“Trap,” Julia said dryly.

“Really?” John confirmed. “I’ve heard of trap lines in the winter…”

Julia was not about to divulge any more than she already had. Certainly not that she knew where to lay traps because of the lingering scent over the path. The tufts of fur along the path merely confirmed her hunch.

“Call it…” Julia said. “Woman’s intuition.”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

While pretending to focus on her supper, Julia closed her eyes and opened her mouth to improve hearing. The crackling fire was by far the most prevalent sound. There was also a squirrel foraging for—there! The source was large, bipedal, and surprisingly quiet. Someone must have followed me.

“Hello?” a man said.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

There were notable tattoos along his arms. She recognised the style… these were courtesy of jailhouse artists.

One caught her eye. It was an X-rated version of Ariel, the mermaid from myth. The long tail, perky breasts, and wispy hair were all notable details. The only thing that is missing is an anchor…

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

“Well…” John replied. “Share your fire to boil the water?”

Had she neglected to mention the scent, he would have gotten his water and left. It was her suggestion that gave him a reason to linger. —Assumes he was planning to leave in the first place…

“Sure,” Julia said with a meek smile. “I’m not using a good one-hundred-and-eighty degrees around the fire.”

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. Image is sourced from Pixabay.

This man belonged on the trail, namely well-built, bearded, and dressed for the part. It had been some time since she had laid eyes on a man in the wild, but something about him creeped her out. So much so, that even the multi-year dry spell would not cloud her judgement.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. Image is sourced from Pixabay.

Next was attending to her hunger, since the hike left her drained. With the help of a rock precariously perched atop a rabbit’s path, Julia ended up with supper roasting over the fire. The bunny was a little flat after the experience, but it tenderised the meat. It pays to make due with what one has.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. Image is sourced from Pixabay.