Ava Ayala POV

The ground was soft this morning.

The jungle smelled of the recent rainfall, and she filled her lungs with it. Drinking in the sharp scent of the foliage, the moss-covered branches, and water-saturated low-hanging vines.

The calls of the inhabitants of the jungle as they awoke from their wet slumber and the rustle of the nocturnal animals as they slept for the day, was like a whetstone to her senses. Sharpening them to their brink till to her desire to stalk the grazing okapi just a few meters to her right was so intense, she didn't think she would've been able to resist temptation if her master wasn't there with her.

He'd gone ahead just minutes ago, now hidden with the thickly grown fern bush several yards from her with leaves so dense, she wouldn't have known he was even there if she hadn't seen him slip into it moments before.

She crouched low to the ground, half-hidden behind the high-rise of a tree's roots and a sunken ditch, as she waited for the signal. Despite every instinct in her body telling her to climb the tree and hunt for herself, and the amulet sitting heavy on her neck, warm and glowing and telling her to go somewhere else, she stayed in rapture attention.

For there was something else in the jungle. The okapi was not their prey today.

Farther ahead of her Master, she could hear soft, scuffling footsteps, voices talking in excited hushed whispers that sounded as loud to her it was like they were talking next to her ear. Only a few words stood out to her, though. Site, dig up, and artifact.

The African archeologist, Dr. Emeka, would be their prey today.

Despite her master permitting her to hunt the night before, Ava felt a wild urge to turn around and find something else to wet her claws with. They archeologist group was uninteresting and dismal, and she didn't want to waste her time going for a prey she didn't even care for.

Besides, the tiger inside was impatient. She was impatient. Being so close to this wildlife was like a euphoric drug to her systems. She wanted - needed - to run and hunt and survive. Waiting only made her angry.

But she chided herself, knowing that her Master would not be pleased with such thoughts. He wanted her to stay put until he gave the signal, so that's what she would do. She'll wait, just as he wants her to.

Ava dug her claws into the dirt, grounding herself to the Earth, so she didn't jump anyway.

Within the fern, a figure moved and she saw her master peer out. She instantly perked up, latching onto his movements with fervance. He gestured tightly to the high rising tree to her left and made another slow gesture upward. Ava nodded back at him, orders clear.

Up the tree, follow the prey, stay hidden.

Her limbs buzzed eagerly, but she goes slowly. Maneuvering through the thick foliage of the underbrush until she got to the tree and climbed up it quickly and with ease. Her claws sunk easily into the thick, wet branches as she climbed higher and higher till she was in its lower canopy. If she went up too high the branches wouldn't support her weight.

Properly hidden, she followed the voices as they trekked through the jungle. Jumping silently from tree to tree when necessary.

Her progress isn't picked up by any of the explorers and she preened, thinking of how pleased her Master will be.

As the group slowed, Ava began to descend till she's just above them. From there she can smell them. The stench humans carried with them no matter where they came from.

She's so close. Her Master should give her the signal. The group was arguing, hunched over some frazzle paper with their backs to her. It'd be so easy. So simple.

Maybe if she just –

She scooted forward but smacked into a low hanging branch where a hidden Scarlet Macaw flew from its perch frantically, squawking in panic. She winced.

Below, the group looked up and she quickly fell back into the shadows.

"What was that?"

She can feel her Masters glare on her back and hunkered down on the branch, hiding her face in the moss. That was bad on her part. She should have just listened. Her Master will not be pleased.

The group is more cautious when they move on. More quiet and sure-footed, and Ava knows its her fault.

Properly sobered, she followed them within the trees, more subdued. A little ways ahead, a monkey in the trees nearby noticed her and bared its teeth. She glared at it, a growl bubbling in her throat that she swallows down. The consequences wouldn't be good if she indulged,so she ignored the monkey and moved on.

The group halted again, this time in excitement. They were looking at something on their paper, then at something in the tree's, talking back and forth fervently.

Somewhere below, farther behind, the call of a macaw whistled through the underbrush. There was a slight up-turned note toward the end, one that Ava instantly recognized.

Her excitement came rushing back and she maneuvered quickly around the branch, letting her growl rip from her throat as she jumped and landed on the ground, directly in front of the group. Surprised, they all shrieked and backed away, huddling into a tight-knit group that only made keeping track of them easier. She stalked forward, hissing at them again.

A woman dressed in the proper attire for a jungle stepped forward, pointing a long-barrelled gun in her face. "Stay right there!" she ordered.

Ava didn't like guns. A weak man's defense.

She growled and surged forward, too quick to give them the chance to pull the trigger, and grabbed the gun. Her claws dug into the metal, tearing it away in strips, as her other hand gripped the barrel and flung it over her shoulder. She grabbed the woman by the arm, digging her claws deep into her bicep until she was screaming and blood was seeping through Ava's fingers.

