THE HUNT
Part 11 a
For a few moments they proudly contemplated the magnificent body of the defeated female at their feet. If they had had time they would have continued sullying her corpse, but they could not deviate from their plan. So they made sure that she was dead, and left her right there, impaled by her own spear.
Atia, the Amazon closest to Jana's post, had the feeling that something was up: sudden cries of night-birds, a rustle as some startled creature fled through the understorey, then even the constant buzzing of insects suddenly subsided. The deep silence of the jungle felt wrong to her. She remained silent for a few minutes, carefully observing every corner around her, unable to detect any threat, but the silence persisted, deep, intimidating ...
She decided to approach Jana's position, separated from hers by a narrow dark path, a tunnel under the dark foliage. She was moving slowly. Suddenly she sensed ... something ... Yes, she was feeling watched. There’s something in a girl’s skin that senses when she’s being observed, inspected, by some male. But in her life surrounded by females Atia had never experienced this, it was a new, fearful feeling ...
She shivered, quickened her step. Yes, she was being pursued, she could sense it, she knew for certain. But she couldn't see who or what. ..
Panic gripped her. Suddenly, at a bend in the track, she saw it. She froze, transfixed by two glimmering eyes that were staring at her. She could only see the eyes of the creature, nothing else. Her hand tightened on her knife.
In that instant the eyes disappeared into the darkness. For a few seconds she remained rigid, not knowing what to do.