Uwindaji survival

World where prey rule

Welcome in our third episode on this bizarre planet.Today we will be talking about a creature that made a cameo in our last two episodes.Yes,we are talking about the Screecher.A small vulnerable mammal that's usually a tasty snack will prove himself to be a dangerous predator.

A small mongoose like mammal peeks his head out the hole in the ground, welcomed by the morning sun.This is Eleanor.While relatively young she is the oldest female in her group,making her the matriarch.Screecher groups or colonies are consisted of dozen or so mature units and even more cubs.Eleanor completely exits the hole of their underground sanctuary and rubs her paws over her face to remove any remaining trace of sleep.

More of her group began to emerge from the ground and go about their usual duties.Eleanor climbed up the tiny hill under which their tunnels spread.She could see younger females,some of which were her sisters,taking care of the cubs.The matriarchal society of screchers really lives up to saying about children being the future.As soon as the females reach maturity,they start working as nannies.Taking care of the youngest in the group,teaching them to hunt and what to eat.

One of the cubs Ivan,first of Eleanor's offspring was wrestling with his cousin on the ground,raing a lot of dust.In many animal's lives playing is the best way to learn to hunt and defend themselves.They were rolling around on the ground until the cousin pinned Ivan down.They tried to bite each other with their dull teeth but couldn't get past the jaws of their opponent.Their open mouth were pushing against one another in similar fashion as the Earth's hippos.Ivan buried his snout under his cousin's chin and start pulling on the fur of his throat.

Cousin cub began screeching in pain as Ivan shook his head from left to right.One of the younger females took notice of this and ran to interveen.She pushed her snout in between, separating them.She then proceed to push Ivan away from his cousin and when he tried to reach him,she screeched at him.While their vocalization consist of only screeches and whines,there are dozens of different tones and sequences just like words in any language.

Ivan is aware of the punishment he would be met with if he continues to pester others cubs.So he goes away to the other side of the hill to be alone with the young female following to keep an eye on him.Attention falls one one of the upright standing males fulfilling his duty as a sentry.This is Zane,Eleanor's mate.His duty is to look out for potential threats or a rich meal.Eleanor makes her way over to him on a medium sized rock.Once there,she pressed herself against his back.

What might look like a hug to an untrained eye,is in fact a tactic of shielding one's mate from the sun.Standing in the sun to protect the colony can be just as fatal as a occasional turf war with other colonies.Females are too important,since they can reproduce,so only males egage in fighting.Only time female's fight is a childish quarrel in cub hood and when two female are aiming to become a matriarch.

Another distinctive screech comes from one of the sentries who stands on all fours with his tail in the air and nose pointed at the source of commotion.A serpent with white underbelly,black back and it's hood in points.The lighthing snake.Origin of the name will soon become clear as day.One of the juvenile exiled male Dagurclaws is searching for a filling meal when he spots the lightning snake.He waddles over to it only to be met with surprise when he gets too close.

The black and white cobra starts quickly flashing it's pointed hood and hissing very loudly and sharply.The whole performance gave an impression of a lightning before the inexperienced hunted.He pulls back in fear,giving a defensive swipe of his front paw.The lightning snakes continues it's display and shoots it's head forward.Unaware of what to do,the young adult dagurclaw flees in terror.With it's preservation taken care of,the lightning snake goes to satiate her hunger.

She folds back her hood and begins slithering over to the colony's den.By now,all the sentries got alarmed and started screeching.Eleanor sounded of for the young female to take the cubs to the safety of the underground.Adult screechers surrounded the small hill above their home as lightning snake got dangerously close.She rose her head up and hissed at them.They all stood their ground and raised their tail in the air.Lightning snake thought nothing of their bravery and deployed her attack of deception.