INTO THE COLD | JENSOO

Chapter 16

As fall turned into winter and the darkness became omnipresent, Jennie found it hard to know when the day ended and night began.

Jisoo tried to help, keeping them on a strict schedule of trapping, tanning and wilderness crafts, though this did little to ease the sexual tension between them.

They both tried hard to minimize their physical contact, keeping as far apart as the little cabin would allow, but it was difficult. In such close quarters, they were bound to touch.

Especially when they worked at their crafts which was most of the time.

He taught her how to make buttons out of elk and deer antlers using a small jeweler's saw to slice the bone into thin disks. He then instructed her in using a hand awl to create the holes. While she worked on these, Jisoo carved the most intricate designs into moose antlers usually showing scenes of nature.

Most of these antlers, Jisoo explained, he found discarded in the woods throughout the early spring and summer. Since the animals shed them every year and grew new ones, he'd managed to collect several dozens of each species and saved them for the long dark winter days to keep him occupied.

"Can I try something?" Jennie asked one day, indicating one of the smaller moose antlers he'd set aside deeming it not right for his current project. She'd just finished her twentieth button and needed a change.

"Sure," Jisoo shrugged, holding out the basket of antlers towards her.

"Thanks," she replied, taking it, her hand brushing his.

Standing quickly, he excused himself and walked out into the dark snowy night mumbling an apology, closing the door firmly behind him.

Jennie sat, stunned, wondering what she'd done this time. Usually she knew what she'd done to make him need to go outside for alone time, but this time she was at a loss, she'd barely brushed him.

Turning her head away from the door in confusion, she noticed that Jisoo had left without his rifle or revolver.

"Shit," she sighed, grabbing them both.

If there was one thing that Jisoo had drilled into her brain to the point of compulsion, it was that you never went outside without protection. Even just a trip to the outhouse required a sidearm.

Slinging his rifle over her shoulder, Jennie held than handgun in one hand and grabbed a lantern with the other.

"Jisoo," she called, opening the door.

The chilled winter wind almost knocked her over as she stepped outside, its bitter teeth biting through her clothes.

Squinting against the stinging air she scanned the clearing, looking for him.

"Jisoo," she repeated, raising her voice louder.

From her left came a gut rending cry of pain mixed with the snarls of an animal. Running in that direction, she found Jisoo sitting in a pool of blood, a large tree branch grasped in one hand. Near him was a wolf, whining as it tried to crawl away, it's back legs dragging behind it.

"Oh god," she cried, shooting the wolf in the back of the head before rushing to Jisoo's side.

"Get up," she ordered, keeping her gun arm up while trying to pull him to his feet.

"Damn bitch," Jisoo said, grunting as he found his feet.

"What?" she asked almost losing her grip on him.

"The wolf, not you," he clarified, hopping on one leg as she helped him back to the cabin.

Getting him inside, Jennie helped him to a chair before bolting the door.