows the unknown, who would be around that corner or that bush, the music of the night resounded in my head, I loved it.
It wasn't long before I heard the telltale sounds of another being. That was the beauty of it you never knew who or what you would find. It was the crack of a twig that caught my attention, I paused and waited for some more movement, was this a hunter or prey?, all was quiet for a couple of moments and then I heard it again soft treading on some leaves. I crouched behind a tree to obscure my presence, my excitement grew as the noise continued in my direction, it was close now only twenty yards at the most. I held my breath and listened intently, the sounds of my prey filled my ears. My heart pounded, I had to remain calm and not give away my position.