The Hunter and The Prey

Shot

Chapter 51

Shot 

Heat was coming from beside her. It was so comforting she wanted to snug it. She reached out to hug it but a firm grasped halted her. "Are you crazy? Stop reaching for the fire... You'll burn yourself." Natalie opened her eyes and his amusing face greeted her. The surrounding was already lighted and he was cooking now for their breakfast. His bottle of water was in the fire, boiling something minty. Two big fishes were now cooked and ready to eat. "I was about to wake you up."

   "I fell asleep...."she moaned in disappointment. 

    "That's what I thought. You're curled up beside me though that was cheerful, " he chuckled, remembering her craving for warm from his body.  "Your clothes are already dry, but don't change yet. Change after we swam away from here."

    She stared to him, grateful for his spoilings. His treatment of her as delicate was so frightening,  she wonders what will happen to him if she died here in the mountains. As soon as she thought of herself dying, she immediately beat it away from her thoughts. "Don't spoil me so much," she muttered as she stand up to gurlge and wash her face.

     "I'm not," he replied. "It's just I'm used of taking care of you delicately." He smiled when he saw her turning red. He knows she appreciate what he was doing to her right now. 

   "I can take care of myself, " she mumbled.

    "I know you can, but not in the mountains. You need me to survive here," he pointed out.

    "Fine you win.... So... What's that boiling in the water bottle?" she asked, couldn't really argue with his reply. If he didn't track her down, she might have been dead by now. And her tummy really need something hot take in.

    "Tea, to warm you up. Come on let's start feasting and get moving," he said urgently. "I heard helicopters passing the mountains I bet you anything that those contains authorities searching for us."

   Natalie sat across him while he filets the fishes. The knife glide smoothly through the fish as Chasen skillfully do the job. Leaves were again their plates for this morning. "Fuel up then," he muttered. 

    She wasn't hesitant to take a big bite from her share while her stomach demanded food to digest. That didn't deter Chasen watching every move she makes. This generated blushes on her cheeks like a teenager knowing her crush saw her doing stupid things. 

    "Natalie," he muttered, his tone suddenly became serious, "do everything I say to you as soon as we are in the open, don't debate with me nor don't waste time. If I tell you to go, go, don't for a second try to hesitate"

     It gave her shiver just observing him. This is not the time to argue with him and voice out her piece of mind. 

    They swam rapidly away from the cave and into the land that awaits them, where danger will surely come. The sounds of guns and running somewhere made Chasen hold Natalie tightly while his gun aim everywhere  anticipating foes that might come surprising them. 

    And the enemies did really let them know they are on their tails. A fact that made Chasen frantically looking at his wife.

    "Come on. Come on. Fast." He gripped her tightly to follow him  as fast as she can. He shrugged off for the second time his backpack and told her to wear it. "If a lurker struck behind us. That backpack is tough enough to take it and shield you." He pushed her in front of him just to be thorough.

    "You don't need to make yourself my human shield," she whispered while she stumbled down. His tight gripped prevented her falling in time.

     "Just don't argue with me at the moment. I need to concentrate," he growled quietly,  eyeing keenly the trees. Natalie craned her neck to see his face. That deadly face she recognized for what seemed a life time  was etched in its place again. "This is not really the perfect time to look behind you, Natalie," he pointed out.