Just a little passage I thought some of you may enjoy...

Dave


It was so wildly spectacular that it seemed fantastical, as if I were hallucinating. Flattened flush against the river-sand though still managing to progress at a surprisingly rapid rate, a leopard crept up on an unsuspecting pair of warthogs, about forty yards from where we crouched. And in broad daylight – mid-morning, no less! Were it not for the fact that I was totally incapable of movement, I may well have rubbed my eyes in disbelief.
The leopard was a (jongos) juvenile and was stalking a pair of equally juvenile hogs, which were rooting about on the edge of a pool, not thirty yards from where their nemesis was. What made the enactment seem doubly surreal, I suppose, was the fact that the warthogs had not sensed the approaching feline. There it was – spots on sand, as starkly exposed as a leopard can possibly be… For the whole world to see, even a few senseless humans! It was certainly a case of raw versus raw, and that most likely made it the event it was – prolonging it for as long as it did. Experienced leopards do not waste time stalking anything in broad daylight over open ground, and experienced warthogs do not let any leopard, no matter how experienced, stalk them in broad daylight over open ground. In the instance described, were either hunter or prey a veteran, the drama would surely not have even begun to unfold. As it happened, however, we were treated to a tense and impressionable spectacle for all of thirty seconds, the cat inching ever closer towards the oblivious porkers. Thirty seconds may not seem a long time, but certain moments, no matter how brief, are drawn out for infinity.
The leopard made a valiant effort but the element of surprise was eventually surrendered at about a dozen yards. It was not quite enough, as we were to discover in the most thrilling fashion. The warthogs lifted their snouts suspiciously, and then all three animals exploded into action simultaneously, the hogs making for the cover of a nearby island, and the leopard making for the nearest hog. The safety of dense bush was but a mere spurt for the warthogs, but still the leopard’s effort was such that it only narrowly missed taking home the bacon that morning. Launching itself in a blur of blinding speed across the divide, the cat actually intercepted one of the pigs before it reached the bush, rear-ending and bowling it over in an eruption of sand! The squeals were loud, genuine and understandable. Unfortunately for the leopard, although it may have dug a claw or two into fleshy rump whilst passing, the speed at which it launched itself was too excessive and it overshot the mark, rolling over in the sand beyond the pig, which was already up and digging in trotters, its antennae-topped rear disappearing into the bush after its long gone friend.
The leopard was left glaring angrily after the fortunate escapee, swishing tale and twitching whiskers in frustration, possibly spitting a little sand too. Then it looked about in what could have been coming down to earth mode, seemingly bemused at finding itself where it was at that time of the day. Upstream and downstream it looked, and across the narrow channel to where we were concealed, in bush atop the riverbank. And then it was gone in an instant, melting off as only leopards can, leaving the sand-bed stage totally devoid of actors.

After what seemed a long time but could only have been a few seconds, I turned to my companions with what had to have been an incredulous expression. Both of them were still transfixed, staring animatedly at the place where the action occurred, probably willing a re-enactment. Presently, the spell was broken and smiles erupted as spontaneously as the warthogs had bolted. It’s that feeling a feeling thing. I’m sure other sportsmen do experience it, but none could possibly live it the way the hunter does.

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I’m sure other sportsmen do experience it, but none could possibly live it the way the hunter does.

Fantastic!! I especially loved this line!
Thank you!!

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Originally posted by David Hulme:
Thirty seconds may not seem a long time, but certain moments, no matter how brief, are drawn out for infinity.

Enjoyable and very accurate. Thanks!

Thanks for sharing David!!!!!