Chapter 5: The Hunt

To pass the time Lee, waxed both of the bow strings, massaging the wax deep into the strings. She sharpened the knives she'd be using if he did bring home a wild pig. She dug in the supplies for the rope she knew he'd need to hang the meat from a tree. She moved around the camp restlessly, really having nothing to do at all but wait. She did check the first aid kit again.

"Frigging men," she said to the silent camp.

How long in history did women sit around waiting for men to come back, just as she was? Looking towards the sky, she realized there was lots of time before dark. Screw it. Unless he brought back smaller game, she'd be making tonight's dinner out of what they'd brought with them. She dug into the cooler and began making a small stew. She hated waiting, for anything. This was insane.

The air was cooling. The sounds were changing. Night was coming now. Quickly. The sun was behind the trees.

Lee looked around and tried not to jump at every sound coming from the wood.

"There is no Yogi Bear," she said to herself again and stirred dinner. What if he got hurt? Broke a leg? Encountered a bear himself? No, she told herself silently. If anyone could handle an emergency, it's Jay.

The wind blew cooler now. The shadows grew longer. The night animals were awake now. Somewhere an owl greeted the night. Looking up, Lee could see a few bats diving for dinner, or was it breakfast for them?

"Frigging man said not to worry, he'd be back before dark." Lee dropped the lid on the stew pot a bit harder than necessary. "Had to get a pig."

She dug a blanket out and sat back on her log in front of the fire, the blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

A coyote howled in the distance. Its mate called back. She felt like doing the same. Would he answer? The last of the sun dropped and her world shrank to the fire. Anything beyond that was blackness.

"Lions and Tigers and Bears, oh my," she whispered to herself, to break the quiet if nothing else.

A noise did crash in the woods.

"Oh my," she repeated, trying not to be too jumpy. What if she was attacked? Her bow? She snorted. She wasn't the shot Jay was, nor did her bow have the power, and she didn't think she could even pull his back to shoot. "Jay, where are you?" Lee was antsy now, not able to sit still. She poured some water into a pot and set it on the fire. He'd have to wash up, one way or another, and if he was hurt she'd need...

Another crash in the woods, a stick crunching, leaves rustled. Whatever it was, it wasn't trying to be quiet.

Lee grabbed her knife and stepped back into the shadows, away from the light of the fire.

Whatever it was, it was heading straight for camp. Jay? Yogi? Ranger Dan? A raccoon? Get a grip, Lee! Sure you can tell a raccoon from a frigging bear! Lee's thinking was now crammed together with fear. She should have grabbed her bow. It would help, even from the shadows. She shouldn't have made dinner, the smell. Where was Jay?