The Huntress

Dear Diary,

Today I was a predator.

The morning began with a nap, as all great hunts do. A hunter must conserve her strength. I rested in my cubby until the sun had warmed the backyard to an acceptable temperature, then I rose, stretched fore and aft, and told the human to open the door. She did. She is well trained.

I stepped onto the grass and surveyed my territory. There they were: birds. Three of them, sitting on the fence like they owned it. Very bold. Very foolish.

I dropped into my stalking posture. Low shoulders, slow paws, tail held in a tight, focused curl. I moved across the lawn like a shadow, a whisper, a cloud with ambitions. The human said, “Emi, what are you doing?” and I ignored her, because she does not understand the sacred art.

I was within ten feet when a bird turned and looked directly at me. I froze. It froze. We held eye contact for what felt like an hour. Then I lunged, and all three of them flew away at once, which I consider a victory. The yard is mine. They have been removed. The mission was a success.

I then spent several minutes patrolling the fence line to make sure they stayed gone. One returned. I charged again. It left again. I am undefeated.

After that, I was tired. Hunting is demanding work. I lay in a patch of sun and napped, and a bird landed about six feet from my head. I opened one eye. I considered it. The bird considered me. I closed the eye. This was strategy, not laziness. I was lulling it into a false sense of security.

Upon waking, I resumed the hunt. Another bird, another charge, another flawless retreat on its part. The score stands at birds: zero, Emi: all of them.

I eventually came inside, collected my reward in the form of a treat, and returned to the cubby. The human said I smelled like grass and triumph. She’s not wrong.

I will hunt again tomorrow, after a nap.

Goodnight, Diary.

- Emi, Apex Predator of the Backyard and Defender of the Fence Line

P.S. I did not catch a bird. That was never the point. The point is that they know I could.