Rachel had arrived at the cabin over a half hour before Amanda, having, of course, no idea how far behind her Amanda was. Her wound had almost stopped bleeding, but she did think it wise to treat it with a bit of ointment and the cabin was conveniently on the way to her destination.

She quickly retrieved the antibiotic from the first aid kit and took it outside to apply it. Amanda could be coming any minute and she didn't want to be caught inside four walls.

Once she had squeezed some ointment from the tube and applied it to her wound, she was sorry she had done it. The smell was very distinctive, unlike anything in the woods.

"Shit. I might as well leave a trail of bread crumbs for Amanda to follow. Well, the wind is behind us and it might pick up."

Suddenly, Rachel sensed she was being watched.

And not by Amanda. She was sure of that.

And she was being watched with interest. With hunger.

Yet, Rachel did not fear this hunger.

What did this mean? Was she succumbing to a fascination with viewing herself as a source of food?

She could tell that she was being viewed in that way, now.

It would almost be comforting to see Amanda, because she felt she understood, on some subconscious level, Amanda's hunger.

But this was not the same.

Whatever was observing her was...

Right at her feet.

"Oh, hi, little fellow." Rachel bent down to pet the rabbit that was looking up at her expectantly. "I'm sorry I didn't bring any carrots today. Traveling light. You know what? Just a little while ago, I was thinking of another rabbit, not a real rabbit, a cartoon rabbit."

Then Rachel remembered a cartoon in which Bugs Bunny had felt sorry for a fox that was being pursued by hounds and Bugs put on a fox costume and...

"I don't have any food, but I think I might be able to give you something even better than food," Rachel said with a smile. "Something like a magickal protection."

Rachel squeezed ointment from the tube onto her hand.

"Now, I know this stuff smells terrible, but that's the whole idea," she said as she rubbed the ointment into the rabbit's fur. "With this stuff all over you, no stoat will come within ten feet of you. Of course, probably no lady rabbits will, either, but you seem like a strong, independent type; you can take the ladies or leave them, right? Now, you might find that this will attract the attentions of a huge red-headed human female, but I don't think she'll bother you. She isn't hunting rabbits today. I wouldn't expect her to give you any carrots, though. She might take exception to the notion that you've helped me out."

Having covered the rabbit with almost the entire contents of the ointment tube, Rachel patted him on the head, picked him up, and pointed him west.

"Now, you head west and I'll head north." She gave him a pat on the behind to get him moving.

As she watched him bound off in the direction of the special clearing, Rachel said, "Oh, don't forget to turn left when you get to Albuquerque."

Dropping the empty tube on the ground, Rachel headed for her hiding place, the last place Amanda would look for her, she was sure.

The rabbit, his nose twitching, returned Amanda's disbelieving stare.

"How could you let yourself be used as a decoy? What gives you the right to interfere? Has this whole place turned against me?"

It's over, Amanda thought. Wherever Rachel has gone, I can't catch up with her now. There isn't time. I've wasted my last chance. I'm going to lose. I won't have Rachel. She's gone forever.

She realized she was over-reacting, giving into despair too quickly. It must be the heat. It had become so warm for this late in the day. Maybe exhaustion. She was feeling uncharacteristically tired.

She was halfway tempted to put an arrow through the rabbit just on general principles. But she wouldn't have eaten it and she didn't kill just from anger or spite. No point in killing.

Besides, it wasn't the rabbit's fault. She had intended to come here, anyway.

Of course, when she sought Rachel's energy, she was drawn to this place in which the two of them had shared such an intense experience. In all the years since then, every time she had passed this place, Amanda had felt the presence of Rachel.

"Get out of here before I decide to have you as an appetizer." Amanda stamped her foot and the rabbit vanished into the trees.

Appetizer? thought Amanda. I wish. Odd that I'm not hungry at all. But, oh, am I thirsty!

She headed for the orange water cooler placed on a stand at the side of the clearing.

Wonderful convenience, she thought as she gulped down the water. Good thinking, putting these all over the place. Why did they do that? Oh, runners getting sick because of drinking from the stream. Glad they got that cleared up. Of course, how can they be so sure, if nobody drinks from the stream?

