Nathan-
I felt like the biggest asshole on the planet. How could I forget to say thank you to someone who saved my life?
She was all modest about it but she knew what she did. God those big brown eyes had a spell over me, it was crazy. I didn't know much about this girl but I think I like her. She's so in control out here and I think she doesn't even know it.
She's been living alone in the wild for months, she has a damn wolf, she saved my life, and she's acting like all that's nothing. It was funny and cute when she blushed.
The way she was so gentle when she put the bandage on my head was as if she thought she'd hurt me. She was so careful and kind, I loved it.
I told her I'd make it up to her and I meant it. I had to stay here to protect her, no matter what I thought about my cabin. She didn't look like she needed my help but she could one day. Staying until after winter wasn't something I wanted to do, but I'd stay.
So if she ever did need me, I promised myself that I would be there for her. Then, in the spring, I'll convince her to come with me to try to find my cabin. I was going to get her home safely to her father.
I didn't let it show, but I was tired as hell. I sleepily watched her put away some deer jerky in a deep hole at the back of the cave.
My eyelids got heavy as I was warm and comfy. I gave in, succumbing to sleep.
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When I woke up, Lyra's sleeping bag was rolled up neatly and she and her wolf- Baine, were gone. Probably to the rabbit place. I have no clue how long she'd be gone. I folded up the blanket and set it aside. I could see Lyra liked to keep her space clean.
I felt a little grimy with the dried blood, soot and dirt on me. I needed a shower, sadly there was no shower out here . I sniffed my shirt. Eww. Out here with one of the prettiest girls on planet earth and I smell like I just got out of the hog pen. Perfect.
I stuck my head out the door and surveyed my surroundings, there's a lake and little waterfall.
I quickly grabbed some clothes out of my duffel bag and went outside. I couldn't stink in front of Lyra. That'd be embarrassing. I just hoped she was gone long enough for me to get washed up and get out.
I peeled off my bandage thingy, wincing when it tugged a little harshly. The gash had stopped bleeding all together and felt okay to me. The bruise still sucked. It was tender and a little swollen, but otherwise fine.
I walked over to the large river rocks and stripped down. I stepped under the waterfall and into the pool that it fell into. The water was up to the bottom of my abs, so not too deep. I started scrubbing my hair, carefully avoiding the cut.
The cool water streamed down my body and felt great against the gash. It was refreshing and woke me up a little, clearing my head. Some motion caught my eye and I watched as Lyra and Baine slipped through a big crack in the rock wall.
"Hey beautiful," I called in a teasing tone to catch her attention. Girls loved to be called beautiful, and Lyra was far more than just beautiful.
"Nathan? Nathan!! Jesus, put some clothes on!" She yelled and whipped around, covering her face with her hands.
I chuckled and stepped out of the little pool.
"What are you doing?" She asked, still turned around.
"Well, I'm taking a shower. Felt like I needed one."
She sighed and shook her head. I pulled on a new shirt, some jeans and rolled up the shirt sleeves.
"Okay you can turn around now," I chuckled.
She turned around, almost red as a tomato. I laughed at her cuteness. She scowled at me but couldn't help but smile.
"Your so weird," she chuckled and briskly walked into the cave.
I walked in after her, "So whatcha got?"
"One rabbit," she sighed sounding disappointed.
"Wow, you had three yesterday," I said, looking over her shoulder to see the rabbit.
"Eh, we'll survive. So you gonna help?"
"Help with what?" I raised an eyebrow at her.
"Skinning the rabbit, stocking up for winter. You should know how since you're obviously a hunter," she turned and smirked at me.
"Oh, uh, yeah, what do you want me to do?" I asked.
"Skin it, you can feed the guts to Baine, I want the heart and liver though," she threw me the rabbit.
"Alright," I grabbed my knife and headed outside.
After I'd done what Lyra wanted, I went back into the cave. For this girl, I'd do anything apparently. She was picking up around the cave, filing things and organizing. She mumbled to herself every now and then about how messy we were living.
I was having a fine time watching her from the door way before Baine decided to growl at me. Lyra reached for her knife at her hip and whirled to look at me.
"Hey, easy! It's just me," I chuckled and held my hands up.
"Huh, I don't know why Baine doesn't like you. He's never really growled around anything before," she relaxed and shrugged.
"I am new. And probably the first other human he's ever seen," I shrugged and looked at the wolf, who clearly was glaring at me.
Lyra nodded and picked up my bow case.
"How good are you with a bow?" I asked.
She smirked, "Better than you I bet."
I grinned at her sureness, "Is that a challenge?"
"If you're up to it."
I took the case from her and brought out my bow, " I'll be a gentleman and let you use mine instead of that stick."
"Hey buddy, that 'stick' brought down a mule deer for me."
I chuckled and walked outside, "See the knothole in that pine tree? The center is the bullseye."
Lyra nodded and waited for me to shoot. I drew my bow, winked at Lyra, who scoffed but grinned, aimed and then fired.
It hit the center, like I'd anticipated.
"Pft, I could hit a smaller target," Lyra snorted, making me laugh.
"Oh yeah? Prove it honey," I mocked her teasingly.
"Alright," she took my bow and pulled my arrow out of the tree.
"Let's see," she muttered and looked around.
She smiled, blew me a mocking kiss, drew the bow quite easily, and fired. I watched her shoot a pine cone off the branch of the pine tree.
"Impressive," I half smiled at her, genuinely impressed. She was actually a great shot.
"Thank you, thank you," Lyra bowed slightly.
I laughed. We sat around the fire and swapped hunting stories. I couldn't believe she was so at ease out here. I've been in the woods ever since I could toddle. She had been dragged around the world since she was, I dunno, seven?
"How come your not freaking out out here?" I asked and played with a scorched stick in the fire.
She shrugged, "I came to terms with it all. I have the skills to survive, I know I can. It's not like you can just give up."
"Yeah but you seem to be settled in, like you want to live here."
She had everything set up. She was all set. You would think she'd be working on ways to get out of here.
"It's too close to winter. Id rather be safe than be sorry," she said in a monotone voice, staring into the fire.
"But we're lost," I leaned against the wall and sighed. That would probably be one of the worst things to be on my list.
She gave me a humorless chuckle, "Yeah. But it feels good to be lost in the right direction. I have everything mostly planned I guess. I have an idea anyway."
I said nothing. How could someone be lost in the right direction? Apparently, she knew how to do that. Lyra started scraping on the rabbit hides that she'd strung up on little wooden frames.
I realized I was with probably one of the most skilled women I've ever met.
And I think I'll live just fine.