Into the Woods

He tightened the blanket around his shoulders and huddled closer to the fire. The clear skies announced a cold night. He poured water in his tin cup and pushed it into the heat.

His horse snorted and reared. The tree branch it was tied to snapped, and he let out a vile curse. He dropped the blanket and braved the cold to catch the reins and soothe the horse.

Wary, he listened to the night and found only the wind whistling through the branches.

His horse snorted once more and stomped its hooves. He tightened his hold on the reins and scanned the forest again. He heard a soft rustle through the leaves and lowered his head in time to catch a shadow moving on the ground.

With a shrug, he looked for a sturdier branch and tied the reins of his horse safely around it. The cold seeping through his body under the silvery light of the full moon made him hurry to fetch his blanket.

He reached for his discarded canteen and sprinkled a few tea leaves in the hot water from the cup.

His spoon stopped halfway to his mouth when his eyes met the bewildered gaze of a mouse probing his supplies. With a sharp squeak, it turned and rushed right back to his horse, which reared anew.

"Oh no, you don't." and he let out another curse.

He put the last of the cheese on the tin plate a good distance away and huddled back into his blanket.

His hand sprung and his hat caught the unsuspecting little creature under it. He kissed his knuckles and patted the revolver on his side. He grinned the same way he did each time he had been faster than his foe and chuckled.

"Two can play this game."