Naked steel glittered against skin in the fading light of the day. With a practiced slice, the main artery in the neck was cut and bright red blood pooled onto the fallen leaves. A smile played at the corner of Garris’s cracked lips at least until the red turned to black and began to slowly ooze out of the wound. 
The ranger scrambled back, only just barley remembering to wipe the blade off on the dead deer’s nape. 

[b]<<Food?>>[/b] The comment was internal. It felt warm and soft like rabbit fur. It tingled at the back of his neck the way Ra’s touch had as she caressed him at their farewell. Garris looked at his companion. Cainmere was no bigger than a large dog but she had the litheness and built of a wolf. Her dark fur seemed to swallow what little light the sun had left to give but her violet eyes shown as bright as ever. They had traveled together for a little over a week but she had rarely spoken. She must be as desperate for a meal as he was.

[b]”You don’t want that,”[/b] he replied and pointed to the carcass at his feet. Her nose twitched slightly then she uttered a pained whine. He understood her exactly. Everyone would go hungry tonight. Loosening the water skin at his hip, he rinsed what little blood was still clinging to his knife and replaced it back in its sheath. [b]”It does explain a lot though.”[/b] Garris continued. It explained why there was very little game to be found in the area. Not, mind you, that he had time set traps or to go out of his way for tracking. They’d been lucky to stumble upon the deer, or at least that’s what he thought an hour ago.

Garris sighed and fished around in his travel sack for the correct parchment. As he unrolled it, the scrollwork glowed faintly under the ever dimming light. [b]”The next town should be in a day, maybe a day and a half’s walk away.”[/b] he announced. 

Like most things that came out of his mouth, Cainmere seemed to meet his words with indifference. He could have been talking to a tree for the good it did him. Wallace, the master ranger Garris served under and the original owner of the creature, had assured Garris’s of the beast’s intelligence and capabilities. As of yet, the Cainmere had offered no advice or even hint of suggestion and the only thing she seemed capable of was frightening off the local farm girls. Still, he supposed, a quiet companion that didn’t complain was perhaps better than no companion at all. 

[b]”I’d rather press on further while there’s even a little light left.”[/b] Garris said, taking off in the opposite direction they’d come. Cainmere, as usual, plodded silently behind. 

They hadn’t been traveling for more than an hour when the familiar scent of wood smoke stung Garris’s nostrils. The wind carrying the smell came from the west and even though it was a little out of their way, the thought that someone generous was cooking a hot meal was far too tempting to pass up. If not food, well perhaps the owner would at least be willing to trade information.

It didn’t take Garris long to find the source. A small fire was crackling away in a small clearing. On the opposite side, someone was grooming a horse. Like him, they seemed to be traveling alone.

[b]<<Food.>>[/b] This time the word was more a statement that a question. From where he stood in the shadows he didn’t see any cooking utensils near the fire or smell anything besides smoke coming off it. [b]”I don’t think so,”[/b] Garris whispered back, not bothering to hide his disappointment. [b]”And you can’t eat the horse… or the girl.”[/b]

Deciding there was nothing better to do, Garris took a breath and stepped out of the shadows. [b]”Hello there.”[/b] he said, trying to muster up his friendliest grin, [b]”We were just traveling through when I saw your camp fire.”[/b]