[ti]Ep 3.5[/ti]R&R [Cassandra, Closed]

[Nathan Walker]

Week 1, Day 7...

Humboldt-Toiyabe...

Sunrise...

The sun on his face is what woke him up.

Nathan slowly half-opened his eyes as he felt the dawn's early light wash over the small campsite he and Cassandra had set up after hiking into Humboldt-Toiyabe the previous evening. After a few moments getting oriented and making sure everything was alright he opened his eyes fully and looked around as he undid his sleeping back and climbed out, pulling on his boots before going over and grabbing his belt from where he had placed it by his head and buckling it on, feeling the familiar weight of his .44 Magnum revolver and knife back on his waist and his sense of nakedness disappear having his gear back on.

A quick look around told him that Butch wasn’t here, but her stuff still was meaning that she was probably still around doing her morning oblations or something of the sort. It had been a last minute invitation, brought on by discovering that she was headed into the area at the same time he was. They’d figured that it was best if they went together for safety in numbers instead of going in alone. Not that either of them couldn’t handle being alone in the wilderness, but it would certainly be safer watching each other's back.

And...if he was being honest...Nathan didn’t really want to be alone at the moment. He’d gotten the call a few days ago while he was in Omega. It wasn’t unexpected...they’d all known that it was coming sooner than later. He just hadn’t expected it to be a week after he’d last spoken with the man.

He shook away those thoughts for the moment with a shake of the head, deciding that there was too much to do at the moment. He went over to his bag and pulled out the lightweight kettle he’d packed in and carried it over to the nearby stream they’d set up next to, filling the kettle up all the way then carrying it back over to the campsite. Next he began to work on building a fire, using his tomahawk to scoop up some of the still glowing coals from last nights fire and deposit them onto the new set up he had made with fresh wood they’d stacked up last night along with some twigs and some kerosine soaked cotton balls he’d packed in. Once the fire was going he set the kettle next to it in order to boil the water he went over to retrieve his meal from the bear bag hung in the tree...Breakfast Skillet sounded good...along with a packet of instant coffee.

If Butch wanted to eat, she’d better hurry back.

[Cassandra Cassidy]

The woman began as a speck behind some trees, sauntering steadily up the path to her shared campsite. Her hands her were in her pockets, hazel-grey gaze turning to look at the passing trees and their occupants. Here, a chickaree chattered and leaped from branch to branch; there, a mourning dove cooed her sad song. All of this and more the cleaner observed with a smile, taking in the sights of nature and letting her thoughts drift. Butch had been awake for about an hour now, and had been scouting around for anything interesting, whether it be birds or bushes or rocks in the grass.

A few strides from camp, her saunter turned into a jog. It wasn't long before she announced herself with a, "Hey!" as to not startle Nathan, pushing aside a few low-hanging branches to enter camp. Butch wondered how long the soldier had been up, and if she should've left some kind of note before going on a little adventure. Her eyes went to the fire, a kettle sitting beside it in order to boil.

"Nothing interesting around camp," the woman commented as she came up opposite of where Nathan sat. "Just a mourning dove, some squirrels, and a robin or two. How's the morning going?"

She crossed her legs and sat on the ground, running a hand through her hair to push it out of her face. Her black sleeping bag and white pillow were rolled up behind her, tied together with a length of blue and white rope and a simple knot. Her own backpack leaned across the bag, slightly smaller and less-packed than Nathan's had been. That hadn't stopped her from bringing the essentials - toilet paper, a lighter, a toothbrush, and some other items were tucked safely away. She'd used some of those items to help make the fire the night before.

[Nathan Walker]

He heard her before she spoke, his hand slowly inching towards the worn Pachmayr grips of the Smith & Wesson 629 on his belt before relaxing when he heard Butch’s voice, and his hand retreated quicker than it had inched there.

