Kill, Consume, Adapt

• Bevan McNess, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2014

Leaping from bush to bush, tree top to tree top, was the most powerful being in all of the world, usually referred to as Xa'ton . Although he looked as if he wasn't supposed to be in this world, and seemed very out of place compared to other animals in this world, he thrived and survived by rapidly evolving by simply feeding off other animals.
As Xa'ton stalked his pray, studying It and learning how to confront it before doing so. Leaping on to his pray, slamming it to the ground, then slashing its head from its body. Savouring this kill would cause him to evolve rapidly, becoming more like his victim. But one kill wasn't enough to fuel the rapid evolution he craved, after feeding off weak pray for years, he became restless as there was no thrill of being on the hunt as he had never come across a life threatening beast before, not one that could match his power and strength.
He spread out his dragonfly like wings and slashed the air in front of him with his huge scything claws in rage as he left his cave in search for dangerous pray.
Xa'ton found a large beast with large teeth slowly devouring a victim it had just killed, as Xa'ton stalked the beast from the tree tops, he decided to engage the beast, leaping on to it and slashing its throat, then devouring it. As Xa'ton took cover under some rocks and branches to sleep he felt his teeth growing slowly. When he awoke in the morning he realised that his teeth had stopped growing, they were about one whole centimetre bigger than before.
Xa'ton went out in search for more pray. He found an animal sleeping under some leaves, stabbing it in the chest and slashing off its head then slowly savouring it. Picking some meat off the bottom of its large round shell, his scales became harder, making him almost indestructible. But as he soon found out, Xa'ton wasn't the only one on the hunt for dangerous pray, a large white tiger like beast slowly crept up on him, observing him and waiting for the right moment. As he was picking some more meat off the shell the beast caught him off guard and leapt on to Xa'ton, ripping off some scales but only leaving one small scar. This was the first time Xa'ton had ever felt his blood spill. They endlessly attempted to slash each other, Xa'ton slashed the beast in the eye driving it back. They fought from dusk to dawn and dawn to dusk, endlessly slashing. Finally attempting to make the kill, Xa'ton leapt spreading out his wings and landing right on top of the beast he made the final slash to the beast's neck, ripping it's head from its body, then devouring it, evolving and growing with every bite.
Finally he was happy with the kill he earned.
Killed, Consumed and Adapted.