The observer gets observed

[SandS13]

Something hit her. Hard.

The last thing Lily remembered was the impact. It hit her from behind, her head hit the ground and that was all there was.

She groaned as she tried to sit up. She immediately put a hand to her head. It was still dark so at least she hadn't been out long. Other than the pain in her head there were no other wounds so whatever attacked her hadn't mauled her.

Standing, there was a little dizziness but over all she was unhurt. Oh her body ached but that wasn't really hurt. Lily turned on a light and winced at the brightness of it. She crossed to the bathroom to see if there was any sign of damage to her face. A red mark that would likely bruise a little was all she saw.

Turning she went back to the room to inspect the bed. What the hell had been in here? What the hell had that kind of force to hit her? She wracked her brain thinking of all the animals she had encountered when she was here doing field research. Only a bear was that big but there was no way a bear got in here without her noticing. No door was broken, no window.

Lily moved to her front door and opened it. Nothing.

Now she was warring between angry and scared. She went back to her bed, pulled the blankets up high and stayed there with the light on. She was not sure if she could fall asleep again.

Eventually the adrenaline wore off and sleep took her.

 

[JonathanBair]

when Jon seen her go into the bathroom he slipped back out of the bushes and went up the near mountain side. Half way up the mountain side the dug-out was half dug down and the other half has been built up with local rock set in clay. The dugout is now also covered in grass and has some bushes growing around it.

That is Jons home. He retreated there to take a nap. He knew this strange woman he will have to watch for a while to make up his mind if she is someone to be run off or not. One of his dugout doors allowed light and air to flow in from the rising sun. The sun early light woke Jon up from his nap. He headed back into the berry bush to see what the woman was up to.

 

[SandS13]

The morning brought discomfort. Her whole body hurt from the impact and a nice goose egg formed on her head. Lily groaned as she sat up.

She took her time, moving slowly as she used the restroom, dressed in a long t-shirt, took a painkiller and made coffee. She didn't want breakfast. She took her coffee to the front porch and sat. Her eyes scanned the dirt for the signs of tracks but other than scuffs from the move she saw nothing that indicated an animal had been there.

She frowned. It couldn't have been a person. There was no one for miles around and no one knew she was here. Save the family she bought the place from....

A sickening feeling washed over her. What if they were trying to run her out? Keep her money and scare her off?

No. That couldn't be it. That was city paranoia and too many bad movies talking.

It didn't add up. Lily drank her coffee slowly. Now in the daylight her fear was gone but there was no telling what would happen come dark. It was too bad as she had been having such a good dream before she woke up.

 

[JonathanBair]

Jon got to the bushes and was peaking in. He could see her walk out of the bathroom. He watched as she got dressed. He smiled as she was standing nude other then the long shirt. He could watch her some of the time as she walked out of the bedroom but half the cabin was blocked. He could hear her as she made the coffer so he stayed still..

Then a short while later she walked into his view and out of the front door. He could see she left it open as she walked to the stairs and sat. As she was enjoying her coffee. He slipped under the cabin. Soon he found him self looking up at the step she was sitting on. He slowly peaked up and realized he was looking at most of her bare front of the hips. The shirt hiding him from site.

 

[SandS13]

Lily parted her knees more and leaned forward. Her arms rested on her knees as she slowly finished her coffee and pondered the problem of last night. How was she supposed to protect herself?

The wood was rough on her legs and she squirmed a little, moving back and forth.

Her coffee was slowly drained and she stood to head back inside. She left the door open, enjoying the sunlight and feeling safe in the day. Surely whatever had come in the shadows would hide from the daylight. At least Lily wanted to pretend that was true.

 

[JonathanBair]

Jons eyes widen and mouth feel open as she leaned over. Now her shirt was hanging away from her body and he could see up it. He was looking up the underside of her breasts and now and then could see the underside of her neck and jaw.

