Evergreen

9

Song: Wolf - First Aid Kit

My hand would heal. But it would sting like a Bitch after today.

For now I had to get moving. I had to get Henry moving.

All that commotion was bound to attract more trouble, and the hunters termination would have sent a signal, giving up our location. I wouldn't bother disposing of the body, let them know what we'd done to one of their own, it sends a message.

Whoever that wild man was he was skilled enough to track and kill a hunter, I knew his voice it was driving me insane. I didn't want to be in the same spot he just left me in, I doubt he's coming back but I cant shake the feeling we've met before.

Hissing as each finger hold aggravated my cut, the time for assessment can wait we need to get going before dark. Reaching my hideout branch, Henry was not here.

"Oh for goodness sake."

"Henry? Henry!" Hopefully my contempt for the pain in the ass came through in my tone.

He can't of gotten far.

"Down here..."

I had to hold on to my laughter, he looked hilarious.

"I thought we'd got the rescuing part out of the way?" I couldn't hold it in anymore, even my hand on my mouth failed.

"Oh haha, yes this is hilarious, now help me up!" He was embarrassed. Anyone would be belly down hanging on a branch like a stuck cat. The funny part was his trousers were now around his ankles all ripped into pieces.

"I didn't know pink was your colour?" Now I was in hysterics.

"I haven't been to target recently." His flat sarcastic response was quite cute for a grown man wearing pink boxers with flamingos all over them. His butt was a nice view, silver linings and all.

"You're no Tarzan are you?" Hoping over to his branch it groaned under both our weights, I slung a rope under his waist.

To get him up here in the first place, I had strung up a few pulleys I'd found in the pickup that night. With a grunt and a moan from him he was secure.

"Just because you act like an ape..." he didn't get to finish his sentence before the wind was knocked from him.

I vaulted over the edge rope in hand, his body weight flew into the air.

"Oh my Christ!" His face was a picture and his arms reached out to grab me, but he was swinging away in no time, I used the tree for balance and walked up the trunk slowly lowering him onto our wider branch that boasted our hole in the trunk.

He landed with a soft thud and rolled onto his back.

"Now I understand the burns." He untangled himself and rubbed away at his chest, sucking air through his teeth. He looked like he'd been clawed at. His clothes were dirty scraps hanging onto his frame for dear life.

"Sit up and take that scrap of a shirt off." His eyebrows shot up.

I could see his taught muscles and hairy chest through the tears, he was a full grown man. Nothing like the boys back at the prison, they were all wire and immature.

"Buy me a drink first girlie."

"Don't flatter yourself, it will make your head even bigger." I got a small humf out of him for that one.

***

She disappeared up into the branches again and came back with a grey t-shirt, some cargo pants and a large Karki coloured fur lined coat. Where the hell does she keep this stuff, its like a magical tree of supplies.