The Creatures of the Night

Creatures of the Night

As the sun and moon swap places in the sky
The world is shrouded in darkness.

Through the shadows bursts a hoot
Issued by the Midnight Watcher.
Sitting upon his perch most high,
He watches, scanning the area for movement,
For his evening meal.
Lunging from the tree branch,
He careens towards the ground,
A look of malice upon his unkempt face.
With grace, the Midnight Watcher swerves,
His prey clutched in his robust talons.

The silent pitter-patter of small feet
Are heard by only one.
As the Masked Rouge scampers through the leaves,
He is being closely stalked
By the Predator of the Night.
The Masked Rouge ceases his fast pace,
Taking a black berry in his small paws,
Nipping in order to break the skin.
At the sound of a howl,
The Masked Rouge scampers,
Fear spreading through his body.
Out of the bushes,
Bounds the Predator of the Night,
Ready for the game of Hide-and-Seek.

Along the ground crawls the feared Scaled Rattle.
Towards a human encampment he heads,
His body rocking smoothly back and forth,
Forked tongue darting in and out of his mouth.
A quick shake of his tail
Sends a rattle through the woods.
Seeing the cylindrical Scaled Rattle,
A child takes wary steps forward,
Hand out to touch the Scaled Rattle.
With quick reflexes, he strikes,
Dagger like teeth digging deep
Into the child’s flesh.
Red and black, a friend of Jack
But red and yellow kill a fellow.

Cuddled closely together,
The Furry Friends hide from danger.
Howls, hoots, hisses,
All haunt their dreams.
Pink noses quivering, the siblings hide together
In fear of the Creatures of the Night.