Chance and the Mantis

The two combatants faced off in the ring. The size difference between the two, fearsome and awful to behold. In one corner a perfect four legged specimen of the symbiotic relationship between muscle and absolute nutrition. Directly opposite stood a six legged terror of enormous proportions- much larger then anything that could have been created in nature’s own design. It sharpened its blades with menacing authority, never taking its eyes off the bristling creature in the corner. They glared at each other, circling, sizing up their opponents strengths and weaknesses. The tension crackled in the air as the circling continued for two minutes, the spectators holding their breathe the entire while with fascinated anticipation. Finally the attack commenced in a flury of darting, snapping jaws, stabbing barbs countering the attack. Again a ferocious flurry, teeth, saliva, barbs, and chirps filling the small battle ring. Pausing to evaluate wounds the combatants wound their way through cloth and cement, the entire time considering attack or retreat, advantages and disadvantages of size and defense. Finally the attack commenced again, this time the larger of the two using their size to overpower the small and no less ferocious opponent. Towering over his small resilient body she lunged repeatedly downward, small crunches weakening his hard exterior. The defense began to slow, allowing for an increase in offensive attacks, each leading to further injury. Finally with a ruthless snap she had him in her jaws, thrashed her great head back and forth and the praying mantis’s body flew through the air. In a leap and growl of vicious victory Chance brought the crumpled body of the larger than life praying mantis into the bedroom to show me her triumphant trophy of crumpled indignation. I stared at her, praised her for keeping our house clean of the insects of the lost world ( I swear they are that big) and walked into the back room to continue my laundry. Not pleased with the praise she picked up her prize and followed me, stopping where I stopped to continue her feast and move again, resuming only when she was sure I had stopped for longer than a few minutes.
It was quite the day.