In Flight.

He perched high, among the cliffs and surveyed creation with an eye of disdain. It greatly amused him to see land dwellers scurrying about on the ground. To him, they were his prey , nothing else. He enjoyed the hunt- it was ,of course, a game he had mastered over the years. His senses heightened, especially his sight, he spotted his prey from high up, locked it in his vision and swooped down quietly. He was an Angel of Death- swift and dangerous. His powerful talons formed an iron grip on the hapless animal. He always felt a surge of power as his prey struggled in his grip and then profound pity as its weak heart finally gave up. He knew nature intended him to be superior, Her masterpiece and the Great Hunter.

He felt the familiar stirrings of hunger and the thrill of the hunt began to consume him. He took flight and stretched his powerful wings. Flying exhilarated him, as it should, he was after all, the King of the Skies. He scanned the Earth for his next victim. He did not have to look for long; an unsuspecting hare was out foraging for a bite. He started his descent, slowly but surely. As he gathered speed , he could not help but smile to himself. It was almost too easy. He was just a few feet away from his prey. He could almost feel the soft flesh in his talons...

... The bullet came out of nowhere. The great eagle faltered in his flight. Unbearable pain filled his being. He felt his heart rate slow down and the energy seeping out of his body. He tried flapping his wings but could not hold himself up. He began to fall, confused. In a moment of clarity, he saw a creature on 2 feet holding a long metal thing. He saw the creature's face, took in the expression of triumph. He knew that expression and that feeling all too well. Understanding flooded his mind- He was hunted down.