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「這頭鹿比預計中更重……先吃掉一點，再將餘下的帶回家給小虎們享用。」母虎一邊低頭充飢，一邊盤算回家的路。這頭鹿身手敏捷，體力旺盛，不但害牠跑遠路，掙扎時還狠狠頭頂腳踹牠數次，令牠消耗不少精力，左後腿更是隱隱作痛。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWYAeqfHxKD
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq7x8pdPReX
「值得的。」母虎驀地想起穴裡五隻小虎的可愛模樣，立時忘卻痛楚，泛起一絲溫柔的微笑。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡziVhjMChi6
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS4gwuvshTJ
牠們已有好一段日子沒吃飽，餓得四肢發軟，整天宅在穴裡不走動。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡktfIkLLw1z
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB3ZOheKEAf
無奈。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4PNmN1g3GG
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUBJJOIGIuV
今年的夏天是莫名的短暫，滿林樹木還沒翠綠透頂，就已開始泛黃。這不是好兆頭，意味著秋天早到，森林中的所有住客沒有足夠時間儲糧過冬。大家慌亂起來，爭相搶奪糧食。甚至有些粗心大意的傢伙會為了找食物而丟命，例如母虎面前這頭肢離破碎的鹿，就是為了碩果僅存的幾口嫩草而暴露行蹤，被牠擒下。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7iRXsZrTwq
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbSO6vqw6ll
吃飽後，母虎扯下鹿屍的右後腿，由日落開始上路，及至彎月升上半空，方才到達虎穴附近。對於又累又疼痛的虎軀，回家的路彷彿永遠走不完，嘴裡的鹿腿更是沉重如千斤大石。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzqJ84r9kFy
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX6a2bt4bG1
月照當空，母虎睡意漸濃，步伐亦緩慢下來。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKH2nIWMDsU
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ5CveJfoQa
突如其來的一陣怪風側吹而來，濃烈的樹葉氣味和翳悶的濕氣隱隱夾雜著危險氣息。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwtwIlfNErQ
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjjk1NW7zg
母虎不動聲息，佯裝未察覺對方存在。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgCx4Y8uys
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpf2IZAvqKy
對方該是一頭年輕的黑熊，生活經驗不足，竟然在跟蹤狩獵對象時忘記觀察風向，致使驚動母虎。難道牠純粹路過，不打算攻擊母虎？不。若是湊巧經過，牠犯不著潛步保持在如此接近的距離。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsfkTnzWOgp
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDAdg7kmTC3
來者不善。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSyXTDVIvlw
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaV4DkBb1xY
母虎體力欠佳，左後腿傷勢不輕，還要顧及口中鹿腿，勝算大打折扣。加上黑熊向來兇猛，能夠與老虎匹敵。若現時正面對碰，實屬不智之舉。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6SmUHseWXG
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkBVCUUF6xo
母虎決定繞路，遠離虎穴，以免驚動穴中的小虎們。牠還沒走上兩三步，埋伏中的黑熊突然撲過去。母虎立即鬆口棄下鹿腿，半跑半跳拉開與黑熊的距離。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEP2MjhLxI5
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpvLdIM4DsK
「我明白現時世道艱難，這條鹿腿算是送你的。」母虎不慍不火，表達出不戰之意，卻又不失皇者霸氣。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfuV1AM9OLS
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyaocVkQ88
黑熊沒答話，逕自撕咬鹿腿，狼吞虎嚥。母虎打算默默轉身離開，豈料黑熊竟大喝一聲，阻止母虎離開。母虎沒再多話，立時張牙舞爪，向黑熊作出最後示警。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbRMTF6Y2cK
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6ydReqOAhK
黑熊知道母虎有腿傷，沒能快速閃避，於是率先進攻，將鹿腿扔向母虎，遮擋牠的視線，趁機一爪劃破牠的腹腔。誰料母虎忍痛閃身，側身揮右爪將鹿腿劈開兩截，劃傷黑熊的左眼和胸膛。黑熊亦成功抓傷母虎的右前臂，大大削弱牠的攻擊力。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq15flZ9a6v
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMSSr6QN3VK
