The Hunter

A Wise "Old" Cat

The warmth of the sleeping bag helped release some of the tension in Mira’s chest, but unfortunately for her, she’d have to leave it. Collin’s arm tightened around her waist, which halted her attempts to wiggle out of their comfortable cocoon. After a second, his arm released and she slipped the rest of the way out of the bag.

Across the fire, Claude lifted his big furry head before glancing at the sky. The waning crescent moon was higher than it should have been when she left—she needed to move. She’d let herself rest for a few hours, but once they got some place safe, she would sleep for at least a whole day.

Claude stretched and yawned before he wandered off into the woods. With a heavy sigh, Mira walked over to her bags and started pulling out her lock-pick set, rope, a slim jim, a glass cutter and a pair of wire cutters. She hadn’t used any of them in a long time, but she couldn’t help but be glad she’d held onto them.

“Mira,” Claude whispered from the edge of the woods. “Can I talk to you?”

She shoved the items into her now empty drawstring bag and nodded as she followed him out of their little clearing. “What’s up?”

“It’s about Collin.” She slapped her forehead and sighed. Of course Claude would oppose any type of relationship between them. “Wait, I’m not going to say anything bad. I’m just trying to prep you.”

“What are you talking about?” Her head cocked to the side of its own volition.

“Promise me that you won’t try to send Collin away again.” The earnest look on his face shocked her.

“Why?” She pulled away from him and looked him up and down. “And what did you do with Claude—the man who hates hunters more than anything else.”

“I still hate hunters.” He sighed and rubbed his temples. “But I know what it feels like to have a part of you taken away that can never be replaced. You send Collin away and he’ll just find a way to come back to you, even if it means getting himself killed.”

“Why would you think that?” As much as she wanted to believe what he was implying, it was still difficult for her. “All of his friends and family are hunters. And then there’s the whole issue of his entire belief system.”

“Mira.” Claude groaned. “How can you be so thick sometimes? Do you really think he couldn’t smell those rogues? I’d bet anything he knew you’d be following him. Hunters don’t have our senses, but they are better than the average human’s. Not to mention how bad rogues smell to begin with. He’s going to keep finding ways to stay with you.”

That did make sense. She’d been so focused on feeling guilty about leaving him she never considered he might have done it intentionally. Why hadn’t he asked to stay with her? It would have been simpler, but then again she would have told him no. It was too dangerous for him with her.

“Look.” Claude smiled and put a hand on her shoulder. “I know you are determined to get through all of your difficulties alone, but I’m pretty sure you’re stuck with him now. Plus if it makes you feel better about taking him with you, he has a higher chance of survival with you than without you. He isn’t going to stop looking for you. I know I wouldn’t stop looking if I knew Lizzie were out there.”

“But you loved her, and...” She took a step back and narrowed her eyes at Claude. “What are you implying?”

“I don’t think he loves you just yet.” Claude shrugged his shoulders. “He’s well on his way, though. And I know you feel the same way. So back to the start: Promise me you won’t make him leave you again.”

All her internal arguments couldn’t combat everything Claude had said. All of it made sense, but would Collin really continue to put himself at risk just to stay with her? If he did, Claude was right—Collin would be safer with her. “Fine. But if he asks to leave, I won’t stop him.”