She slumped to the ground to lean against a tree and rest.

It wasn't over yet.

Temporary fucking setback.

Wouldn't think I'd be this hot or this tired, but it has been a rough day.

Ankle doesn't hurt much. That's good. Or it hurts but it doesn't register. That wouldn't be good.

Rest a little, refocus my energy, go find Rachel.

I might not find her, though.

If I don't find her, I won't be able to... do what I wanted to do when I found her.

Rachel, I wanted to...

Oh, fuck it. I need a power nap. That's all.

Be back up on my feet... or my foot... in just a few minutes.

Rachel couldn't really be sure if she heard or felt Amanda's cry of distress. It seemed so close to her that it might have come from within her.

Just about to crawl into a cave about 20 feet up a hillside, Rachel turned her head and looked, though she had no way of knowing it, exactly at the place where Amanda encountered the rabbit. Of course, Amanda was sheltered from view by trees.

What she heard/felt was clearly a cry of distress. She couldn't tell if it was a matter of physical pain or mental anguish or simple frustration.

She tried to convince herself, unsuccessfully, that it was just her imagination and she proceeded to crawl into the cave.

She wasn't surprised to find that her spear had been broken; in fact, she was surprised to find that it was there at all. The break looked recent. Probably Amanda had broken it earlier in the day. Well, good thing she had taken time to cut down a fresh sapling to make a new spear.

She was pretty confident that she wouldn't have any occasion to use it. Tiny scratches on Amanda's knees had told Rachel that the huntress had been crawling around, probably in the caves and she would be unlikely to look for her quarry there again. Rachel had no idea whether her attempt to send a psychic impression that she was in a cave had helped or not. One thing for sure: it hadn't hurt.

As she started to put a point on her new spear, Rachel thought about the "distress call" she had received.

What could possibly upset Amanda? Rachel wondered. She's invulnerable. I doubt that she's had a moment of genuine distress in her life. She always comes out on top. She always gets what she wants. Well, maybe today, she won't, and I'm sure she'll be unhappy if she loses, but right up until that point, I can't imagine anything upsetting her, at least not in that way. That cry, call, whatever was filled with pain of some sort. I can't imagine Amanda getting physically hurt, not seriously, at least. And I don't think she's capable of feeling emotional pain of any kind.

Wait, that's not fair. Of course, she can feel emotional pain. I just don't think she would ever let anybody see it.

What if she's hurt? Well, what if? Good deal for me! One more lucky break.

But, if I were hurt, and Amanda knew it, she would come to help me. Of course, after she helped me, she might kill me, but she wouldn't let me suffer.

Amanda's a big girl. She can take care of herself.

Besides, if I went to help her, she might strike at me on sight.

Well, if I held my hands open...

That's sentimental bullshit.

There was more pain in that voice or whatever it was than I've heard since my grandmother... don't think about it. Amanda is not your grandmother. She's a murderous bitch.

Who saved my life.

But who would have preferred to kill me.

Just put a nice sharp point on this spear!

Why is it so fucking hot? Amanda wondered. The weather wasn't supposed to be like this. I'm sweating like a bloody pig and I'm not even moving. Fucking weather forecasters have their heads up their arses. They probably could give you a good idea of the likelihood of a cloudburst in their colons. Otherwise, the plonkers are useless.

And what's the story with my ankle? I take my weight off of it and it starts to throb like a vibrator.

Rachel, this has been so much fun today! No six runners have pulled as much shit on me as you have. I wish you and I could have some fun runs. If you would have put a fraction of this energy into a bloodless hunt, we could have had so much fun, so many times.

You don't know how much more I enjoy a good hunt with competent quarry than just walking out and picking up some helpless spit muffin.

Rache, I don't need to...

What don't I need? I forget.

What I need is a little rest.

Why wouldn't you just run for me and let me catch you and take you to a cabin and then do it all again another time?

I'll just get some rest and I'll be up and on your tail.

Sun's starting to get really low. Can't wait much longer.

I know Amanda's in trouble. Oh, how the hell can I know that? Rachel asked herself. What am I? A bloody psychic?

Why do I want to go and find her?

Why am I here in the first place?

