As if the river was on his side it echoed the sound of approaching feet. He tensed and turned his head to see what forest predator was upon him. Not an animal! Human! He reeled away slipping on a stone. It was the last possible moment he could have avoided the shot, and he was untouched, on his hands and knees in the water.

Scrambling up he ran, clumsily tripping over stones in the riverbed. On his hands and knees again he grabbed a rock. Standing he threw it at the woman, not waiting around to see if he missed before he was running again.