“Well enough.” he replied as he reached for his camping cup and poured in the coffee mixture, then followed it with a packet of sugar which he stirred together with a coffee stirrer before reaching over and grabbing the water kettle that had been boiling for the past five minutes. Perfect length of time to kill any bacteria and other harmful organisms in the water, an absolute necessity when one retrieves water from the wilderness. Sure there were pumps and tablets one could use to purify, but if Nathan had a choice he always preferred boiling as it was the safest method. Also tasted better in his opinion.

“You got a cup and some coffee?” He asked as he filled the cup with the boiling water, then set it back down next to the fire and began stirring the contents of the cup. “Water’s also for cooking breakfast if you got freeze dried breakfast.” he remarked as he finished stirring, then took a short sip. Much better than instant coffee type 3...heck it was even better than instant coffee type 2.

Then again...most things on the civilian market were better than what you would typically find in a Meal Ready to Eat.

[Cassandra Cassidy]

"No coffee, but I brought some chili and instant noodles," Butch replied, nose twitching a little at the scent of Nathan's brew. She could really go for some coffee, now that she thought about it, but didn't ask for any of Nathan's. Instead, she went over to her bear bag hanging in the same tree as Nathan's, lowering it down after undoing the knot that held it fast. Butch rummaged around in its contents before pulling out a styrofoam cup with a cartoon chicken on it. The plastic seal was swiftly removed and stuck back in the bear bag, revealing noodles and a small package of chicken stock. A package of wooden forks were removed next, the cleaner hastily retrieving one before tossing it back into the bag.

"Thanks for boiling the water," Cassandra called back to Nathan. "What do you mean by 'freeze-dried breakfast'? You eat MREs off the clock, too?" She turned around with a mildly amused look, striding over to make herself some breakfast. She knelt down and grabbed the kettle, pouring the steaming water in without missing a beat.

Once the noddles had been allowed to soak and cool, Cassandra would mix in the chicken stock after ripping open the package with her teeth. She spent a minute eating in silence, savoring the flavor of her noodles and the peace of the early morning. Even cheap 7-11 food tasted better in the wilderness, she found, and the ambiance was one she sorely missed in her busy life. A peaceful smile settled on her face, less tired than her usual ones. Butch sighed in contentment.

"Sleep well?" she asked Nathan. "I did. Slept like a baby, it feels like."

Well, mostly. If Nathan had awoke during the night, he might've caught Cassandra tossing and turning a few times. Not that people didn't toss and turn when they slept....

[Nathan Walker]

“Go in my pack. I have a few extra packets,” Nathan replied. “It’s instant, but it’s pretty good for instant.”

Back when he hunted with his grandfather and uncle, they were able to be a bit more lax in terms of carry capacity since they were able to throw any extra stuff they couldn’t fit on their horses onto Willow who would serve as a pack horse. Cast iron skillet, steaks, potatoes, a big old coffee pot that had been seasoned for eighty years, fresh beans. They ate like kings when they were out in the brush.

But now, on his own, he needed to be more careful with the weight he carried into the wilderness. Something that Bob Crane had helped teach him.

Damn it.

“Nah, these are much better than MRE’s,” Nathan replied as he opened up the packet and poured some boiling water into it, then sealed it up and shook it a bit to make sure it got all around in there. “Mountain House,” he said, indicating the label. “Full of protein and taste phenomenally better.”

Not to say that all MRE’s tasted bad. The beef stew was decent, and the BBQ patties were something that Nathan would trade for in a heartbeat. But this civilian stuff was much better. Probably because it wasn’t made by the lowest bidder. Military grade his ass.

“I slept like a log.” he replied as he stirred in the contents of a pink sugar packet then took a sip from his coffee. Much better.

He generally slept soundly. The perks of having a guilt free conscious.

[Cassandra Cassidy]

"Good," Butch said between slurps of noodle. "Nothing beats being under the stars, does it? Sometimes it feels too quiet in a house. The crickets help something...primal, I guess. Something about being able to hear the noise of the woods."

