The Hunt Pt 01 1

I remembered acutely the first time I mentioned the idea to him, he raised an eyebrow and for a moment I thought he was going to tell me I was nuts.

"Interesting," was all he said.

We were lying in bed together after playing for hours, my body was sore and tired. He had used me up completely, one of his big arms was draped across my shoulders as he held me against his side. I fell asleep before he said anything else about it.

We didn't talk about it again until almost a week later. I started to think he wasn't interested in that kind of play, I should have known better. He wrapped his arms around my waist as I did the dishes and tucked a stray strand of long red hair behind my ear for me. I leaned into him and sighed, it had been a very long day with the kids and I was ready for a vacation.

"I thought about your idea," he said quietly as he put his chin on my shoulder.

"Oh?" I smiled to myself as he kissed my neck once.

"I think it would be fun, we could use a weekend like that," he nuzzled my neck and kissed me again making me wiggle.

"You really think we could pull it off?" I asked as I scrubbed another plate and tried to take my mind off his closeness. He pinned me against the counter in response to my question.

"Don't we always pull playtime off?" he lowered his voice as he pressed against my back and butt. I giggled and one of the kids screamed from the other room. I sighed and rolled my eyes, "I got it sweetheart," he kissed me again and headed off to see what sort of catastrophe they'd created in their bedrooms.

Now here we were, in the truck headed for East Tennessee three months later. It had taken careful planning but we were sure we had covered all the bases. He had a lot more experience at this kind of thing but I was certain I could hold my own against him. It was a couple of weeks away from hunting season and we had found a person willing to let us use their private property. I had no idea what Blake had told the owner, but whatever it was it had worked. We loaded up all our camping gear, dropped the kids off at their grandparent's house for a long weekend and headed out by ourselves. He spent half the time teasing me about never having hunted a redhead before and the other half giving me that look he always gave me when he had evil ideas swirling in his head; my husband, the evil genius.

We referred to it as "The Game" but I had been trying to think of something better. Nothing came to me as I watched the Smoky Mountains get bigger outside my window. We found the 180 acre plot of land without much difficulty. The access road was not very well used but the truck made it up the big hill just fine. At the top and off to the left there was a small clearing about 50 yards from the only place we could park so we stopped and checked it out. The forest was a riot of color and the weather was supposed to be clear and mild all weekend. I lived for fall. Besides, maybe all the orange and reds on the trees and ground would make hiding me easier, he pointed out.

"Very funny, you're so clever," I pursed my lips and raised an eyebrow at him as I let the tailgate down and hopped into the truck bed. I tossed him the bag with the tent and pushed a few other things to the edge of the tailgate before I found my hiking pack and climbed back down.

"You better get going my little doe," he slapped my Wrangler clad ass hard and I yelped.

"Yes, Sir," I playfully responded out of habit before winking at him and moving away to put my pack on.

He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back into his chest forcefully, kissing me for all I was worth. I rubbed against his body and gripped his biceps firmly. He made me weak in the knees, almost 10 years together and he still had that effect. I pouted and looked up into his dark brown eyes, begging him for more when he finally pulled away. God he was so handsome.

"Go on, before I take you here and now," he threatened darkly, his lips curling into a sinister grin.

I stepped back and grabbed my pack, slung it over my shoulder and started walking away. I walked for a good twenty minutes before stopping and sitting down to re check everything. I wasn't too far away to turn around if I forgot anything. However we'd checked my pack specifically several times to be sure I had everything I would need for "The Game". Flares, map, gps, two way radio, provisions, my camelback was completely full, and the extra bottle of water was still sealed. I also made sure the reversible down vest, emergency blanket, and socks were in there too. I was a little nervous, but mostly excited.

I took a deep breath, it was very pleasant outside. I looked around and pulled out my map. I had marked the trail I was going to take over the course of the last week. I knew there would be obstacles that might force me to change my course but they should be minimal. Of course, Blake didn't know my trail and that was most of the fun. He was giving me a two hour head start. I stood up and started walking again, slipping the folded map into the front pocket of my hunter green flannel shirt. I unbuttoned the first few buttons and let my skin breathe. I had decided based on the weather report not to wear a thermal layer but wore instead a simple black tank top. Blake still made me pack the thermals, stubborn man.

