This week with Arlene and Jeff:
...Jasmine moved to snuggle closer to her husband as they continued to crouch behind the deadfall and bushes. "I think," she said with a chuckle, "that two very important members of this hunt just left to move the buffalo away so we can begin skinning and field dressing our kill."
A while later, there was a faint, wavering howl in the distance. "Shit," Morales muttered, "I know who made that howl, but if it were night, it would still make the hair want to stand up on the back of my neck."
The buffalo, obviously hearing, immediately reacted with the two largest bulls pawing and snorting as they turned to stare down the plains while the rest of the herd was becoming restless.
A few seconds later, there was an answering howl, the sound slightly different. That did it as far as the herd was concerned. They began to move away, in no hurry yet, but obviously moving from the danger - all but the two largest bulls who waited, facing the sound, obviously on full alert.
A few minutes later, the herd had moved a couple of hundred yards and were starting to clear the snow away in order to graze when the howls came again - this time a lot closer. That was all it took. The herd was on the move now, not just ambling along, but moving away with determination.
When the herd was well away, Morales came to his feet. "I'll go cut his throat to start him bleeding if you'll bring the case."
"Sure, Hon," she responded.
Morales turned to hurry toward the downed buffalo as Jasmine started for the case that they had left twenty-five yards or so back in the woods. There was a startled, "What the hel…" from Morales, then silence.
Jasmine looked back over her shoulder to ask her husband what he had started to say, but there was no Morales, just an expanse of white a mile or so wide that extended to her right and left as far as the eye could see...
Have a goodun;
Roust