Roasted dead women talking to me in my sleep! Women Amanda killed and ate!

Like she wants to do with me.

Well, how do I know that? She hasn't said so, exactly.

But what else would she ever want?

What does she want now? What does she need?

Why do I even give a shit?

Just stay here in this hole and wait and see if she comes to get me and if she does, take this spear and... defend myself.

And if she doesn't find me, wait until ten o'clock. Go back to the lodge and claim victory. And then... what if Amanda isn't there?

What if she really has been hurt?

Then they will find her in the morning.

And what makes me think I could find her now, even if I were to try?

Well, I know I can find her, if I want to.

Why do I think I know that?

Because...

Fuck it!

Stay in this hole in the hill. Amanda's fine. She's always fine.

Okay, Amanda told herself, time to get up and go get Rachel.

Ouch! Maybe in a few more minutes.

Out of the cave, at the foot of the hill, Rachel stood with her spear in her hand.

What am I going to do with this? she asked herself, looking at the spear. Like this will do me a lot of good.

She threw the spear down.

Then she knelt beside it.

She put her hands on her thighs, closed her eyes, and concentrated.

Okay, Amanda. Where are you?

After a few moments, Rachel was sure she had an answer. The only answer that made any sense.

She got up. Started to move.

Suddenly, a sharp, sharp pain in her left ankle.

What the hell?

She sat down to examine her lower extremity.

And her head began to swim, and she slumped over onto the ground.

And saw herself.

As she never had seen herself before.

As she could not have seen herself.

Hanging by her ankles.

By firelight.

Her pussy shaven, her belly looking so incredibly inviting.

She was glowing, absolutely glowing. Bright as the firelight.

She was golden.

She was desirable.

Incredibly desirable.

Bursting with life, with energy.

With a personality capable of passion.

Capable of love, of caring.

But, most of all, capable of fulfilling a hunger.

Capable of being destroyed and absorbed and made to become a part of another.

A total human being.

Ready to be consumed.

And, in her last moments, surprisingly reaching out.

Not only offering herself, but embracing what was to happen.

Embracing it as enthusiastically as ever a lover ever embraced another.

A perfect surrender.

A perfect completion.

Offering herself to be tasted.

Her juices flowing with excitement, arousal.

Tasty, lovely.

Bring her to the absolute height of bliss.

So loving and perfect and so about to die.

Quaking with bursting orgasm.

The totally perfect moment.

Time is now.

SHATTERED!

Disruption.

Intrusion.

Violent act.

Punish this.

Seek.

Find.

Kill.

Back to the prize.

No!

Not right to destroy such a perfect moment.

Gone, gone, gone.

Dangling helplessly.

Unaware.

Life seeping out.

The waste!

The perfect offering wasted!

Not able to complete itself!

Fix this!

Cut ropes.

Grab.

Carry.

Run.

Save her.

Don't let her die like this.

She deserves better and so do I. And so does she. I. She. Me.

Rachel opened her eyes and sat up, no pain in her ankle, no dizziness.

As she got up, leaving her spear behind, she began moving, running.

Rachel had no idea whether she had seen herself through Amanda's eyes or whether she had seen herself as she wished Amanda had seen her.

Did she have a new understanding of Amanda? Or a new understanding of herself?

Right at this moment, it didn't matter at all.

She looked at her watch. How could she have been out for so long?

The only thing she wanted to do, as irrational as it might be, was to get to Amanda.

Amanda, who needed her help.

Amanda didn't need anything. She was just fine.

Amazing what a short nap can do.

No pain in her ankle. It moved with ease. Nothing wrong with her foot, either. Might as well take off the bandage.

But no real need to take it off, either. Time to get up and go get Rachel.

The blasted heat had subsided and it was no longer nearly dark. Quite bright, in fact.

She stretched her arms. Ah, muscles felt good.

Even the pain in her breast had disappeared. Amazing the way the body can heal itself, given the chance.

She picked up her bow and arrow. One arrow would be plenty. She was in top form.

She heard a rustling in the trees. Somebody was coming.

Rachel was coming to finish her off.

Well, Rachel would have a little surprise.

