The buck trotted through the snow. The wind whistled softly through the forest. A soft moonlight glistened through the foliage. The buck leaned down, drinking from a stream that flowed down the mountain.

  Tension. Pulling the string back took might and strength. Suspense. With an exhale, the bow stilled as the arrow was aimed. Release. The arrow cut through the air. The buck let out a cry as the arrow pierced its side. Another came from somewhere else in the forest, piercing the rear thigh of the beast.

  It jolted forward, its beady eyes wide with panic.

  Repeat. A second arrow was notched in Sonhu’s bow. Pull. Exhale. Steady. Release. The arrow flew past the beast and landed somewhere in the riverbed.

  Another arrow hit the beast in its neck. It stumbled slightly before continuing its escape.

  Sonhu began his chase. He ran out from his cover. The snow crunched under his footsteps.

  A third arrow came from the other side of the woods. It missed the beast. The buck had now disappeared into the foliage. Sonhu crossed the stream. He was joined by Cole, and they pursued the beast together.

  They followed the blood-soaked snow. Cutting through brambles, bushes, and broken branches.

  Stolen story; please report.

  They caught up to the buck. Cole drew his bow and notched an arrow as Sonhu pressed forward and pulled a knife out. The buck was stumbling forward, its footing slipping. An arrow collided with its front leg, and the beast collapsed. Its moans echo throughout the forest.

  Sonhu was on the beast now. Raising his knife, he brought it down into the eyesocket. The beast shuddered one last time before succumbing.

  Cole and Sonhu worked quickly. They picked up the beast and carried it through the woods. Eventually arriving at a small clearing where a few pelts were piled up. Blood stained the snow, and a few clearly disturbed areas of snow held the other game the two had caught.

  They laid the beast on the snow. Sonhu grabbed a pelt as Cole began to gut the animal. The two worked silently. A smooth methodicalness to their motions.

  They removed the organs. Skinned the animal, setting aside the pelt. They took the vital meat from the animal and set them aside. Discarding the remains into a small bowl. They took the bones and collected them into a storage box. As Sonhu began salting the meat, Cole made a place for the pelt. The salted meat was then placed on it. They packed snow onto the meat.

  When it was all done. Sonhu gathered the extras and took the bowl deep into the forest, where he threw the waste away.

  When he returned, Cole had finished marking the area. They retreated to a small nook in the mountainside they had made. Their supplies, pelts, and sleeping hole occupied the space. When they were in, the two quickly wrapped themselves in the pelts, getting close to each other. Anything to preserve heat and fight the oppressive cold.

  With not so much as a word, Sonhu gave Cole a nod. It was Sonhu’s shift. Cole’s head disappeared into the pelts as Sonhu kept watch over the clearing.

  It had already been three days. Only two more weeks remained.