The Beast of Bray Road, Part Two

[doctormagnus]

The evening is colder than she expected, and the sun seems to be setting unusually early. Helen looks up and is greeted by angry clouds, billowing on the horizon. The entire sky looks dull and overcast, and she wonders to herself how long this investigation is going to last tonight.

She shuts the car door, shoulders her pack, and turns on her flashlight, leaving the venison for James.

"Ready?"

Comments

[doctormagnus]

She senses he's being a smart arse but ignores it, pressing on down the trail. It's not her fault she's usually giving orders in the field to people far less experienced than James.

[dr_jd_watson]

James smiles and follows her. He's so absorbed with following the trail that he barely even registers that magnificent bum of hers.

[doctormagnus]

She stops and squats down, examining a section of the trail that seems heavier laden than the rest.

[dr_jd_watson]

James moves next to her, crouching and studying the ground himself, eyes darting keenly.

"It stopped here, for some minutes. Resting perhaps?"

[doctormagnus]

"Hmm. Seems that way." She looks around the area to see if someone may have caught its attention and if that something is still in plain view.

[dr_jd_watson]

James studies the ground with her, making a soft noise of surprise as he notices a blood-spot on the ground.

[doctormagnus]

She nods when she sees it, too, quickly reaching for a swab to take a sample.

[dr_jd_watson]

"It could have fed here, or it might be injured. It's hard to say for sure. An analysis of the blood will tell us more."

[doctormagnus]

She carefully contains the sample and hands it to him to put in her pack so she doesn't have to waste time taking it off. They work in near-perfect sync after all their years together.

[dr_jd_watson]

James remembers the routine well. He knows exactly which pouch each sample-type goes into, and he tucks it away in seconds, snapping a few photos of the area before nodding for her to continue on.

[doctormagnus]

She pauses and smiles for a moment, just long enough to tell him that he's getting lucky tonight.

[dr_jd_watson]

He beams in answer to that, tongue darting out to wet his lips in anticipation before he returns himself to mission-mode and reacquires their trail.

[doctormagnus]

She steps back and lets him take the lead, partly because she wants to admire his ass in Levis, and partly because it makes sense given he's more likely to see a clue before she does.

[dr_jd_watson]

James smiles at her and takes point, flashlight sweeping the ground as he slowly advances. "It seems to have been moving quickly..."

[doctormagnus]

"How quickly? Skittish animal quickly? On the hunt or possibly the prey?"

[dr_jd_watson]

"No, not hunting. Look at these broken branches. It's not remotely trying to hide its location from potential prey. It's just running..."

[doctormagnus]

"I wonder if it's being hunted," she comments, looking around with a frown. "Any sign of human tracks, James?"

[dr_jd_watson]

"None so far. I've been looking, but..." He shakes his head. "I suppose it's possible the light from our torches is frightening it."

[doctormagnus]

"It stands to reason it's a skittish creature. It's clearly afraid of humans or it would show itself more often. Now... why is it coming out at all?"

[dr_jd_watson]

"Well, the woods should provide adequate food, so we can provisionally rule that out. Unless it's somehow unable to hunt? I suppose it could crave society?"

[doctormagnus]

"So it could be lonely? Huh. Canines do tend to desire a pack."

[dr_jd_watson]

"They do. There was a lone wolf in Alaska that entered a community and started making friends with the local dogs. And, of course, there are cases like Henry, who was so lonely that he walked right up to the strange lady even though he was terrified of humans..."

[doctormagnus]

She melts a little. "Perhaps we're going about this all wrong, then. We're doing nothing to earn its trust tracking it through the forest like this."

[dr_jd_watson]

"May be time to go about this a little differently, then. What do you think?"

[doctormagnus]

"Well, it knows our scent now. Let's leave it some of the meat and save the rest for tomorrow? Then, when we return with more food, it'll begin to associate our scent with feeding."