Page 24 of The Rewilding

The plan sounded simple enough. Get the cave lion. Sedate the cave lion. Transport the cave lion to the nursey further north until the police were satisfied that it was not the lion who had killed Fergus. Michael was keen to take the lead in transporting the animal. There was a discussion on whether the cave bear should also be transported away; there was a concern over whether it could catch the eye and draw attention away from speculation. In the end, it was decided that it stayed.

Martina had, at the last minute, suggested not reporting Fergus’s death at all. This was instantly dismissed by Kelvin, who thought that would only lead to bigger problems down the line – money could only protect you so much. Steph didn’t pretend to like the reasoning but was at least satisfied with the result.

The problem with the plan, however, was that it was to be carried out at night. Kelvin wanted it all done and dusted during darkness, with the police to be called in the morning. Kelvin would take control from the monitoring room, letting the other teams know where the cave lion was based on its chip. Unfortunately, the chip was only accurate to within a couple of hundred square metres. This was why it was decided that a couple of teams were needed.

Davey and Michael had initially assumed they would go by themselves, but Steph refused to be left at the house. She felt she might learn more by staying behind, but her instinct said more important matters lay elsewhere. Besides, she needed to make sure she was in the right place to do the right thing when it was needed. If and when it was needed. So she partnered with Davey.

Michael was happy to go alone in another buggy, only to have his plans scuppered by Daniel. Steph had told him of the plan, and he had limped from his room to insist he joined. He could barely walk and looked pale. Kelvin insisted he stay behind but Daniel seemed adamant. He was then backed up by Martina who claimed that Daniel would have the animals’ best interests at heart, as he knew of the hard work that had gone into their creation. Kelvin had then relented, much to Michael’s disgust.

Martina needlessly pointed out that Daniel could barely walk so he could hardly get in Michael’s way.

Concerned by his lack of colour, Steph tried to suggest that he gave it a miss, but still, Daniel remained unbending in his determination not to miss out.

Everyone having eaten and prepared what they needed, they set out. Davey and Michael had stocked up on the equipment necessary for the night with Davey handing Steph some night-vision goggles.

“Do I not get a tranquillizer gun?”

Steph asked as the gates to the compound opened and the two buggies drove through.

Davey shook his head.

“You’re going to sight for me, and I’ll take the shot… or Michael will.”

“I would feel better if I had something,”

Steph replied, looking around at the darkness that was swallowing them as the lights of the house faded behind the trees.

Taking one hand off the wheel, Davey leant down, pulled his trouser leg up a little and revealed a sheathed knife strapped to his calf. He unstrapped it and dumped it on Steph’s lap.

“There.”

Steph bit her lip.

“I’d rather have something I could shoot with.”

“Throw it then. Same thing.”

Steph shook her head but remained silent. They drove on.

They knew the direction they were meant to head in and the rough area where the cave lion was when they had left. The large cat was somewhere to the northwest, completely the other side of the compound to the house. However, they were only halfway there when the radio kicked in and Kelvin’s voice crackled through.

“How are you getting on?”

came the question.

“About halfway,”

came the reply. It was Michael. Steph noted that Davey seemed quite happy to sit and listen.

“Well, you might want to alter your course. He seems to be moving east.”

“Probably found a meal to chase. Fergus wasn’t the largest of men.”

Steph clicked her tongue.

“Maybe. I will keep you updated anyway. Might be best to get close and then I can tell you how far it’s moved.”

“Where do you think we should aim?”

asked Michael.

“A couple of miles northeast of our small ben, seems like it might work.”

“Small ben! It’s a glorified hillock is what it is!”

“Fine, a couple of miles northeast of the glorified hillock!”

The radio quietened and they continued onwards. Every so often, the radio would kick in again and there would be a short update from Kelvin. It would be greeted by a short acknowledgement from Michael but no one else. This lasted until Davey finally communicated his own thoughts.

He picked up the radio transmitter and pressed a button on the side.

“We have to be close now, surely?”

