𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐎 (𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐋𝐀𝐒𝐓 𝐎𝐅 𝐔𝐒) *editing*

𝐍𝐨 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐞❄️

The fresh snow glistened as if it were made of diamonds under the sun's evening light. For the moment, the clouds scattered across the forever cyan sky. The frozen light gleamed down on the wintered land, boasting its pristine magnificence within any clear and shiny surface. A small stream spilled through a frozen creek downhill. The clean scent of pine and frozen linen stained the air. It was as quiet as it was still. No critter dared scamper about the snow; no bird rested in their trees. It was a a silence that could be taken either as a feeling of peace, or a feeling of insanity.

Amidst the glittering pristine white, a hare crawled from its burrow. It sniffed the layers of untouched snow and hopped further away from its den. Unbeknown to the rabbit, its fate had been laid out. An arrow silently swished through the air, lodged into its neck, and pinned it to the snow-covered ground, killing it.

Footsteps crunched toward the rabbit carcass. "This won't last long."

"We'll have to make it last," Maeve said, tying the rabbit she caught to Wren's saddle. She resisted a sigh. Rabbits were all they could find the last several days. They were hungry to the point of near starvation, and they were freezing.

After they rested at the mall and patched up the guys, they traveled a whole day before winding up in the basement of a cabin near a lakeside resort. They didn't dare go there, for one, they didn't want to leave the guys alone, and two, it was too far away from the suburban area.

Callus huffed out as Ellie trudged toward him with the rabbit in hand.

"Crazy idea," Maeve said suddenly, "how about we start a little fire when we get back, 'cuz my ass if more frozen than -" she turned to Ellie to finish her hyperbole, but stopped mid-sentence, eyes widening. "Ellie."

"What?" The younger girl twisted, following Maeve's eyes. Her jaw dropped. "Oh."

Large and inches taller than Maeve, a grand buck strode at least a yard away from them, slipping through the trees and striding toward the half-frozen creek. The animal craned its thick neck to drink from the spring; its abnormal tines glinted like unpolished asymmetric ivory branches stretching away from the buck's head, curving to an uneven but narrow crown. Beautifully lean, yet thick. It could be a hefty dinner and breakfast, for several days and nights.

It'd give the guys enough protein and strength.

Both girls shared a look, nodding at each other. They tied the horses to a skinny birch. Together, with their bows and arrows, they crept around the horses and toward the narrow of the stream. Accidentally, Maeve stepped on a stick hidden under the snow, and it snapped loudly.

The buck perked up, alerted by the noise, and galloped off.

"Fuck!" Maeve cursed in a hushed tone, glaring at the broken stick now poking out of the white.

"C'mon, let's follow it!" Ellie said, silently hurrying to where the buck had been before it ran to search for tracks. "This way."

The woods seemed more like a maze. With small mounds and narrow cliffs, even more narrow trenches, and paths packed with snow. Twigs and large sticks were strewn everywhere, some visible, others hidden beneath the snow.

"There you are," Ellie perched on a mound, spotting the buck from down below, digging into the ground with its hoof. "C'mon, Mae. Together."

Maeve lifted her bow, notching an arrow, ready to release. She made sure to aim a bit high, to give the arrow a good angle to hit the deer. Her and Ellie's arrows shot through the air, whizzing like a quick wind. The arrows seemed to trade spots midair before knocking the great animal off its legs; one arrow sunk into its shoulder the other right in the neck.