A Hawk's Talons

I bat the leaf, rolling over and pawing the air was it drifts away with the wind. The other animals were moving their lips, but I didn't know what they were saying. I couldn't hear.

I was deaf.

I rolled over, sitting down as I looked at the other wolves, cheetahs, arctic wolves and all sorts of animals. Sarepia forest wasn't that bad after all. My mother, a beautiful cheetah, watched me play. My siblings weren't near me. They played their own games without me.

I turned my head to the black snow leopard that was talking to my mother. I continued to roll around in the grass, looking up at the cloudy sky. I saw something up there. It had wide arms... No, those weren't arms.

Around me, all the animals were gathering their children. My mother began to open her mouth as if she were saying something to me. I couldn't hear her. I just continued to roll around in the grass.

As I looked up, the figure got closer to me. It got... bigger. It was a hawk. I didn't know what to do. I didn't think it would be a danger, so I kept rolling around.

Something sharp poked my sides. I was lifted up, the sharp things still poking me. It began to really hurt. I squealed as I felt them pierce my skin, its grip getting stronger. I saw the forest get smaller as I was lifted up. My mom was standing where I had been once, the other animals watching.

I could feel my sides bleeding. It really hurt. I flailed my legs as they dangled in the air, my head hanging low. I let out another cry.

"Mommy..."