(Not sure quite what to call this. Natural science fiction would be as close as I could say without overthinking it. Nothing horrific, gross or deep, though it feels very much like a weird bit of writing. It just kind of came to me and was easy to write. It needs some TLC, but considering how the last month or so has treated me I will call it good enough for now. I include a map at the end of this because I was not completely satisfied with the visual I describe. I am also a sucker for maps, and apologize for the crude rending here; visual arts are not my forte. If you believe this is very short, then you are correct by any meaningful standard. More parts to come soon.)
Part One: Finding
It was a day like so many others. The air was warm and calm, even before the sun rose. It was a good day for many things.
It was not long after sunrise when I found a being worth catching. It was unusual, but looked like so much like the other beings I was accustomed to catching that I hardly concerned myself. Trying to identify each, specific type and remember them with detail was more effort than it was worth. All that mattered were the details regarding how it behaved when chased, and then caught. Everything else was not worth remembering.
This being was eating in an open space bordering a patch of water. It was alone and unaware of my presence. I also had the advantage of being concealed by trees and bushes on a ridge slightly higher than the ground the being was on. The sun was off to the side, but high enough not to throw especially long shadows. The still air would conceal my presence. It was a good find.
John Settger 