Something moved silently, unnoticed in the inky darkness of the thick forest just outside of the ring of dancing firelight reaching out from the center of the clearing. Not so much moved but morfed from the dark space between two ancient trees, into the shadows of the jeep parked at the edge of the camp.

    Jim threw a fresh cut log onto the burning fire in the center of the camp. The four of them leaned back and shielded their eyes as the flames flared and the new log stirred the embers at the base of the fire. Tiny glowing satellites danced up into the cool October night air. They rose, fluttering like fireflies high above the licking flames, and as they did the disturbance in the darkness let out a deep, guttural sound that cut through the night sky like a whale’s song through the cold, murky depths of the ocean.

"What the hell was that " Tina asked with a startle in her voice.

"Easy babe were injoying nature jut like you wanted remember?" Jim insisted.

"Yea Tina, have another beer and chill out" Lynn said plunging her hand into the Igloo cooler full of ice and Bud longnecks and tossed one to her. Tina had to dive for it to keep it from crashing onto one of the sharp edged stones surrounding the fire.