Sharp hooves gently trotted along, through the gently swaying grove of grass and other vegetation as the sun began to rise in the early dawn, the leader of the herd made a low call and the rest of the cows followed.

The herd had finally been able to make it through the long wintery months and were able to make the now easy, trip to their feeding grounds down hill.

This winter was not so well, as many as half of the calves along with the mother's had fallen due to sickness, the cold, and starvation.

What was once a booming herd of seventy members strong was now reduced to thirty-five.

Thankfully the predators had been.... oddly scarce during this time, usually during such a vulnerable time, they would be slowly harassed by the lupus or ursine.

The lupus were fast hunters, fangs and claws perfectly adapted for a high speed chase.

The ursa, though were powerful. The old bull himself during his younger years had seen one ursa take on and win against a thick-head.

Thick-heads were aggressive, stubborn, and hard to hunt grass-eaters.

Even the largest and strongest lupus packs moved clear out of the way when a thick-head passed through.

But this year they.....slowly vanished, he still see's them every now and again in the distance, smell's their odd scents in the wind and even seen them eating.

But their numbers now are.... slowly dwindling, as if they are leaving the valley. Which has the lead male concerned.

This valley is the safest one, the odd two feet who sometimes come in their loud and odd shaped.... beasts pose no threat to them, usually sleeping in their odd dens, taking them down at first light and then leaving.

There was enough grass, fruit, and water to sustain a large margin of grass-eaters, which in turn would sustain the meat eaters.

So..... where were they going too? More specifically what happened to the one's that decided to stay?

The bull decided to move further away from the herd, he usually did this mostly because he didn't feed with the females and younger male's, he had his own feeding spot, a personal favorite.

As he trudged off, the familier path to his spot gave him a sense of calm. Allowing him to let his guard down, at least a smidge, he was tired of being stressed, and if he's too stressed, he won't be as awake and attentive or light on his feet if danger is around.

As he almost reached his spot, a sudden..... chill ran down his spine, a sudden...feeling no a need. An instinct.

Run!
His instincts screamed, Run far!

The old bull sniffed the air, his legs moving, walking backwards already prepared to bolt. Then he smelt it, an odd but familiar scent.....

Death, maybe he had stumbled onto a predators kill, he usually is more attentive but after having not found any predators in the surrounding area he allowed his instincts to get duller in this part of the plains.

But as he payed more attention, he noticed that the only scent... was that of an ursa....wait no, it was an ursa but.... what was that other scent? He wasn't willing to stick around to find out, the old male turned and bolted down the trail, clouds of dust trailed behind him, he thought for sure he gave himself away to.... whatever this thing was,

Whatever it was has killed an ursa and from the smell, had begun eating it.

Ursa when they reached a certain age, had no predators that would hunt them, well save for the males going after young ursa, but even then they were dominant in the valley, what creature could hunt and eat an ursa? The two leggers usually didn't hunt in the valley, and even when they did they don't smell off.

Something alien was here...... something odd.... he had to go, to speed up faster!

As he neared the herd, his actions had already startled the females, who already began using their snouts to usher the remaining calves to run, the younger males who were playing near the river turned their heads to the fleeing herd. At first they were confused, before they too immediately began bolting after the herd. The odd scent the bull had smelled, began to waft. Being carried by the wind, causing the herd to panic.

They decided to move further down, the grass wasn't as good closer to the bigger lake, but it was a far safer and better option then sticking on the open plains, sticking with....this... thing.

THAWP!!

A sudden smack like sound reverberated through the tree lines as the herd ran through, then a crashing sound and then a sound of pain..... it didn't take too long for them to realize they were being hunted, there was nothing they could do for the ambushed young male, the herd had to focus themselves and the remaining calves.

The young male's body would give them more precious seconds, they couldn't turn back, there was nothing for them.

Nothing but death.

The herd galloped on, leaving the dying young male behind.

The.... shadow, the unseen killer watched on with little concern, it already had its meal.

When the dust settled, the only thing left, were the hoof-prints and a small blood trail.

Leading deeper into the woods.