Jon hoped she would be like this every morning. Then suddenly she lifted her hips away from his face and quickly turning to walk off into her place. Jon moved to the back of the cabin while staying under it. So he could listen for any hints on what she was about to do inside.

 

[SandS13]

Lily was too sore for yoga this morning. She carefully dressed, boy cut underwear, sport bra, cargo pants and a t-shirt. She pulled on good hiking boots and carefully braided her hair. A ponytail pulled too much on the tender goose egg.

She brushed her teeth and grabbed her field bag. The backpack had everything she needed to collect samples and catalogue what she saw. She needed to clear her head and this felt like a good way to do it.

The cabin door was closed behind her and she headed off to the east of the cabin.

She walked half a mile on a slightly worn path before stepping off it and into the brush. She found a fall tree, set her pack down and began looking at the plants around her. She smiled, pulled little flags from the bag and began marking spots. Next would be photographs, sketches and documentation and then sample collecting.

Lily set to work. There was nothing but time to do her work.

 

[JonathanBair]

Jon stayed still under the cabin. He could hear her footsteps got louder from her boots she put on. When she moved off and started to walk to the trail. He waited for her to get out of site then he started to fallow her. He stayed off the trail tho moving pairale to her.

When she stopped he did to. He sat want watch as he studied her. He knows he likes her taste and smell, so he is not in a rush to run her off. Now he is weighing his options to just watch her or to make him self known.

He likes how she seams to be interested in the plant life. This starts to make him wonder about her being his mate. As Jon ponders this, he keeps in mind this trail leads down to the river where the salmon should start to come to. If she gets in the river area she will be in bear city as most of the black bears in the area will be coming there.

He didn't mind fighting and killing a deer or He has fought bears and won, but they cut him up really bad. He will try to avoid a blackbear fight if he can.

 

[SandS13]

She had not bothered with a watch. Time really didn't matter here. As long as there was sunlight she would work. Or at least until her stomach told her differently.

The rumbling drew her from her work. She frowned and slumped. Her hands were dirty. She finished processing the plant she was working on and then stood. She packed her things away and shouldered her pack.

She didn't want to go back to the cabin so ventured a little further. It was cool here in the trees but it seemed that there might be a clearing and sunlight up ahead. Lily was pleased to find a stream and rocks. She smiled moved to the water, dropped her pack and washed her hands in the cold water.

It was beautiful here. Raw nature at its finest.

She found a rock, sat down and dug out a bag of trail mix from her pack. A hiking staple. It would sustain her long enough to finish up back at her little site and then return to the cabin for dinner.

 

[JonathanBair]

Jon smiled as he studied this woman. He was glad the bears are not here yet. He moved a bit up stream and looked in from behind a big boulder. He was glad the salmon was not here yet. He now carefully moved down the river to watch her more.

 

[SandS13]

Lily finished her trail mix, putting the bag back in her pack. She looked at the water and then looked around. The water was cold and cold water was good for the skin. It might make her achy body feel better. Did she dare strip down and go in?

Really, what was the dare? What risks? Animals...okay but there were none now and it didn't mean she had to be in long. She would be cold but there was a microfibre towel in her backpack. She could dry off...

Her teeth worried her lip a little but she decided to do it. Lily quickly stripped down and naked, waded into the icy cold stream.

She sucked in her breath through her teeth. The cold water caused goosebumps to form on her skin and her nipples to pucker painfully.

She shouldn't have worried about animals. There was no way she could stand more than a few minutes in the water. She submerged herself and quickly stood, shivering. Her lips turned blue. She dashed out of the water and shaking dug her towel out of her pack.

She dried off. bending with her backside up to dry down her legs.

 

[JonathanBair]

Jon smiled as he watched her strip. He knew the snow coming off the mountians was snow melt, so she couldn't last long in there. He lays on the ground and watching. He grins as she walks to her bag. He let his eyes fallow her hands as they move down her legs. His eyes also take in how hear breast move with her movement as she dries off.

