Story Market Day
- Thread starter ComCamGuy
- Start date
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Bekka and Garen’s, Evening
Bekka came up from the basement to find Emelia at the table, a pile of drawings and her IPad strewn across the surface. Emelia was staying with them while helping and learning about the plantings Karl was working on.
“Whatcha doing?” Bekka asked. The drawings and pictures sure didn’t look like farming.
“Nothing much. A little side project for Angelique.” Emilia said, a little too quickly.
“Oh? Like what?” Bekka moved closer now, her curiosity piqued. She reached out and started looking at the drawings. There were wings, arcane emblems, runes, Templar Crosses and at least two or three caduceus. She had some pictures mixed in
She was trying to make sense of it all when she recognized the emblem Kara had on her shoulder. She knew it was the right one since she recognized the picture of the shoulder itself. She had stared at it enough in front of her in the bed.
Another picture was of a silver medallion with a circle of runic emblems. This was a lot like the ones in the picture of Kara’s shoulder. She was trying to make sense of all of this. She knew there was a theme or some underlying thread but it wasn’t coming together in her head yet.
“So, you’re doing something for Angelique? What does she have you drawing?”
“She had an idea for an image but couldn’t draw what she saw in her head. I’m trying to get it right.” Emelia was kinda dancing around what she was doing and Bekka knew it.
“So, what IS it?” she persisted.
“Well, she told me it was like Kara’s tattoo, with the Valkyrie wings and compass, but the wings were spread out a bit more and the snakes of the caduceus were wrapped around the lower legs of the Valkyrie emblem. Behind the center compass emblem and wings is a crusader or Templar cross.”
Bekka tried to picture all those elements together. It would be an emblem of very powerful symbolism. She didn’t know what prompted Angelique to come up with this and really didn’t know what it meant to her.
“I bet it will be beautiful when you’re done with it.”
“I hope so. I still have a lot of work to do to get it right.”
“Don’t forget to let me see it when you’re done. Keep an ear on the radio for me since you are here. I’m going out to the garage for a bit.”
“Sure thing Bekka.”
Bekka came up from the basement to find Emelia at the table, a pile of drawings and her IPad strewn across the surface. Emelia was staying with them while helping and learning about the plantings Karl was working on.
“Whatcha doing?” Bekka asked. The drawings and pictures sure didn’t look like farming.
“Nothing much. A little side project for Angelique.” Emilia said, a little too quickly.
“Oh? Like what?” Bekka moved closer now, her curiosity piqued. She reached out and started looking at the drawings. There were wings, arcane emblems, runes, Templar Crosses and at least two or three caduceus. She had some pictures mixed in
She was trying to make sense of it all when she recognized the emblem Kara had on her shoulder. She knew it was the right one since she recognized the picture of the shoulder itself. She had stared at it enough in front of her in the bed.
Another picture was of a silver medallion with a circle of runic emblems. This was a lot like the ones in the picture of Kara’s shoulder. She was trying to make sense of all of this. She knew there was a theme or some underlying thread but it wasn’t coming together in her head yet.
“So, you’re doing something for Angelique? What does she have you drawing?”
“She had an idea for an image but couldn’t draw what she saw in her head. I’m trying to get it right.” Emelia was kinda dancing around what she was doing and Bekka knew it.
“So, what IS it?” she persisted.
“Well, she told me it was like Kara’s tattoo, with the Valkyrie wings and compass, but the wings were spread out a bit more and the snakes of the caduceus were wrapped around the lower legs of the Valkyrie emblem. Behind the center compass emblem and wings is a crusader or Templar cross.”
Bekka tried to picture all those elements together. It would be an emblem of very powerful symbolism. She didn’t know what prompted Angelique to come up with this and really didn’t know what it meant to her.
“I bet it will be beautiful when you’re done with it.”
“I hope so. I still have a lot of work to do to get it right.”
“Don’t forget to let me see it when you’re done. Keep an ear on the radio for me since you are here. I’m going out to the garage for a bit.”
“Sure thing Bekka.”
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
“Sure thing, Bekka.”
Emilia didn’t want to go any further with her explanations with Bekka and wasn’t sure she wanted to share the drawing she had already done. She was still finalizing her main three versions to show Angelique. She also didn’t necessarily want to show Angelique either.
If Angelique liked one of them, she knew what the next step would be. She was flattered Angelique was trusting her with this artwork project but…she had never done something like this before. She can still see her face when she explained it.
“Look, the image has to be right and you are the best artist I have ever known. Shoot, your mom told me she would give me a pair if she could.”
“So, you’re thinking like the one on Kara’s shoulder?”
“Yeah, but maybe writ large. You know, go big or go home? I can’t get your mom’s set out of my head.”
“You do know I’ve never done a tattoo before? That’s a hell of a big first project.”
“Well, I trust you. You work on the design, and when it’s right, we will both know it. Kara has some books on tattoo techniques and history she loaned me too. Anything you need, I’ll track it down but I really appreciate you helping me with this.”
“Don’t thank me yet. Right now, all I’m doing is helping you with a drawing.”
Emilia didn’t want to go any further with her explanations with Bekka and wasn’t sure she wanted to share the drawing she had already done. She was still finalizing her main three versions to show Angelique. She also didn’t necessarily want to show Angelique either.
If Angelique liked one of them, she knew what the next step would be. She was flattered Angelique was trusting her with this artwork project but…she had never done something like this before. She can still see her face when she explained it.
“Look, the image has to be right and you are the best artist I have ever known. Shoot, your mom told me she would give me a pair if she could.”
“So, you’re thinking like the one on Kara’s shoulder?”
“Yeah, but maybe writ large. You know, go big or go home? I can’t get your mom’s set out of my head.”
“You do know I’ve never done a tattoo before? That’s a hell of a big first project.”
“Well, I trust you. You work on the design, and when it’s right, we will both know it. Kara has some books on tattoo techniques and history she loaned me too. Anything you need, I’ll track it down but I really appreciate you helping me with this.”
“Don’t thank me yet. Right now, all I’m doing is helping you with a drawing.”
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Chenkof Senior’s House
Angelique and Doug were standing around his Suburban in the backyard before they went in to go through the house room by room, looking for whatever they were going to take with them. This trip needed to be done for a long time. It was part of the normal process of grieving but they never really did that either.
