Challenge
Praise...prays...preys?
Oh, dear, it seems I have mixed up my homophones again! Write something that incorporates at least two of the above words. You may mention the words explicitly, or incorporate them in a more implicit, thematic way. As always, be unexpected!
Family
My earliest memories are of my mother’s praise after I made my first kill. I did exactly as she told me, from the moment I spotted my prey to the final killing blow, my knife across his neck. Weak and of no use to the family, it was my responsibility to see that he was dispatched cleanly and respectfully. It was right that I be the one to end his life, my brother, lest he turn around and end mine.