Her free hand inched toward the woman's throat, straight for the jugular.

"стой, отступать" a voice berated from the shadows and Ava quickly let the woman go and hastily withdrew. She distanced herself a few feet but kept her eyes trained toward her prey. Her Master appeared, walking out from among the walls of the jungle, tall and looming, clad the garb of a hunter. The spear in his hand dipped lightly toward the ground as he walked forward, and he was grinning past the thick black mustache boxing his chin.

"Good, my Tiger," he approved, voice thick with his Russian accent as he stepped in front of her.

Ava kept her eyes on the group but felt a happy flutter. Perhaps she wasn't in trouble after all. Their hunt wasn't over yet, there was still time to get back on her Master's good side.

Her Master turned from her and regarded the people this time, "Dr. Emeka."

The group didn't move for a long second, then a dark-skinned man pulled himself slightly out from their ranks. He clutched the book in his hands, shifted his stance nervously, but kept his head held high. "Who are you?" His English was good.

"I am a Hunter," her Master answered simply, "And you have an important piece to my next hunt." He held out his hand, "hand it over now and perhaps I won't harm you."

Their prey clutched his book even harder. "I – I don't know what you're talking about."

Her Master walked forward, lifted his spear and centering it over the man's chest. When the tip met his skin, her Master pushed it in slightly so it poked through the shirt, pricking the skin underneath. He outstretched his other hand, and the man flinched.

"The book," he said.

Their preys' fingers clasped it harder, tightening around the band as if it were fused to his skin. Ava can see resistance in his eyes, a fire. She looks up to her Master, curious of his reaction.

Rather than anger, he smiled, all fang and teeth like he's snarling, but its amused. "Мой тигр" he says, and Ava stepped behind him, just into his line of sight. The point of his spears leaned away from Dr. Emeka and hovered over his stiff comrades. "Then perhaps we thin the herd," he said. "Not so strong when you're alone."

The point settled on a handsome young man peaking behind the Doctors shoulders. Ava eyed the way the other man held to the Doctors shirt, fingers entwined tightly into the fabric. Perhaps their prey had a mate.

"That one," her Master says. "Убийство. Медленный"

Ava jumped forward on his order, faster than either the Doctor or his mate could properly respond to. Her fingers curl around flesh and she dragged the mate from away from their prey, digging her claws into skin until blood was seeping beneath her fingers once more. She threw the mate on the ground and stalked forward, the scent of blood sharp and inviting.

The man scrambled back, fingers clamoring through his pockets till a small knife was produced, of which he pointed at Ava. It's almost enough to make her laugh. She bats the knife away with ease and has her claws over his throat within seconds, poised just above the jugular.

"Wait! Stop!" Dr. Emeka shouted at her back and all but threw the book at her Master's feet. "Here, take it. All my notes are in there. Please, just – just leave him alone."

Her Master stopped her with a quick word, "стой," and picked up the book, thumbing through its pages. An amused hum prowled past his throat, pleased at what he found inside.

"отступать," he says and Ava obeys. The mate scrambled to his feet once she backed away and ran quickly back to the group, where Dr. Emeka took him in his arms to look worriedly over the deep gashes.

"Good," her Master grinned and tucked the book against the strap across his chest. "A pleasure," he said, turning and walking back into the shadows of the jungle. Ava followed behind him but halted when he stopped just a few feet away.

"Убить их всех" he ordered, "Kraven leaves no loose ends."

Ava grinned, nodded, and turned back. She was back on the group before any of them knew what was happening. Kraven the Hunter walked past the lines of tree's, ignorant of the following screams.

______LINE BREAK_____

Ava watched the blood run off her hands and into the bloodying stream. It'd attract the dangers of the water within minutes, and every other blood-lusting creature of the forest, so she'd have to wash up quick. There'd be no salvaging her costume though. The white, tiger print shirt was stained nearly all red at the front, now becoming a brown muddy color from where'd it had dried on the lining of fur around the collar. There were a few torn places where the group had tried to slice her with a knife, but the wounds were thin and would be no trouble at all. Besides, she had gotten them back with her own knife, the hunting one strapped to her back.

Despite her hair being short, hanging just at her jawline, it was dirty and knotted from their trek through the jungle, and clotted with flecks of blood too. Her Master, Kraven, had cut it years ago when he'd first saved her. Said that it only got in the way. Still, deep, deep down inside - where she dared think such a thing - she kind of wished she still had it long.

She scrubbed her hands until the blood was gone, doing the same with her face, and hurried back to their set-up camp where Kraven sat around a built fire, skinning the okapi she'd been allowed to get on the way back. Ava stood opposite of him over the fire until he nodded, and she sat.

