4. turf
The leaves were beginning to turn the color of Autumn when Ratonhnhaké:ton first took Marceline out for a proper hunting session. Marceline was stalking behind him, grumbling about having to leave her rifle at the manor, but Ratonhnhaké:ton had insisted, especially after their first meeting when she scared away all of the animals within a five mile radius with her beloved gun.
The bow that was strung across her back was one that Ratonhnhaké:ton had helped her make and while she has been practicing her use of the weapon for the past few months, she was nowhere near as good of a shot as Ratonhnhaké:ton, who practically grew up with a bow in his hand.
Ratonhnhaké:ton halted abruptly, his hand flying up signaling Marceline to stop as well. They both crouched lower in the brush, their eyes peering out over at the group of deer that were grazing just a few yards from them. Ratonhnhaké:ton looked over at Marceline and nodded. She adjusted herself, as silently as possible as she knocked an arrow to her bow, aiming carefully.
There was a small rustle from the woods around them that caused all of the deer to perk up as well as both Ratonhnhaké:ton and Marceline, who paused in her ministrations. The snapping of branches sent the deer sprinting in the opposite direction and the pair looked at each other in confusion.
"I wonder what it is that spooked them..." Marceline mumbled.
Ratonhnhaké:ton's ears picked up on an all too familiar sound and a feeling of dread filled him, "Run."
Marceline looked confused, "Quoi?"
"Run!" He grabbed her by her upper arm, pulling her up from her crouching position, forcing her to run along side him. A large Black Bear, larger than any Black Bear Ratonhnhaké:ton has ever seen, burst through the brush, bounding towards the two humans with a great roar.
"Merde!" Marceline screamed as she picked up the pace, causing Ratonhnhaké:ton to struggle in order to keep up with her long strides and in the most uncharacteristic and ungraceful moment, she tripped.
Marceline wasn't quite sure what transpired after that because she was sure she was about to be mauled to death, but when no pain came, she looked up, seeing Ratonhnhaké:ton's tomahawk embedded in the bear's skull. Relief swept over her as she looked at Ratonhnhaké:ton who was clutching at his bleeding arm which must have gotten cut by the bear's claws.
She hurried over to him, ripping a piece of her shirt off to wrap his wound, "Vous stupide garçon..." She muttered as she looped the cloth around his forearm where the cuts were. Looking up at him as she finished tying it, she smiled, not the dumb grin Ratonhnhaké:ton was used to seeing on her face, but an actual smile, "Thank you."
Ratonhnhaké:ton said nothing in response, just stared at her for a long moment before reaching up, ignoring Marceline's curious gaze as he plucked something out of her hair.
"Grass." He said, showing her the blade of grass that had been stuck in her hair.