It wasn't long before she finished her instant noodles, downing the rest of the broth in a big gulp. The wooden utensil was slotted in to rest haphazardly against the cup's side. Since Nathan had so kindly offered, she decided to go and help herself to some of that coffee of his. Standing up, she went over to his pack, carefully sorting through it until the coffee was found. Butch took a single packet, tearing it open with her teeth. The contents were dumped into her noodle container, and despite the dregs of chicken flavoring still sticking to the sides, Butch went and filled it with hot water. She didn't even bother stirring it around before taking a long sip.

"Ahhhh. Much better. Thank you."

She let the half-mixed concoction sit in her cup for a moment, and looked off to the side. She squinted her eyes as if to look for something, leaning forward. Pulling back, she stretched out her legs and turned to face the distance, taking another long sip of coffee. Silence resumed between the two outdoor-goers, Butch giving Nathan time to enjoy his Mountain House. She glanced over as he ate, quietly observing for a moment, then went back to admiring nature.

"So," said she, "what are the plans for today?"

[Nathan Walker]

“Eh...I’m fine with sleeping outdoors, but I certainly appreciate the modern conveniences of air conditioning, modern mattresses, and other pieces of civilization.” Nathan replied with a chuckle before he took another sip of coffee.

He’d grown up in the outdoors, but those excursions hadn’t been longer than a week at most. When he joined the military he had been introduced to the concept of living out in the wilderness for extended periods, sometimes more than a month at a time in the airborne. And when he joined Special Forces, there had been some times where sleeping under a roof had happened only twice out of a six month period. So as comfortable as he was outdoors...he also enjoyed modern plumbing.

“Can’t start the day without coffee. At least that’s what my grandfather told me.” he chuckled as he reached over and opened up the top of his breakfast container and allowed the smell of eggs, bacon, sausage, peppers, and cheese to fill the air. He quickly withdrew his eating utensil from his pocket and began to dig in. Definitely better than the Veggie Omelet MRE...not that that was a very high bar to overcome.

“Today we’re mainly going to be on the move for the most part unless we manage to bag a buck.” he said after a moment of chewing and swallowing a mouthful. “I have some good ideas as to where to start looking, but I tend to hunt on the move. If I do manage to get one though, we’ll be in place for a long while so that I can field dress the kill and prepare it to move out tomorrow.”

Another reason why he was glad Butch was here. Made packing out the kill much easier. Besides, he could probably buy her service with the offer of a pair of venison steaks.

[Cassandra Cassidy]

Butch's nose twitched again at the smell of the fully-cooked meal. Now that it was heated and ready to go, it did smell pretty good. It didn't look half-bad either as Nathan scooped and shoveled it into his mouth. "Where do you get those Mountain House things, anyway?" Butch asked, taking another sip of her coffee.

As Nathan explained the day's plan, Butch nodded along. "Any plans in case you don't score a buck?" she asked. "I think there's some kind of introduced partridge around here. Might be good to try with a side of potatoes and green beans back home." She fully intended on helping him dress the kill in the field and pack the meat if he asked. The thought of asking about some of the meat didn't cross her mind, but if Nathan offered, she'd take it. The woman was a sucker for food from the bush, having gathered things at home to cook and store herself. It had been a long time since she had venison....

"Where do you think we should start?" Butch asked. "I could scout ahead, see what there is to be found. I move pretty quiet and I've stalked prey in the brush before. Didn't have a license to kill anything, but it didn't stop me from seeing what was out there for others."

[Nathan Walker]

“Just about anywhere that camping supplies are sold.” Nathan replied before taking another bite of his meal. “I got these at the Sportsman’s Warehouse near Jasper. They had them for a good price. I also picked up a few boxed bundles for my emergency stash at my apartment.”

It wasn’t a large stash by any means, but since he had been truly on his own Nathan had taken to establishing a small stash of supplies that could last him for about twelve days, two more than what was recommended for emergency preparedness stashes. Most of it was made up Mountain House freeze dried meals, but there were a few other things such as granola bars, trail mix, beef jerky, and other snacks to fill the gaps between meal time. In addition to that, there was fuel for a small cooking stove, matches, basic medicines, and a couple of boxes of ammunition that he didn’t touch for any other purpose.

