It made sense that he was so unfazed by my bitchy attitude. You’d have to be one tough bastard to survive out here. Everything in the woods demanded effort and patience.
We neared the river, Larry bounding ahead to leap onto the rocks. He plunged his paw into the water as if to grab for something, but came up empty. This section of the river had large boulders that offered good crossing points, but required me to jump a decent distance between each. I’d scouted it a few times and practiced long jumps in the shed whenever I could. Fortunately, my glutes were in the best shape of my life right now.
The hop to the first boulder was easy. I regained my balance and jumped again before overthinking it. Thankfully, if I did fall in, I wasn’t too far from the cabin. I could drag myself back with my tail between my legs and give up. If fate dunked me, then I’d resign myself to the woods and become a full-blown forest crone with fifteen children in tow.
Four boulders down and two to go. The last few were straightforward. Larry, ever nimble, bounded ahead one boulder, then two, before looking back as if to encourage me. I leapt twice, and finally, my boots landed with a squelch on the damp bank on the other side.
I made it.
The dense woods ahead still allowed enough morning light to filter through, guiding my way. From what I could tell, it seemed the forest would open up again on the other side of this deer trail, just before the cliffside, which I hoped was only a twenty-minute walk away.
It was not.
I estimated that at least forty minutes passed before we reached the other side of the small patch of trees. The distance was out of proportion to the city. I was out of my element. The field, which looked so insignificant from the cabin, now stretched out for what appeared to be a mile or more between me and the cliff face.
I let out a sigh but kept moving through the frosty grass. The sun glinted off the still stubborn mounds of melting snow. There were a few bare spots scattered about where deer trails converged before branching off again like a spider’s web. I followed one that headed in my desired direction, which made the journey through the matted dead grass less daunting.
Larry wove from side to side as he made his way down the trail, pausing now and then to pull out a stick or rock. The sun climbed higher and higher in the sky. I didn’t have a clock like I did back at the cabin, but it still seemed a while before noon. Once I reached the top of the cliff, I could turn on my phone and check the time.
I wasn’t sure how long the rest of the trip took, but as I fell into the shadow of the mountain, the sun was dangerously high.
Shit.
If Gray found me gone, he’d implode. He’d have no idea where I was or what had happened to me. I should have left a note.
As I reached the bottom of the cliff and gazed up, I started thinking of a million things he might deduce about my absence. Maybe he’d think the rats came back to exact revenge for their blue tarp-do-minium, or perhaps he’d suspect the mafia found me and snuck me away.
He must be an experienced tracker, right? He was a hunter, and they had to be. I hadn’t considered that. What if he was already behind me, closing in?
I looked back across the field. Nothing but the occasional gust of wind and some clouds gathering on the horizon. The weather didn’t seem threatening. The clouds were too thin for any real precipitation, but it definitely felt colder than before.
I set my pack down on the icy snow at the cliff’s base, having eyed a good route to the summit. The climb appeared to have distinct ledges, which would break up the ascent and make it the safest path.
The most challenging part was this first section, an overhang. I took out my climbing rope, cams to anchor me if I slipped, and harness, securing them to my belt before putting it on. I hoisted the backpack back onto my shoulders and let out a breath. Larry found a suitable evergreen and settled among the branches, picking apart a pinecone.
“Okay, Larry. Here goes nothing,” I murmured.
Reaching out an arm, I found my first handhold and began my ascent. With considerable effort, sweat beading on my brow, I overcame the crux and reached the first ledge. The second ledge was higher but more vertical than the first, which was a relief. The final ledge was the easiest, resembling a challenging vertical hike more than a climb. I left all the anchor cams in the rock face to simplify my descent. Securing the rope to a small, weather-beaten bush, I left on my belt and hiked a few more feet to the summit.
I dropped my pack, took a deep breath, and gazed out at the vast landscape, awestruck by the solitude and wilderness around me. The sun was high overhead. It was at least noon, if not later. I’d underestimated the time it took to scale the cliff, too, and unfortunately, that probably meant Gray would inevitably find out I was gone.
I sighed, hands on my hips. He’d be fine. I just needed to brace myself for what was coming, praying he wouldn’t—or would—resort to a spanking.
Giggles burst out of me.
I couldn’t help but think it. Devious sexual desires happened more often than I liked to admit in Gray’s presence. Making him grumble and growl was a favorite pastime of mine. I knew if we had a different relationship right now, I’d be getting some toe-curling rewards with a few‘yes sirs’for good measure.
I knelt and searched my pack, pulling out my cell phone. My long-sleeved thermal remained on as I shed other layers of clothing. I stuffed all the extras back into the pack. The cold wind cut through the fabric, but it was a welcome sensation after my workout.
Looking down, phone in hand, I said a brief prayer and turned it on.
Every time the phone booted up, it was a relief. Blue light bathed my face, and the phone beeped once as each status icon lit up at the top. The signal indicator was spinning in search. I held it up, turning slowly, moving left then right. Nothing.
Until.
Dings flooded in, the phone buzzing in my hand like a timer going off. Missed messages popped up on the screen, one after another. I let out a squeal of delight as they poured in, ebbing and flowing as the phone repeatedly found and lost signal.
Short on time, I began to read.