Jon makes a plan to stay and watch as long as she is undressed.. Soon as she starts to get dressed he will move back to the cabin. Tho he is in no rush to get there as he is enjoying this woman tease him and drive him crazy.

 

[SandS13]

She had to admit the water did make her skin feel good. Tight and rejuvenated. It had woken her mind up as well. She ran the towel over her whole body and then dressed.

A short walk back to her spot, a few hours of work and as the sun showed signs of setting, Lily moved back to the cottage. The daylight and work had pushed aside all her fears from the previous night.

Back at the cabin she put her stuff away, careful with her samples. She undressed, showered and tossed on her pj pants and tank top. No need for a bra or underwear out here, alone.

She made dinner and with a glass of wine sat on the porch once more to enjoy the evening. She had finished eating and was sipping her wine when she heard them. Rustling in the brush at the front of her house. She was tense and slowly stood.

The wolves, three of them stepped closer.

"Shit."

Lily froze in her spot, too afraid to run. Teeth were bared, growls made.

 

[JonathanBair]

Jon had stuck to his plan. He watched her move into the cabin. Jon taken this time to slip under the side of the cabin. He slipped his head up in threw the lose floorboard from under her bed to watch her undress leaving the clothing on the floor near his face as she turned to walk into the bathroom. He watched as she walked to the side of the room and pull out her PJ and tank top.

He watched her walk out and from the sounds of the banging he knew she was messing with pots and pans. He slipped the lose floorboard back into place and taken a nap under the cabin.

It was a while later when she stepped on a somewhat lose floorboard that made a squeak on the porch that wore him up. He seen she was sitting on the steps again. So he moved back under them and looked up at her. He was basicly fully under her hips as she sat relaxing over him.

He was enjoying being so close to her. Her smells he was taking in.. Till the sound in the brush pulled him fully aware of the present. He is looking out from under her and sees the wolfs. He looks back up at her wondering why she don't move... A few more second pass as they come slowly closer. Jon makes his move now... He is pissed and start to growl under her hips. Jon moves out from under the porch in a crouch standing in front of her with his back to her. He pulls out his hatchet from his hip.

His aggressive stance made them stop. 2 of them stayed still as one moved a bit to the side. Jon taken this time to spring hard and fast at the leader. Jon extended his arm watching the back thick side of the hatchet, so he could try and make sure it hit the wolf close on the flank in the head as he drove his shoulder into the chest of the one he sprung at.

Jons attacked knocked him and the lead wolf back into the brush, with the hatchet hitting the other one on the head and knocking it out... This left the 3rd one confused and torn, but it ended up going into the brush to protect its packmate.

 

[SandS13]

More growls. This time from under her. Lily remained frozen in her spot. A man, at least it seemed like a man appeared from under the porch. The figure was big and was between her and the wolves. He was holding a weapon.

It took a moment for her brain to catch up with the scene. He was brandishing it at them, not her. The wolves moved, just a little and the man sprang into motion.

It was then that Lily ran. She dropped the wine glass and fled into the house. The door slammed behind her and she bolted into her bedroom. That door was closed too and she moved to hide under the bed. She had initially considered the closet but felt it might be too confining.

She lay on her stomach under the bed breathing hard. Her eyes watched the bottom of the door, waiting. She could hear the sound of the wolves outside.

 

[JonathanBair]

Jon ended up killing one and hurting the othere two where they fleed. Jon then started to gut the wolf in the woods. Carefully cutting the hide off. He then hauled the body of meat to the front porch and dropped the meat on the hide (Missing a leg left for him). Fur side down on the porch. He then moved off into the brush and started a small fire where the guts where. Jon then cooks the wolf leg over the fire and eats it in the woods.

Jon set the fire there to make the area unappealing to any animals that may be attracted to the kill. In his mind he gifted most of the animal to her as he was bit and clawed up good, but he had worse and made it ok... He knew he was in no shape to haul it up to his dug out, but the leg would make a good meal.