It was bizarre to both of them when they walked in how much of the house was like a time capsule. No quake or wave event elements other than the power being out showed. When Angelique walked down the hallway, she expected to hear Babushka call out to her. It all looked just like Angelique remembered it that day before she went to the store, other than the missing hospital bed and equipment nothing was different.
Angelique stood waiting but never it came. The only voice she heard sound like her grandfather’s. It sent chills up her spine making jump “‘Leka, are you ok?”
She turned have expecting to see her grandfather “I am ok Dad, we got a lot of work to so let’s get started.”
“No need to rush. We have plenty of time. We will make time.”
Angelique headed toward the kitchen to look for food, spices, cooking tools and her grandmother’s cookbook. She enjoyed spending time with Bobushka learning to cook but most of all it was being with her hearing stories from all over the world. She was missing her grandmother with every spice she packed. She knew every time she cooked or used her spices she would remember her. She now understood what grandmother meant when she said ‘I will always be a part of you’.
Angelique decide she had to stop or she would end up packing the whole room. She was excited about the next room. It was full of books, some more of her clothes, both the rest her dad bought her and some she brought from New York, some more shoes, and other things. She sat sorting through them and putting them piles. The piles were similar to ones when they were cleaning the connexes: ‘What was I thinking?’ ‘I need this’, ‘This stuff amuses me’ and ‘Who was this person?’.
The ’who was this person’ pile was the one that really got to her. She stared at the stuff in that pile for a long time. She tried to remember who she was and why she would every have stuff like that? When would she every would use that? Was she ever that person? What was she thinking back then?
She finally made up her mind what to take with her. Mostly they were things to make her feel more at home back Garen’s and Bekka’s place. They always called it that. She thought to herself they really aught to give it a cool name like Cephalopod Manor or Pirates Industries or GBKaa Corp. as she looked around the room. She put the boxes outside the door, closed it behind her, locked it and whipped out her sharpie. Moments later a stylized A was in place over the doorknob.
Doug was busy in his parent’s room looking for other sentimental favorite items. He had the small music box his mother used as a jewelry box complete with the half a dozen pieces of jewelry she used to wear. He made a point to find his parent’s wedding rings. He wanted to have them for when he asked Heidi to marry him. That offhand thought stopped him in his tracks.
After the messy divorce he thought he would never want to get married to anyone again. He wasn’t even sure Heidi will want to every get married again after her husband died. He wasn’t sure either of the kids would agree. Then again, Angelique isn’t a kid any more. Heck, she doesn’t even live with him, hasn’t for long time. Shoot! She spends more time with Bekka and Garen, probably thinks more of them as parents, so why should he care what she thinks. But she’s the one who pushed him toward Heidi. His head hurt!
“Why Why Why?”
“Dad! You all right” Angelique asked sticking her head into the room.
“Yeah, just thinking too much. I’m fine.”
“OK.” As she walked on to the next room.
They kept picking up odds and ends, trying to decide what they were going to bring home to their respective places. Clothes, towels, bedding, these were coming along. Almost all the furniture was staying, except the antique glide rocker. It would make a good rock for the baby. The other piece of furniture or kitchen appliance was the authentic samovar Doug was taking back to his cabin.
The whole time they were going through the house, they were listening hard for anyone else moving about. Just driving up in a running vehicle was bound to attract attention. They didn’t want to get surprised.
Before long, they had the Suburban packed and were ready to leave.
“A lot of good memories here.” Doug said as he looked around the backyard and the back of the house.
“Yeah…I don’t know what would have happened if I wasn’t out here when the quake happened.”
Doug could hear the sorrow and worry in her tone.
“I don’t know either, but I’m glad you are here with me now.”
Angelique and Doug were standing around his Suburban in the backyard before they went in to go through the house room by room, looking for whatever they were going to take with them. This trip needed to be done for a long time. It was part of the normal process of grieving but they never really did that either.
It was bizarre to both of them when they walked in how much of the house was like a time capsule. No quake or wave event elements other than the power being out showed. When Angelique walked down the hallway, she expected to hear Babushka call out to her. It all looked just like Angelique remembered it that day before she went to the store, other than the missing hospital bed and equipment nothing was different.
Angelique stood waiting but never it came. The only voice she heard sound like her grandfather’s. It sent chills up her spine making jump “‘Leka, are you ok?”
She turned have expecting to see her grandfather “I am ok Dad, we got a lot of work to so let’s get started.”
“No need to rush. We have plenty of time. We will make time.”
Angelique headed toward the kitchen to look for food, spices, cooking tools and her grandmother’s cookbook. She enjoyed spending time with Bobushka learning to cook but most of all it was being with her hearing stories from all over the world. She was missing her grandmother with every spice she packed. She knew every time she cooked or used her spices she would remember her. She now understood what grandmother meant when she said ‘I will always be a part of you’.
Angelique decide she had to stop or she would end up packing the whole room. She was excited about the next room. It was full of books, some more of her clothes, both the rest her dad bought her and some she brought from New York, some more shoes, and other things. She sat sorting through them and putting them piles. The piles were similar to ones when they were cleaning the connexes: ‘What was I thinking?’ ‘I need this’, ‘This stuff amuses me’ and ‘Who was this person?’.
The ’who was this person’ pile was the one that really got to her. She stared at the stuff in that pile for a long time. She tried to remember who she was and why she would every have stuff like that? When would she every would use that? Was she ever that person? What was she thinking back then?
She finally made up her mind what to take with her. Mostly they were things to make her feel more at home back Garen’s and Bekka’s place. They always called it that. She thought to herself they really aught to give it a cool name like Cephalopod Manor or Pirates Industries or GBKaa Corp. as she looked around the room. She put the boxes outside the door, closed it behind her, locked it and whipped out her sharpie. Moments later a stylized A was in place over the doorknob.
Doug was busy in his parent’s room looking for other sentimental favorite items. He had the small music box his mother used as a jewelry box complete with the half a dozen pieces of jewelry she used to wear. He made a point to find his parent’s wedding rings. He wanted to have them for when he asked Heidi to marry him. That offhand thought stopped him in his tracks.
After the messy divorce he thought he would never want to get married to anyone again. He wasn’t even sure Heidi will want to every get married again after her husband died. He wasn’t sure either of the kids would agree. Then again, Angelique isn’t a kid any more. Heck, she doesn’t even live with him, hasn’t for long time. Shoot! She spends more time with Bekka and Garen, probably thinks more of them as parents, so why should he care what she thinks. But she’s the one who pushed him toward Heidi. His head hurt!
