Several minutes pass, or it could be longer.

‘Will you lose your job?’ I ask. ‘I’m sorry I embarrassed you. Do you want me to tell your boss that it was my fault? I can write a letter or something.’

‘I don’t think it’s such a big deal, but thanks. The manager’s a buddy, he’ll be okay. May need to compensate the Lodge a bit, loss of future income and all.’

I hear my teeth chattering.

‘You could have been killed,’ Adam says again, with a sigh. ‘Sky, if you were so against me going, you should have told me at the start. Or even in town yesterday. I gave you plenty of time to tell me. What were you thinking coming out here to sabotage the hunt, and putting your life—all our lives—in danger? I told you how dangerous moose are; a grown moose can kill you in an instant. Or a misdirected bullet from an inexperienced hunter like Ralph. Happens all the time. All the time.’

‘I didn’t come to sabotage you,’ I say. ‘Jaxon needs your help with his dad and we thought we should come get you.’

‘Doug’s back?’ Adam turns to look at me.

‘Yeah, he’s really drunk and the police took him.’

My right hand’s getting tired and I switch to my left, continuing with the rhythmic stroking. The moose doesn’t react.

Adam digs his gloves into the snow, letting the flakes pour from his hand like dust. ‘Still seems like something that could have waited until I was back.’

I think about this. Did I subconsciously want to disrupt the hunt? Was I being impulsive, again? Maybe, on both counts.

‘Sorry,’ I say.

‘It’s okay, what’s done is done. I’ll deal with it, with Doug.’

We listen to the rustle of the wind in the trees.

‘How’s it even a fair fight if someone has a gun?’ I say, more to myself than him.

‘For God’s sake, Sky. You could have been killed.’

‘Stop saying that already. I know, okay, I’m sorry.’