“Don’t be greedy, Kiki- you glutton.” Scrunching up my face as Kiki paused her creeping towards the stripped fawn, I shook my head with a smile. She’d eaten quite a bit more than I had expected, and happiness bubbled up in my chest at how much she liked deer meat.

Glancing around my campsite, my pupils narrowed to take in the shadows that combated the fire light. Yellows and oranges flickered off tree trunks and my tent, and I pulled my legs up to rest my cheek on my knee. I couldn’t let my mind wander to the next day, and I ran my tongue along my teeth absently as I sought something else to think of. The sun had set a while ago, making traveling to the stream dangerous; it might’ve only been a short ways away, but the forest changed in the dark.

“Do you think I could get my dad to support me moving out here, hm?” Posing my question even though Kiki couldn’t answer, I was met with a silence I expected. Staring into the fire, I rubbed my greasy palms together and furrowed my brows. My father took care of the bills no matter how many times I’d offered to cover my portion. He’d shut me down about even talking remotely of finances, and there was no way for me to break that ceiling.

His argument was that I was his child- his only child- and as long as I lived under his roof, I’d be treated as such.

Which is fine. It’s not like I don’t have a job or am a loser. My smile dulled to a frown at that thought, and I expelled a heavy sigh. Despite his mile long stubborn streak, my father wasn’t a bad dad in any way. And yet, here I am- nearly 27 years old and still living with him because I’m too lazy to do all of the work for an apartment I might not even use much.

We were two birds of the same feather- my father and I. He understood why I didn’t go to college or get a job at a cube farm like all of my high school friends had. In the same way he went into the military at 16, I started on my own journey.

But that didn’t mean I felt comfortable effectively mooching off him for the past ten years.

“Maybe I’ll look into it when I get back.” Muttering into my bare knee, my frown only grew deeper; I knew even as I said it that I wouldn’t look into anything. The wilderness was great for putting things into perspective, see?

“Come on, Kiki. Bed time.” Sweat caused my hair to stick to my cheeks and the nape of my neck, and I shook my head wildly as I stood up. Running my hand through the oily, thinning mass, I grabbed a bucket of water and dumped it onto the already low fire. A sharp hiss followed the darkness that blanketed my campsite, and I poked around the pit with a stick before turning to my tent.

Sleep refused to come easy to me; whether it was because this was my last night in paradise, or because of what weighed on my brain, I couldn’t tell. Staring at the curved ceiling above me, I propped my head on my arm to listen to the bugs beyond the polyester. No matter where I went, the sounds were usually the same at night. Crickets sang their songs, and nocturnal animals rummaged around for something to eat after a long day of sleep. The chorus couldn’t lull me to unconsciousness like it usually did, though.

Against my feet, Kiki’s powerful, compact body was hard but relaxed, and her huffs created a steady backdrop to nature’s music. Closing my eyes, I rolled my shoulders as the sounds grew slightly louder and hoped that I could sleep tonight.

“Good night sun, good night moon, I hope to see you both real soon…” Mumbling my little mantra, I sunk into my sleeping bag with a sigh. The fact that this was my last night here, coupled with how gross I felt, made my muscles twitch and skin itch. In mere hours I would be hopping in my truck to take the two day journey home, but there was still so much to see and do.

At least, that was what my busy mind was telling me just to get me out of this tent.

“Ugh.” Groaning softly, I pushed myself up to sit and grabbed a water bottle from the corner. Yanking off the cap, my fingers slipped on the smooth plastic a bit, and frustration welled in my chest. “Fudge this. I can’t sleep like this.”

Crawling miserably out of my tent, I shoved my feet into my boots to tromp in the general direction of the stream. Mine was a terrible idea, I knew; I should just deal with it until morning. Shadows within shadows surrounded me, and the insects around me quieted when I passed, leaving me in an ominous silence. Squinting through the darkness, I stepped slowly, carefully, as I made my way to relief.

Slapping my thigh hard, I let out a pained yelp from the sting even as the sensation of being a meal disappeared.

“God-! I forgot the bug spray!” My palm hit my elbow as I grumbled harshly, and Kiki whined as she slunk through the undergrowth beside me. Scowling at her silhouette, envy clogged my throat at her naturally thick fur that warded off mosquitoes. “Next time, just stop me from leaving the tent, okay? I’m an idiot. It’s dark, I don’t have bug spray… I’m going to break my ass out here.”

Kiki didn’t respond in any way, and I growled as if I was the dog. Maybe that’s why she’s ignoring me. She knows this is my fault, and I’m just being a whiny brat.

We’d only been walking for two minutes, but we were already closer to the stream than the campsite. There was no reason to back track, and I held my hands out in front of me even as the moon began to shine brighter through the canopy. Water trickling hit my ears like the call of a dinner bell, causing my skin to crawl with goosebumps and my stomach flip expectantly. My legs tightened, and I picked up my pace a bit with excitement and relief chasing away my irritation.

“See- I knew we could do it, Kiki. I had faith all along. And when we get back, I’ll be all s-!” A sharp shriek cut me off, and I didn’t even realize it’d come from my own mouth as the sound rang in my ears. My flailing arms did nothing to help me as I slid down the embankment of the stream. Against my ribs, my heart stuttered and jolted, and my vision blurred and spun.

Holding my palms out before me, I stared into the abyss before me before the trees and rocks became clear again. My mind frantically tried to catch up with what I’d just experienced; there was no other way to describe it but out of body. Blinking hard, I held my breath in quivering lungs before Kiki’s concerned whining broke through the wall surrounding my scope of comprehension.

“Shit-“ The slur was slow to roll off my heavy, dry tongue, and a shiver lodged between my shoulder blades. Kiki’s wet, cold nose nudged my belly and side, and I turned my dazed gaze to her to reach with trembling fingers for her scruff. “I’m okay, Kiki. I got this.”

Pulling my legs up one at a time, I ran my palms down my thighs and over my knees experimentally. In the dark, I couldn’t see if I was bruising, but the throbbing pain against my outer thigh promised of the marks to come. Hissing at my own painful prodding, I squeezed my eyes shut to take a deep, haggard breath. Sweat gathered on my upper lip, and I moved to my lower legs with clammy palms.

“Ow-w! Fuck! Ow!” My shrill cry echoed around me, and I winced at the sound even as sharp pain shot up my legs and spine. Carefully poking around my lower shin and ankle, I bit down hard on my bottom lip while tears welled in my eyes. My left ankle was definitely broken; I could feel the bones shifting and moving under my skin. Shuffling to my right leg, I sniffled hard at that same, harsh, stabbing pain that pierced up to the base of my neck.

“K- Kiki… go- search.” Bringing my shaking thumbs up to my lips, I let out a low whistle even while my mind worked overtime. I couldn’t move; the ankle I’d fallen on was broken and the one I’d used to stabilize myself was sprained- at least. Hugging myself tightly, I stared at my feet through wide eyes before realizing cold water was seeping into my boots.

Scooting a few inches forward, I gasped as the trickle sloshed over my swelling, aching ankles. My socks were instantly soaked, but the relief was almost immediate. Closing my eyes, I ducked my head into my knees to hiccup a sob. I’d probably be stuck here for hours before Kiki came back with help.

I was a fucking idiot for leaving my tent.