“Why Why Why?”
“Dad! You all right” Angelique asked sticking her head into the room.
“Yeah, just thinking too much. I’m fine.”
“OK.” As she walked on to the next room.
They kept picking up odds and ends, trying to decide what they were going to bring home to their respective places. Clothes, towels, bedding, these were coming along. Almost all the furniture was staying, except the antique glide rocker. It would make a good rock for the baby. The other piece of furniture or kitchen appliance was the authentic samovar Doug was taking back to his cabin.
The whole time they were going through the house, they were listening hard for anyone else moving about. Just driving up in a running vehicle was bound to attract attention. They didn’t want to get surprised.
Before long, they had the Suburban packed and were ready to leave.
“A lot of good memories here.” Doug said as he looked around the backyard and the back of the house.
“Yeah…I don’t know what would have happened if I wasn’t out here when the quake happened.”
Doug could hear the sorrow and worry in her tone.
“I don’t know either, but I’m glad you are here with me now.”
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Landcruiser
Contributing Member
It’s nice to fill in some of these blanks.
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you/
223shootersc
Veteran Member
Thanks CCG!
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Why not? I did."Almost all the furniture was staying, except the antique glide rocker. It would make a good rock for the baby."
I'm just gonna leave this here...
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
If a Clan is truly developing, I'd think pregnancies are required on a couple of planes . . . .
Knighttemplar
Veteran Member
When did they join the mile high club, I missed that.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
When did who join the mile high club?
Metaphysical plane, not airplane. Get your mind out of the lavatories!
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
On Patrol
Angelique barely got back from her errand when Allyson hijacked her for a patrol.
“Right, get your kit. Bekka and Garen want us to go out to the northwestern edge and put out some signs.”
“What kind of signs?”
Allyson held up a stack of signs for Angelique to see. ‘National Wilderness Preserve’
“So, we are staking our claim?”
“The idea is more discouragement and draw a line to keep people out without being blatant like trying to put up a perimeter fence.”
“Do you think it will work?”
“I don’t know. There’s some subdivisions up that way and Bekka wants to know if they are still occupied and how far into the woods they are pushing.”
“So, we go out, scope the subdivisions, pull back and put up the signs on the way back from the observation post?”
“That’s the plan. I figure to take off in about an hour. That work for you?”
Angelique thought a moment, trying to decide how long she would need to get geared up before heading for the stairs.
“Yup, be right back down.”
Angelique barely got back from her errand when Allyson hijacked her for a patrol.
“Right, get your kit. Bekka and Garen want us to go out to the northwestern edge and put out some signs.”
“What kind of signs?”
Allyson held up a stack of signs for Angelique to see. ‘National Wilderness Preserve’
“So, we are staking our claim?”
“The idea is more discouragement and draw a line to keep people out without being blatant like trying to put up a perimeter fence.”
“Do you think it will work?”
“I don’t know. There’s some subdivisions up that way and Bekka wants to know if they are still occupied and how far into the woods they are pushing.”
“So, we go out, scope the subdivisions, pull back and put up the signs on the way back from the observation post?”
“That’s the plan. I figure to take off in about an hour. That work for you?”
Angelique thought a moment, trying to decide how long she would need to get geared up before heading for the stairs.
“Yup, be right back down.”
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223shootersc
Veteran Member
Thanks CCG! Need more than signs, I am affraid in a land where ROL doesn't exist.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
how about this edit? I wasn't as clear in my language earlier.
It was meant something like "when we get to Target, we go all the way to the back, get the DVDs and and get the ice cream as we go out."
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Better to start with some boundries then enforce them, rather than just having interlopers vanish, making others come looking for them at first
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
^^^^^^
The piles of bleached skulls are reserved for later then?
When stuff gets "serious" right?
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
When it’s time for that, they will cue Zed and Jesse to raise some appropriate ’signs’
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
High on the Hillside
Allyson and Angelique were moving down a ridge through the trees when they heard a pair of gunshots from over the next ridgeline, the one, according to their map, overlooking the subdivision they were wanting to observe. Instantly, both were on guard.
A few hand gestures were all that was needed between them. Soon, they spread out farther and moved slower down the hillside. Their goal was the side of a small draw headed through the ridgeline. They were intending to work along it high up so they didn’t have to go right over top the ridge. Or at least that was their plan.
Just after crossing the bottom of the ravine to climb the hill, a crashing stumbling sound startled them both.
An obviously wounded deer came into view. Before Allyson could think, do or say anything, a muffled shot rang out from Angelique. The deer dropped in its tracks.
Allyson’s mind was going a million miles an hour now. This was probably the target of the other shots they heard. The hunters will probably be here soon, either because of the shot or because they were tracking the deer they shot. She had to figure out the next play, and quickly.
“Angelique! Overwatch and bluff. Going Game Warden for the contact. They should be here any minute. Back my play!”
She watched Angelique scamper up the hillside in front of them for a shooting position. ‘Good girl, we will get through this yet’ she said to herself under her breath, forgetting their radios were set on voice activated.
“Sorry Ally.” Came through her earpiece as she walked towards the deer’s body.
“Don’t be. It was the right thing to do, and we will get our info one way or another. Oh, and a hell of a snapshot to drop him with a headshot like that!”
They would have continued their conversation, but they heard voices coming through the trees.
Allyson and Angelique were moving down a ridge through the trees when they heard a pair of gunshots from over the next ridgeline, the one, according to their map, overlooking the subdivision they were wanting to observe. Instantly, both were on guard.
A few hand gestures were all that was needed between them. Soon, they spread out farther and moved slower down the hillside. Their goal was the side of a small draw headed through the ridgeline. They were intending to work along it high up so they didn’t have to go right over top the ridge. Or at least that was their plan.
Just after crossing the bottom of the ravine to climb the hill, a crashing stumbling sound startled them both.
An obviously wounded deer came into view. Before Allyson could think, do or say anything, a muffled shot rang out from Angelique. The deer dropped in its tracks.
Allyson’s mind was going a million miles an hour now. This was probably the target of the other shots they heard. The hunters will probably be here soon, either because of the shot or because they were tracking the deer they shot. She had to figure out the next play, and quickly.
“Angelique! Overwatch and bluff. Going Game Warden for the contact. They should be here any minute. Back my play!”
She watched Angelique scamper up the hillside in front of them for a shooting position. ‘Good girl, we will get through this yet’ she said to herself under her breath, forgetting their radios were set on voice activated.
