Onyx stood outside, hands on his hips as he watched Jasper talking back and forth with the forestry maintenance crew. The crew arrived around 7:00 that morning, and it was nearing lunchtime. The captain had sent Jasper out to oversee the crew as they repaired the rotting fences around the base's vicinity, but it appeared that Jasper had gotten himself into some trouble.

One of the guys walked over, looking as though he was fuming from the ears.

This your guy? the older man gruffed, throwing his thumb back over his shoulder to point at Jasper as he continued arguing with one of the crew members. A long thin mustache caught Onyx's attention as the man spoke.

Yes sir, that's my sergeant, is he causing issues?

He's insufferable, he's practically pestering my crew about damaging the damn flowers all over there, but we gotta get to the fuckin' place one way or another.

Onyx tilted his head to look around the man. The repair crew had obviously been trampling the bushes and overgrown grass that stood next to the old fences. While they were technically doing their job, Jasper was doing his too.

It's our job to manage and protect the forest, I feel as though that should be obvious by now, Onyx shrugged, folding his arms together as he looked down at the man.

You're fuckin' Search and Rescue, not goddamn forest guardians, the man grumbled.

We're Search and Rescue that works for forestry. We're rangers at heart, Onyx reminded.

Bah, the man spat, waving his hand as he turned. Let us do our damn job, Nankoweap.

Onyx frowned at that, shaking his head as he waved his sergeant back over.

Jasper came walking up to Onyx, face red as he whipped the sweat forming above his brow.

I hate these guys, he spoke, turning towards Onyx as he dusted his hands off of his pants.

It's better to keep a good relationship with those who help keep our parks in shape, the captain mused, even if they're a pain.

I hope this isn't all that you have planned for today, the sergeant grumbled.

Lucky for you, it isn't. We're gonna take some volunteers towards the second sector to practice tree rappelling.

Getting me back in the harness, Cap'n?

Have you had much practice?

Actually yes, I'm more unfamiliar with cave rappelling but we practiced in trees a lot back in Sienna.

The captain nodded, I figured as much. I'd like you to help guide some of the volunteers alongside Cherryl.

You're not coming? Jasper frowned.

I'll come later in the day, I have paperwork I gotta fill out this morning.

Ah, captain things then, the sergeant nodded. Alright, when are we headed out?

Right now, Cherryls in the mess hall getting everyone together.

Sounds good, thanks Cap'n, Jasper grinned, patting Onyx's back before running off inside. Onyx turned to see a few members of the maintenance crew looking at the captain. The workers looked away quickly, muttering to one another as they continued installing one of the new fences.

Onyx narrowed his eyes slightly, standing there for a little while longer before walking inside.



The captain was finishing one of his documents before his radio beeped next to him. Onyx stretched, picking his radio up as Tommy's voice crackled from the speaker.

Hey captain, a guy came in and reported a few burned bushes out near the sector three cache box. Do you want me to send out a few rangers to look at it?

Hmm, Onyx glanced at his watch. It was about four o'clock. Onyx pressed the button on his radio, I'll go out, I've gotta check on Cherryl and the training team anyways. Did Pete report any smoke?

He said he didn't see anything. It must've been small.

I'll head downstairs in a minute, could you prepare a report?

Sure thing.

Onyx grabbed his pack off of a hook. He fixed his ranger's button–up as he walked out, his shoes echoing against the wooden floors. A couple of voices caught his attention as he passed an empty office. Onyx peered inside the small window. About three volunteers were sitting around, talking and joking loudly.

You're funny. Do you actually believe that? one of the women asked as she tied her hair back.

A man known as Mendel, scoffed, Of course I do! There's no way each of those rangers just died mysteriously like that. That's ridiculous.

Don't let the captain hear you yapping like that, Patricia, an older volunteer snapped back.

Yeah, or else you'll end up just like his– before the other woman could reply, Onyx walked past, making sure his shoes could be heard as he passed the open door.



The wind was blowing loudly throughout the valley. Onyx closed the door to his truck as he stepped out, locking the doors. He'd seen a few guests on the trail, although many had been making their way back towards the station and campground as they finished hiking for the day. The breeze had been still that morning, but it returned with a vengeance in the later afternoon. Onyx knew that the training team would've dispersed once the breeze started, and Jasper was gonna be pissed he didn't check up on him at all throughout it.

Oh well, Onyx thought to himself as he walked along the trail past the cache box. The report stated a few burned bushes along the trail, and it only took a couple of minutes of walking before he found the location. He had actually smelled it first before seeing the aftermath.