哮聲震天。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXvDTiDxs7m
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHXaAUqQAdF
鳥兒受驚，漫天亂飛，惶恐啁啾之聲不絕於耳。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAenQGaIvAG
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHpAgR3zvEb
悉才的短兵相接不過數秒間的事，但對峙中的一熊一虎已然氣喘不已，血流不止，染紅遍地殘葉。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP6t4QthNBj
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeFB7APrKsT
接下來的一擊該能斷定生死。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYBqd0rOThx
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI4mt1wK8SJ
誰也不敢輕舉妄動，在心裡頭各有謀劃。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHW8rgs31S
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wchfTyh1r
怪風疾吹而過，飛砂不由自主打圈轉，無意間為事情帶來關鍵的改變。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPkKtwqSZzu
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZQv1hirH8
母虎嗅到怪風中夾雜著小虎們的氣味！難道剛才的叫聲動了牠們？牠們正往這邊前來！絕不能再等！必須在小虎們趕至前解決黑熊！578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxda6nRZd2p
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIWhRiWAsXe
母虎搶先發難，揚起地面砂石，刺激黑熊僅餘的右眼，乘勢繞到對方左側，再度重擊牠的胸膛，務求能將心臟擠爆。奈何黑熊肉厚骨堅，加上母虎體力嚴重不足，未能一擊斃命，給予黑熊反擊機會。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFrvLwFGfEV
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLypwyxFIYe
混亂間，盲眼黑熊憑嗅覺發現不遠處的小虎們，於是棄下幾近沒能走動的母虎，轉而攻擊小虎們。不消兩三下手勢，黑熊輕鬆解決兩隻小虎。眼見手足慘死，餘下的三隻小虎不再逃跑，齊齊撲向黑熊。面對小虎們不痛不癢的攻擊，黑熊毫不留情地一爪殺一隻。碩果僅存的一隻小虎嚇得渾身顫抖，軟癱黑熊腳前。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5X0KWDkG9A
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoNEzYe0X6y
以為黑熊將要痛下殺手，豈料牠卻止住巨掌：「你走吧！我是你媽多年前的爪下遺孤……」578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXXez7RT9ph
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkkFyGeezkG
話音未落，母虎從旁撲下黑熊，瘋狂噬咬牠的喉嚨，直至牠斷氣。眼見最後的小虎無恙，母虎終安心地交代遺言：「切勿濫殺無辜。」578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlZahhzGiHP
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnlysIHmtcT
縱不明所以，小虎還是唯唯諾諾，好讓母親安心上路。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxMHD8ZkPsX
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKT6bqKR1P6
不明白，不明白，不明白，萬二個不明白！578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡetk6CU5rEX
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLuW7czVRY5
母親不就是因為沒有對黑熊趕盡殺絕而招來滅門之禍嗎？何解牠仍勸導自己切勿濫殺無辜？
時光飛逝，小虎排除萬難，順利長大。心底裡仍舊迷惘困惑的牠一直謹遵亡母遺訓，只為果腹或自衛而殺生。爪下亡魂不計其數，爪下生口亦多如繁星。後來遇上一生所愛的雌虎，與其生兒育女。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ5bbS9a4KF
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaZwrlFSvKP
某天，正值壯年的小虎與愛妻閒話家常，提及不少兒時往事。578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNkjml6GXy3
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfXINhYvXFK
愛妻說自己曾被一頭奇怪的黑熊所救：「牠說自己的父母與三個兄弟全被一頭雌虎所殺，僅餘下牠孤獨一個。我問牠為何會救身為老虎的我。牠說，每種動物都有其存在意義。老虎雖會殺熊，但亦有助嚇退毀滅森林的人類。若果老虎數量大減，森林裡的所有動物終會遭遇滅頂之災。所以牠所針對的只是那頭雌虎及其家屬……」愛妻傻氣地歪歪頭：「其實，直到現在，我仍不明白牠的意思。你明白嗎？」578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLpRgTQ2pD5
578Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiUaJqcx7Fm
「我明白牠的意思。」小虎放眼環視整片森林，舒懷地吁一口氣。「我也明白我媽的意思了。」然後牠一股腦兒奔向兒女，與牠們嬉鬧耍樂，共享天倫。