“If I don’t get a buck, then I don’t get a buck.” he said simply before washing down his bite of food with some coffee. “I only have a tag for one buck, nothing else. I’m hunting for sport, not for food. So if we don’t find a buck worth shooting, then I don’t go home with any game. All I’m out is a couple of bags of dehydrated food.”

And he didn’t have to deal with any game wardens.

“Stay by my side. I have a few ideas of where to start, but there isn’t too much of a rush. As I said, I’m not trying to fill a quota.”

[Cassandra Cassidy]

"Smart," Butch said at the mention of a stash, taking another sip of her coffee. "Very smart."

The plan laid out was something she had no qualms with. Stick by him, stay on the move, bag a buck if they could. If they didn't? No loss on their part. Cassandra was a bit surprised to hear he wasn't hunting for food, but didn't voice this. She was too used to hunting for such in the past, whether it was in her childhood or with friends. The cleaner looked to the distance and the myriad of surrounding trees, tapping a finger against the side of her cup.

There wasn't much else for her to say. She continued taking pulls from her coffee, looking at the wilderness and watching for wildlife. At one point, a downy woodpecker landed in a nearby tree, and Butch quickly rose from the ground. She slowly approached that tree, her drink in her good hand, and cocked her head to get a better look at the lower branches. The black-and-white bird drummed a loud rhythm against the trunk, signalling it was a male in search of a mate. It did this for a minute or two, then scurried up the tree to hammer its song elsewhere. Butch turned and watched its departure, a small smile on her face as it disappeared into the flora.

"You ever wonder why we're here?" Butch asked, sudden and unprompted. "What made things turn out the way they did so that you're where you're at now?"

[Nathan Walker]

Nathan was quiet for a moment as he considered her question, taking the opportunity to also finish up eating from his meal and dispose of the waste by placing it into the bag that he had prepared for such a purpose. Since the bag wasn’t biodegradable, that meant that they had to carry out such trash items and dispose of them at another place. That wasn’t so much of an issue for Nathan as the trash was much lighter than the original item and took up less space. Add to the fact that he was used to having to carry out his trash, both from before his military days and during his military days.

Hell...it isn't even the worst item that he had to carry out in order to ensure that he ‘left no trace behind’.

“I haven’t given too much thought to it.” Nathan replied as he took a long sip of coffee before picking up the hot water canister and carrying it over to the stream, then began to clean his eating utensil with the hot water and some soap from his bag.

“I mean, it’s not like I ever had any control in deciding to come into this life.”

Religion wasn’t something that was a big part of Nathan’s life. While he would agree that there was probably some sort of higher power (based on his experience that there was no atheist in a foxhole), he wasn’t inclined to delve very much further into the subject. He had seen too much in the last nine years to really care too much about knowing said higher power.

[Cassandra Cassidy]

He didn't give much thought to the idea, yet it took him a moment to answer her question. It could be argued as ironic, and brought a small smile again to her face. She didn't press him more on the matter, instead tipping her head back and downing her coffee. The brew disappeared in a few quick gulps, Butch crushing the foam cup in her hand afterward.

With Nathan cleaning his utensils, Butch began to attend to her own affairs in camp. She went and cleaned out her bear bag, putting the items inside back into her pack. The sleeping bag was rolled up and reattached to her pack, shaken out first before Butch did so. The foam cup disappeared into one of the front pouches, followed by her snapping in half and storing away her spoon. Nothing was said as she worked, the woman swift and tidy in her doings. The only thing that disturbed the silence in camp was the scrubbing of Nathan's spoon and the drumming from the amorous woodpecker.

Butch began to walk under a tree when something flew at her shoulder from the corner of her eye. The cleaner ducked and twisted away, looking up in surprise. By her foot landed a pinecone, freshly-picked from a nearby tree. The angry chatter of a chickaree greeted her, the squirrel perched on its hind legs and nattering up a storm. "Heh," Butch muttered, shaking her head and turning away as the chickaree launched another pinecone from where it sat.

