Another empty trap, it hadn't been once, there were signs of a struggle. The snow was a faded orange which told Jericho that it had happened several days ago. He wasn't the only hunter in these woods. Scattered about the place were the tracks of a coyote. Singular tracks, this time of year wolves tended to form larger packs to hunt with. The Coyote remained solitary, and he was as likely to scavenge as he was to hunt for himself.

Jericho unsecured the trap and stuffed it into his pack. Normally he'd re-bait the thing then move on. The problem was that he knew Pavlov was right. The Coyote had succeeded in finding a meal here once, he'd be back, and Jericho didn't have the time to wait for it to come back. There was another set of tracks in the area, these were more concerning for him since they belonged to a man judging by the size. He was heavy, whether from muscle or not wasn't something the print that was deeper at the heel than the toe could tell him. Jericho knew it wasn't fat though. You couldn't make it this deep into the forest and not be a little hard.

To begin with the tracks had meant nothing, they weren't fresh, not even so fresh as the Coyote's. The concern came from the tree where he'd attached his trap. There was a strip of red silk tied around its trunk that hadn't been there when he'd been here last. It meant one thing to the Mountain Man, come to Belglade. The mason Gio had been here. Why him and not... it didn't matter. He was tempted to ignore it, there were more traps to check. He even started in the complete opposite direction of the estate where he'd been held as a prisoner. Jericho turned around and looked at the tree one last time.

"Ohhh, you shouldn't have looked back, I tried to tell you don't turn around, but you never seem to want to listen when I'm talking sense." There was a price to pay for the solitude he enjoyed. That meant having only yourself to talk to. Jericho reached for the silk ribbon, cut it free and started towards the one place he didn't want to go. Civilization.

It was a week before he found himself stepping out of the forest and onto the back field of Belglade. It had changed, but not too much. The forge where he'd been held was gone, he had no idea what that meant. It was the children who noticed first, the strange animal stepping from the treeline. They ran for their father, Jericho didn't blame them, he was so bundled in fur that he was sure he looked like something out of a nightmare to them.

Jericho Johnson had walked a lot of miles. He?d walked up and down mountains, climbed when it was necessary. He?d walked until the ache in his legs had forced him to stop. It was strange how none of that seemed to compare with the difficulty he had crossing a simple clearing towards the manor house Abri nan syel la. He pushed onward though, angling away from the house itself to put himself on course to intercept Gio. It was an odd reception, not who he had expected to see coming at him. The mason was sturdy enough, he might even be imposing but Jericho kept a wary eye out for the smith.

Jericho felt spooked, could this be a trap to lure him in? He stopped walking letting the mason come to him. He could still see enough of Belglade to spot an ambush. What would he do if it were though? Could he escape into the woods again? He turned to look back the way he?d come and realized exactly how far out of it he?d come already. With his heart pounding in his ears the mountain man gripped the rifle barrel tightly. Its butt end rested on the ground, and he had no intention of drawing it, he needed to feel the little bit of comfort the solidness of it gave him. There was a lot of bad that had passed, and Jericho wasn?t so sure that nearly three years would be enough time to heal any of it. Right now he knew how the snow hare felt surrounded by wolves and only its white coat to hide it in the snow.

Gio stopped several paces from him, there was no smile on his face. There wasn?t one on Jericho?s either. Both men looked at one another silently. Curiosity finally broke the mountain man down. ?You called, I came. I probably shouldn?t have, I?ll admit to not wanting to? to wanting to pack my gear and go beyond where you could find me. I?m here though, against every instinct. What is it you want from me??

Silent for a time, lips pursed enough to make his lips a thin line. The heavy beard and mustache combined with the long hair and leather made him look like a bit like a caveman. He said nothing more to Gio, the man obviously hated him. All he could do was stand there and wait to find out why he had been summoned.

You came, He'd watched her as she crossed the yard, shall moving with her steps. He had come, he'd said he would. Why did she sound so surprised? "What else would I do?" Truth was there was something he could have done, had wanted to do in fact. He could have kept going, moved on to his other traps and finished out the season. That had occurred to him, had been tempting beyond measure. He'd tried in fact and only made it a few steps before angling his way towards Belglade's manor house.

"The question is, why did you ask me to?" Jeremiah pulled his hat from his head and ran dirty fingers through scraggy hair. He held it there as he shoved the flat brimmed homemade leather hat back onto his head. From there his fingers scratched at the beard. He'd considered removing the facial hair, but that would mean stopping and the last thing he needed was to take longer with this business.

No emergency?

No one wanting to kill him either, well perhaps 'wanting' was the wrong word.

No one was intending to kill him and that was nearly as good. "Thought about it, couldn't do it." He was abrupt if anything could be said about him.

"Yer waning to... go into business?" Jericho was trying to make sense out of this woman and her strange offer. "Just exactly how would this work? It's not one of those things were I do all the trappin and preppin and you make most of the money is it? I've been to the city, had me a job and I have to say. Lady that ain't no life."

There were probably a lot of merits to having a place like that. A lot of benefits for him despite his simple life. His fists were on his hips as he considered what he would call a good deal and what he would call being an employee.

"You looking at me exclusively?" There was plenty of game out there, it was better higher up though. He liked it up there, had a small place all to himself.

Picking apart his every word, his every expression, Shai listened as he went from a tone of surprise, to shock, then manliness overkill before she shifted on a foot and caught sight of movement through the treeline. That treeline would be her undoing, someday. It was probably only an animal, but it always got her attention.

