11 Predator or Prey?

Reaching the outskirts of the city I immediately noticed the difference between this forest and the one I woke up in. It was the size of the trees. Even the smallest ones were at least twice the size of the biggest trees from the forest on the other side of the town.

As I stood at the edge of the forest I could hear faint growls coming from its depths. The crimson gold leaves drifting slightly on the wind. I stepped into into the darkness gripping my staff tight.

My every sense sharpened by my strong soul and minds intense focus. Even so I didn't show it. I looked like no more than a casual passerby walking down the street.

Even with all my senses being pushed to their fullest I still barely noticed the bird swoop down towards me. It dove like a falcon with the sun at its back, making it look like a massive shadow was approaching. I barely had time to react.

Swinging my staff in a wide arched sweeping motion to try and fend it off, the creature reacted. As I swung out, the shadow partially spread its wings and rolled slightly. Cleanly avoiding my blow before striking me in the chest with its beak. Knocking me half a dozen feet backwards. I tucked my arms and legs in as my back hit the ground and forced myself to roll to absorb the blow. As I tucked my head in and flipped backwards over my shoulder, I stuck my legs out and into the ground while grabbing the dirt with my left hand. Even with that I slid another foot back before coming to a stop.

Looking down at my chest to survey the damage. I was kind of taken off guard. Not by its severity. No. Rather it was by the total lack of a wound.

I looked up to study the creature that had started to circle me from above, expecting to see a hawk, eagle or falcon after that dive, but what greeted me was a brown feathered body and an emerald green head, a flat bill for a beak and webbed orange feet.

I was attacked by a duck...

Stifling back a laugh I studied by surroundings as I contemplated my next move. As I spread my awareness I realized why the duck had attacked me. There was a hole in the tree I was passing by, a female duck lay inside, with 4 baby chicks and a small egg still unhatched.

I slowly backed away and began my trek in a different direction. The duck flying above seemed to understand my intention because it didn't follow me or attack again. It simply let me leave.

Thinking back I was too focused on threats and wasn't paying attention to anything else. If I had been I might have noticed the hollow part of the tree long before the duck needed to warn me away.

It was undoubtedly a larger than average duck, it was nearly one third my size, but a duck is still a duck. Had it's beak been even slightly sharp, I'd have more than just an ache in my chest.

If one good thing came out of that encounter it was that I got to practice Ukemi, or the art of falling. Stunt doubles often used a form of this when taking 'hits' on camera. Making themselves fall in such a way that they wouldn't get hurt and could correct their body's as they landed. It was a marvellous skill that had a long history in the martial arts.

Continuing through the forest I witnessed several other peculiar animals, but none were large enough or strong enough to pose a threat to me. One such animal was a flat snake that glided through the air before striking at an invisible lizard clinging to a tree. Another was a weasel that seemed fatter than a hippo, yet still moved too fast for most people to follow.

As I walked I eventually came across a pond about the size of a baseball diamond. I could see dragonfly's the size of ten year olds whizzing over the water. My ears picked up on the multitude of frogs, croaking in a strange harmony, before the pond even came into view.

I passed by the waters edge, brushing my hands along the high grass. When I met my next opponent. This time it wasn't protecting anything. It simply wanted to eat.

The creature resembled an alligator, but leaned on its back legs and had a large frilled spine on its back. Similar to the spinosaurus from Jurassic Park. Albeit much smaller and it was an interesting shade of purple, much like a lot of the bark In this particular area.

It lunged at me with its mouth wide and let out a savage hissing growl. 'HISSSSGGSGSGSGS'

It was a guttural sound, exactly like the alligators of earth.

As I sidestepped to avoid it, i struck the back of its head full force with my staff. It had raised its short arm to absorb some of the impact as it spun around to whip me with its tail. I held my quarterstaff vertical and jumped back as i took the blow.

Landing unsteadily due to the mud, I couldn't help but think how stupid it was to wear a suit into a forest to hunt wild animals. I didn't even bring a spear or a bow and arrow, the very tools that allowed man kind to dominate the beasts of earth. I did this to challenge myself and it was working.

As I moved onto sturdier ground and took off my backpack, the spinegator went onto all fours and ran straight at me. With a speed I would hardly believe given its bulk, it reached me in an instant. I leaped back and threw my bag away so it wouldn't hinder me in the fight. As I landed I gripped my staff at the base with both hands and struck down on the nose of the massive lizard.

'HISSGSGS' it seemed pissed off. I struck out once more, but this time with a jab to its left eye.

Landing my blow the spinegator spun around once more with its tail. This strike was far faster than its last but this time it stopped its tail and pulled it back just before it hit me. Creating a whipping motion, the tail knocked my staff out of my hands and into the water to my left.

"Well that was unexpected." I thought it would use its full force this time, but instead it expected my reaction to be the same as before and so changed its attack to better deal with my defence.

I smiled broadly. This is the thrill I wanted. My heart beat like a drum. Adrenaline like fire in my veins. Fear gripping my every thought. Just like during my fight with Joe. It was such a rush. I don't think I'll ever get enough of it. Thinking of Joe, I reached into my pocket and pulled out his spiked knuckles. Putting them on as I distanced my self from the creature. I began to hop from one foot to the other.

I cracked my knuckles I watched as the spinegator sized me up. It then raised itself onto its hind legs in a show of intimidation. As It hissed once more I sprinted forward getting as low to the ground as possible. Seeing me approach, it spun once more and swiped its tail at me again. Going from my right to the left just like the first time and it didn't stop it to act as a whip either.