[Nathan Walker]

Cleaning was finished quite quickly as there wasn’t much to do. Nathan wiped the utensil on a towel he had with him and then stowed it back in his day pack, then went about the business of tidying up the campsite. All the food beyond what he would be carrying was placed in the bear bag and hung back up in the tree. His sleeping bag was then shaken out and rolled up, then placed with the rest of his stuff. The remaining contents of the hot water kettle were tossed over the fire to smoother it, followed up by another kettle full to kill any lingering embers, after which he used his tomahawk to stir the ashes and make sure they were smothered by dirt.

Satisfied that the campsite was secured for the moment, Nathan began to dress in the remaining equipment he would need. Vest, ballcap, and pack were all placed on, then he checked the weapons on his belt. Tomahawk, knife, revolver, and spare ammo were all in place. He pulled the pistol from his belt and opened the cylinder briefly, confirming what he knew by feel that all six rounds of .44 Magnum ammo were in place. He closed the cylinder and placed the weapon back in it’s holster and latched it up tight.

Satisfied that he was nearly ready, Nathan went over to his gear and extracted the last thing he would need. He selected a long item wrapped up in a camo sheet, and upon unwrapping it revealed what it was: a Winchester Model 70 topped with an older model telescopic sight. He gave the rifle a quick visual inspection, opening the bolt to check that the rifle was still unloaded then giving the scope a quick inspection. So far so good.

“You about ready?” he asked, addressing Butch.

[Cassandra Cassidy]

"Ready when you are," Butch replied. She walked back over to Nathan, stopping for a moment to admire the gun in his hands. A fond look came across Butch's face, one of nostalgia and memories of hunting with her father. She could still see in her mind's eye the man poised to shoot, eye on the telescopic sight, silent as a true predator in the wilderness.

"Nice gun. My Dad had one of those when I was a kid," the woman commented. As she did, she adjusted her pack, making sure the straps didn't cut into her shoulders too much. "A Winchester, I mean. About the only gun I can recognize on sight from how much he used it, heh."

The chickaree still chattered at them from its perch on the tree. Butch ignored it now, instead walking toward the path out of camp. She would stop at the entrance in case Nathan didn't walk in step with her, giving him time to catch up. If he didn't, she'd walk in step with him as she had done weeks ago, back when they'd first met in Humboldt-Toiyabe. Her stance was different this time, though - she was more relaxed around him. There was no way she'd turn her back on him before, during their first encounter.

It was odd, Butch figured, how fast she was coming to trust the Sergeant. The trust of her coworkers had been hard-won, forged over dozens of dirty jobs and moments of banter in the office. Butch's walls were high and thick, and she always kept an air of formality with those she didn't know well. It had been years since she'd gone and decided to go on a random hunting trip with practically a stranger. Her mother had always chided her for disappearing into the woods with people she'd just met, back in wilder days of hers.

[Nathan Walker]

“Your Dad had good taste then...” Nathan looked up with a smile, then looked back down at the rifle in his hands as that smile remained on his face. “My grandfather had one just like this...got it before he went to Vietnam. Said they had a really good year on the ranch so for Christmas his father bought him a Winchester Model 70. Used that rifle ever since...I remember I wanted one just like it for my birthday. He must have visited half the gun stores in the state before he found one just like his in decent condition...”

He chuckled thinking back to that day. The rifle had actually been a gift from his parents, but he knew that his grandfather must have been the one to find it since his Dad knew next to nothing about firearms and his Mom wasn't a hunter like her father and brother.

He stood up then and slung the rifle over his shoulder with the aid of the worn leather sling attached to the rifle, then did a quick inspection of the camp to make sure he wasn’t forgetting anything important before leaving the campsite to follow behind Butch, noticing that she took time to wait for him. Normally he would have been alone on such an expedition...but he found Butch’s company pleasant. Perhaps it was better that he wasn’t alone...he hadn’t hunted alone for at least a few years. Not since he’d met Bob.

He’d move at a cautious but lax pace, taking his time as he went through the brush. There was no hurry, no objective to complete. This was for relaxation, and for healing.