 

[SandS13]

It was quiet for a long time. She was about to get out from under the bed when she heard the footsteps and thud on her porch. Lily froze but the sound drifted away.

Confused and curious she came out and tip toed to the front room. She moved to a window and looked out to her porch and woods.

She can see a bit of light in the distance, a fire likely not too far away. Lily spotted the carcass on her porch. She gasped and covered her mouth.

Was it a warning? Would he do to her what he had done to the wolves? It had seemed as if he was protecting her from them but he left a body on her porch for her to find...

Her eyes moved over it. It was missing a leg. Bile rose in her throat. Lily moved to the front door. She wished she had a weapon but in the end knew it wouldn't matter. What she had seen of the man was enough to tell her she was no match for him in a fight.

The door was opened and she peered out. "Hello?" Timid at first. She didn't see any sign of him but then she hadn't seen him before either.

"Hello?" Louder this time.

 

[JonathanBair]

Jon had just finished eating his leg when he heard the second "Hello". He could also hear her voice was shaking a bit. Like she wasn't sure if she wanted a response or not. Jon knocked down his fire and made sure to cover it in dirt.

This had taken a few minutes. Jon creeped to the tree line to peak and try and read her. To see if she could take seeing him again.

As Jon's eyes moved up and down her body. He couldn't help but to think of her standing there nude.

 

[SandS13]

Lily frowned and stepped just onto the porch. There had been no response. She looked down at the wolf body. "What am I supposed to do with this now?"

She was talking to herself, her voice wavering as she was on the verge of tears. Last night, the wolves, this man and now an animal carcass. It was all too much. "I don't know what to do."

It was strange for her to feel so unsure but the situation was anything but normal. She held her hands to her eyes and sobbed all the fear and emotions she had been holding in.

 

[JonathanBair]

Jon seen her crying and he came out slowly watching her for a reaction. Like if she was about to throw something at him and he should run for cover, or if she would let him get closer.

Jon was kinda confused. Surely she had cleaned a bird. He knew normal folks baked them for Thanksgiving... So cooking the wolf and removing the meat shouldn't be to much harder. Only much more meat....

 

[SandS13]

She sat down, back against the door frame and sobbed. It shook her shoulders. She cried until she felt spent and the tears slowed to sniffles. She wiped at her eyes and looked up. It took a moment for her to realize someone was standing there.

"Please-don't hurt me-" Trembling she stood up slowly. "The wolves...thank you...I was scared...am scared.." She was wide eyed and afraid of him. She was glad the body was between them at the moment.

 

[JonathanBair]

His back and arms clawed up and wolf bites on them. Jon says " You need to cook it, best to cut it up and smoke it." pointing to the wolf carcass on her porch.

He would have normaly started to cutting down a tree to make fire would for his smokehouse that was also a dugout in the mountain side, but he was way to sore for that.

 

[SandS13]

"I don't know how to do that..." Lily frowned and stared at the man. He had spoken to her and for some reason that surprised her. She realized she had been expecting him to be more animal than man.

He was large, solid looking. Wild and rough but not scary. She kept her distance still but her head wasn't telling her to flee.

"You are hurt." It was a statement. She didn't know what else to say except to state the obvious. "You saved me and got hurt. Do you want help?"

She moved a little towards him but then stopped fearing he might lunge at her.

 

[JonathanBair]

First lets deal with the meat. Jon pulls his hatchet out and asks " Got firewood?"

 

[SandS13]

Lily pointed to the side of the house. The previous owner had left a huge stockpile there. She was still frozen in her place unsure what to make of this man before her, his injuries or his claim that the meat needed to be taken care of.

She was not at all sure how next to proceed so she watched him. She was about to offer a knife to help cut it up but she then remembered his hatchet.

“Are you going to hurt me?” There was confusion in her voice as if she was trying to decide where they stood with each other. He had helped her but that didn’t mean he wouldn’t hurt her. She wanted some assurance.