“Sorry Ally.” Came through her earpiece as she walked towards the deer’s body.
“Don’t be. It was the right thing to do, and we will get our info one way or another. Oh, and a hell of a snapshot to drop him with a headshot like that!”
They would have continued their conversation, but they heard voices coming through the trees.
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223shootersc
Veteran Member
Snapshot to the head of a moving deer. That is a WOW! Thanks CCG! Good stuff.
Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
Right you are; very precise shooting.
Notice how we just glide over these little undulations in the path now?
Makes one feel very Pavlovian, no?
sssarawolf
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Thank you
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Soon she could just make out what they were saying.
“…it went this way…”
“…if you could shoot for shit, we wouldn’t be looking for where it went…”
“…look, there’s some blood…”
Allyson could hear two different voices now and they were coming through the gap up ahead. She moved to a position next to the deer and squatted down. She was close enough she should be seen, but not so close it would set off those ‘get away from it, it’s ours’ vibes, she hoped.
“…it went this way…”
“…if you could shoot for shit, we wouldn’t be looking for where it went…”
“…look, there’s some blood…”
Allyson could hear two different voices now and they were coming through the gap up ahead. She moved to a position next to the deer and squatted down. She was close enough she should be seen, but not so close it would set off those ‘get away from it, it’s ours’ vibes, she hoped.
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
High on the Hillside
Allyson and Angelique were moving down a ridge through the trees when they heard a pair of gunshots from over the next ridgeline. No longer could they travel at the leisurely pace gossiping about things going on at the house and the various different ‘camps’.
“You know while we are out here, they’re all back there sco… STOP! That’s a .308!”
Allyson stopped dead in her tracks, looking down at the map. “According to their map, the sounds coming from where we’re headed to set up the overlook into the subdivision.”
“Never knew gun fire to mean anything good happening for the pair of us. You call it Irish.” She remembered Bekka at John’s apartment when Garen was shot. Impulsively she kissed Allyson. “Give that to my dad if we don’t make it.”
It kinda surprised Allyson, but she remembered Angelique talking about this a month or two ago with Kara. “Let’s go Ruskie baby!”
A few hand gestures were all was needed from this point on. Soon, they spread out farther and moved slower down the hillside. Their goal was the side of a small draw headed through the ridgeline. They were intending to work along it high up so they didn’t have to go right over top the ridge. Or at least that was their plan. Its nice to have a plan.
Just after crossing the bottom of the ravine to climb the hill, a crashing stumbling sound startled them both.
An obviously wounded deer came into view. Before Allyson could think, do or say anything, a muffled shot rang out from Angelique. The deer dropped in its tracks. Angelique could not let this animal suffer. She felt it’s heartbeat in her own. She had to help it. As soon as the shot broke, she wondered if Allyson could dig them out of the situation she just put them in.
Allyson’s mind was going a million miles a minute now. This was probably the target of the other shots they heard. The hunters will probably be here soon, either because of the shot or because they were tracking the deer they shot. She had to figure out the next play, and quickly.
“Angelique! Overwatch and bluff. Going Game Warden for the contact. They should be here any minute. Back my play!”
She watched Angelique scamper up the hillside in front of them for a shooting position. ‘Good girl, we will get through this yet’ she said to herself under her breath, forgetting their radios were set on voice activated.
“Sorry Ally.” Came through her earpiece as she walked towards the deer’s body.
“Don’t be. It was the right thing to do, and we will get our info one way or another. Oh, and a hell of a snapshot to drop him with a headshot like that!”
They would have continued their conversation, but they heard voices coming through the trees.
Soon she could just make out what they were saying.
“…it went this way…”
“…if you could shoot for shit, we wouldn’t be looking for where it went…”
“…look, there’s some blood…”
Allyson could hear two different voices now and they were coming through the gap up ahead. She moved to a position next to the deer and squatted down. She was close enough she should be seen, but not so close it would set off those ‘get away from it, it’s ours’ vibes, she hoped.
Meetings
The two young men came around the bend in the terrain looking all around. They spotted the deer and started towards it. They were both holding rifles. One held some sort of bolt action with a scope while the other had a classic lever action.
“I told you I hit it!” said the one with the bolt action, who was in the lead.
“If you hit it that good, why did it run this far?”
“Because he didn’t hit it that good.” Allyson said from where she was crouched.
She was hoping they didn’t get too startled by her sudden appearance. She did what few things she could to look official but not aggressive. She was back to ‘think like a cop at a traffic stop’ mindset. They were here to question and clarify, but she was prepared for things to go rotten.
The two guys obviously wouldn’t have seen her if she hadn’t spoken with how much they jumped when she spoke. One of them, the one with the bolt gun started to swing it in her direction.
“FREEZE! Better stop that rifle where it is. If you point it at me, my partners will drop you where you stand.” Allyson’s command tone was sharp and powerful. Both stopped moving.
She could see the panic in their eyes now. She better take full control of the situation before there were more bodies to deal with.
“You gentlemen need to sling your rifles on your shoulders, slowly and carefully before someone gets hurt.”
“Who are you?” the one in the lead asked, his voice quivering.
“I’m Tatyana, one of the Rangers for this sector of the National Forest.” Allyson said with full confidence and authority.
“National Forest? We haven’t gone that far, have we?” the guy with the lever looked around, obviously trying to orient himself to the map in his head to make sense of where they were.
“No, not yet. Not until you get to that ridgeline” Allyson pointed to the one she and Angelique just came down.
She hoped Angelique was making notes for this huge bluff she was selling. Shit! How did she always seem to end up the bait and someone else in overwatch?
“I thought it was a couple more miles back?” asked ‘bolt-action’.
“No, this part was annexed about five years ago to protect the Snowy Plover sites and to keep more people from falling into the collapsing mine tunnels from the 1900’s. We just don’t make a big deal about it.” She smiled at them.
“So, back to the subject at hand.” She waved her hand down at the deer in front of them.
“Ma’am, we were just doing some subsistence hunting.” ‘Lever-gun’ guy must have figured honesty was the best policy.
“Well, we stopped it from getting away. This seems to be something new to at least one of you. Your shot wasn’t very well placed and you probably started right after it I’m guessing.”
At this they nodded.
“Thought so. If they don’t see something to run from, they don’t run far. You should let it walk away and lay down to die before you jump into pursuit. So that poses the next question. Do you know what to do with it from this point?”