Michael must have agreed as he stopped his buggy not far ahead of them. His red brake lights on the attached trailer indicated to Davey to follow suit. Davey pulled up alongside him. They were no longer amongst trees but in another open area. Well, Steph assumed it was open. In the faint waxing moonlight she could just about see a treeline in the distance, but their position seemed to offer no shelter from the cool night wind which flicked at her hair.

Both Davey and Michael turned their lights off. Steph could make out the shadowy figure of Daniel holding up what looked like a pair of binoculars to scan the area.

Before Michael and Davey could exchange words, the radio kicked in again.

“Based on where you are, the cave lion is anywhere between two to four hundred metres from you.”

“In which direction?”

Davey asked.

“East… roughly.”

Steph could see Michael instantly scan his own shadowy outline in the supposed direction of the animal. The scope of his tranquillizer rifle came up to his eye.

“Bison,”

Daniel said.

“They seem pretty quiet,”

Michael exhaled.

Steph strained her eyes into the darkness but could neither see nor hear a thing. That was until she heard an exasperated noise to the side of her as Davey muttered something and then thrust something heavy into her hands.

“The switch is on the side,”

he whispered.

Steph recognised that it was the night-vision goggles. She felt along the side of them until her fingers touched something small but pronounced which easily moved. She raised the goggles to her eyes. Instantly, things became far clearer.

Like Daniel, she scanned the area whilst Michael and Davey readied themselves and went through their little rituals. The bison were clear to see. Michael was right, they all seemed quite relaxed. Maybe they had no idea they were being targeted. They were quite content, heads down chewing on the grass save for the odd raised head. Steph found this interesting, not just because she was aware of something they were not, but also because their calmness felt at odds with what she had witnessed from the predators. It was almost as if the relationship between predator and prey was not yet in sync. The prey did not seem to realise the gravity of their situation. That, or numbers kept being boosted without social learning filtering through cleanly enough.

A small gleam of light momentarily distracted Steph. Davey had turned on a heat sensor. He was directing it at the bison to check it was working. Sure enough, red figures tinged with a yellow/green outline graced his screen.

“Right, you two, stay in the vehicles whilst Davey and I go and find this thing,”

Michael said.

“We’ll radio you once we have it and you can drive the buggy with the…”

Michael stopped as he realised who was in the buggy with the trailer.

“Maybe swap over and then Steph can bring the buggy with the trailer attached.”

“Why do we need to stay here?”

Steph asked.

“Because,”

Davey butted in.

“Daniel can’t walk and you don’t know what you’re doing – you’re a liability we could do without.”

“Of course, I know what I am doing!”

Steph spat, struggling to keep her voice low.

“Part of my job entails the ability to track animals. And anyway, I thought you said I was going to be your spotter?”

“I didn’t mean you are a liability in that you can’t be trusted!”

“Oh.”

“I meant that you would be another person at risk. It just doesn’t seem necessary to me. I only said the spotter thing to keep you from kicking off in the house.”

“Right.”

Steph thought for a moment. She couldn’t leave it there.

“But wouldn’t an extra pair of eyes be safer?”

“In this case, she might be right,”

Michael said.

Steph heard Davey trying to subdue one of his growls in his throat.

“Who would bring the trailer over then?”

“I can!”

Daniel whispered excitedly.

“Don’t be stupid!”

Davey moaned.

“You have a gaping wound in your leg and less blood inside you than an anorexic mosquito!”

“It hurts, sure, but I can do it!”

There was quiet whilst Michael and Davey considered their situation.

“Fine!”

hissed Michael, causing Davey to click his tongue in irritation.

“But if you can’t bring it over, let me know and I’ll come to you whilst the other two stay with the lion.”

Michael and Davey then leapt out of the buggies. Steph followed. It felt odd when her feet hit the grass. She suddenly realised just how open the surrounding grassland was. It was incredibly exposed. She supposed for the bison there was less chance of an ambush, but even so, had they known what she knew she doubted they would be quite so relaxed.

Michael and Davey walked a couple of steps before Davey turned to Steph.

“Listen. Michael and I will find and tranquillize the lion. Your job is to be the lookout behind us. Essentially, be the eyes in the back of our heads – keep the night-vision goggles handy. Right?”

