Only a few people knew about this place and she wasn’t sure how he could have found her, but that didn’t matter right now. He was here. And she had to act.

The plan was simple. She could be both, hunter and prey.

She made her way silently back to her horse, dropped the pack and loaded the rifle. Checked to make sure she had extra shells and enough water. She regretted not getting an earlier start, a coat would have been nice. She took the tarp from the pack and secured it to the back of her saddle, it would have to do.

She was already mapping her route back up the mountain when she rode into the clearing. He looked at her with disgust and loathing. It was familiar. But now, she didn’t try and talk her way into his good graces. She told him he was trespassing, this was her place and that he had to go. She knew what the reaction would be and as he approached her horse she leveled the rifle and asked him to stop. When he hesitated she reeled and took off through the trees.

She knew he would follow.