To Keep Her Safe

CHAPTER FOUR

It had been a week since Freen left her house and sought refuge in her mother's old cabin in the woods, she was sure that nobody knew the route to this place and even if they did nobody would dare to come here, the forest was a dangerous place for everyone, if you don't know how to conquer the difficulties you can't survive there.

Freen had learned everything from a very young age so she knew she was safe here, it would be weird if Freen said that she felt more safe in the forest rather than her own house but it was true, she was away from her father.

Her father wasn't always like this but the war changed him, he was not abusive before, he didn't like Freen even then but he didn't hit her or her mother for that.

During this time of the year, the woods was covered with fog and mist, it certainly lowered the temperature, Freen used a lot of firewood to keep herself warm and thankfully her mother's cabin had clothes just right for this type of weather.

For food Freen depended on hunting or fishing, there was a lake nearby her mother's cabin and as no one knew this area, no hunters or fishermen were there. Mostly she depended on fishes and rarely she finds an animal to hunt but it was enough to satisfy her hunger. Each day she regrets not bringing her mother with her, they would have survived here together and would have been safe, her father wouldn't have been able to hurt them.

" Nice and slowly ". Freen muttered, she drew an arrow in her recurve bow, she had seen a wild pig around the area. She was carefully and slowly scanning her surroundings and tried to make less noise as possible.

She heard a sound again, it was of the pig, she walked towards it, ready to attack anytime, when she had the full view of the animal, she stopped, she put down her bow and arrow and sighed.

The animal had been stuck between rocks and was unable to move, the pig was little and Freen was sure that it was looking for its mother. Freen didn't have it in herself to kill that little animal even if she meant she won't get enough food for today. She could survive of the fruits she had gathered yesterday.

" You should have been careful, little one. You should be grateful that it was me who saw you and not other hunters ". Freen mumbled as she crouched down near the animal with an intention to free it, the animal shivered in fear thinking Freen was trying to hurt it.

" Shh stay calm, let me help you ". Freen gently pet the animal, to allow him to calm down, to make him trust her and believe she meant no harm. " This will take a few seconds ". She muttered, she noticed that the pig had hurt his own leg and it had been stuck between the rocks, she sighed and lifted up the rock to free his foot.

The pig whined and made a sound when he was sure he was safe, he ran away from Freen as soon as he was free but he turned around to see the face of the person who saved him for one last time. Freen smiled and waved at him as the animal ran away. Freen took a deep breath and picked up her hunting equipment and started walking back to her cabin.

At night, Freen sat in front of the fireplace and stroked the fire. She was thinking about visiting the city tomorrow, maybe she would be able to check on her mother but each time she thought about it, her mother's words would ring in her mind. She told her not to return to the house, Freen sighed and shook her head but the anxiousness would eat her alive, she just needs to see if her mother is okay, just to hear her voice once.

She made up her mind, she was going to visit the city tomorrow no matter what, to be safe she thought about going in disguise, her mother had kept, cloaks in the closet, It was to fight the harsh climate of the woods but Freen was sure that she could use them to hide her identity and blend in with the people, without fearing to reveal who she is, without being scared that her father would find her.