"No, I will not be going into business with you. You will be working for me, through the winter. Oui, you exclusively." And this is the moment, things shifted. "You will do the trapping, the killing and if you need an assistant to help you do the preparation work, that can be seen to. These pelts, will be shipped abroad at my liking."

A single step forward made, towards him but not close. "I care little for what life you think this type of venture is or isn't. I can assure you though, you will make this work or I guarantee, I will see you....run from this area and never return. You have gotten your security back and your territory for the moment., It is my doing that you still breathe fresh air and have blood rushing your veins. Am I understood?"

(tbc)

"You owe me nothing." Bluntly stated. "This is a matter of business. It is your own defensiveness and guilt that is steering it towards what you perceive it to be. You are a business-man, I am a business-woman. There is a profit to be made with what you as a trade fill y! our days with. If you chose to walk away and not consider my proposal, so be it." She would not repeat what she had stated previously, it was already out there for him to think about.

Again, the movement beyond his shoulder. Enough so, she took a step to the left to watch a moment. The trees rustled, shadows dance and her sight went back to Jericho.

"Say what you will lady, but you were the one that already said it's your doing about my breathing." Jericho looked over his shoulder when she stepped to the left. "Something got your skirt in a bluster?" He'd been misled by the message, he'd expected trouble but not the kind he was looking at. At least there was a profit to be made, though the exact nature of payment hadn't been discussed yet. "I'll take your offer... until such time as I deem fit. Then we part ways and be happy with what we got."

That kind of thing was easy to say and hard to do. "I'll be a business man with you, but I do my end my way. I don't need no woman thinking she knows what's needed better'n me."

"Is what I said not fact? Do you dare to consider that what I have stated is not exactly the truth or are you so ignorantly arrogant, that you will stand before me right now and burn that bridge?" Shai ignored his question completely. Something or someone could rush from those woods at that very moment, and she would not utter the first word to him. "If I am not pleased with what you offer, you will receive not one copper pence from my hand. The pelts you prepare will be pristine or spit upon. My decision and not yours. Do not bring me rodent hide, Jericho. I will laugh in your face and bit you adieu. You will fetch large game, bear, panther, the like. You may keep the meat and the pelts will be paid in sums of the weight and measure. You do what you were born to do, hunt, trap and skin. Leave the actual thinking and planning and financing up to me." Turning on a heel, she began to step away and wrapped her shawl closer about her shoulder's.

"By the way, it is necessary to stand down wind of you....you stink like death."

"Aye, that happens when I ain't been home for a fair while... cuz I'm running off ta help a damsel in distress." He knew it was true, but the effort that made him this way was obviously unappreciated.

"Won't deny the fact of it, but will point out the timing. Where I come from that's a you'll do it cuz of that time you almost didn't breathe. No worries though Lady... I'll get yer game for yah, despite the mouth on yah." He watched her walk away and grunted. "There gonna be some papers for signing? I may sound like a hick from the hills lady but I know that much." He waited for a sign from her, whether she'd answer or not, looking to the spot where Gio had taken up residence and never once taken his eyes off the trapper. He was hurrying after her now like she had him on a leash.

(tbc)

"Look me dead in the eye and for the first time act like a man....call me a whore, that is basically what you think....so just say it like a man.... "

Gio was too surprised to move, at first, but he recovered quickly enough to stop Jericho if he made any kind of move against Shai.

Jericho's face twitched. The slam stung that much was true, but maybe now he was coming down to the brass tacks of why he was really here.

Spittle clung to his beard, but what was on his face was wiped onto his shirt sleeve. "If it's revoked it is. I ain't lost nothing that I can't get back easy enough. The only one throwin' around the whore name is you. Lady I seen whores, seen lots of them. Seen you too here in this place, with that man. That wasn't whorin' no... was something else and only you can make yourself believe any different." He was looking her in the eye, never had a problem doing that.

"I ain't proud of what was done, wanted no part in it. Wantin and gettin are two different things. Tell me you don't know that's true. If there's more then let it on out, or maybe I'll just start back into the trees."

Lowering her hand, Shai stood there motionless and silent. Unbreaking of his gaze, if he could only see what was ticker taping across her mind, right into her soul. In fact, if anyone could.

In the matter of moment's, her entire life and being had been transformed.

She was no longer the woman of unbridled passion....for life....for love....for breath....for peace. Her life had been lived in it's entirety, within the throes of carnality. She took life by the hair and made it her own. It was by HER choice. Not another.

In that moment, long ago, it all changed. Her choice had been ripped from her grasp. It had all been stripped away from her.

In that, the love of her life was taken away in turn. She had become a mere shell of yester and she had become a very bitter woman.

This mountain man....was right.

She had only been fooling herself. But, she continued forward, if only for Niko.

Brows furrowing harshly, so aware of what Jericho said, her expression turned utterly, painfully, strange.

"I....I....had pure intention's calling you here.....my offer is fact. I...." For the first time in many years, she was speechless.

Swallowing, her throat was so dry. "I....I will speak to my Solicitor and have the paper's drawn up, your condition's apply....." Nodding a slight bit, she finally looked away and turned.

Noting Gio there, she walked by him, visibly shaken and said quietly. "If Rochelle asks where I am, tell her I have gone for a walk. Niko is sleeping."

(tbc)