Coming out of the trees and into a clearing Garrett could hear someone singing a hymn with what sounded like the voice of an angel. Following the singing to the bottom of valley, Garrett saw Genisis picking some more berries while her horse was off to the side grazing. He stayed back behind a bush listening and watching her while working up the courage to speak to her. Speaking for the first time without anyone around to interfere or push them apart. When finally he worked up enough courage to ride towards her Garrett realized he didn’t know how she would react now that they were alone after all this time.

“Hello.” Garrett shyly spoke as he stopped his horse behind an unsuspecting Genisis.

With a shriek loud enough to startle the horses and birds, Genisis dropped her basket and turned around to see Garrett sitting on top of his horse looking down at her. Bending down to pick up the spilt berries she tried not to stare at his face not because she was repulsed by him but rather it was because his appearance had changed a great deal over the years. He was not the shy boy she first met four years ago. Now however he seemed to be stronger, older and more handsome looking than before. Turning her gaze away from him she continued to pick up the spilt berries.

"Aaahh!!"

“You scared me, freak!” Genisis shouted as she lowered her face so he would see the hurt and disgust those words caused her to feel as she lifted basket of berries.

“I’m Sorry.” Garrett apologized bluntly trying to ignore what she just called him. “Do you realize that there are bears in the mountains and berries are one of their favourite things to eat.” stated Garrett who couldn't help look at her beauty even though he couldn’t see her face.

“I thought most of the bears are up further in the mountains? Besides the men in town said it would be alright for me to go up higher and see the valley. I like to explore my surroundings and the wilderness unlike the women you’re probably used to. I can take care of myself just fine.” Genisis spoke with a haughty attitude that she never used before just to make herself feel like she belonged here as she turned to face him. “What does it matter to you, anyways?”

“You know, if that’s way you want to think of me, that’s fine. I won’t force you to change your mind.” Garrett answered her in a way giving up on changing her beliefs…for now. “You can go up high but not that high up if you truly believe that you will be safe. What would happen if something or somebody attacked you there? There is nobody around here that will hear your scream for help or find you for days.”

“Nobody is going to attack me! Maybe you might but the men down there are educated and kind. So don't be so ignorant of your betters…what are you doing here?” Genisis asked realizing that she was alone with him and in truth no one could hear her. A frightening thought for any woman but for Genisis she was thrilled in a way to be alone with Garrett.

“My father and I have traps in this area and I just finished scouting a new trap line further north and checking the other ones near here. I had one more to do before I got back to my cabin, when I heard your singing. I followed the voice and came over to see who was doing it; I wasn’t expecting to find you...of all people.”

“Well, now you know it was me.”

“Yes I do.”

“You know you don’t have the right to be so arrogant, half-breed.”

“And you don’t have the right to be such a condescending bitch.” Garrett snapped back catching Genisis completely off guard. Since no man apart from her father had spoken to her that way.

“You…can’t talk to me that way.”

“I think I can, someone needs too. You might think you are smart and perhaps you are but not to the world outside Jasper and the men who live both inside and outside your own little world. You don’t know how, let alone who to trust. Until you learn this your arrogance will let you see the good and place your trust in the wrong people.” Garrett tried to warn Genisis.

A warning that fell on deaf ears.

Though she longed for so many years for Garrett, Genisis couldn’t help but feel that he hated her by the words he spoke. “I know who I can trust and I know that I don’t trust freaks or half-breeds.” Genisis replied with words that can from a place other that her heart.

“You should be careful who you trust Genisis. Those men in town conceal their true natures by dressing in dress and talking like gentlemen. When the truth is they are the ones who mean you harm not I. I am what you see, freakish as I might appear to you I have no hidden agendas or will to harm you. You think me an animal and one that takes women as he pleases but you are wrong. And until you open your eyes to the world around you and begin to think for yourself you will always be a little girl in a grownup body.”

Genisis tried to cut in but Garrett prevented her knowing that he had enough of her even though he had longed for her love. “I simply wanted to warn you about the dangers around here. However I guess you already know everything about me, the men in town, and the wilderness that I grew up in unlike you.” Garrett berated Genisis not only about her attitude towards him but her over confidence in knowledge about the wilderness and the men she thought were honest. “You can read all the books you can but they won’t prepare you for the wilderness or a man’s true nature. It is something that comes with time and experience. Neither of which you have.”

For the first time Genisis was taken back by his tone and demeanor never once has she ever been talked to like this before by a man other than her father. “I guess since my basket is full I will be heading back to town…” Genisis said as she really didn’t know what to say or how to act. “You know… I am not a woman that needs to be protected or rescued by a man. I know who to trust my parents raised me to see the best in everyone.”

“Except those who don’t look or act the way you do. Be careful on your way back. And think about what I said or don’t.”  Garrett shot back at her before riding back up the hill and into the trees, hidden from her view but not from his.

Shrugging her shoulders with distain and sighing deeply, Genisis feared she might have ruined any chance she of a future she might have had with Garrett. Genisis strapped her basket to the saddle horn and climbed onto her horse. As the horse started off she wanted to make him go faster but she held him at a trot because she didn’t know if Garrett was following her. Just looking at him for those short moments sent shivers down her spine even more so now that she spoke to him, for the first time not amongst townspeople but alone. Where they could be themselves, perhaps for the first time since they met. Though she still held up walls and the more she rode away she realized only one of them was acting as themselves and it wasn’t her.

