Tasha

Six

'It worked, Smudge,' Tasha said, untangling the chicken wire that was wrapped around the dead rabbit's neck, 'we finally have an evening meal for the pair of us' Smudge couldn't care less. He sat there, glaring at the rabbit wishing he could have it all to himself. Tasha and Smudge were more portrayed as a hunting team, although all Smudge ever did was pounce at mice and keep the creatures to himself, leaving Tasha starved. But she was used to it.

Dragging logs as large as himself, Smudge trotted toward Tasha who was sat by the side of the tree plucking the hair of the rabbit using a sharp edge of a rock she found by the side of the stump. Rabbit fur was scattered upon the floor, blowing away in the wind as each tiny hair dance frantically in the air, flying away from the flesh of the rabbit.
Logs gathered and fur plucked, Tasha and Smudge sat around the piles of logs and twigs as though they were preparing for the rabbit's funeral. Slicing two rocks together, a firework of a spark caught Smudge's attention as more sparks formed frantically to produce a fluttering flame, soon forming to an open golden amber fire.

Grasping a stick in her hand, Tasha aggressively stabbed the point of it through the rabbit's stomach and out through the back, creating a gruesome sound. The sound creates tension and shivers through your veins. Drips of blood splattered upon the ash covered ground and even splattered upon Tasha's (now bloodstained) jeans. Smudge's nose sniffled, exploring the bloody guts and bones of the dead creature that lay there upside down like a worthless,battered chew toy. Rising the stick in her left hand that had the dead rabbit sliced through, Tasha positioned it directly above the fluttering flames and watched the rabbit's decayed paws and ears dangle and crisp among the burning heat of the fire.

***

'Want the last of the leg?' Tasha pointed a savaged red stained rabbit bone covered in elements of meat at Smudge, her eyebrow risen. Smudge stared at Tasha. Eye to eye. Tasha smirked and rolled her eyes, ripping the remaining pieces of meat off the bone with her vicious teeth and threw it carelessly away in the fire which was gradually burning down to nothing but a remainder of ash and smoke.

Tasha and Smudge sat isolated in silence underneath the sparkling sky that was darkening by the second - revealing shimmering stars and the opal moon. Tasha wandered around the nearby trees eyeing their monstrous heights and soon finding the one special tree in which instantly catches her eye amongst the thousands. Since a young age, Tasha and her father would take a daily trip to this particular area within the forest rested where he taught her to hunt, create fires and cook dead animals - to mark this spot, they carved their initials upon the largest tree in sight and was the first tree Tasha was able to climb at a young age. Tasha's eyes glimmered as she stroked the faint initials that were carved upon the rough bark, reflecting on memories of her father.

Tasha soon rested her head on a log, her hands gently placed on her chest as her emerald eyes scanned the pattern of the glimmering stars that were dotted beautifully among the dark sheets of the sky. Smudged lightly pounced upon Tasha's hands as she unfolded them to stroke Smudge's smooth fur that shimmered in the moonlight. His eyes gradually enclosed as he curled upon Tasha's chest, peacefully. Gazing up at the sky was what Tasha spent most of her evening doing - it was an opportunity for her to run through her thoughts and try feel alive again. Those stars always reminded Tasha of her Father's hazel eyes, as cliché as it sounds - they always had hope and fate among them and plus looked gorgeous as ever. Tasha grinned, taking deep breathes as the cold crisp wind blew its way around Tasha and Smudge, allowing her to feel refreshed and cool. However the grin died down as the thought of her missing her father brought her to heartache and misery. She always remembered the scene from the Lion King when thinking about her father as she looked up at the sky, as though she wished her Father could too, talk from among the stars as though he were right beside her. But he wasn't. He was millions of miles away with a piece of Tasha's heart kept within his. Tasha wanted her missing piece back. She wanted him back. There was no one else apart from Smudge that she truly cared about and she could not think of a possible alternative for the ones she currently loves.

Eyes slowly enclosing, Tasha's peace was disturbed by a faint mechanical sound coming from the distance of the forest. Her eyes sprung open. Smudge's ears pierced. There it was again - the sharp sound. Tasha rose up, causing Smudge to slide off of her chest and freeze in shock. Tasha narrowed her eyes as she slowly walked towards where the disturbing sound was coming from, each step silenced to identify the noise. It was too far away to justify what it was however it was too unfamiliar to be a typical forest sound that Tasha and Smudge were immune to. A motorbike perhaps? Tasha thought. How could that be possible when there is no living soul around where she lived? Plus there would be no where to drive to anyway. It did sound awfully identical to a loud vehicle of some sort or even a machine. The revving sound died away as Tasha and Smudge looked at each other with a perplexed expression on their faces.

'Come on Smudge,' Tasha sighed, picking up her cat and cuddling him, 'I think that's our cue to leave'. Leaving the pieces of firewood and rabbit guts behind, scattered upon the ground, Tasha and Smudge returned home back across the large trees and branches and through the window. After one last look at the glimmering stars, Tasha returned to her bed as Smudge did the same and called it a day.

***

The revving sound returned.

'What the fuck is that?' Tasha croaked, rubbing her eyes as the sunlight blinded her eyes. Smudge pounced towards the window, staring out at it with a cross expression. Meaw. Tasha stumbled out of bed, her eyes heavy and muscles weak as she wandered towards the open window that out looked the forest.

'I know, I know, it's loud,' Tasha groaned, scratching the back of her neck, 'I'll just shut the...' Tasha's eyes widened as her mouth was left open, speechless. The revving sound was louder than they had ever heard and an even louder different sound occurred causing the ground to almost shake. Leaning her head further out of the window, Tasha could spot distant trees suddenly disappearing right before her very eyes. Just like that. How were they disappearing? Why were they disappearing? Smudge and Tasha glanced at each other, eyes drowned with concern as they therefore finally knew what the sound was. A chainsaw.