"Listen to me Avery, I don't want you getting sick from exposure if you're out there longer than you think you will be," he'd said.

Eventually I gave in and admitted he was right. I went over the rules again in my head. Check in at the 4 hour mark, even if it's only to taunt him and tell him he'll never find me out here, use the flare gun if you're in trouble, and don't stray more than a 3 mile radius from camp.

I was tingling in excitement. I knew exactly what would happen when he caught me. He'd drag me back to camp and have his way with me. I smiled to myself and kept walking straight before veering north and heading up a steep embankment. I was as quiet as I could be, there were a few leaves already on the ground but most were still attached to the trees. Too late in the season would have been dangerous, this area was always crawling with deer hunters and it would have been too cold. We'd picked a good weekend, I checked my watch when I topped the hill; it had only been about 45 minutes since I left him. I still had quite a ways to go before he'd be leaving to start his hunt for me. Chances are he would expect me to take an easier route to start with, which is why I had chosen to go over the hill instead of around it. I was panting a little and spied a deer stand about 50 feet away and to my left. I walked over and checked it out. Maybe I could climb up and check out the surrounding terrain?

I slipped off my pack and dropped it with a thud at the base of the huge tree, I started to climb the wooden planks that were nailed to the trunk, one broke off and I almost fell but I kept climbing. The platform was about 50 feet off the ground and seemed sturdy when I tested it with my hands before shimmying up onto it. I pulled the map out of my pocket and visually matched up my trail to the one I had drawn. Not too bad Avery, I congratulated myself. My trail took me between two more hills and over an outcropping of rocks before heading West. I lost sight of where it would go next because it looked like a long slope downward.

I climbed back down quickly and re shouldered my pack before continuing. The forest was beautiful in the afternoon. After I hiked between the two hills I checked my watch again, only another half an hour and he'd be on his way. I needed to hustle. I eyed the rock outcrop and decided to just go over it. They were a little wet though, so I would have to be careful. The first few steps were easy enough but soon I was on my hands feeling my way gingerly over the big rock that made up the peak. My red hair swung forward over my shoulder in its ponytail and I grit my teeth as I climbed down the other side. I almost slipped twice but made it down in one piece. I let out a deep breath and obsessively checked my watch, 15 minutes left. A shot of adrenaline ran through me at the thought of Blake setting off after me, intent on capturing and claiming me as his. A shudder ran down my spine, I smiled and then set off after taking a sip of water from the little plastic hose of the hydration pack. I estimated I had gone almost two miles already, but I was staying well within our established radius as I turned West.

This was fun. I loved being out in nature. As soon as the time limit was up I picked up the pace to a fast but quiet walk on my trail. I headed down into a ravine and walked the length of it, almost another mile before climbing back out and continuing on. I stopped every few minutes, hunkered down and listened. I heard no footsteps or movement other than the usual forest sounds. Blake was retired Army, a trained field intelligence officer. I was well aware he might simply be following me without me knowing it and I intended to make his task of finding me a challenge, hunting me in the woods was far different from hunting a terrorist in the sands of Iraq but I was still going to work hard to make it as fun or him as it was for me. I reached around into the front pocket of my pack and fished out the ziplock bag. It contained several pieces of red ribbon, many very thin strands cut to about 6 inches in length. These were my "clues" for him. I was supposed to leave him some sort of trail but I had not started yet. I picked a small bushy plant that had already lost all it's leaves and tied a piece of ribbon to it in a small bow before walking off to my next landmark.

When I reached the overhang I climbed carefully down the side. Some natural phenomenon had created a small cavern underneath a stand of very large trees along a decent sized creek. It was here that I rested for awhile, wedged up against the back in a corner just in case he came by looking for me. I didn't really want to have to run from him but I knew it might come to that eventually. I ate a handful of almonds, drank some water, and downed my chicken salad sandwhich from my bag. I'd planned my diet to include a lot of high fat and protein items so that I would have the energy to keep going.