Amanda nocked her arrow and waited for Rachel, knowing exactly where she would be breaking through the trees.

Suddenly, Rachel appeared.

She didn't have her knife in her hand.

Rachel had come to help her, not to harm her.

How sweet. How thoughtful. How kind.

True, it was hardly sporting. After all, Rachel had come out of concern, out of caring.

Nevertheless, Tigger's gotta eat.

Amanda released the arrow.

Stunned, surprised, Rachel looked down at the arrow protruding from her heart.

Rachel opened her mouth as though she was going ask a question, but before she got a word out, she fell down dead.

Amanda sprang to her feet.

She hadn't remembered building a fire, but there was one blazing away right where she had built one in preparation for cooking Rachel years ago, before they were so rudely interrupted.

"Sorry about that Rache, but you should know that if you walking in the woods today, you'd better take a care.

"All kinds of nasty beasties lurking about.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

"The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

"Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun

"The frumious Bandersnatch!"

Amanda pulled out her hunting knife.

"Is this a dagger I see before me?

"Well, no, not exactly. More like a vorpal blade that goes snicker-snack!

"And, speaking of 'snack,' time I had one. A little snatch-snack. Your snatch, my snack."

Deftly, Amanda removed Rachel's filet in a few quick cuts, placed it on the end of her knife for toasting over the blazing fire.

"Probably bad manners of me," Amanda said looking at Rachel's face, still frozen in open-mouthed disbelief, "not to give you a chance to say a few last words. Maybe next time. Except, of course, there won't be next time.

"But that's no matter, I've plenty of words for both sides of a dinner conversation.

"I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral,

"I know the kings of England, and quote the fights historical,

"From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical;

"I'm very well acquainted too with matters mathematical,

"I understand equations, both simple and quadratical,

"About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news -

"With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse."

Amanda plucked the filet off the knife and ate it with her fingers.

"Ah. Very tasty. Let's see what else you brought to the party. How about some of that nice shapely rump that I've been lusting after for so long."

The huntress turned Rachel over.

"There is no prospect so brave as a bare backside."

She cut off a healthy chuck of Rachel meat and skewered it on her knife and placed it over the fire.

"What shall we talk about now, Rache? How about the weather? Always a safe topic, 'cept in the tropics. I don't know why it got so hot today, but that shouldn't bother us because

"Mad dogs and Englishmen

"Go out in the midday sun.

"The Japanese don't care to,

"The Chinese don't dare to,

"Hindoos and Argentines sleep firmly from twelve to one.

"But Englishmen detest a siesta.

"In the Philippines there are lovely screens

"To protect you from the glare.

"In the Malay states there are hats like plates

"Which the Britishers won't wear.

"At twelve noon the natives swoon

"And no further work is done.

"But mad dogs and Englishmen

"Go out in the midday sun."

Seeing her rump steak was cooked to medium rare, Amanda applied herself to consuming it.

"Oh, Rache, normally, that would be enough

"And I would be thoroughly stuffed,

"Yes, normally that would do,

"But you are so delicious

"That my sincere wish is

"To a have a bit more of you."

Having said as much, Amanda cut off Rachel's left leg and proceeded to roast it over the fire, which, curiously, did not need to be refueled. She did not cook it for more than a few minutes before she began to eat.

"Ah. Summum bonum is in belly glee. I think I'll have a bit more."

Amanda had never been so ravenous in all her life. She knew it shouldn't be possible for a human being to eat this much.

"Meat to eat! Meat to eat!"

Finally, there was nothing left of Rachel except her head, a pile of gleaming bones, and some entrails.

At last, Amanda was satisfied.

Perhaps for the first time in her adult life.

This is what she had been seeking, this was the climax, this was total and complete fulfillment.

As Amanda rested by the fire she realized she had never felt so completed, so absolutely content.

Oh, this was a wonderful, wonderful feeling.

She wanted to sing out her joy to the entire world.

She was so, so very happy.

This kind of joy, happiness, and contentment shouldn't be kept to one's self.

Amanda wanted to let someone know how happy she was.

Who could she tell?

Who could she tell who would care?

Who, in the whole world, cared whether she was happy or not?

