—
Saker thought back to his days with the Clan in their forest home. The Clan lands were in Eastern Europe, in the last great ancient forests on the continent. These wild dark woodlands were alive with stories, and were filled with boar, bear, elk, lynx, and even wolf. The Clan were constant on the move, making camp for no more than a few nights before relocating. It was, for the most part, terrific fun. Who wouldn’t relish the opportunity to have a life that was one big camping trip in the wild forest, being taught to track, to hunt, to fight? The teachers lived with the boys, and watched carefully for antipathy between them, which was soon quelled, so arguments and personality clashes were unheard of. They were like brothers, a family, a pack. Saker remembered how they were taught to observe the ways of the animals around them in order to become more adept in the ways of the forest.
One spring he’d followed a small viper emblazoned with a diamond pattern to see it hunt. He watched how it selected its ambush position with great care to match its own camouflage, and chose a spot alongside a game trail that a small vole would eventually travel down. The viper invested all its effort into ensuring that everything was right, then waited, in total silence, without a twitch of its muscles, utterly patient. It was three days before a vole passed within striking distance, and when the snake struck, it was lethal and perfect. When Saker hunted after that, he would observe that same care and consideration in his planning, with the knowledge that when he did strike, it must be perfect—there might only be one chance of success.
But as Saker got older, he had inevitably started to ask questions. The teachers never addressed what the Clan did, what the purpose was of all their training. The boys were encouraged to be free spirits, always improvising, yet never asking the big questions about who they actually were or what their training might finally lead to. Truth was, the tigress in the thicket had been the tipping point for Saker.
Excerpted from Tiger Wars by Steve Backshall, published by Orion Children’s Books, 2012. Excerpted by permission.
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