From the looks between the two, she knew the answer was no.
“Tell you what. Let me help you out this time.” Allyson made a show of keying her radio.
“Eric, Gary, you two stay on overwatch.” There were two clicks of static, then another two. “Belyana, you’re the butcher’s daughter, why don’t you come down here and show them how to do it, otherwise they will waste half of what they got.”
Moments later, Angelique was coming down the hillside behind them. Even knowing she was coming but not from where, they were surprised at how close she was before they could hear her moving through the trees.
Soon Angelique stood there next to the deer. She looked down at it, then up at the guys.
“Shot placement sucked. That deer could have run for hours if I hadn’t dropped it.” She looked over at Allyson.
“What are you thinking, Tatyana? We still have to link up with the other two squads, don’t forget.”
“It’s an opportunity to do some public relations. You can show them how to do this right, and I can ask them some questions about what’s going on outside our boarders. Besides, I know you. It won’t take you more than twenty or thirty minutes to show them how to break it down into quarters.”
Angelique turned towards the hunters, fully into her role now.
“So, you guys were hunting, shot too low and chased it out here towards the park. Well, the boss said I should show you what to do with it, unless you guys already know.”
Angelique and Allyson already knew the answer to that by their looks and what they had with them, but the point needed to be made.
“Well, the deer is dead. Set your rifles down and get out the ropes, knives, game bags and gambrels.” Angelique just stood there as they looked at her. They had knives, sorta, and a backpack and a gym bag to load the meat into. Seeing this, Angelique swore. Granted, it was in Russian, but the meaning was clear.
Allyson stepped back so she could watch everything as Angelique went to work. Soon she had the guys cutting a limb to use as a spreader, running rope into a tree to hoist the carcass and doing all the basic prep work under her commands.
Angelique not only walked them through how to field dress it, she pointed out the lack of effect of the poorly aimed shot, how much more efficient her shot was, what to look for in the organs to make sure the deer was safe to eat, not sick, if so the still useable parts, how to do most of the work with a small knife since it was easier to control than a large one, and so on and so on.
Allyson kept a stream of questions going in between Angelique’s orders and narration. This kept them slightly distracted and made it harder for them to lie effectively. Soon she learned they were from a small group of seven people consolidated into one mobile home on the hill overlooking the subdivision below.
By the time Angelique had the deer skinned, Allyson had a full rundown of the names, ages, backgrounds and shoe sizes of this little group, plus their observations about the subdivision below. The surviving families or groups in the subdivision mainly foraged more towards the coast for some reason rather than coming up towards the tree line and the woods beyond, which was fine with Allyson.
She looked up from her notebook as Angelique was getting ready to actually quarter the carcass.
“Belyana, they get the four quarters, we get everything from the shoulders up.”
Angelique looked over at Allyson and then over to the guys.
“Sounds fair, right guys?”
The guys nodded.
Angelique pulled her large blade and severed the neck at the shoulders, working through the neck bones. When she had it done, it went into a trash bag from her gear, along with the heart and liver. The rest of the quarters were wrapped in chunks of deerskin.
As they scrubbed their hands with snow to clean them, Allyson figured it was time to still be in character.
“OK, here’s the deal, guys. There’s a lot more pigs around than deer. Hunt the pig all you need to, just cook it good and done. Work on your aim and don’t chase them right away, let them lay down before you track them. Steer clear of the National Forest past the ridgeline since it’s not safe right around here, between the old mine shafts and the contaminated soil reclamation areas further in. If you go deeper in, things won’t turn out well sooner or later. We will be out and about these parts making sure things stay calm. If you need to get in touch with us, leave a note on the tree over there and one of us will see it when we check on you guys. Questions?”
When they didn’t come up with any right away, Allyson drove on.
“OK, guys, we have other teams to catch up to. You be safe and careful and stay out of trouble, OK?”
By now, Angelique had the meat strapped to the top of her pack and was ready to go, rifle in her hands.
The guys headed back down the draw towards their home while Allyson and Angelique moved up the hill, took cover and watched them leave.
Once the area was clear of witnesses, Allyson shimmied up a tree and put one of their remote transmitter/repeater cameras in place watching the area they told the guys to leave the note.
Time to head back. They had a lot more intel than they were expecting, a lot quicker than the planned. If they got the signs in place, they would be back by breakfast.
It was back to quiet gossiping and a cautious pace as they went peacefully about their work. For now.
Allyson and Angelique were moving down a ridge through the trees when they heard a pair of gunshots from over the next ridgeline. No longer could they travel at the leisurely pace gossiping about things going on at the house and the various different ‘camps’.
“You know while we are out here, they’re all back there sco… STOP! That’s a .308!”
Allyson stopped dead in her tracks, looking down at the map. “According to their map, the sounds coming from where we’re headed to set up the overlook into the subdivision.”
“Never knew gun fire to mean anything good happening for the pair of us. You call it Irish.” She remembered Bekka at John’s apartment when Garen was shot. Impulsively she kissed Allyson. “Give that to my dad if we don’t make it.”
It kinda surprised Allyson, but she remembered Angelique talking about this a month or two ago with Kara. “Let’s go Ruskie baby!”
A few hand gestures were all was needed from this point on. Soon, they spread out farther and moved slower down the hillside. Their goal was the side of a small draw headed through the ridgeline. They were intending to work along it high up so they didn’t have to go right over top the ridge. Or at least that was their plan. Its nice to have a plan.
Just after crossing the bottom of the ravine to climb the hill, a crashing stumbling sound startled them both.
An obviously wounded deer came into view. Before Allyson could think, do or say anything, a muffled shot rang out from Angelique. The deer dropped in its tracks. Angelique could not let this animal suffer. She felt it’s heartbeat in her own. She had to help it. As soon as the shot broke, she wondered if Allyson could dig them out of the situation she just put them in.
Allyson’s mind was going a million miles a minute now. This was probably the target of the other shots they heard. The hunters will probably be here soon, either because of the shot or because they were tracking the deer they shot. She had to figure out the next play, and quickly.
“Angelique! Overwatch and bluff. Going Game Warden for the contact. They should be here any minute. Back my play!”
She watched Angelique scamper up the hillside in front of them for a shooting position. ‘Good girl, we will get through this yet’ she said to herself under her breath, forgetting their radios were set on voice activated.
“Sorry Ally.” Came through her earpiece as she walked towards the deer’s body.
