Chapter 14: A Moment of Choice
Catherine stood frozen, her breath coming in shallow gasps as the second poacher aimed his rifle at her. The barrel of the gun gleamed in the fading light, and her heart skipped a beat. The cub in her arms was trembling, its small body so fragile, so vulnerable in the face of the danger surrounding them. Every instinct screamed at her to move, to run, but her feet were rooted to the ground, as though the poacher’s presence had somehow paralyzed her.
“Move any closer, and I’ll shoot,” the poacher growled, his voice cold and steady, the rifle unwavering in his grip. His eyes were narrowed, focused entirely on her and the cub she was holding so protectively.
For a moment, Catherine didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t let him take the cub. She couldn’t let him hurt it. But the gun was so close, and the poacher had no hesitation. His finger rested lightly on the trigger. He was ready.
The mother leopard’s growls had stopped, replaced by the rustling of leaves and the faint sound of movement deeper in the woods. Catherine could hear the first poacher, still struggling to break free from the mother’s fierce grip, but it was clear the fight wasn’t over yet. The second poacher, though, was focused on her—on the cub.
Catherine felt the weight of the decision settle in her chest. She couldn’t escape with the cub like this. The poacher had blocked the way, and even if she tried to run, he would shoot. There was no way she could protect the cub if he had the upper hand.
Her mind raced. Could she reason with him? Could she make him see reason? Her thoughts were spinning, each moment stretching longer than the last. She knew she didn’t have much time. The situation was escalating quickly, and the longer she stood here, the more likely it was that things would turn violent.
Then, something shifted in the air. A low rumble, barely perceptible, vibrated through the ground. At first, Catherine thought it was just the tremors of her own panic. But then the sound came again—stronger, closer. She froze, and so did the poacher.
For a brief moment, it seemed like the world itself was holding its breath. The poacher glanced over his shoulder, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. Catherine’s heart hammered in her chest as the rumbling sound grew louder.
It wasn’t the wind. It wasn’t just the earth shaking beneath them.
Something was moving through the trees.
And it was coming fast.
Catherine’s pulse quickened. The mother leopard? Or something else?
She didn’t dare turn her head to look, but she could feel it—the shift in the atmosphere. The second poacher was distracted for just a moment, his focus wavering.
It was all the opening she needed.
Before she could act, though, the earth shook once more, this time with unmistakable force.
The ground was moving, and whatever it was, it was closer than she could have imagined.