Since she had grown up, who had ever put herself out, gone to any trouble at all, over whether she was happy?

Who had ever even wished her good luck and meant it?

Only Rachel.

Rachel would be the only person who would be glad to hear that Amanda was happy.

She had to tell Rachel.

But Rachel wasn't there any more. Not really.

There was nothing left of the only person who would care.

Amanda had killed her.

And not killed her fairly, either.

Rachel had been coming to help her, to ease her pain.

And it wasn't right to kill her. Not like that.

This was wrong, wrong, wrong.

She wanted to apologize, not necessarily for killing her, but for doing it under such dishonorable circumstances.

Amanda had always kept her honor, never taken unfair advantage.

She couldn't believe what she had done.

She picked up Rachel's head, still with the look of hurt and disbelief.

"Rachel, I'm sorry. I didn't realize what I was doing. I should have had more control. I didn't mean for it to be like this. I'm sorry."

Holding the severed head in her hands, Amanda pleaded.

"Rachel. Rachel."

"Yes, Amanda?" came the unexpected answer.

Amanda blinked. Looked up.

Rachel's head had grown its body back.

In fact, Rachel was standing over her.

And it was dark and there wasn't any fire and her foot and ankle still hurt.

"Rachel, I'm sorry."

"Sorry for what, Amanda?"

"I, uh, had a bad dream. I wasn't myself. Well, not quite myself. Almost, but not quite."

"Nobody can be blamed for her dreams," Rachel said gently, kneeling down and stroking the amazon's feverish brow.

"Well, so you say. My standards for myself are rather high." Amanda tried to sit up straighter, but found it was hard. "What time is it?"

Rachel looked at her watch. "It's ten-oh-seven."

"Oh. That means the hunt is over."

"Yes."

"And I didn't win, did I?"

"No, Amanda, you didn't win."

"Oh, well. It was a fun day. I can't remember when I've had such a challenge. Of course, I wish I had won, but I had a wonderful time."

"So did I." Rachel looked down at Amanda's left leg. Even in the moonlight, she could see red streaks running up her calf.

"Rache, you have your knife with you, don't you?"

"Yes."

"You've won. You've won fairly. We could end this here, right now, just you and me."

"Well, uh, yes, we could, but..." Oh, God! She wants me to kill her right now. I can't do that. Not now, maybe not ever.

"You can have your dress made out of my skin and you can have that fund-raising banquet."

"Well, Amanda, if I killed you here, I'd have to get you back to the lodge. I wouldn't want to leave you here for some animal to chew on and I can't carry you by myself."

"I think I can help you make a travois," Amanda offered.

Oh, quit being so damn helpful, Rachel thought. "Look, even if we did that, uh, you've picked up a really bad infection in your foot. How did you do that?"

"I stepped on a arrow."

"Well, I'm afraid that, uh, if we don't get you some treatment - cure whatever infection you have - then your meat might be rejected as unfit for consumption."

"Oh, rejection." Amanda smiled ironically. "I guess I wouldn't want that, even postmortem. Is there rejection after death? Sounds like a line from a Woody Allen movie. Of course, cooking should take care of any problems, but I'd have to be really well-done."

"Right," said Rachel. "And you wouldn't want to be served that way, would you?"

"Perish the thought. I always treated my quarry with enough respect to want to savor their juices."

"And you deserve the same. Come on. Let's get you to the infirmary."

"Just one thing, Rache. No Mandy the Panther Girl in a cage, right?"

"I gave you my word. You've always kept your word to me. I'll do the same. Let's get you on your feet." Rachel bent over. "Put your hand on my shoulder and see if you can get up."

With difficulty Amanda struggled to her feet. "Whew. Now, I had a walking stick - your own spear, actually. By the way, that was very clever, Rache, like everything else you've done today."

"Let's don't waste time looking for it in the dark. You can lean on me."

Amanda hesitated. "Rache, the dream I had - it was, well, I rather surprised myself. This fever - my judgement may not be the best. I'm sure I can be trusted, but, if I told you about my dream - which I would rather not - I wouldn't blame you if you wanted to at least tie my hands."

"That would make it very hard for you to lean on my shoulder. Look, you don't really want to hurt me, do you? You've lost and you don't want to back out on your word, do you?"