“Right,”

Steph whispered.

Davey turned to continue walking but stopped instantly to prevent himself from bumping into a still-static Michael.

“What’s the problem?”

Davey asked.

“The wind is blowing to the east.”

“So?”

“The deer are right in front of us.”

Steph decided to use the night-vision goggles to watch this exchange lest she miss any subtle facial expressions. Michael was waiting for what he said to sink in. Davey was still frowning. Then he looked behind. Then he looked forward and sighed.

“Right,”

said Davey.

“What?”

whispered Steph. What had she missed that was so obvious?

“Basically, we have been under the impression that… put those down for a moment!”

Davey pushed the goggles down from Steph’s face. They scraped her nose on the way down. She decided not to complain.

“We have been under the impression that the cave lion was tracking the bison from west to east.”

“Right?”

“But the wind is blowing eastwards!”

“Right?”

Davey said no more. Steph wrinkled her nose. Then it sank in.

“Ah, he isn’t here, is he? He is the other side of the herd!”

“Exactly!”

whispered Michael from somewhere to her left.

“We’re going to have to go around them. The little furry bastard probably has our scent too.”

“If we start going around, won’t he lose our scent and focus on the bison?”

Steph asked.

“Maybe,”

replied Michael.

“But it also means dipping closer to the tree line, which is a danger in itself. It will also add more time to the whole thing, which will make our chance of success that little bit slimmer. Still, we have little choice!”

They headed further south towards the shadowy tree line. Every so often the cloud above would clear to let slivers of moonlight through. At such times Michael would hold his hand up and crouch. For all of Davey’s comfort in the outdoors, it was clear to Steph that Michael was the more experienced tracker with the traits of a hunter. Davey must have learnt what he knew from Michael. Steph was still unsure what Davey’s experiences had been leading up to his current employment,. He was a difficult character to pin down.

The bison remained calm as they reached the trees, keeping a wide-enough distance between themselves and the animals. Spooking them would blow their chance. It was only now that Steph started to appreciate what a delicate operation they were undertaking. She had known it was not a simple one, but appreciating it was something else. The risks were high: other predators being attracted to the bison, the cave lion bolting early, or the bison fleeing causing the lion to escape. It was all problematic.

“How’s it going?”

The sharp sound of the radio coming from Michael’s hip made Steph’s heart almost leap from her throat.

“Shut that damned thing off!”

hissed Davey.

Michael fumbled angrily at his waist. He didn’t even answer the voice. He just switched it off.

Steph couldn’t tell whether it had been Daniel or Kelvin whose voice had pierced the quiet. She suspected Kelvin. He would want control.

Steph raised her goggles to watch the bison. It seemed Davey was doing similarly with his heat-signal detector. A few of the bison nearest to them had trotted further away. Most were settled down to eating again just a hundred yards or so from where they were hidden. A few kept raised heads in the direction of Steph and the others, but deciding there was little threat settled down to periodically taking mouthfuls from the ground.

The group kept moving. Steph kept her eyes behind them, constantly looking over her shoulder and occasionally walking backwards. She kept this up until bumping into something solid. It was Michael. He was staring out from the edge of the tree line across the open land that – now that Steph looked carefully – was open heathland.

She felt a hand on her shoulder pushing her down slightly into a crouch.

“Keep an eye on the trees behind us,”

Davey breathed.

“If anything seems odd, tell us!”

Steph nodded. She was not sure whether the lion had been seen in the darkness. She settled down against the tree they were crouched behind and looked deep into the darkness at their back.

Apart from the sound of an owl there was nothing of interest for Steph to be wary of. She thought this would have relaxed her. If anything, it heightened her senses. It was as if something bad was going to happen and it was a question of when and not if. The anticipation she was building in herself twisted her insides.

Minutes passed. Nothing. She risked the odd glance back at Davey and Michael. Michael was crouched looking through the scope of his rifle. Davey was scanning the area with the heat detector.

Still nothing.

“This isn’t right,”

Davey whispered.

“I know,”

sighed Michael.

A loud snap suddenly cracked through the silence of the trees.