I was in pretty good physical condition; I ran a couple of miles every other day and lifted weights when I had a chance. I was naturally athletic, long legged, and my body had only become more curvy after carrying two children. I had been immediately drawn to Blake the minute I had first seen him, the epitome of tall, dark, handsome, and wearing a uniform to boot. Things were rough when he was still in the Army, long deployments and lots of time apart nearly killed our relationship a couple of times but once he returned from the fourth and last deployment he didn't hesitate to make an honest woman out of me. Sometime in the third year of marriage and almost 7 years together things started to unravel. Our sex life waned, we started growing apart in other ways, I was worried he'd leave me. It wasn't until he came to me one night and begged me to try something with him that things started to get better.

He had been reading a lot of kinky things, things that initially shocked and appalled me. But I accepted the idea that we needed to do something different, and after a couple of weeks I gave in and told him I would try it, partially because the more I thought about it the more the idea turned me on. What happened in the following two years can only be described as both a miracle and the most insane journey I had ever embarked on with another person. I became his submissive and he became my Sir. It was an incredible transformation that served to re ignite the spark we were afraid we'd lost and renew our trust and commitment to each other. We integrated it slowly into our every day life and we were happy again. It took time, we both made mistakes but we always came back to the belief that we belonged together and that had served us well.

I was pulled out of my daydream by the sound of crunching leaves. My eyes widened and my breathing picked up as my ears strained to hear more, definitely footsteps. I shrank back as far as I could, the sound was definitely above me. I drew my legs up against my chest and waited quietly, breathing shallow, and staying very painfully still even though my butt hurt from sitting on the ground. I made myself as small as possible. It had to be him. I was frozen to my spot, cornered, hoping beyond hope he couldn't see me. I heard nothing but I waited and waited. I felt his presence recede but it could always be a trick. So I waited for another few minutes. I sat there for what seemed like an eternity but didn't hear a sound. I checked my watch, it had been ten minutes. I had to last longer than this; it would be shameful if I didn't. I stayed very quiet and very still for another 10 minutes, then 15 more. My whole body hurt from staying so still. Surely he had moved on by now.

I rose cautiously, listening for anything but I heard nothing other than the slow moving water in the creek and birds high in the air above me. I was cold now, from being on the hard ground for so long and in the shade. I pulled out my navy colored down vest and put it on, snapping it up ¾ of the way and buttoning another button on my flannel shirt under it. I needed to get moving to stay warm, the sun was going to start it's evening descent soon. I started walking cautiously, looking around slowly and deliberately. He might have changed into his old fatigues or his brown deer hunting camo so he would be more difficult for me to see. My adrenaline was pumping now, I needed to move so I continued on my pre marked trail, making sure to not leave any boot prints in the soft soil by the water.

At the 4 hour mark I found a secluded place near some rocks, I had traveled by my estimation around 3.5 miles by now. I was getting tired and the sun was setting. I turned to the channel we'd agreed on previously and waited. Then I heard his voice, it had an erie threatening quality to it that I had never heard before in all our play sessions.

"Where is my little doe?" he asked in a sing song voice.

"Right here Sir," I answered back, trying to sound sultry.

"How is my prey handling herself out in the woods alone," he continued.

"Wishing my Sir could catch me.," I covered my mouth to keep from giggling.

"Careful what you wish for my sweet," he threatened.

