Alice POV
I lay stock still, on the damp forest floor. Branches crunching under the human's feet, quiet whispers broke the silence that fell over the forest.
"Maybe we should turn back Sid, there's nothing alive out here" the voice was shaky and timid.
"Nonsense boy, there's plen…" His harsh voice broke on the last syllables as they saw me lying completely motionless. They stood still, their heavy breathing the only sound. I opened my eyes a fraction, enough to see the scene before me but not enough for the men to notice. They were shocked, and scared. The youngest of the pair looked as if he was ready to bolt at the smallest opportunity, the older looked like he was stifling a scream.
Several minutes passed before the pair moved from their frozen positions. The older beckoned the younger forward silently.
"Go on son, you've done first aid aint ya?" The younger man nodded slightly and moved towards me, on tip toe, ready to run. The fact I was unable to breathe was getting uncomfortable, I longed to smell the woody scent of the forest again, picking out the different animals amongst the sharp pine scent. But I couldn't risk these two humans, no matter how foolish they were, they didn't deserve to be slaughtered.
I glanced at the boy moving towards me, my eye open the smallest fraction. He looked about seventeen, quite good looking but a bit too scrawny. His long arms only very slightly bulging with muscle, a bit like Jaspers.
Jassspppperr, a voice purred in my head, reminding me of my true love. I snapped my eye shut and waited for the boys fingers to hit the granite hard skin of my wrist. To lesson the discomfort the lack of smell brought, I imagined Jasper laying next to me, just holding me in a sweet embrace.
I felt a soft warm brush against my wrist, and heard the boy jump backwards in alarm.
"What is it son?" Sid called, his voice laden with fright.
The boy stammered a brief response, "ice cold skin, no pulse" with that he turned on his heels and ran, back the way he came. His friend close behind. I didn't move or breathe until their loud footfalls had dissolved into the calls of the birds as they realised the obvious danger had passed.
I let myself breath again, welcoming the sharp bite of the pine, the warm feathery scent of the birds and the cool of flowing water. I opened my eyes and remembered I had imagined Jasper next to me, how safe I had felt, how sweet it had been just to remember his presence. I rose from the damp floor quickly, and took in a deep breath. The hunters were long gone. I ran back to the bodies of the deer and quickly buried them, covering up the bloodstained grass with soil. I took one last look at the meadow, it looked as if it had never been touched and ran as fast as my legs could carry me back home. I ran faster than ever before, driven on by the thought of seeing my precious Jasper once more.