Riley’s fingers tensed around the thick string of the bow, her thumb trailing along the brittle feathers of the end. Her toes curled inside her thick mud caked boots as she locked her crystal eyes with the deer. It was a young buck with small antlers and a twisted back leg. She’d been tracking it for a few days and she was forced to live off berries she foraged. She blew out a silent frosty breath and lurked toward the buck.

Her feet found the bare grassy places on the ground, avoiding the crunchy damp leaves. The deer, which was munching on a plant, lifted its head, flicking an ear. Riley stopped. The air was thick as the deer looked directly in her direction. A minute or two passed as her leg muscles screamed in protest at the odd way she was forced to stand. Finally, the deer ducked its head down and began to eat again.

Riley adjusted the fingers holding the arrow and crept a bit closer. A cold wind buffeted her way and she smiled inwardly, knowing that the buck wouldn’t smell her. She slowly sunk into a crouch, turning her body sideways and gradually drawing the dark plastic arrow back. The area between her thumb and first finger carefully held the bow as she closed one eye and placed the tiny blue sight behind the deer’s elbow.

Thwap! A soft whip like noise echoed through the forest as the buck grunted loudly and kicked his back legs before sprinting away from Riley.

Yes! she thought. She stood up, pumping a fist in the air and holding back a yell of happiness. She skipped over to where the buck stood seconds before and spotted the trail of tiny drops of blood.

Up and over a small hill and past a frozen puddle of water lie the deer. It had leaned against a thick tree, its front legs half tucked under its limp body and its eyes half closed. Its tongue lolled out of its mouth and Riley’s arrow stuck out of its ribs. A small wave of sympathy coated Riley before she shook it off and yanked the arrow out of the deer, wiping it on her boots. She leaned down and tucked her arms under the animal’s torso, hauling it up a bit before lifting the small buck onto her shoulders. She struggled a bit with the deer’s weight but she pushed on and began to trek back to her makeshift home.



A day and a half was the time it took Riley to make it back to her small shelter. Her home was carved into a gigantic tree. The trunk was thick and sturdy and it was perfect for Riley to mold into a safe haven. There was a large concealed hollow dug out somewhat underneath the tree that went at least 15 feet underground and the dirt was packed tightly so it wouldn't collapse. Riley had spent about a year building the shelter and it was now the size of a living room.

Outside the tree there was a makeshift ladder into a small hidden bunker made out of planks of old wood and branches. Riley would go there to relax and hunt from a high vantage point. She didn't use it often, but she valued its secrecy.

Riley crawled underneath a woven cover of sticks and leaves and wriggled through the small tunnel and emerged into the dirt room. It was very dark besides the small purple flashlight emitting dim musty light. She placed her stolen bow in the dip in the floor she dug out and unstrapped her quiver from her belt. Standing up, Riley made her way over to a layout of thick cotton blankets with several rips in them. She sunk to her knees and clicked her tongue softly. The blankets stirred.

A small furry head popped out of the blanket and blinked sleepily up at Riley. It was a small German shepherd. The dog’s ears lied against its head as it whined and stood up, leaping in Riley’s arms. Its tail wagged wildly and it whined and licked at Riley’s cheeks. She smiled and shook the fur around the dog’s cheeks.

“Hey Kaiser! Hi buddy! Did you miss me? Huh? Good boy! Who’s a good boy? I brought some food! D’you like food buddy? Yeah? C’mere!” Riley cooed and adjusted Kaiser’s rope collar.

She took the dark dog towards the narrow tunnel and crawled out, Kaiser following close behind. They emerged into the open as Riley ordered Kaiser to sit as she climbed the rickety ladder. The dead deer was perched on a large branch, its eyes closed and its body cold. She took a hold of its antlers and dragged it down, plopping it on the ground.

Kaiser immediately locked his jaws around a leg and dragged it towards the tunnel, digging his claws into the dirt and disappearing within seconds. Riley smiled and followed behind him. Kaiser was sitting beside the body when she entered the room. His back was straight and his tail wagging, his brilliant eyes glimmering up at her. She smiled and grabbed her large knife, leaning down to the deer.

Riley dug out a chunk of meat from its shoulder and tossed it to Kaiser. He wolfed it down in a few seconds. She shook her head and ripped a piece for herself. Tossing the fur and skin in the corner, she shuffled over to a small fire pit that she made herself. She grabbed an old lighter, reminding herself to steal a new one, and lit the end of a stick. She tossed it into the pit and helped the small flame grow.

Riley tossed the last few small chunks of charcoal into the pit and crumpled the large bag. The fire lit up the room brilliantly as Kaiser shuffled over and plopped down next to Riley, lying his head on her thigh. He seemed to drink in the heat and watch the flames dance in warm colors and Riley did the same as she cooked her meat. Her hand found its way to Kaiser’s head as she ran her fingers through his soft black fur.

Kaiser was really the only thing she had left. She doesn't remember much from before she escaped, probably because she repressed it. But she remembered that Kaiser was a brand new addition to her family. Before it happened. She ran away with him and she’s lived here ever since. Kaiser was a mutt, his mother a German shepherd and his father unknown. But his eyes were a brilliant color. One was a greenish color, complex in dark and light specks. And the other was a coffee brown, but half of it was a sky blue color. Riley could stare into his eyes forever and looking into them was what really made living in the middle of the Forbidden Wilderness worthwhile.

Riley snapped out of her daze and glanced at the deer meat pierced with a stick over the fire. The meat was a deep brown color and she took it away from the fire and began to eat. The supple food tasted ten times better in the coming cold season. She tried to hold back from eating it all at once and concentrated on savoring the juicy venison. Riley finished the meal before she even noticed. She sighed and tossed the stick to the side, staring into the fire. Kaiser was snoring on her lap and she instinctively reached for the dark fur on the back of his neck. The flame’s heat seeped into her skin and clung onto her clothes as she sighed deeply and closed her eyes. The silence overtook them, but the crackling of the small fire kept them at bay. Riley listened to every snap, every crackle, and every rush of hot air that came from the pit. They sat there in peace for what seemed like forever.