He'd been walking and hunting for almost the full turn of the moon, avoiding others as he had been taught. Red Bear would have been proud of the way he could pick up the slightest smell of sweat in the air, how he would shimmy up a tree to watch without being seen, how he could follow the riders' trail from even the tiniest broken leaf. It was not long before he was beyond their hunting grounds and there was no fear of being found and forced back to the village. Rabbits and other prey had become scarce but he managed to find something every few days to fill his stomach, giving him strength to continue walking.
He hoped to find a town or even just a cabin, soon. He was tired of sleeping on the dirt and, although it made him uncomfortable to feel it, he was tired of being alone. He found himself missing the sounds, the smells of the village. He missed Red Bear curling up next to him by the fire and filling his ear with talk of the village girls. He knew one of them would be chosen to marry his brother and she would be honored to be selected as the bride to a future war chief. And Red Bear would not argue the arrangement, but still he hoped she would be pretty. He missed taunting his brother about who would be his chosen one. Anyone not an enemy would be better than the silence.
He was so lost in thought that he was startled to hear the sound of a horse neighing. Stepping carefully through the brush, he came to a clearing where a small band of wild ponies were grazing. One of them, a beautiful russet mare, looked up at him. She stood, staring right at him for the longest time. It was as if time stood still. Finally he dared to step closer. But the mare bolted away, the others running after her. He watched until they were out of sight, then turned back down his trail.
The trail led further into the canyons until it reached a river. It was still too cold to dare to swim across but his luck held out. The spring thaw from the north mountains had not yet flooded the bed and he could see rocks scattered just under the surface. He could easily pick his way across the river. His luck however was not as good as he believed. Reaching the middle of the river, the rocks were further apart. He would have to leap between the rocks, which were slick with water.
He took a deep breath, focusing on the rock ahead of him. He held his breath and jumped as carefully as he could. But as his foot landed, a sound startled him and he lost his balance, crashing into the icy water. He felt the sting of his head hitting the rocks then there was only darkness.