A Clomping in the Thicket

We were hunting squirrels
Returning with little luck
Back down the dirt road
A .22 rifle and pistol tucked

Alongside the wilderness
At the edge of the woods
Walking in tranquilit-ness
Until we heard those hoofs

A clomping in the thicket
Rocks tumble, sticks break
In dense foliage all hidden
But too near for us to wait

Proceeding hastily to the car
Not far away, about 50 yards
Armed, ready for it to charge
But made it free from harm

From an unseen beast so big
We speculated it by the sound
No giant squirrel climbing twigs
Moose? Deer? Centaur falling down?

There were 3 of us and 1 of it
With 1 of 4 survival mode's fallible
Only 3 spooked by the looks of it
A friend who said "It's just an animal."

His demeanor was like ransom money
Collected all for the wrong reasons
Especially if the monster was hungry ..
He'd've been the sacrifice for freedom