“Don’t be. It was the right thing to do, and we will get our info one way or another. Oh, and a hell of a snapshot to drop him with a headshot like that!”
They would have continued their conversation, but they heard voices coming through the trees.
Soon she could just make out what they were saying.
“…it went this way…”
“…if you could shoot for shit, we wouldn’t be looking for where it went…”
“…look, there’s some blood…”
Allyson could hear two different voices now and they were coming through the gap up ahead. She moved to a position next to the deer and squatted down. She was close enough she should be seen, but not so close it would set off those ‘get away from it, it’s ours’ vibes, she hoped.
Meetings
The two young men came around the bend in the terrain looking all around. They spotted the deer and started towards it. They were both holding rifles. One held some sort of bolt action with a scope while the other had a classic lever action.
“I told you I hit it!” said the one with the bolt action, who was in the lead.
“If you hit it that good, why did it run this far?”
“Because he didn’t hit it that good.” Allyson said from where she was crouched.
She was hoping they didn’t get too startled by her sudden appearance. She did what few things she could to look official but not aggressive. She was back to ‘think like a cop at a traffic stop’ mindset. They were here to question and clarify, but she was prepared for things to go rotten.
The two guys obviously wouldn’t have seen her if she hadn’t spoken with how much they jumped when she spoke. One of them, the one with the bolt gun started to swing it in her direction.
“FREEZE! Better stop that rifle where it is. If you point it at me, my partners will drop you where you stand.” Allyson’s command tone was sharp and powerful. Both stopped moving.
She could see the panic in their eyes now. She better take full control of the situation before there were more bodies to deal with.
“You gentlemen need to sling your rifles on your shoulders, slowly and carefully before someone gets hurt.”
“Who are you?” the one in the lead asked, his voice quivering.
“I’m Tatyana, one of the Rangers for this sector of the National Forest.” Allyson said with full confidence and authority.
“National Forest? We haven’t gone that far, have we?” the guy with the lever looked around, obviously trying to orient himself to the map in his head to make sense of where they were.
“No, not yet. Not until you get to that ridgeline” Allyson pointed to the one she and Angelique just came down.
She hoped Angelique was making notes for this huge bluff she was selling. Shit! How did she always seem to end up the bait and someone else in overwatch?
“I thought it was a couple more miles back?” asked ‘bolt-action’.
“No, this part was annexed about five years ago to protect the Snowy Plover sites and to keep more people from falling into the collapsing mine tunnels from the 1900’s. We just don’t make a big deal about it.” She smiled at them.
“So, back to the subject at hand.” She waved her hand down at the deer in front of them.
“Ma’am, we were just doing some subsistence hunting.” ‘Lever-gun’ guy must have figured honesty was the best policy.
“Well, we stopped it from getting away. This seems to be something new to at least one of you. Your shot wasn’t very well placed and you probably started right after it I’m guessing.”
At this they nodded.
“Thought so. If they don’t see something to run from, they don’t run far. You should let it walk away and lay down to die before you jump into pursuit. So that poses the next question. Do you know what to do with it from this point?”
From the looks between the two, she knew the answer was no.
“Tell you what. Let me help you out this time.” Allyson made a show of keying her radio.
“Eric, Gary, you two stay on overwatch.” There were two clicks of static, then another two. “Belyana, you’re the butcher’s daughter, why don’t you come down here and show them how to do it, otherwise they will waste half of what they got.”
Moments later, Angelique was coming down the hillside behind them. Even knowing she was coming but not from where, they were surprised at how close she was before they could hear her moving through the trees.
Soon Angelique stood there next to the deer. She looked down at it, then up at the guys.
“Shot placement sucked. That deer could have run for hours if I hadn’t dropped it.” She looked over at Allyson.
“What are you thinking, Tatyana? We still have to link up with the other two squads, don’t forget.”
“It’s an opportunity to do some public relations. You can show them how to do this right, and I can ask them some questions about what’s going on outside our boarders. Besides, I know you. It won’t take you more than twenty or thirty minutes to show them how to break it down into quarters.”
Angelique turned towards the hunters, fully into her role now.
“So, you guys were hunting, shot too low and chased it out here towards the park. Well, the boss said I should show you what to do with it, unless you guys already know.”
Angelique and Allyson already knew the answer to that by their looks and what they had with them, but the point needed to be made.
“Well, the deer is dead. Set your rifles down and get out the ropes, knives, game bags and gambrels.” Angelique just stood there as they looked at her. They had knives, sorta, and a backpack and a gym bag to load the meat into. Seeing this, Angelique swore. Granted, it was in Russian, but the meaning was clear.
Allyson stepped back so she could watch everything as Angelique went to work. Soon she had the guys cutting a limb to use as a spreader, running rope into a tree to hoist the carcass and doing all the basic prep work under her commands.
Angelique not only walked them through how to field dress it, she pointed out the lack of effect of the poorly aimed shot, how much more efficient her shot was, what to look for in the organs to make sure the deer was safe to eat, not sick, if so the still useable parts, how to do most of the work with a small knife since it was easier to control than a large one, and so on and so on.
Allyson kept a stream of questions going in between Angelique’s orders and narration. This kept them slightly distracted and made it harder for them to lie effectively. Soon she learned they were from a small group of seven people consolidated into one mobile home on the hill overlooking the subdivision below.
By the time Angelique had the deer skinned, Allyson had a full rundown of the names, ages, backgrounds and shoe sizes of this little group, plus their observations about the subdivision below. The surviving families or groups in the subdivision mainly foraged more towards the coast for some reason rather than coming up towards the tree line and the woods beyond, which was fine with Allyson.
She looked up from her notebook as Angelique was getting ready to actually quarter the carcass.
“Belyana, they get the four quarters, we get everything from the shoulders up.”
Angelique looked over at Allyson and then over to the guys.
“Sounds fair, right guys?”
The guys nodded.
Angelique pulled her large blade and severed the neck at the shoulders, working through the neck bones. When she had it done, it went into a trash bag from her gear, along with the heart and liver. The rest of the quarters were wrapped in chunks of deerskin.
As they scrubbed their hands with snow to clean them, Allyson figured it was time to still be in character.
