Bottom of the food chain, say

PREY

What hunted animals are often called in the context of predators?

This clue plays on the phrase "bottom of the food chain," which literally refers to organisms like plants or small creatures that get eaten by predators. The word "say" hints that this is just one example, so the answer is the general term for what those predators hunt—"prey." It’s a straightforward definition with no hidden wordplay, just a common ecological concept turned into a crossword answer.