She lowered herself into the thick branches, using the dancing shadows to her advantage to stay unseen. She rolled her shoulders as she stalked forward, her amber eyes tracking every small detail of her next prey. Her teeth glistened with saliva at the anticipation of her attack, she could feel the calm take over all her muscles. She was smart, knew to wait until the exact moment he let his guard down. She silently slinked through the dead leaves and thorns, hardly making them crackle beneath her. Her whole life depended on making the perfect move, to perfectly execute this attack meant her family would live another day, safe. Her soft belly met the cool damp earth as she coiled in on herself, ready to launch at a seconds notice. Her prey sensed something, stoped cold in his tracks and tilted its head to the side, listening carefully as the breeze shifted the trees around them. The minute dragged on for an hour, but eventually its bugged eyes made their way back to the grass in front of them. She dug her razor sharp claws into the mud, turning the soft tan into a muddy black mess. She shot out of the trees and landed directly on his back, digging her teeth into his neck as she wrapped her arms around his midsection. The mother lifted her head only to let out a deep powerful call, letting her children know to come to her. She rode her prey to the ground, dust dancing up around them. The struggle was short, her muscles making quick work of him. As the life left his large brown eyes, her children came barreling out from the bush not far from where she hid herself. They would all live another day.