“OK, here’s the deal, guys. There’s a lot more pigs around than deer. Hunt the pig all you need to, just cook it good and done. Work on your aim and don’t chase them right away, let them lay down before you track them. Steer clear of the National Forest past the ridgeline since it’s not safe right around here, between the old mine shafts and the contaminated soil reclamation areas further in. If you go deeper in, things won’t turn out well sooner or later. We will be out and about these parts making sure things stay calm. If you need to get in touch with us, leave a note on the tree over there and one of us will see it when we check on you guys. Questions?”
When they didn’t come up with any right away, Allyson drove on.
“OK, guys, we have other teams to catch up to. You be safe and careful and stay out of trouble, OK?”
By now, Angelique had the meat strapped to the top of her pack and was ready to go, rifle in her hands.
The guys headed back down the draw towards their home while Allyson and Angelique moved up the hill, took cover and watched them leave.
Once the area was clear of witnesses, Allyson shimmied up a tree and put one of their remote transmitter/repeater cameras in place watching the area they told the guys to leave the note.
Time to head back. They had a lot more intel than they were expecting, a lot quicker than the planned. If they got the signs in place, they would be back by breakfast.
It was back to quiet gossiping and a cautious pace as they went peacefully about their work. For now.
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223shootersc
Veteran Member
Info and meat. Quite the haul! Thanks CCG!
ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
Along the Ridgeline
Allyson and Angelique moved quickly along the ridgeline, placing their signs conspicuously. The goal was to reinforce their story to the guys and help make a line in the sand for others. Angelique made notes of the ridge and the new camera on the clear acetate overlay for their map. All of this would get transcribed onto the master map in the workroom in the basement.
“So how in the hell did you make that head shot?”
“I got lucky. He was coming straight at us so that eliminated most of the lead worries. I just put it in the middle, figuring if he turned his head, it would still hit him where the head attached to the neck. My question to you is why give them everything but the head and neck? Why not give them everything?”
Allyson took a minute to think, trying to frame her answer.
“Well, they would have lost that much meat when they screwed up butchering it, if they would have even been able to track it, so I didn’t feel bad with them not getting the whole thing. It’s also setting up a bit of ‘give and take’. They got to not look around forever, learn how to do it right, and all it cost them was some meat they didn’t have in the first place. We come off as helpful, but we also positively maintained a position of authority. With it a positive interaction all around, they will be more willing to abide by our request they not go beyond the ridgeline. They might even tell others not to.”
This all made sense to Angelique. What Allyson said next was something Angelique hadn’t thought of answers for…yet.
“So, that’s why I did it, but I have one for you. What made you think things were going so wrong you kissed me for your dad?”
Angelique was glad Allyson was in front. That way she couldn’t see how red her face was as she stuttered through her reply.
“Well…er...I…I don’t know. It just felt right.”
“That kiss wasn’t what I would normally expect from a daughter to a father. Just saying.”
Now Angelique was even redder! And Allyson kept talking!
“Not that it was a bad kiss, mind you. Just not the type I would expect you to give your father.”
“It was just the flash memory I got in my head from when Bekka gave me the kiss to give Garen!” Angelique tried to defend her actions now.
“Bekka to Garen, I could see a little tongue, but you for your father?”
“I Did Not Use Tongue!...did i?” Angelique was all flustered now. Was Allyson pulling her chain …or did she really let slip a little tongue? She didn’t know now. God! It was such an impulsive thing… she didn’t know what she was doing or even why!
Allyson chuckled. “No, you didn’t. Just picking on you a little. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine. We’re fine.” She dropped back and wrapped her arm around Angelique and gave her a sideways hug for a moment as the continued on towards the compound.
Allyson and Angelique moved quickly along the ridgeline, placing their signs conspicuously. The goal was to reinforce their story to the guys and help make a line in the sand for others. Angelique made notes of the ridge and the new camera on the clear acetate overlay for their map. All of this would get transcribed onto the master map in the workroom in the basement.
“So how in the hell did you make that head shot?”
“I got lucky. He was coming straight at us so that eliminated most of the lead worries. I just put it in the middle, figuring if he turned his head, it would still hit him where the head attached to the neck. My question to you is why give them everything but the head and neck? Why not give them everything?”
Allyson took a minute to think, trying to frame her answer.
“Well, they would have lost that much meat when they screwed up butchering it, if they would have even been able to track it, so I didn’t feel bad with them not getting the whole thing. It’s also setting up a bit of ‘give and take’. They got to not look around forever, learn how to do it right, and all it cost them was some meat they didn’t have in the first place. We come off as helpful, but we also positively maintained a position of authority. With it a positive interaction all around, they will be more willing to abide by our request they not go beyond the ridgeline. They might even tell others not to.”
This all made sense to Angelique. What Allyson said next was something Angelique hadn’t thought of answers for…yet.
“So, that’s why I did it, but I have one for you. What made you think things were going so wrong you kissed me for your dad?”
Angelique was glad Allyson was in front. That way she couldn’t see how red her face was as she stuttered through her reply.
“Well…er...I…I don’t know. It just felt right.”
“That kiss wasn’t what I would normally expect from a daughter to a father. Just saying.”
Now Angelique was even redder! And Allyson kept talking!
“Not that it was a bad kiss, mind you. Just not the type I would expect you to give your father.”
“It was just the flash memory I got in my head from when Bekka gave me the kiss to give Garen!” Angelique tried to defend her actions now.
“Bekka to Garen, I could see a little tongue, but you for your father?”
“I Did Not Use Tongue!...did i?” Angelique was all flustered now. Was Allyson pulling her chain …or did she really let slip a little tongue? She didn’t know now. God! It was such an impulsive thing… she didn’t know what she was doing or even why!
Allyson chuckled. “No, you didn’t. Just picking on you a little. Don’t worry about it. I’m fine. We’re fine.” She dropped back and wrapped her arm around Angelique and gave her a sideways hug for a moment as the continued on towards the compound.
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Griz3752
Retired, practising Curmudgeon
Hmmm
"It was back to quiet gossiping and a cautious pace as they went peacefully about their work. For now."
I automatically cinch up when I see phrasing like that but, #8,118 goes in a whole other direction. No less fraught with pitfalls and anxiety to be sure but different; very different . . . .
"It was back to quiet gossiping and a cautious pace as they went peacefully about their work. For now."
I automatically cinch up when I see phrasing like that but, #8,118 goes in a whole other direction. No less fraught with pitfalls and anxiety to be sure but different; very different . . . .
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ComCamGuy
Remote Paramedical pain in the ass
They walked in silence while Angelique tried to get her heartrate and embarrassment down. Later, she screwed up her courage again.
