A Hunter Does Not Chase
The creature suddenly bolts through the vegetation, disappearing between enormous leaves.
Thwei: “It's running!”
Thwei immediately lunges forward.
Zul'ka's massive arm moves in front of him, stopping him before he can take another step.
Zul'ka: “Stop.”
Thwei: “But Mother!”
Zul'ka: “You were about to chase it blindly.”
Thwei's mandibles tighten in frustration.
Thwei: “I almost had it!”
Zul'ka: “No. It had you.”
Thwei looks back at her.
Zul'ka: “A hunter who follows anger becomes prey to his own instincts.”
Guan slowly crouches beside a broken plant.
Guan: “Mother…”
He points toward the disturbed soil.
Guan: “It went this way.”
Zul'ka's eyes shift toward him.
Zul'ka: “Good.”
Thwei looks down. Fresh footprints continue through the mud.
Thwei: “It left a trail.”
Zul'ka: “Every creature leaves something behind.”
Kwei toddles closer and places one tiny claw beside a footprint.
Kwei: “Foot.”
Zul'ka's mandibles relax slightly.
Zul'ka: “Yes, Kwei. A footprint.”
She looks at all three of them.
Zul'ka: “You do not need to be faster than your prey.”
Her golden eyes narrow.
Zul'ka: “You need to understand it.”
Thwei looks toward the trail again, his frustration slowly becoming determination.
Thwei: “Then we follow.”
Zul'ka: “Now you are thinking like a hunter.”