*September 27, 2052,
"Today we are going out into the forest once again. The food supplies is getting low and my group is getting restless. It's been only two months since we've been here but Rex and Janice noticed a few deer trails down the western slope. The pheasants we caught two weeks ago only lasted us a few days, so for the past few days we have been surviving off of Anna's potato and beet soup. The woman can make one hell of a beet soup but it can really get old quite quick."
"Augh...get 'em!" A man yelled as he laid on the floor, his faded camouflage coat dirty with reddish brown caked mud and forest debris. A small group of people rushed out from their hiding places upon hearing the man's order, their clothes just as faded and torn. They rushed, blades and wooden speared like sticks in hand, at the giant moose that limped and struggled to stand, a large bullet lodged into it's hind leg. The moose bucked and neighed but the people, former military soldiers didn't let up for even a second. They fought the massive beast for what seemed like hours but was merely a good ten minute. The moose finally gave up, resting it's head on the dry earthy floor, it's last breaths coming out ragged before finally stopping in a sudden last huff. The men and women that stood around the beast, sweaty and dirty, looked at it, sadness glistening in their eyes before a gleam of happiness and merit shown as the death of the beast meant that they would finally, after months, have a hearty meal to share with those back in the camp. They looked at each other and smiled as they realized that they were all thinking the same thing.
"Who's going to skin it?" A woman that stood a few feet away from the creature's head asked while staring at it. The group grumbled in disdain at the thought of the messy work that came with hunting such a massive creature. While the reward was amazing, the work before hand was a gruesome one, one that no one particularly like. "I will, the rest of you can take a break. Just help me get it back to base." A deep voice came from a few feet away. The group turned to look at the man. It was Jora, his camouflage jacket still caked in dirt, his pants soaked by the moist ground, stuck to his large legs. He still held his shotgun in one of his large hands while the other raked back his long messy brown hair from his face. "Copy that, Lieutenant." One of the men in the group said playfully as he and the rest began to pull the ropes from around their waists, quickly securing them around the beast's legs and neck. "Rex, I've told you not to call me that. We aren't military personal anymore." Jora said with a serious look drawn over his face. "Janice, you and the rest bring the sled. That beast is massive. Hopefully it'll last a month or so." The woman who stood at the head of the beast nodded and walked off with a few of the group. They mumbled to each other how they were happy Jora was doing the skinning and not them while a few pointed out how they were thankful that they had even been able to knock the massive beast down. Janice herself mumbled how she was happy that Jora was able to spot the beast in the first place which had the rest of her small group teasing her but agreeing at the same time.
The group had the massive beast tied and on the large sled in no time, the sled consisting of a thick wooden wall panel mounted on a trio of car axles and wheels, all of which they had found in the now deserted town a few miles away from their base. Their base was a simple set up in a couple of the abandoned luxury houses at the top of a mountain, all of which were shrouded by the extensive forest around them and quite safe compared to the other bases the group had tried to settle in, in the past few years. The place where they would have to leave Jora and his catch was not in their base itself, but a few hundred feet away from it, in the eerie forest, that way they wouldn't attract unwanted guests to their temporary base. This was a lesson that, many in their group had learned in a harsh away. Some had even lost loved ones due to not knowing the harsh lesson before hand.
"Jora, you want some help with the skinning?" A tall broad man asked Jora as he walked towards him in a friendly way. Jora looked over at the man whose dark chocolate toned skin glistened with drops of sweat. His braids where neatly tucked above his ears and into a ponytail that ended just above his shoulders. "It's a messy job Rex, you know that." Rex smiled in a charming way, the same smile that used to win him favor with the ladies and let out a deep laugh. "Are you calling me a wuss now?" Rex asked and playfully punched Jora on the arm. "Not at all. I'm just saying that you won't be giving that boyish smile to anyone soon, after we're done." Jora said in a serious tone as he looked at the team that was pulling the dead moose onto the sled. "Woah now! Are you coming onto me Lieutenant?" Rex asked with feigned surprise as Jora rolled his eyes and started to walk towards his team and the sled. "I mean, I'm flattered you know. I just never thought we were each other's type." Rex continued mischievously as Jora tried to ignore him and started to help some of his teammates in securely tying down the ropes to the sled. "I don't typical go for the tall tanned and buffed Native types, but if you speak sweetly to me, I might just reconsider it for a night." Rex continued as he also started to help pull the ropes and adjust them into the hooks nailed to the wooden panel.
"Ey Rex! Careful now. If Janice hears you flirting with her man, we might be seeing her playing ping pong with your balls tomorrow. Her racket of choice? Her six and a half, grade A, military issued, black tactical boots." A man from the group yelled out as an uproar of laughter rang from the people around them. "Really Old Bill? Man, why you gotta get up in our business like that? You're just jealous that the boss is looking at me and not at your old white ass." Rex countered back as another uproar of laughter erupted from the group. Jora however, had tuned them out and was more focused on getting the sled up and going before the lost daylight.
"Tiara, are you guys ready on that side?" He yelled to one of the women on the other side of the sled. "Almost boss. One of the ropes snapped though, so we're just making due with the ones we got." A tall slender woman yelled, her head barely visible over the carcass of the massive beast now lying on the wooden panel. Jora quickly walked around and headed to stand next to her. Tiara, although being tall, was still short compared to Jora, her head reaching just above her shoulder. The old white tank top that clung to her soft dark skin, tucked into her faded green pants, was torn on the right side of her waist. "Tiara, your shirt. Are you hurt?" Jora asked while circling around her in worry. "Huh? Oh, what this? Nah. It got snatched on a branch and it tore." Tiara said showing him that she only had a small superficial cut on her waist.
"You sure?" Jora asked inspecting her while she batted his hands away. "Yeah! I'm good. Now quit worrying, you're reminding me of my momma, so move." Tiara said and turned back to what she was doing. Jora nodded before handing her the rope from around his waist and then circling around the rest of the sled. Once everyone was done and ready they began to head towards the sight where Jora and Rex would skin their prey and finally feats with their group after months.