Bigfoot

3.

Signing she grabbed her jacket, blew out the candle, and exited her tent. She hunched over, pulling the collar up on her coat and heading for the river.

Azzalea noticed it was raised, but she still had some time before it flooded. If it gets much higher tomorrow, I'll move my stuff. She made a mental note to check it again.

She bent over at the water and shivered as the rain landed on her neck, sliding down into her shirt.

She impatiently filled her bottle. Another coughing spell hit her. Azzalea put her hand at her chest. The cold air made it harder to regain her breath.

Her foot slipped.

~~~~

River nearly shit himself as the female stumbled. The rushing water would have taken her and once she had gone under, he'd never see her again.

He lunged forward, ready to scoop her to safety, but she caught herself on the rocks.

Ancestors watch over her.

A useless prayer.

His ancestors wouldn't help her and they certainly wouldn't help him. River was betraying his own kind. If his father was alive, he would have smashed the human and buried her belongings in a deep hole somewhere in the forest.

His mother would have been more forgiving. She would have wanted to scare her, nearly to death, and would hope she would run away. Back to her own people.

River sat still as a stone while the female clutched her chest again. Even through the thick sound of the rain and the rumble of thunder, he could hear her wheeze.

Let nature do what nature's going to do. His mother would have said to him. She decided her fate when she entered the forest. The useless things she brought would do nothing for her now. Nature was going to claim her.

The female spoke. His ears strained to hear her words. He couldn't understand her.

In the short time he's been watching her, River began to love the sound of her voice. She didn't speak very often, probably because she thought she was alone, but when she did it brought joy to his ears.

She wasn't really hurting anything being in the forest. Her fire was never dangerously high, she didn't make a mess, and the animals didn't seem bothered by her presence.

Even though she was sick and River assumed she was miserable being wet and cold, her face still looked pleasantly happy.

River cocked his head to the side. Lost in his own thoughts he didn't notice her coming closer to him. He jumped as a stick broke under the female's foot.

She had stopped and had a hand on her forehead.

She swayed and took another step.

She swayed and took another step.

The water bottle fell from her hand, but it went unnoticed.

She swayed and took another step.

River locked eyes with the female before she fell.

What do I do? Too many thoughts rushed into his mind at once. The voices of his parents guiding him. Ordering him to obey.

He pushed them away. One voice, louder than all the rest, boomed out. Silencing the others.

His voice.

Pick her up and take her with you.

River stepped out from his hiding spot in the woods. He approached the female slowly. He wanted to seem friendly if she awoke.

His heart lurched as she moaned. He watched her head move around in the mud. It was so thick and sticky. She started to sink in and it was going to cover her nose.

River picked her up. She felt as light as a bird. He looked around and didn't know why. The female was alone and so was he. He didn't know what he was looking for.

He pressed her snug against his chest. The wheezing grew louder and coughs rumbled from somewhere deep. The sickness was settling quickly in her lungs. He had to get her out of this weather.

River ran to his cave, desperate to save the female.

~~~~

Azzalea felt something soft and surrounded by warmth. Her eyes wouldn't open. Her lungs felt heavy and wet.

More warmth.

Behind her eyelids, the light grew stronger. She didn't know what was happening. She let out a shaking sigh.

Death must've come for her and she happily relaxed.

~~~~

River had stoked the fire, making it rise higher. He added a few more pieces of dry wood. The entire front half of his huge deep cave was now lit up. He had changed into dry furs after laying the female on his bed.

He laid down beside her, pulling her close to his chest.

River looked to her face as she let out a shaky sigh. She relaxed and her full pink lips formed a smile.

What is going on in there? River wondered about the female's thoughts. He would rest a while with her and then make her some medicine.

He prayed another useless prayer.

Hoping that the ancestors would have mercy on him and the female. That if she awakened, she didn't die of fright.