Diversion

It had been a half-hour since their hunting excursion had begun, and the group had managed to bag two more deer and a beaver, a valuable source of fur. These catches would be essential if they were to ensure everyone had enough to eat, particularly Xavier.

As they continued their journey, the group encountered a line of deer, and they made sure to stop without causing panic. Aiming to avoid scaring away their potential food supply, Micah made the call.

“Okay, we’ll stop here,” Micah directed, and Xavier parked the Jeep near a bush. The vehicle wasn’t entirely concealed by the shrubbery, but they hoped it would blend in with the trees behind it. Xavier, noticing Micah’s inexperience, asked, “Do you know how to shoot? I’ve never seen you handle a gun before.”

Micah admitted his lack of knowledge, “No.”

“Is that ‘no’ as in ‘I’ve shot a gun before,’ or ‘no,’ you don’t know how to shoot?” Xavier inquired.

“The second one,” Micah replied.