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Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Hunt Theory

My theory/thought on what anon said here about the chase or the hunt...

The Gazelle

The herd of gazelle moves across the plain…sleek and graceful lines finding comfort in the strength of the herd, finding protection in their numbers, they move with a purpose but somewhere deep in their core they realize that their purpose is to be prey, to be run down, hounded, chased and finally caught. And yet with flight response primed they seek to flee, to evade, running, knowing that with each hunt they are left tired, more prone and more easily caught the next time…they run and yet they tire and in the tiring they desire for the hunt to end with their capture.

The Cheetah

The cheetah, muscled, focused wanting to run, to chase, to hunt and to sink himself into the choicest of the herd, eyes ahead his target is the juiciest meat of youth, the cleanest, most preened gazelle catches his eye and his hunger. His destiny is to hunt her; his strength is given for just that, a limited amount of power, will and effort to hunt. And yet even as he pads slowly towards her, stalking for the best position he knows that his energy has limits and to exhaust himself in the revel of the hunt will leave him blown, hungry, alone, and less able to pursue.

The Hyena

Is the scavenger of the field, he does not hunt alone, rather finding strength in his comrades, they move around the fringes nipping in to bite at the herd before retiring to run down the old, the infirm, or those still too young and naïve to avoid their teeth. But even for the hyena the prize is always the Gazelle, alone, tired and with little energy left from her flight from the Cheetah, she is eyed as a trophy worthy of the pack…or at least until the Cheetah has tired another.

And so the hunt begins.

Each plays their part.

If the Gazelle gives in too easily the Cheetah will feast quickly, and with energy reserves still full will cast glances at the herd and wonder after other quarry and imagine other hunts…he will grow restless as his energy demands to be used.

If the Gazelle runs too hard, flees to well, then the Cheetah will tire and not wishing to retire without catch will cast his eyes around for a less desirable but more easily catchable prey…his hunger needing to be satisfied he will with energy reserves almost exhausted strike at a lesser animal and settle into the meal it offers him.

If the Cheetah attacks well, he will chase the fleeing Gazelle, he will anticipate her turns and her attempts to wheel, and with calculated ruthlessness he will run her down, tiring her, exhausting her until with a stagger, he pounces. With reserves almost spent he will sink himself into the perfect meal and he will feast, with both hunter and prey complete in whom and what they are.

And yet, if the Cheetah starts his attack with a pounce, surprising the Gazelle, she will start, her flight response engaged, not realizing she desires to be caught she will flee, and with aggressive pursuit the Cheetah will chase, his breath hot on her flanks she will dig fleeing faster and with advantage lost the Cheetah will tire quickly, retiring from the hunt to choose another or to plan with fresh eyes a new attack.

Sometimes the Gazelle will flee the Cheetah, twisting and turning, her agile form dancing from his claws only to spot a more perfect feline with which to offer herself and she will lead the hunt before him hoping that he will join and pursue with vigor her tiring pursuer now lacks. This is a dangerous ploy since the Cheetah are wary of such flighty hinds and rather then exhaust themselves they will then merely pursue for fun, running her until she is tired, feasting on her as a temporary snack but still with energy for further hunts or instead giving up the chase just before she does to pursue a more honest and singular quarry.

The Hyena instead attack with laughter, with relish they fall upon the tired Gazelle, exhausted from her flight she is easy prey for the pack, who tear at her, twisting her one way then another as each rip into her, sharing her, seeking their fill from a meal not really theirs and that will not fill their hunger. And if with weary legs she manages to avoid the gnashing teeth of the pack she is still left lessened, scared and less able to fulfill her purpose of feeding the Cheetah whose eye she can no longer attract, and so will fall if not today, then tomorrow to another ravaging pack.

And so the hunt will end.

The Gazelle knows she is enough meal for one Cheetah.

The Cheetah knows the Gazelle will see him full and satiated.

The Hyenas know that they must share in their prize, so will discard her when used, to hunt for more, never finding enough to satisfy, in the shared meal.

Note: For those who wonder where is the Lion in this scenario? Well that's easy, in the wild the Lion does not hunt, rather his pride hunts for him, bringing him the choicest bounty so that he may feast, so that he may take his fill.

So the question is which one are you? Which one have you been? And perhaps more importantly which one do you want to be, and be seen to be?

- Henry "Indiana" Jones, The Dogs Name

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