Crash

12: It felt good

Lyra-

I had just got back from my rabbit snares when I walked in and Nathan was looking around confusedly. He stared at me like he had never seen a girl before. Or maybe his concussion was really affecting his vision. 

He had a dazzling grin that would make most girls faint and bright green forest eyes that pulled me in. They reminded me of the jungle, wild, untamed and taking in everything new.

We talked about this and that, but when he brought up the 'other lady', I was confused.

Did he see my mother? He was honest to god describing my mother. Had she been at the crash? I had a good feeling he was the one who 'needed' me. If that was even relevant to my pain and trauma induced dream.

"So where you from and what brings you to the Rockies?" I asked casually, trying small talk.

"Texas and hunting. I have a three month long hunting trip every year," he said, chewing on a hunk of deer meat.

Damn I liked looking at this guy, he was even hotter awake. I liked his moderately dee voice. It was funny, the way he stared at me when I walked in and now I'm practically eye raping him casually.

"That explains the southern accent you got," I chuckled. Sexy accent anyway. 

"Yeah. What about you?"

"California. I was supposed to meet my dad, he's a national geographic wildlife researcher slash photographer," I said, smiling. It was getting easier to talk to Nate the longer I sat with him.

"California girl huh?" He grinned. He was kinda flirty and I tried to ignore that, but I liked the attention after being alone for so long. 

"So no ones going to be looking for you for three months?" I ask sadly, there goes another rescue idea.

"Yeah," he nodded unhappily.

"Well, you're stuck out here with me then. Unless you want to go out on your own," I offered and laughed.

"I don't mind being here with you," he grinned.

I felt my face heat up slightly, I turned back to the beginning of tanning a rabbit skin.

"So, how do you have all this?" Nathan asked.

"All of what?" I quirked and eyebrow.

"The food, the skins, your weapons. You obviously have skills," he gestured around the cave.

"Oh, um I learned from my father. He taught me everything I know. We've visited so many places. I've been to Indian tribes, remote cities, jungles, mountains, deserts- just everywhere and each of those places taught me something. It's just things I've picked up here and there," I shrugged.

"Smart girl," he said and looked at a piece of rabbit jerky.

I chuckled and went back to my rabbit.

"You gonna continue to see the world or...." Nathan trailed off to let me fill in.

"I've been thinking about college. My father doesn't know, but I applied for a few of them. I just don't know if I can leave him on his own. Yeah,  he's got his buddy Tony, but it's rare for him to work without me."

"Well, what do you want to do with your life?" Nathan asked casually.

"I want a degree and something to do with animals. Alexandra never allowed us to have pets because 'those overgrown dirty rats will just make a mess', but I've seen what my dad does with animals and maybe I can do what he does except I'll be closer to them."