I pulled my right arm towards my chest. With my centre of gravity so low it was easy to jump over the incoming tail. As I soared through the air, over its serrated tail, I punched my scaled foe clean in side of its huge head.

It was a superman punch. An actual superman punch.

I tuck'n rolled as I landed and twisted around as I sprung up to keep my eye on my enemy. The scales under its left eye clearly broken and cracked. A small trickle of blood could be seen sliding down its face.

It's eyes went red as it lunged at me again and again. I side stepped each time and maintained my unique, unpredictable foot work. Though it works better against human opponents it can still be used to find the rhythm of my attacker and keep out of their reach.

Landing hit after hit as I dodged the fight continued. It lashed out with its teeth, its tail and its claws. I responded with a strike to its chin, a blow to the snout and one to its ribs. These were the blows that seemed to annoy it the most. So there was only one thing to do, repeat the process until it fell. That wasn't as easy as it sounded. It's scales and muscle created a dense armour.

After 20 minutes my arms started to tire and my fists began to ache. It's hide was too tough, even with spiked knuckles I couldn't do any real damage. But I didn't care, this was what a true challenge was like.

Will my stamina ran out and will I get caught in its jaws, or will it fall to my continuous strikes? One slip and I'll be dead. The tension is intoxicating.

"Don't think I'll let you end my life here. I've only just begun to get stronger."

With the passion of combat driving me forward just as much as the fear of death, I struck at its temple. Again and again.

Avoid its tail, rush in and strike. Jump back to avoid the fangs, uppercut to it's exposed jaw. I found a groove and I just couldn't get enough. With the frogs croaking in the background it seemed like I was dancing to the tune while trading blows with the massive lizard.

But I got too into that state and lost my footing in the mud. My mind reeled and panic took hold. The creature lunged one final time and I thought I was going to die. (again)

But I wouldn't let it end like that, my mind raced as time seemed to slow down. Even I was moving in slow motion, but it seems my body was finally reacting in time with my thoughts. For just as I slipped, when the creature struck out with its gapping maw, I rolled back into the pond and pulled my dagger from its sheath attached to my left leg. Striking upwards with the dagger just as the spinegator slammed into me, we both went under the water, but only one of us would come up.

Struggling to get loose, the gator had me clenched in it's claws, digging them into my flesh as it tried to bite at me from a weird angle. I was pressed almost right against its chest and my dagger had missed its mark. Plunging into its lung, but not into its heart. I struggled to get free. The creature was half in the water half out, with its massive dorsal fin like spine still out of the water along with its tail.

I was completely submerged. Pressed beneath the scaled giant, unable to breath, struggling to fight off its attempts to maul and consume me. Even now, on the verge of death I was grinning. After all if life wasn't going to be at least this fun, why would I have wanted to come to this world in the first place. The world of One Piece is a dangerous place. And I relished the challenge.

Fighting my way to grip the dagger, still stuck in its chest. I tore it out and plunged it back in repeatedly as it tore my chest up with its claws. My back sinking deeper into the mud from its weight. My mind blanking from lack of oxygen.

Eventually the struggle ended and the creature went limp. Blood and mud mixed with the water to turn it an ugly shade of burgundy.

I had to use all my effort to lift the body of the gator off me. 'SPLASH' I surfaced and gulped down air as I surveyed my defeated foe. I placed my foot over my query and roared into the sky like an animal.

"RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWW' It sounded almost inhuman.

When my mind had calmed, I fell to my knees beside the creature I had killed. Placing my hand on its head and closing my eyes. Bowing my head I prayed to Ansarah, asking that its soul find peace in its next life.

I then dragged the body from the pond and removed my dagger from its scarred chest. Next I started to look for fire wood. After removing my clothes and my mud filled flintlock and putting on the spare pair of clothes I kept in my bag, I struggle lightly before starting the fire. It was time to cook the spinegator, after cleaning and preparing it. (Something I learned while in the swamps of Louisiana.)

I felt bad for taking its life. Especially since I only came here to train, but the law of the jungle is a true law. Unlike the ones made by people. If I want to survive and get stronger in this place I would have to be willing to take a life. Especially if that life threatens my own.

I wasn't particularly hungry due to the great Guru's nutrient absorbing method and my massive feast the other day, but it would be disrespectful to leave its body as if all I wanted was its life. This isn't a game where I can gain experience just by killing. This was a living breathing animal, that's life I ended. Plus I was fairly injured and quite tired from the ordeal, so a meal would be perfect right now.

As I took a bite of the creature a tear rolled down my cheek and a few words passed through my mind. "Thank you for the meal."

If I want to get truly strong I have to harden my self to these feelings. But maybe it doesn't matter if I mourn the lives I take. It just means that I understand the value of the life I've taken. Maybe that's going too far, but I'm no philosopher.

Finishing my meal I used the gurus technique once more to direct the beasts energy to my wounds. As I felt the warmth flow through me I spoke the words that came to mind.

"I'll take your life, your strength to cover for my flaws and my weaknesses. Rest easy now."

My wounds were all deeper than the ones I got from Joe and would probably scar, but I didn't mind. They would be constant reminders of both my weakness and of the foe I had overcome. After meditating on the battle as well as on my past experience, I realized the fire beside me had burned itself out. After packing up what was left of the meat and cleaning the mud from my pistol I stood up.

With newfound resolve I picked up my staff, re-sheathed my knife, slung my bag over my shoulder and walked deeper into the forest.