It was a mountain sagebrush, commonly seen throughout the Cascade River valley because of the higher elevations. Sagebrush consists of long narrow stems with three–toothed tips that resemble a trident, and smells strongly of sage, although coming from different plant families. This bush in particular was large, the long stems reaching about four feet high.

Although, instead of tall green leaves, the stems near the bottom of the plant were black. It was as if someone had taken a torch and burned it all underneath the plant. What Onyx found interesting was the top half of the plant was completely green and healthy. Specks of ash dotted the green leaves but the bottom was completely fried. He had never seen anything like it before.

The captain didn't see anything else. He looked all around the bush and only saw a couple of other burnt plants that were nearby the bush. Other than that, there was nothing. Onyx sighed, fearing that it could be the possibility of flash fires, although he highly doubted it. He snapped a couple of photos, reporting his findings back to the base. There was nothing else he could do for now.



Jasper practically chugged the water in his canteen. His hands were on fire from the constant movement of going up and down the ropes for hours. Although he wore his rappelling gloves; more than once he needed to help pull a volunteer up by the harness to readjust them if they got snagged on branches.

He nearly took a branch in the eye when a volunteer lost their footing and swung into him. Instead, he now has a lovely scratch across the bridge of his nose.

The sergeant was preparing an excuse for the captain but he was pretty disappointed Onyx hadn't shown up at all during the training. He checked his watch again. He sighed slightly. After training, the volunteers chatted amongst each other, sitting and standing around the clearing as some prepared to leave. Cherryl sat with a couple of other volunteers, talking back and forth with them.

Jasper was getting ready to walk over to join the rest of the volunteers before he heard a distant truck.

Onyx had appeared from the other side of the treeline, walking over as Cherryl stood up. They spoke for a minute until Onyx turned, meeting Jasper's eyes from across the way. Jasper couldn't help but grin as Onyx waved goodbye to Cherryl, walking over to him. The volunteers cleared out with Cherryl as Jasper knelt down to pack up his remaining gear.

Nice scratch, Sergeant. Heard you almost fell out of the tree.

Okay now that's just incorrect, Jasper smiled, looking up from where he was kneeling. Onyx was leaning against the side of the tree, looking across the clearing.

How was everything?

It went good, you should've seen me when the wind kicked up, I was doing your job and practically carrying 'teers down.

The captain hummed, Sorry I didn't come earlier, there was a bush fire report I had to check on.

Everything ok? Jasper questioned, standing up next to the captain. Onyx nodded.

Yeah, it was weird. The bottom only seemed to catch fire and everything else was intact. I didn't really see anything else burned either.

Jasper tilted his head, huh, what would cause that?

No idea, let's hope we're not getting random fires.

The sergeant nodded in agreement. They both made their way back to the truck, Jasper pausing as he patted his pockets.

Ah shoot, I think I forgot my knife somewhere.

You just leave dangerous weapons out and about? Onyx raised a brow.

No, Jasper snapped back, I left it by a stump cause I didn't want it falling out of my pocket. Hold on.

Onyx shook his head, hopping into the truck. Jasper turned, jogging back towards the side of the clearing. It was getting dark, the sun setting as long shadows casted across the meadow.

Jasper used his small flashlight to look around until his light caught the reflection of metal.

Aha, he grinned, grabbing the knife.

The wind picked up again.

He paused as he suddenly smelled something charred. It was dark and smoky, but it wasn't what a campfire smelled like. It smelled like burning meat. Jasper stood up, trying to locate the source of the smell. He knew none of the volunteers began a fire, especially since they had just entered a high fire zone on their meters.

Jasper was ready to yell for Onyx when movement across the field caught his attention.

He could barely make out what he was seeing because of how dark the field was but what ever it was, it was tall and oddly proportioned. Jasper could've mistaken it for a couple of deer walking together if it wasn't for the silhouette of a human head at the tip of its neck.

It moved similar to a wolf, walking across the field in a hunched gait, although clearing it much quicker compared to any normal animal.

Suddenly, it stopped. It turned its head to look at Jasper. He could feel his lungs faltering as his breath caught in his throat, his hair rising all over his body.

It seemed to crumble and fold into the darkness of the tall grass. Like it had appeared, it was gone.

Jasper! Onyx yelled from the truck. He gasped, turning to see Onyx standing outside the open car door. Let's go sergeant! It's getting dark!.

The sergeant looked back towards the meadow. The smell of a burning corpse was replaced with distant sage.

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