The damp leaves under foot
The pungent fall odours
The stars overhead, the moon a silver
Unerring his step
The unseenpath travelled
Countless times
The destination
Clear in minds eye
He settled to wait
The shadows now thicker
The field was blue before him
Brass and lead slide through the port
The hushed snick snick of the lever
The glass caps nestled in his pocket
The field before him
Now white, ringed with green
An unheard sound
A movement unseen
His senses somehow alerted
To the coming
The majestic rack was there
Motionless and silent
With breath billowing, the quiet cough
Reached his straining ears
Another cough
His answer goaded
The stately head dipped
A massive hoof pawed
The frozen ground
Bursts of vapour
From distended nostrils
The sun glinted from tossing bone
He challenged
Two deep harrumphs
The answer
Quick in coming
The shoulder hump took shape
Intimidating paces to the right
The rifle came up
The trigger was squeezed.