Only someone that's brain-dead would pass up the company of this woman that was wending her way into my little life. I just smiled my acceptance.As we... crossed the Yukon River bridge, about thirty miles east of Whitehorse, the signal strength indicator on the satellite phone finally lit up. I'd been watching for that light ever since we'd left Johnston's Landing, both to check with the company's switchboard, and to make a call to Byron Cooper, Linda's new employer. It might take some fancy. I wasn't present the first time.We got back to the hotel, I was told to go back to the Room and that she would speak with chris. She followed up five minutes later alone. She told him what she wanted and he told her his shift finishes at 12 and that he would come up then. We only had half an hour before he would arrive so the mrs had a shower and we waited naked on the bed.At 12.10 he knocked on the door and I answered welcoming him in. He saw her on the bed naked and started to rub him crotch.. I left early that day, every step was half exited anticipation and half ‘Oh my god what the fuck am I doing, I’m going to get k**napped and murdered.’I sat at our arraigned meeting place in my planned cloths and waited. After a few minutes of watching strangers go by. Then a black man, around the same 20’s age, a bit taller than me and athletic, walked up to me and said what I thought sounded like “Chris?”“No” I shook my head, and returned to my phone looking for a reply from the person I was. ” the voice responded, though this wasn't really an answer. “I mean you no harm. This beast was following you, and looked desperate enough to attack.” Eira slowly got to her feet. “You killed it then? To save me?” She took a tentative step in the direction the voice seemed to be coming from. “Who are you?” “I am Kharri.” he responded. “This forest is my home.” Eira shook her head, still listening. “I know everyone who lives here, and I’ve never heard of anyone named Kharri.” A breathy.