As she rode away Genisis couldn’t help but think about what he told her. The more she thought about his words the more she realized he said them to scare her as well as keep her from something she really didn’t want to think about. Riding through the valley Genisis reassured herself that the men in town were harmless because never once did or would they touch her. Yet his words still circled around her head. Unlike Garrett who she knew would if given the chance by her, something she longed for but still feared due to past events in her life.

Events she wished to forget.

Watching her ride away back into town from his spot on top of the hill Garrett still felt a need to watch over her despite everything she said, he still followed behind at a distance so that she couldn’t see him. He followed her not out of love but rather a need to make sure she got back safely. He followed until she rode into the view of Jasper and home. Seeing that she was safe Garrett turned and headed back to the forest line to continue on his trap line. This interruption put him behind by nearly five hours. By the time he ran the last trap nightfall was upon him and just like the night before he wouldn’t be at his home until the moon was high. This did not really bother him; rather it was explaining to his father what took him so long. This time he knew the truth would have to be spoken. He knew that he would tell the truth about Genisis.

As he arrived at the top of hill he saw Red had the candles all alight on and was standing on the porch looking for him. Slowly he came down the hill towards the barn, letting his horse take its own lead because like Garrett she too was tired. Climbing down off his horse, he led her into the barn before proceeding to strip the saddle and blanket off of her. Grabbing a cloth off of the bench he went back to his horse to give her a rub down for she deserved it, after today. As he rubbed her down, Red walked in and stood behind him with a worried look on his face.

“I'm alright father. Just took a longer time check things out. That’s all.” Garrett said as he continued to rub his horse down, knowing it was his father without looking back by the sound of his walk.

Rather lack of.

“I know I am just being an old fool. But I worry about you and everything around this area. I know you’re a man Garrett but to me you will always be my son. I swore to protect you until my last breath. Even if it’s from danger you can’t or won’t see.” said Red who had a feeling that his son was not telling him the whole truth of what happened this day.

“I don’t think you a fool father.”

“Thank you Garrett. But please don’t lie to me.”

“Father, you remember the storekeeper's daughter, Genisis. I saw her this afternoon on the slope where all the berry bushes are. She was picking berries and singing.” Garrett sighed as he led his horse to his stall, realizing his father knew something was amiss.

“Singing?!”

“Yes, she has a beautiful voice, almost like an angel.”

“Doesn’t she realize that her singing will echo through the mountain and any one could have heard it!” Red shouted with total disgust in his voice. “She’s a naive and foolish girl and one day she will learn that life is not like the storybooks she reads. Perhaps it what she needs to bring her off her high pedestal.”

“I kind of told her the same thing.”

“You did?” Ask Red quite surprised that Garrett spoke to her. “You spoke to her, son?”

“Yes. But it wasn’t how I hoped it would go.”

“What do you mean son? Was she cruel or hateful towards you?”

 “Yes, but it’s nothing I can’t handle though I think she was trying to play a part like she was trying to be someone she is not. However I could be wrong.” Garrett sighed deeply as he laid his head against his horse’s neck hiding his pain from his father. “I saw how she looked at me, us and all other mountain men in the area; she thinks we are the animals and monsters. When it is the men she surrounds herself in Jasper that are the monsters and animals. She refused to believe me because she still thinks me the town freak and perhaps she always will. I thought maybe she would have changed through the years but she just became like them. You know I thought she was different.”

“Perhaps…”

“Still despite everything she said to me I followed her back to the town line…from a distance. I wanted to make sure she was safe.” Garrett spoke softly as he went for the pitchfork.

He couldn’t see it as he closed the gate and pitched some hay into the corner of her stall, but Red showed a look of pride in his son. A look he wasn’t expecting to give his son in this matter, rather he was expecting to tear a strip out of his son for putting himself in danger for a girl. Yet he couldn’t help but feel this pride because his son was protecting someone who needed it, despite her thinking not. Behind the pride in his eyes there also laid a father’s worry, no matter how much he tried to keep Garrett protected from the world – the world was coming to him – for him.

A world that was not ready for men like him.

“It's was a good thing you did, Little Wolf.” Red called Garrett a name he hadn’t since he first started to become a man nearly ten years ago.

Hearing this name after ten years was something Garrett long to hear as this name made him feel more connected to his father. “Little Wolf…” Garrett mumbled to himself as he smiled a half-hearted smile.

“You never know who or what might be wandering around the mountains. She will learn this like we did, or she won’t. One day.”

“Or when it is too late…” Garrett added.

“Now let us put his behind us go eat. I’ve had supper ready for us for a while now.” Red kindly joked trying to let the day end on a good note.

Smiling up at his father, Garrett escorted him out of the barn closing the door behind them. As they walked towards the cabin Red felt a chill in the air as if a storm was coming only not one of nature rather of man. Looking at his son he saw that he did not feel it almost like he would be part of the storm or be consumed by its aftermath. Or perhaps he was the oncoming storm. Shaking his head Red somehow knew that it was out of his control no matter what role his son would play. For the moment he was going to enjoy their supper and the time with his son.

As it might be the last for a very long time as he feared something would happen to his son and somehow Genisis would play a major part in this. And perhaps be the one to help his son find the one thing he needed…love. Not love of a parent but that of a woman, one who he could share his life with and pass on his linage; though in his heart Red knew that the storm must pass in order for them to be together.