“So, what’s your opinion on tattoos?”
“As far as…how they look or what?”
“I don’t know…Like I’ve seen Kara’s wing one on her shoulder and Heidi has names of some sort on her leg, so I was just wondering.” Angelique wasn’t sure what she was asking Allyson exactly either. “Never mind. It’s nothing.”
“No, go ahead. I’m just not sure what you are asking.”
“That’s just it. I don’t know what I’m asking either. They just have been on my mind for some reason. That’s all.” She felt a little sorry for bringing it up now.
“Well, if you decide to get one, plan it out. That’s my advice. You don’t want some half-baked chunk of artwork you are stuck with on a whim.”
Angelique perked up. Something in what Allyson was saying struck a chord.
“Is that the voice of experience?”
“Kinda. A friend of mine was dating an up and coming tattoo artist. He convinced her to let him try a bunch of things. She ended up with several she would later regret when they later broke up.”
“Did you ever think of getting one?”
“Yeah, I thought about it and his price was right. He wanted to try out some new technique he read about. It turned out pretty good.”
“You got one? I never saw it on you.” Angelique was a confused. They had been in the hot tub nude many times and she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of a tattoo and with Allyson’s pale skin, she thought it would have jumped out at her.
“I’d have to crack out a razor for you to see it.” Allyson commented with a grin.
“Oh, now I’ve got to know. What is it?”
“It’s a small watercolor-style jellyfish. I figured when I got it done, if I put it there, I would only show it when I wanted to.”
“It sounds cute.”
“It is, but that’s what I meant about think it out before you get that Snoop Dog mural across your rib cage.”
“Great advice.”
“What do you say we take a break and cut some chunks of the venison up for a little late-night meal.”
“Sounds a lot better than what we were planning for dinner when we set out. I’ll cut up the meat and get it skewered up and seasoned, while you practice your fire-building.”
“You’d be faster at the fire.” Allyson countered.
“I know. That’s why you need the practice. I’ve got some French onion soup mix and sliced cattail roots we can have with it.”
“Then a nap and back to the house. We will still be early enough for breakfast and have the info we needed so Bekka should be happy.”
“Always thinking with your stomach. I don’t know how you stay so skinny and looking so good.”
“Shit! I’m not the skinny one here. Next to you and Kara, I feel like one of those squat little dwarves or gnomes from the fantasy books you and her are always reading. Wearing the same size T-shirts is nowhere near as flattering when you take into account you’re damn near a foot taller than me.” Allyson snorted.
“Well, at least you’re taller than Heidi and Emilia.”
“No great feat there! Olivia is taller than both of them and is almost as tall as Bekka and me.”
“Yeah, but you and Bekka and Heidi are built a lot alike.”
“Me and Bekka, maybe but you are more built like Heidi, and it shows with as much as you’ve been working out.”
Angelique’s mind went back to when she was in the hot tub with Heidi, and Heidi’s wings. Definitely time to change the subject. “Speaking of Bekka, I am not sure I’m ready for the thousand questions Bekka will have that we did not get the answers to.”
“She can be a tough cookie to figure out. Remind to tell you about when I first met her. But that is story for later let’s eat now.”
So they did, enjoying the meal under the stars in peace for now.
“So, what’s your opinion on tattoos?”
“As far as…how they look or what?”
“I don’t know…Like I’ve seen Kara’s wing one on her shoulder and Heidi has names of some sort on her leg, so I was just wondering.” Angelique wasn’t sure what she was asking Allyson exactly either. “Never mind. It’s nothing.”
“No, go ahead. I’m just not sure what you are asking.”
“That’s just it. I don’t know what I’m asking either. They just have been on my mind for some reason. That’s all.” She felt a little sorry for bringing it up now.
“Well, if you decide to get one, plan it out. That’s my advice. You don’t want some half-baked chunk of artwork you are stuck with on a whim.”
Angelique perked up. Something in what Allyson was saying struck a chord.
“Is that the voice of experience?”
“Kinda. A friend of mine was dating an up and coming tattoo artist. He convinced her to let him try a bunch of things. She ended up with several she would later regret when they later broke up.”
“Did you ever think of getting one?”
“Yeah, I thought about it and his price was right. He wanted to try out some new technique he read about. It turned out pretty good.”
“You got one? I never saw it on you.” Angelique was a confused. They had been in the hot tub nude many times and she hadn’t seen hide nor hair of a tattoo and with Allyson’s pale skin, she thought it would have jumped out at her.
“I’d have to crack out a razor for you to see it.” Allyson commented with a grin.
“Oh, now I’ve got to know. What is it?”
“It’s a small watercolor-style jellyfish. I figured when I got it done, if I put it there, I would only show it when I wanted to.”
“It sounds cute.”
“It is, but that’s what I meant about think it out before you get that Snoop Dog mural across your rib cage.”
“Great advice.”
“What do you say we take a break and cut some chunks of the venison up for a little late-night meal.”
“Sounds a lot better than what we were planning for dinner when we set out. I’ll cut up the meat and get it skewered up and seasoned, while you practice your fire-building.”
“You’d be faster at the fire.” Allyson countered.
“I know. That’s why you need the practice. I’ve got some French onion soup mix and sliced cattail roots we can have with it.”
“Then a nap and back to the house. We will still be early enough for breakfast and have the info we needed so Bekka should be happy.”
“Always thinking with your stomach. I don’t know how you stay so skinny and looking so good.”
“Shit! I’m not the skinny one here. Next to you and Kara, I feel like one of those squat little dwarves or gnomes from the fantasy books you and her are always reading. Wearing the same size T-shirts is nowhere near as flattering when you take into account you’re damn near a foot taller than me.” Allyson snorted.
“Well, at least you’re taller than Heidi and Emilia.”
“No great feat there! Olivia is taller than both of them and is almost as tall as Bekka and me.”
“Yeah, but you and Bekka and Heidi are built a lot alike.”
“Me and Bekka, maybe but you are more built like Heidi, and it shows with as much as you’ve been working out.”
Angelique’s mind went back to when she was in the hot tub with Heidi, and Heidi’s wings. Definitely time to change the subject. “Speaking of Bekka, I am not sure I’m ready for the thousand questions Bekka will have that we did not get the answers to.”
“She can be a tough cookie to figure out. Remind to tell you about when I first met her. But that is story for later let’s eat now.”
So they did, enjoying the meal under the stars in peace for now.
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