CHAPTER 2
A whooshing sound interrupted the silence. She paused beside the berry bush listening. No high pitch whine so whoever came through the Circle did it on foot. She looked down at the half full bag of berries hunger warring with curiosity.
It had been a very long time since the Circle had let someone in. Curiosity won. Like a swift shadow she moved through the forest after first tossing her bag over a tree branch. She arrived at the clearing in time to see four strangers gather around the dialer and then disappear into the forest.
She made her way quietly through the underbrush using the normal sounds of the forest to mask her movements. She watched as they looked around and made sounds. Not loud, but loud enough to attract attention if they weren't careful. She saw their delight at the tiny grazers. Could they be bad if they took delight in the little ones and didn't try to kill them?
She paused at a distance from them when they stopped to watch the huge horned ones. She heard the slight rustling. Hunters. She saw the short male look at something in his hand then saw understanding and fear dawn, saw him make sounds and get the others to follow him to safety.
When the animals scurried for safety she scampered higher up into a tree. High off the ground; safe. The strangers hid until it was safe and then started making lots of sounds again. They would not last long if they did not learn to be silent. She had learned from a previous encounter not to be too fast to offer help or get near strangers. She would watch from a distance.
They began heading back to the Circle walking in the path created by the horned ones. She ran lightly from limb to limb jumping easily from tree to tree in the huge forest. The ground trembled and she froze. The BIG meat-eater! She ran forward to warn the strangers than she remembered the other male strangers and stopped indecisive.
Just then the shorter male looked at the thing in his hand again and led the others off the path into hiding. She hugged the tree branch and trembled as violently as the ground as the meat-eater came into view. It sniffed the air puzzled at the new smell. Curious and hungry it swung its head and took a step off the path.
From her vantage point she saw the strangers follow the short male as he faded back into the forest staying under growth and dodging around the trees. Cover by cover the short male led his group away from the meat-eater, but the meat-eater was persistent. He kept following the strange smell breaking small felled trees and crushing foliage underneath his feet.
She slowly, cautiously followed staying in the trees watching as they tried to escape the relentless meat-eater. She could tell the short male was getting tired, but he kept going. They went behind an outcropping and over a small rise. More sounds between them and then they were smearing themselves with dirt.
Perhaps they would survive if they had finally decided to mask their smell. They left the small depression which was in no way safe and that's when their luck changed. The meat-eater finally caught sight of them. It roared its dominance and hunger and began running toward them.
The strangers began desperately running. The shorter male followed by the female and then the two other males. She had the impression the others could run faster, but refused to pass the first male.
Seeing the giant toppled tree she hoped they would be smart enough – yes! The short male dove awkwardly under the exposed roots. The female quickly followed him. The other two males hesitated and then followed the first two.
She leaned her head against the rough tree bark and went limp with relief. She may not trust strangers anymore, but she did not want to see and hear them as the meat-eater tore them apart.
The meat-eater growled and roared in frustration as its prey simply dropped off from sight and smell. It trampled the bushes and slammed into nearby trees venting its anger. Finally, it gave up with a loud snort and moved off to find other prey.
She slumped against the tree trunk and waited. Soon the tallest of the strangers emerged and checked the surroundings before allowing the others to emerge. More low sounds! These strangers liked to make noise.
They looked around. Lost. Pleased that she had figured out their actions she settled to watch. The short male looked at the thing he carried in his hand and there was a lot of sounds made then the short male said something to the tallest and with a frustrated look the tallest set off walking back along the path the meat-eater had made.
Intrigued by them now, she followed. Awhile later they stopped and sat to rest and eat. They were all tired she could tell. The tallest helped the shortest to his feet and she cocked her head at the way they acted toward each other. They stood closer than the others did and concern showed on the tallest's face. Low sounds were exchanged and then the tallest gave the others a stern look before they began walking again.
She was hungry and tired. It was getting dark. The strangers were beginning to stumble. Sounds were exchanged and then a rope was tossed into a tree and the strangers made their way up into the tree. She nodded in approval. She could barely make them out in the fast falling night, but she could see the way they made sure each one made it into the hollow, how the tall one calmed the shorter. She also liked how they looked after each other making sure that each was okay and safe.
Perhaps they were not like the others who had hurt her so long ago. She would continue to watch. She would not hurry her decision.