Chapter 17 - The Middle Camp [https://cdn.midjourney.com/39cb9b37-eb2a-4e18-ab21-7c36f59b4ee8/0_1_384_N.webp]
Kennedy’s whole body ached. Riding on a four-wheeler was fun for an hour or two, tearing up things in the woods, but six hours straight was just sadistic. Traveling long distances hanging on white-knuckled as a madman navigated along what was basically a glorified deer path had left her nerves thinned and her temperament foul.
Jerked until her bones rattled, she’d held on for dear life. When they took a rare break, standing still was a relief. Her feet had buzzed against the forest floor when she squatted to pee, as an impatient Terry tried to get her to get back on his infernal machine. Horses couldn’t have been worse. He’d let her keep the bag of apples on her lap to quiet her complaining.
Food stops had been tense, with him insisting on complete quiet. He was certain they were being trailed. Maydaying for a rescue had crossed Kennedy’s mind, but her phone had no reception at all. It might as well be a rock in her pocket. She stretched in the stillness, grateful for the stop, however brief. Her body buzzed as if they were still in motion. He was listening again, his water bottle stilled halfway to his mouth. Bears weren’t going to follow a four-wheeler for miles and miles. Well, regular bears wouldn’t. Her skin prickled. She didn’t know about fucking sky bears. What had started as a small narrow road had gotten progressively more difficult. Now she could barely make the path out ahead of them in the trees.
He was going to tell her to get on that god damned four-wheeler again. She could see it in the focused way he was listening, and her whole body resisted the idea. She dragged her feet like a little kid when the inevitable head jerk toward the machine came. Terry scowled at her. He might have said something, but the sound of two sharp whistles further down the path caught both of their attention.
The Vet lifted his fingers to his mouth and blew two shrill whistles in response. He grinned when three sounded and her heart lurched. The man was fucking handsome when he smiled.
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Large animals make a distinct sound when they move through the trees and fear prickled across the palms of her aching hands. Why was he smiling? In the distance, she heard a whinny. Two horses wound toward them on the path. Better than bears, but still dangerous.
Kennedy backed up. Horses disliked her on sight, or more likely, smell. Two female riders, one younger than the other, who favored each other with light brown hair and long oval faces, approached. The older woman was thicker across her torso and had a dark port wine stain across her cheek and down below her mouth. Her serious, dark gray eyes focused on Kennedy, lips held in a tight, unfriendly line until she saw Terry. With a joyful whoop of recognition, she dismounted in a smooth motion that spoke of a long experience with horses.
The younger, possibly her daughter, remained seated. Smiling, she waved at the Vet. “Doc Terry. Did you get the news that Betty was about to deliver? Your answering service said you were over at your cabin when we called last night.”
Terry scooped the older woman up into a giant hug, lifting her up onto her toes. Kennedy felt a weird wash of jealousy, as if someone had breached her territory. The nutty Vet was hardly “hers.” She rubbed her arms. The higher up they got into the mountains, the colder it had become, and she found herself short of breath.
The woman cupped his face in her hands and turned to scowl at Kennedy.
Kennedy narrowed her gaze. “What?”
“You are covered in blood, girl.” She sniffed with distaste. “Not the best way to wander about where there are wild things.”
The young girl grinned, much friendlier, from atop her horse. “Even when you are a wild thing.” Patting her horse’s neck, she said, “I’m Snow.” The girl flashed her a smile, revealing a badly chipped front tooth. Her eyes were the palest blue Kennedy had ever seen. She was younger than she’d first thought, still in high school.
The girl’s horse took a step toward her, blowing air out of its nose at her. Kennedy backed up until her back was against a tree. “Horses don’t like me.”
The girl was not concerned at all. “He is used to the way we smell.”
The big animal sniffed Kennedy’s shoulder and blew hot air into her face. She watched him warily. He didn’t seem like he cared much at all about her either way.
The woman asked Terry. “Are you two it?”
Terry nodded.
“Best we be getting you up to the camp, then. We are still in the middle camp by the production facility because the weather has been so rainy. Won’t be there much longer, though. The lower camps need to be harvested before the summer heat gets here. My Betty is late, but showing good signs. Since you are here, if you wouldn’t mind looking at her, I’d be right grateful.”