The last time the two friends got together, which was just a short while ago, his friend had asked him to meet him at the halfway point between their two places. He didn't particularly want to go today, since a cold wind was blowing and it had started snowing sometime during the night; winter's first snowfall. While the young woman entertained the two boys, sometimes scolding them for misbehaving, he kissed her lightly on the cheek. After a few words to her and the boys, placing a fur hat on his head and then tying the flaps securely against his ears, he grabbed his heavy winter coat, which was partially made from animal skins. His woman and the kids barely noticed when he stepped outside and quickly closed the door behind him. He had some difficulty fastening his coat and turning up the collar but as soon as he was insulated as much as possible from the cold, he began strolling down the snow covered path to meet his friend.
The snow only came up to the man's ankles as he leisurely made his way down the trail. Many of the trees and bushes he passed by were dead; not just winter time dead and waiting for buds, but dead forever, the loose bark flapping as wildly as his empty sleeve in the cold winter breeze. He came across some fresh rabbit tracks in the snow and smiled - their meat supply was getting low - perhaps he'd come back later and set some snares. He considered using his .22 but he didn't like firing a gun because the sound could be heard for miles and he might become the hunted rather than the hunter - only in a dire emergency - or if by chance, he came across some bigger game, would he use the .22 or a rifle.
Within about an hour's time, the man met his friend coming towards him. He was slightly bent over as he walked into the wind and snow; his hands stuffed tightly into his coat pockets. He didn't know why his friend wanted to meet him half way but it wasn't unusual; sometimes men just want to be men without the interruption of bantering women and children. They greeted each other warmly and his friend seemed concerned when he saw the empty sleeve hanging by his side and asked, "What happened to you?"
The man answered, "I slipped and fell on a patch of ice a couple of days ago and hurt my arm while carrying a big load of firewood to the house . I think maybe I cracked the bone. So, just to be on the safe side, I tied my arm in a sling."
His friend began brushing the snow off a large dead tree that had fallen alongside the path and said, "Come. Sit down awhile; give your arm a rest."
The two friends sat down side by side as they had done many times before. At first, they talked about the usual things; the weather and their life at home. Then his friend asked, "How's your food supply? Mine's getting extremely low; I doubt that I have enough to get through the winter. Do you have any extra?"
"Not much," the man replied. "I can probably spare you a little. But I did see some rabbit tracks not very far back from here. As long as it doesn't start snowing too heavily, their tracks should still be very easy to see. I was thinking about trying to snare one later on but since you're low on food, I'll let you do it instead."
His friend smiled and nodded but he seemed to be on edge, as if he had something important to say but just couldn't get the words out. As the snow flakes swirled about them like small flies just before a summer sun sets in the evening, his eyes looking everywhere other than at the man sitting next to him, "The truth is," he said, "I haven't had anything to eat in almost a week."
The man thought it seemed a bit odd that his friend spoke singularly and said, "We don't have enough food on hand to feed you and your woman for any length of time but I'll go hunting with you in a day or two. I'm sure my arm will be feeling better by then."
The man's friend hung his head and looked down at his feet as they pushed the snow around. Quietly rocking back and forth for a few moments on the fallen tree, he glanced up and said, "I just need enough food for me - my woman left."
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