Death of an Elk

Running, faster, hooves pounding the frozen earth.
I feel the breath at my ankles, urging me on;
Hear the growls of hunger, knowing I must run
Or be consumed.
I taste the bitter tang of defeat on my tongue.
Knowing that this is my end, I turn
Facing my pursuers, I am ready to accept fate.
I lash out around me in frustration
But as one they are on me, tearing into flesh.
Blood runs down my sides, I stumble, fall.
Eyes glaze over, blinded by pain, I’m numb.
Frozen in this space, these last seconds, until…
Shaking with fear, I step on new unsteady legs.
I paw the frozen earth, unsure of the world.
Slowly, cautiously, I approach my herd.
Newborn, finding my new place in this life.