Just my thoughts of what happened in that tree they slept in right during Supersticion. My overactive imagination had me thinking of this forever.. and yes im a big big loser. Enjoy!! It's rather quick
Marguerite, behind me."
It had been a long time since she ignored that fear in his voice. It was too commanding.
Behind me, and short steps."
"What is it, John?" Marguerite said as she lightly touched the forearm of the hunter.
"Raptors. They've eaten all the food"
Damn, gluttons."
Wasnt there a tree back there?" The hunter asked while retreating quietly from their spot amidst the bushes.
"You can't be thinking what you're thinking."
You got a better idea, Marguerite?"
Actually, tree climbing sounds lovely, John." The heiress replied after a brief pause to weight their options.
It was twenty or so gruelling paces, Marguerite and Roxton stepping in perfect harmony backwards. His entire body acting as a shield.
"Ok now, easy does it Marguerite. Wouldnt want to excite our new friends."
Roxton aimed his rifle at the advancing pack of raptors, and they seemed to sense the threat.
Anytime now Marguerite" Roxton hollered back to the heiress, who was surreptiously trying to mount a very tall, very unyielding tree.
The heiress finally caught a foothold, and measuring the distance quickly, hauled herself up to the first branch. It wasn't far off the ground, but it was a start. She frantically climbed the next few branches until she was on a sturdy thick branch.
"Anytime now Roxton." Marguerite said quiety to the hunter down below. He shot a quick glance at her position on the tree and chuckled. A woman of many talents indeed.
The hunter fired one shot into the surrounding bushes and took down a snake nearby. The raptors smelled blood instantly and launched themselves into the fray. Roxton quickly took advantage of the situation and jumped at the first branch he saw. He swung his legs violently as he fumbled with the climb.
"John..." the heiress said in a loud commanding voice.
"Doing my best here, Marguerite."
The heiress spotted the disgruntled raptors exit the bushes looking rather hungry.
In an instant, Marguerite had climbed down from her position of safety to straddle one of the smaller limbs. She held out her hand and gripped him fiercely, and then helped tug Roxton to safety.
He scrambled to get them to higher up when he heard the raptors scrapping violently at the tree.
Marguerite was leaning prone against the main branch of the tree, and held out her hand. Roxton extended his own as he joined her in their new camp.
"I think we just got cosy." Roxton said as he lean against a limb across her, and rested his bent knees against her post. His legs were positioned so that if in sleep she moved, he would stop her.
She smiled a little smile before leaning the foot that separated them and kissed him. She leaned her full weight against him, and the tree crackled a little.
So much for a vacation" the heiress said thoroughly dejected as she once again lay on her own limb.
"Oh I don't know Marguerite; your limb looks rather sturdy." Roxton said as he in turn covered the distance between the two, and pressed himself against her limb.
"Oh, I think it will do just fine." Roxton said breathily into her ear. He placed both hands squarely at her head. He looked at her defiant face and added, "And you'll just have to put up with it."
Roxton leaned in and kissed her and the world faded away.