"Of course not. I wouldn't do that, if I could help myself."

"Then I'll have to trust you enough for both of us. I can do that." Rachel was surprised at how sincerely she meant what she said. She kept the thought to herself that having Amanda's hands bound wouldn't do much good if the amazon decided to go on a rampage.

"Thanks." Amanda put her arm over Rachel's shoulder. "Uh, do you want to take the bow and arrow? They're yours now, if you want them."

"I'll get them in the morning. Come on. Let's go."

"Your choice. One thing, before we go: I could use a drink of water."

"Of course."

As Amanda drank from the cooler she looked around the clearing. "How did you know where to find me?"

"I knew you were in trouble. I decided it was time to come and find you. And so I did."

Amanda understood. "You've been hanging around with me too much. You're picking up my habits."

"I would have been here sooner, but I sort of fell asleep. I had a dream, too. I guess my dream was better than yours."

"It had to be." Amanda finished drinking. "Okay, let's go."

Being up and moving invigorated Amanda.

The hunter/captive and the quarry/captor made their way through the woods by moonlight.

Amanda felt talkative. Rachel didn't want to stop her.

"Rache, you might be thinking that what really brought me down is this little fever or whatever that I've picked up. That might be true, but you did beat me. When I fell in the mud, for two or three seconds, I was totally helpless. That's more than time enough to kill someone. Others would have. You aren't a killer by nature, Rachel. You could have had two points on that spear. You could have unsheathed your knife and plunged it in.

"I twisted my ankle at least three times. Those weren't pure accidents; they were results of traps you set. A few strategically placed sharp sticks could have done me much worse. Remember that spring trap you pulled on me in our first hunt? If you would have had a stick with a sharp point on that, you could have almost gutted me. I think I would have made it back to the lodge, but I'm glad I didn't have to try. Hunters can do that - go get treatment when they're hurt. Quarry who get hurt just have to tough it out. It's a sort of inequity in the system, but, well, life isn't always fair. If you were a killer, Rache, you might have had me then.

"Also, in that first hunt, when you were watching me from the trees before I knew you were there - if you would have had the right weapon, you could have killed me then. Hell, some people could even have got me with a knife thrown from that distance. I'm sure I could have done it on a good day.

"You're a winner, Rache. You're just not a killer. Now, you've created some expectations. A lot of people will be looking forward to the banquet you've said would take place. I know you pride yourself on your word as much as I do.

"I don't know how long it will take for me to recover from this fucking bug that's invaded my system, but you have that long to figure out what you're going to do.

"One thing I'm not good at, Rache, is being docile. I don't do docile worth a crap. I know I can't demand anything of you, but I'm going to ask as a..." Amanda hesitated. "... as a friend. Please don't keep me waiting for long after I'm well. I'll be as submissive as I can manage until I'm well, but after that, it will be pure torture for me to be in confinement. I might even disgrace myself. Please? As a friend?"

"Yes," Rachel tried to keep any uncertainty out of her voice.

"Thanks. Rache, I don't think it's dawned on you what you've accomplished I'm not bragging, but you've done something nobody thought could be done. You've brought in Amanda Blake! And you did it just like you said you would. You became a part of the environment and then you used it against me.

"Maybe what's most important: You created your own space where it was safe to encounter me. And there were other things, too." Amanda laughed. "That rabbit! What did you do? Train him?"

"No, I just made friends with him."

"The fishing line, now that was perfectly fair, too. The rule allowing quarry to wear whatever they want was, I sometimes think, put in place to trick quarry into encumbering themselves. Sometimes, they do exactly that, like the girl who wore a white leotard in a group hunt. God knows why. If word of what you did gets around, I can see hunters being tripped, trapped, caught in nets, clotheslined. It won't guarantee any outcomes, but it will make hunters watch their step more carefully.

"Rache, you didn't just luck out. You won. You beat me!"

"Yes. I know." It finally hit home. She had done more than just survived. She had won.

She had faced the deadly goddess of the hunt and come away a victor.

She had captured the greatest prize she could imagine.

Rachel "Bring-'Em-Back-Alive" Jones.

How about that!