The line went quiet; it kind of freaked me out to be honest. I looked around very carefully wondering if he was close and ready to grab me. I didn't see anything indicating he was nearby. I tucked the radio back in my pack, took a long drink of water and then set off again. Our agreement was that I would not spend all night out in the woods alone. It was just too dangerous to do that, if he didn't find me by 10pm I should head back to camp on my own and wait for him there. It was nearing 6:30 so he still had some time. I tied off another ribbon on a low hanging twig, it would be right about eye level for him if he came this way. My excitement was building. I was moving a little slower now because I was tired. Knowing he was on my tail kept me moving though. When Blake was in Dom mode he could be ruthless, his old training would kick in and he would hunt me to the ends of the earth to claim me. The thought chased goose bumps up and down my arms. I was still relatively comfortable in my clothes, even unbuttoning my vest for a bit. I rounded another gathering of rocks and stopped in my tracks, there was a scrap of paper tied with red ribbon on a tall stalk of some sort of plant. I pulled it off easily and opened it. I recognized his handwriting immediately.

Be Ready

-Sir

Was he close? I looked around frantically but did not see anything. I started walking at a very quick clip and then I heard a twig snap. It was definitely not from me. I was standing on a large patch of moss, there were no twigs to snap.

I ran.

I picked my way through the woods as quietly but as quickly as I could. He had to be very close. I circled back to find the deer stand I had seen earlier in the day. Maybe if I could get up high I could figure out where he was or just stay out of his way. Luckily my trail had taken me back towards the hill, only this time I wouldn't have to climb it since I was approaching from the Northeast.

In my hyper sensitive state I did not realize until too late that being up in the deer stand was only a tactical advantage for the hunter, not the prey. Now if I saw him, I was toast. I had to stay put. I had nowhere to go.

"Shit," I whispered to myself in frustration. I had at least taken my pack up the tree with me. I considered knocking off the lower steps so he couldn't climb up to me, but he'd simply wait me out.

"Damnit," I cursed again but heard the rustling of leaves so I shut up and sat very still against the tree trunk.

I must have looked like a deer in headlights, but it was no man moving around at the bottom of the hill, just a fox. I sighed quietly and watched it for a moment. It scampered off gracefully into the woods, perfectly camoflauged once he got 20 or so yards away. But I heard something else, definitely footfalls. Blake must have been what scared the fox off. I sat still, very very still. And I waited. By now the sun was almost set and the forest was getting dark, and a little creepy.

My eyes widened when I saw him stalking my footprints. Damnit, of course. If he made me run the extra force I would exert onto my feet would leave clear foot treads in the soft earth. I rolled my eyes, my only way to silently express my frustration. That man was way too good at this. Maybe I'd get lucky and he'd lose me.

No luck there either.

"I've treed you little one, are you going to come down here like a good girl or make me come up there and fetch you," he questioned matter of factly. I put my head down, damn him.

I silently weighed my options. If I got down on my own and submitted willingly, my punishment wouldn't be as severe. But if I didn't he might fuck me right here and now before taking me back to camp, that is if he wasn't too tired.

"Too late little one, I'm coming to get you," he said.

"Fuck..." I mumbled under my breath as I heard him start climbing. The deer stand would definitely hold our combined weight but I didn't know how it would stand up to any other evil ideas he might have.

He wore a tired smirk when he appeared, I shrank back and didn't look at him.

"You don't look very happy to see me," he observed. He looked down right amused by this whole thing. Secretly, I loved it too but I wasn't going to let him know. He was holding my collar in his large hand, it was the thick black leather one with several brass rings on it. He unhooked it and moved to put it on me.

I snapped my teeth at him threateningly and then squealed in pain when he grabbed my ponytail and forced my face down against the wooden platform. I was on my hands and knees, my ass in the air.

He wailed on me a few times bare handed. I cried out and he just hit each butt cheek harder until the tears threatened to spill over onto the rough wood I was pressed against.

"You know better," he chastised through his clenched teeth. One more strike on my now tender ass and he pulled my face up to his, within a millimeter of his lips, "what do you say to me after punishment?"

"Thank you Sir," I whispered.

"Sit," he commanded.

I knelt obediently, almost yelped from his abuse, and folded my hands in my lap. He tipped my chin up and I watched him hold the collar in both his hands. I bit my lip and he gave me a very stern look. He was not in the mood to be challenged.

"Be a good girl," he said softly as he put the collar around my neck and secured it.