When Hugh Mathews decides it's time to get out from under his tyrannical father's thumb and away from the life he's been living, he does it in a big way. Packing what he'll need to survive in the wilderness, and with only his dog, Orion, for companionship, he heads into the mountains. When they find a abandoned cabin, Hugh begins the arduous task of repairing it, as well as hunting for food and everything else they'll need to stay alive.<br><br>Soon after, Ansel Jeffries, a nature photographer, arrives at Hugh's cabin, seeking an abandoned mine he wants to photograph. After talking with him, Ansel sees the potential for a story in what Hugh is doing -- and why.<br><br>Ansel convinces Hugh to let him tell it, meaning he'll be living at the cabin with Hugh. When he moves in, will what becomes friendship between the two men grow into more?

Off the Beaten Path

When he left the cabin to find two sticks for cooking the rabbits, he could see Ansel in the tent, layingout his sleeping bag. Orion stopped at the opening for a second, backing away when Ansel said “Shoo,” and waved his hand to enforce the order.


“I’ve got nothing against them, once I get to know them. Yours seems a mite too protective for me to feel comfortable with him, or her.”


“Him. His name is Orion.” Hugh snapped his fingers and Orion joined him as he went into the forest. He found the green sticks he needed, returned to the cabin, and started cooking the first rabbit. When fat began dripping, he paused long enough to put on a glove and get one of his tin bowls to catch it. If I cansave this, and it doesn’t go rancid, I can fry instead of using a spit.


Chapter 12