Flash Fiction friday

Welcome to another flash fiction Friday, hosted by the lovely Dottie @Tink's Place. Every Monday we get a new picture, and we write a 350ish word story on Friday. Be free to join us

(pic has been removed: elf and panther)

The Elf and the Panther

by Blodeuedd

She was a thing of beauty. He had followed her for days but she kept on slipping through his grasp. She was the night stalker, the creature of nightmares, a Goddess of Death and destruction. She was perfect. At night when he had to stop for a few hours sleep he could hear her in the distance. He did not want to sleep but he knew he would never catch her if he did not rest. He could hunt the next day, though she was not prey. She was something else. Call it fate, call it knowing, damn it all, call it love.

He was deep in the Ryarian Mountains when she cornered him. He had not meant it to happen. He had thought she was further along the path. He stood still and stared into her golden eyes as she growled deep in her throat. She came closer and he held his breath as her tail touched his leg. One move and she would rip his throat off.

“Nice kitty,” he whispered and she stood still. He could see the disbelief in her eyes and he knew he has won this battle, but he has lost the war. As she ran away he did not follow. Instead he went homewards. Weeks of tracking were over. He went home to his village, he talked to his kin and they all told him he had done the right thing.

Kaerin split the log in two and wiped the sweat of his brow. He had been home for weeks now and he feared that his decision has been the wrong one. He should have continued, even though the panther had looked him in the eye and told him to back off. And he had, because he knew that if she did not come then she certainly would not if he continued. But he missed her, he missed the hunt.

He looked up and was startled at once. Before him stood a beautiful woman, dressed only in a black pelt. He had not heard her sneak up on him, then she smiled and winked at him and he knew that he had finally won. You do not force love, you let it come to you. And he smiled back.

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Huh, what is wrong with me? Happiness and stuff ;)