Sparks from the fire jerked spasmodically into the night sky

A curl of acrid smoke wound its way between them,

vanishing into the dark

Crackles and spits from the triangle of pine logs that burned readily;

the cocking of the rifle was the only other sound,

that and a soft hiss of restrained breathing

A sprinkle of blinking stars balanced the tilted crescent moon

that watched dolefully

The man's features were painted red from the firelight

and his eyes glinted fiercely

the barrel of the rifle came up slowly as the silence broke

from a snapped twig

A cool cheek rested tightly against the stock

and one of the glinting eyes closed

The bush branches parted and the movement

that was only sound before was now tangible

The fire's flicker gave them the impression of dancing

and other worldliness as they moved

A shape emerged into the shadows at the edge of the campsite,

the firelight stuttering over its form

His finger tensed on the trigger and began a slow increase in pressure,

the eye centering the rifle sight

A new sound and he froze, behind him he heard a guttural rumble

his eyes swiveled as far as possible and he held his breath,

probing with his aural sense

An answering growl from across the campsite

and suddenly the silence was shattered

♦

The sun played hide and seek behind clouds

and thick tree branches

The trio huffed their way up the animal track

to the second tree line

Small animals scurried from their approach,

watching nervously

The leader halted then beckoned the others forward,

a shaky hand wiped across his mouth

Shock registered and one turned aside, doubled over

A shard of sunlight lit the destroyed campsite then faded to dull grey

as a hiking pole prodded the scattered bits of clothing

A broken piece of rifle stock poked from beneath a charred log,

a dark stain on the wood

Quick snapshots of the scene and up loaded to the Ranger station;

in a moment a call... leave area immediately

The sun vanished behind a cloud

as the trio gathered themselves and hurried to the path,

where a figure loomed before them

♦

The headline read - Wolves Attack Hikers With Tragic End

and a small paragraph about a camper

accidentally burning himself to death in his campsite

The figure stared at the photo found on the hiker's phone

and smiled as the ship lifted above the tree line

and sped into the night

It would show its friends his souvenir

from the food harvest on the planet called Earth