Greed had spent the last two days studying the animals. He observed their movements, the way they hunted, and the subtle tactics they used to survive. His favorite was the beast— he named it the king of beasts. A creature with strength and grace, it struck Greed with awe. He watched how it moved: fierce but lazy, as if it knew that when the time came, it would strike with deadly precision.
One day, Greed saw the beast spot its prey. The animal was huge, twice the size of the beast itself. For a moment, Greed thought the beast might not even bother, but then it disappeared into the tall grass, blending in like it wasn't even there. He held his breath.
Then, the beast lunged.
The speed and power of the strike took Greed by surprise. He watched in awe as the beast's claws tore into its prey with perfect precision. It was over in seconds. The beast had brought down an animal much larger than itself with ease. Greed's heart raced.
Size doesn't matter if you're skilled, he thought to himself, but there was another word he couldn't quite find. His mind was alive with the realization of how much more there was to learn.
Greed's eyes scanned the ground around him. Rocks, sticks, bones. Nothing felt right until he spotted something in the dirt—a bone. Old, cracked, but strong. Greed crouched and examined it. The bone was long and rough, like something from a creature that once ruled the earth. When he touched the end, sharp pain shot through his fingers, making him flinch.
It was a claw.
Greed stood back, the pain forgotten. He could feel it, this connection to something fierce and ancient. This bone—this claw—was the answer. It was sharp. It was precise. It was survival.
He couldn't help but grin. This is it.
He needed a weapon, something simple and sharp, like the claws of the beast. Greed wasn't just learning to survive anymore. He was understanding the world around him, and he knew now what he had to do.
Greed spent the next few hours testing the bone. He tried holding it, adjusting the angle, and imagining it as a weapon. But it was too short to reach his prey. He needed something longer.
Looking around, Greed spotted a thick stick nearby. He picked it up. It wasn't much, but it was the right size. He pressed the bone against the stick, testing it for fit. The bone was sharp enough, but he needed a way to secure it.
He wrapped vines around it, holding the bone and the stick together, making a crude spear. The binding wasn't perfect, and the balance wasn't right, but Greed could feel the power in the weapon. It wasn't pretty, but it was a start.
Greed smiled to himself. He had a weapon now.
Excited, he crouched down, holding the spear in front of him. His heart raced with anticipation as he moved through the tall grass. He was ready. The moment was now.
The prey appeared again, moving cautiously. It didn't see him. Greed's muscles tensed as he prepared to strike. His hands shook, but he steadied his breath and focused.
The prey turned. Greed lunged, thrusting the bone-tipped spear forward. It wasn't a perfect strike, but it was enough. The tip of the bone pierced the side of the animal. It struggled briefly before collapsing, and Greed stood over it, panting.
He had done it.
Greed dropped to his knees, breathing heavily. He had caught his first prey. The weapon had worked. He wasn't just surviving anymore; he was becoming the predator.
As he knelt by the animal, Greed felt a sense of accomplishment wash over him. This was just the beginning. There was so much more to learn, so much more to do. But for now, he had taken his first step.
He could hear his mother's voice in his head: "Don't waste it, Greed. Don't let your life slip away."
Greed smiled. He wouldn't waste it. He would keep learning, keep pushing forward. He wasn't just a creature anymore. He was a force, and nothing would stop him from reaching his goal