Aust’s bribe was effective. He answered as many questions that I could shoot at him and offered information that I hadn’t even realized I wanted to know.

Animals that hid in brush and waited for prey to come to them were ambush predators such as big cats and snakes. Animals such as wolves and hawks, or any other that chased prey down, were pursuit hunters. Apparently, it was possible to learn which predators were which based upon observing their hunting grounds.

The small, well beaten narrow paths that Aust and I traveled on frequently were trails that had been forged by all manner of animals who used them as their roads through the forest. They were reliable and fairly safe so these trails had probably been around for decades. Runs were less frequented and usually ran between nests and dens to feeding areas. They changed depending on the needs of the animals using them. “They’re also good for trapping,” Aust told me as we passed one on our right. “Usually only one species will use them at a time.”

I soaked up as much information as I could possibly absorb during the walk back. “I guess it makes sense then as to why a few hunters always came back with ten to fifteen rabbits from one hunting trip. They found a run and just set all their traps up alongside it.”

“Takes the tracking out of the situation which frees up a large portion of time to do other things,” Aust agreed with me.

“As a ranger do you ever set up traps?” I asked.

Aust’s lips ticked up in a half smile. Dílis seemed to throw his head back in what almost felt like a laugh. “The things I hunt are usually much too large for traps to be effective. I can’t recall a time when a rogue turkey terrorized a village.”

I rolled my eyes. “Remind me at some point to tell you about how Father and I once had to take shifts through the night with slings and rocks to keep them out some of our fields. They are the stupidest of all the gods’ creations.”

“I feel there is a definite interesting story there. Perhaps I will have to remember to ask after that story some other time.”

“It’s not that long of a story. I can tell you now if you want…”

“As interested as I am to hear your story Lena, now would not be a good time. I do believe this is your home. Is it not?”

Abruptly, I came to stop on the path and looked up. Sure enough, we stood at the edges of the fields. Our house even visible in the early onset of twilight that had begun stretching its way across the sky. I’d been gone all day long again. Father wouldn’t be pleased in the least. “Oh…” I mumbled, heart sinking into my chest.

Aust laid his hand on my shoulder but said nothing as he guided me up the path to home.

My feet dragged as we climbed the stairs to the front porch. Aust actually ended up in front of me. He looked back over his shoulder when he reached the door, expectant. I wasn’t too keen on going right on in. Aust must have realized that because he let out a deep breath and shook his head before knocking on the front door. A very dominant part of me wanted to walk backwards and slip into the forest, never to be seen again. However, the door swung open before I could take action on that thought.

Father’s brow furrowed as he looked between Aust and I, the worry lines becoming more and more pronounced on the crease of his forehead. “Magdalena…” he said, slowly as if in warning.

“I believe this one is your daughter sir.” Aust twisted about, motioning towards me.

Father’s eyes darted from me to Aust and then back again. His mouth pressed into a tight, thin line. “Yes, she is,” he nodded.

The veins bulged in his neck from the way that he clenched his jaw. That didn’t make me pick my feet up any quicker to come up the steps. Aust continued on, as though he didn’t realize Father’s reaction. “I found her wandering around the forest on the trail of an obviously dangerous creature. This is probably the third time or so I’ve warned her about the forest and the second time I’ve escorted her from there.”

“The third time you say?” Father’s eyes narrowed as he leveled his glare at me.

Aust wasn’t being unkind in his explanation, just rather matter of fact about the entire thing. Father pulled his eyes away from me. “I apologize for the trouble she’s given you. She knows better than to make a nuisance of herself.”

A nuisance? A nuisance! I clenched my hands into fists at my side.

Aust didn’t seem to notice. Or if he did, then he completely ignored it and went on talking. “I wouldn’t go so far as to call it a nuisance sir, I assure you but… I worry about her safety if she continues to disregard warnings.”

The way Father looked at me made me feel as though I were a spot of mold growing on one of the crops. I fought the urge to look away from him and at the dirt. I would not be ashamed of my choice. I would not!

“Again, my lord ranger, I apologize profusely for Lena’s actions. I will speak with her again on what is expected of her.”

“I just don’t want to see anyone hurt.” Aust replied. “Please excuse me, it’s getting late and I should be getting back to the inn.”

“Thank you,” Father said.

The two of them gave each other a slight nod of acknowledgement before Aust turned and started back the way we’d come. I was left staring at Father who had nothing but a dark look in his eyes. A painfully tense moment pulled around us, like a blanket that was too thick. Father looked me up and down. He paused long enough to stare at what felt like all the little cuts and scrapes I’d gotten from the thorns. Finally, he threw his hands into the air and muttered a prayer under his breath to Sealdir. “What am I going to do with you?” he asked, hands falling again. “You were supposed to be working in the barn.”

“I finished all my chores this morning… and then did a few more that I knew you would want done.”

“So your first thought was to run into the forest and follow the King’s Ranger around?”

“Yes.”

Father blinked as my words filtered through his mind. His mouth fell open a bit at my bluntness. “You are acting like a fool,” he said when he found his voice again.

“I’m not half bad at tracking you know. I found a trail that was going cold. I impressed Aust. Did you know that?”

“Impressed him? Clearly he’s too polite to tell you that you’re being a pest.”

“That’s not what he just told you. He said I wasn’t being a nuisance…”

“Enough Lena… go inside and eat supper. We’ll speak about this later.”

My shoulders fell forward. As though the sharp, swift blow that fell on my confidence had actually been physical. Something tight clamped down on my chest and squeezed but even that didn’t seem enough to keep the bright red blush of embarrassment from flooding to my cheeks.

“Magdalena…” Father called after me softly.

Against my better judgement, I froze in place. I couldn’t bring myself to look over my shoulder at him. “Why can’t you just listen to what I tell you for a change? Why must you fight me at every turn?”

I didn’t say anything. Instead, I walked on, pushing past the heavy and dark silence that fell between us. I walked straight up the stairs and right to my bedroom, shut the door, and fell down in bed all while trying to fight back the burning tears that pricked at my eyes.