The day wasn't very unusual.  A bit warm, but in a season which had taken on uncharacteristically cold temperatures it was more a comfort than an oddity.  As on any other day he was running.  But on this day, as he broke away from the safety of his home a pack of deer rose from their grazing nearby and began sprinting up the hill across from him.

    For a moment he considered going back for his spear.  He'd yet to run with such animals yet though, and he could not take the time to retrieve his weapon as it would risk missing the opportunity.  So he ran.   Barefoot and a bit cold, as he often was, he ran.

    But on this occasion he didn't jog pleasantly through the forest, his prey and companions would not allow it.  He ran, as fast as his legs would carry him.  The young man's eyes scanned the ground in front of him in quick bursts, his mind marking the location of each stick and rock.  When he wasn't preparing a mental image of the path he'd have to run, the runner stole glances of the deer to his right.

    A full family, a herd of no less than three of them ran with him.  They were slightly quicker, and certainly more nimble.  But as he was on the bottom of the valley, he had the advantage of flat ground beneath his feet.  This gave him the pleasure of keeping pace with them at every glance, regardless of the years of experience in the art of running that they held over his head unintentionally.

   After a time his chest tightened and burned, his muscles screamed in protest of both the strain and the cold.  Even his mind was hurt by his efforts, sending stinging pains behind his eyes and ears.  So he stopped, slowing to a walk as he knew that dropping to the ground would only serve to hurt him further.  Once he had taken a few deep breaths and steadied his person, he stole a glance at the hill to his right.

    The entire herd had stopped in their flight.  They looked at him with eyes filled with alertness.  Their ears were perked to the air, listening for the slightest threat outside this odd creature that had startled them so suddenly this brisk morning.  He smiled a quiet smile.  He raised one of his hands in both salutation and submission to the swift nature of the animals he hoped to one day both become kin and predator to.

    Once he had caught his breath he turned and jogged back to his home at a relatively relaxed pace.  When he returned he only threw the spear he had made twice, as his body would allow no more.  The young man allowed himself to return inside after that, pacing vigorously as he felt the strength of his body fail him.  Within an hour he was bedridden, coughing vigorously and shaking with the cold he had yet to expel.

    The morning had brought an undoubtedly expensive inch to the ground he had to cover.  But surely a more important inch than the pains and sickness it would cause.