Wordlessly, he tossed the separated meats at her and she set to work preparing the food. While they ate food raw sometimes, it seemed Kraven was in a celebratory mood. Ava skewed the meet with sharpened sticks, previously stripped of all bark, and stuck them above the fire, supported on the spit she'd made earlier.

With the new pelt in hand, Kraven got up to stretch it out to dry and returned to the campfire. He sat cross-legged, eyes set and grim, and Ava knew she was going to get a-talkin' to. Probably about her slip-up earlier. Fingers digging slightly in the meat, Ava refrained from throwing the meat into piles. She kept her eyes on the fire to keep herself from thinking about it, despising the feeling of dread. She thought she had redeemed herself, but apparently not.

Only a few minutes passed before Kraven finally began. "Слушать," he said, and Ava turned to him, attentive and waiting. Her fingers curled into her pants. But what she hears next it not what she's expecting. "Tomorrow, we will be heading back to New York."

Ava balks, staring at him in surprise, then recoiled, nose crinkling.

New York? That disgusting, hard-concrete mess? It smelled terrible, it was too loud, and flashy, and the people there were atrocious. She knew it was important to know how to hunt in every different type of land, but the cities were the worst.

Her Master's hard glare stopped her from saying any of that though, and she focused grimly on spinning the meat over the fire.

"You will be performing a test," he continued and this time Ava does snarl. It was an accident. She'd let it slip. But her rebuke comes all the same. Kraven backhanded her roughly, snapping her head to the side. She grimaced, cheek stinging painfully, but withheld everything else. If she cried or made any indication toward pain, the punishment would be worse. And – and she deserved to be punished anyway. She stepped out of line. Kraven knew what was best and she had to listen. The hit had been rightly earned.

She hunkered down in apology, keeping her eyes on the ground. "Прости меня, Учитель" she whispered.

"прощенный" he responded and Ava relaxed.

"You will undergo test in New York, Zver" he repeated, and his sharps eyes are like knives in her skin. "Do not fail, or you will be punished. Severely. We leave tomorrow."

Ava nodded. "I will not fail, Master."

He nodded back. "Good. Meat is ready."

Ava took the cue and retrieved the meat over the spit, handing them both to Kraven. He took a bite of one, despite its heat, and nodded appropriately. Satisfied, he tossed the other one over to her with the order to eat and she happily obliged.

But going to bed that night, he ordered Ava to sleep outside, took her beloved Tiger amulet, and collared her to the tree near his tent. "Punishment," he told her. "For mistake."

She fell asleep under the canopy, already dreading the trip to New York, and the test she'd have to complete.

_______LINE BREAK_____

The next morning, Ava made quick work of cleaning up their camp on her Master's wish to leave early. Once they were all packed, they trekked quickly through the jungle, running most of the way, until they hit civilization. After that, he obtained their travel plans and they drove the rest of the way to the airport. She'd been given clean clothes to wear, normal clothes that made her wish for her hunting apparel. But Kraven had given them to her so she must be grateful.

They made it to the airport and it was a tiresome task of refraining from growling and hissing at people when they got close. Kraven wanted to stay on the down low, so that's what she must do. No matter how much she desired to attack and swipe at any person who strayed near. She eyed them skeptically though, hard enough that it drove most people away.

On one occasion when Kraven left for a few minutes, a boy, despite Ava's demeanor, approached her. He didn't even get to introduce himself before Ava was growling at him and baring her teeth. He'd probably only meant to ask where the bathrooms were, but he backed up very quickly and didn't look at her again.

Good.

When they boarded the plane it was in First Class. Ava appreciated Kraven keeping her from people, she couldn't stand to sit in the full-passenger section. It'd drive her crazy.

He sat on a seat near the window and she sat opposite to him, arms folded, eyes down, as the plane took off. Once they were in the air she relaxed a little more, staring out at the passing lands beneath. They approached the ocean soon enough and after that water was all there was.

She dozed off a few times during the flight, waking to get food and water from Kraven when he offered it and dozing some more. When the high spires of New York appeared in the distance, Ava refrained from growling again.

Back in the city.

 ___________

Russian translations (from Google translate - don't trust my Russian):

"стой, отступать" = "Halt, back away."

"Мой тигр" = "My tiger,"

"My tiger," he says, and Ava steps behind him, just into his line of sight.

"Убийство. Медленный" = "Kill. Slowly."

"That one," her Master says, "Kill. Slowly."

"стой," = Halt

But her Master stops her with a quick word, "Halt."

"Убить их всех" = Kill them all,

"Kill them all," he ordered, "Kraven leaves no loose ends."

"Слушать" = Listen

"Listen," he said, and Ava turned to him

"Прости меня, Учитель" = Forgive me, Master

"Forgive me, Master," she whispered.

"прощенный" = Forgiven

"Forgiven" he responded and Ava relaxed.

Other than that there's not much I need to address. Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate it!

See ya Chilladas!

-OfficialUSMWriter out!