Dark Titan Journey: Wilderness Travel Read Online Free PDF

road.
    “And it’s gross,” she added.
    “Yep,” Nathan agreed.
    “Then why do it?” she asked.
    “I want to,” he said. “There will not be any more in a few weeks so I will have to quit again,” he informed her.
    Shaking her head softly, Amanda closed her eyes. “You mean you had quit once already and started again?” she asked.
    “Yep. Being trapped over two thousand miles away from home upset my nerves. I’m sorry,” he answered, spitting out a stream of tobacco.
    Amanda pulled his arm so he would look at her. “If you hadn’t been trapped there I would be dead,” she said. “I don’t want to die,” she said with sad eyes.
    Seeing the sad face, Nathan stopped and took off her hat, kissing her on the top of her braided head. “I didn’t think of it like that. I will do everything I can to make sure you grow old and have kids that pester you,” he said, smiling.
    She wrapped her arms around him, hugging his waist. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to say that. I know you wanted to be home and not here with us,” she said sobbing.
    He lifted her chin up and wiped the tears off her face. “To be honest, I’m glad that I’m here to help you and John,” he said. “Even if you are trying to steal my dog,” he added.
    “I’m not trying to steal him, he loves me,” Amanda said indignantly.
    Nathan laughed and kissed her head. “Yeah and I can see why. I love you too, little one,” he said and started walking again, pulling her along.
    “Ah sir, I don’t want to be rude, but I’m glad you’re here too,” John said.
    “John, if you call me sir one more time I’m holding you down and spitting in your ear,” Nathan warned him.
    “Amanda’s right, you need to stop that stuff,” John said.
    “You too?” Nathan said, stopping at the rabbit. “Amanda, get out a zip lock bag.” He pulled out his Playtex gloves then grabbed his knife. “Watch,” he said and skinned the rabbit in four minutes flat. He threw the skinned bunny into the bag and had John pour water over his gloves so he could wash off the blood.
    “That was fast. I went hunting one time with a man in our neighborhood and it took him two hours to skin a deer,” John said with awe.
    “I raise rabbits so I have practice,” Nathan said, drying his gloves and putting them up. He turned to see Amanda still holding the bag at arm’s distance, looking in distaste at the skinned bunny.
    “You raise rabbits and kill them to eat?” she asked, making a funny face.
    “Why else would I raise them?” Nathan asked, taking the bag.
    “Ah, because they’re cute and fluffy?” she answered.
    “Yes they are, but they’re tasty and a rabbit will produce a thousand times its body weight a year in offspring. It only takes a few to feed a family. By the way, Ares loves them,” he said, putting the bag in her pack.
    Looking over her shoulder, she warned him, “That better not leak on my clothes.”
    “Hey, you sealed it,” Nathan said, grabbing her hand and setting off.
    The lessons continued until lunch, when they stopped and ate. John looked at Nathan curiously. “Nathan, were you in the military?” he asked as a soft wind rustled the trees, the only sound they could hear except each other.
    “No,” he replied.
    “Where did you learn all this stuff?” John asked.
    “My dad was in the military and started it,” Nathan said, getting a faraway look. Shaking his head, he came back to the here and now. “Then I started taking classes for this. Everything from survival in the desert to scuba diving. I traveled the country and learned where I could. In Maine was one of the best survival classes I’ve ever been to. In Washington State there is a place that has classes on combat. I learned a lot when I joined SRT, but they taught me so much more. There’s another one in Texas. The point I’m making is the knowledge is out there. You just have to find it,” Nathan said.
    “Man, I wish I would’ve known you before this,” John