Gwyyneth woke up with a start, “No… no, I won't... oh.” Scrambling to her feet quickly she added, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry… Umm…” she paused and began to shuffle back and forth nervously from foot to foot.
The tall silver-haired man smiled, “Sorry miss to have startled ye. Are ye lost?”
Gwyyneth shook her head.
“Oh, hrmn. I see. Hungry then? ”
Gwyyneth nodded tentatively. Her aching stomach overruled any misgivings she might have had about talking to a stranger. Besides he had lovely kind blue eyes, not cranky grey ones so he must be nice by her reasoning.
“Alrighty then, follow me.”
The man led the way through the forest to a clearing where in the middle was a small stone cottage on the edge of a pond.
“This is my home, it's not much but it suits me. Have a seat and I'll fix us some grids.”
Gwyyneth did as she was instructed, she was good like that. Sitting quietly she looked on as the nice man busied himself with the campfire he had set up outside his home. In a short space of time he returned to her bearing a steaming bowl of stew and handed it to her. So hungry she almost snatched it from him. Mumbling a quiet, "Thank you." She dug in straight away.
The hunter sat nearby, studying her quietly, letting the girl eat in peace. He had many questions but they could wait for the moment.
