Samanta does not consider herself the ideal lady, the one that men and women looked at and thought “wow, she is a real lady”. But she has to agree, five dresses torn by wild animals and tree branches, that in a single month, is a lot even for her.

Of course, luck isn't one of her best friends, and it doesn't always go with her. So injuries and accidents with your clothes are common. What could she do? It is absolutely difficult for her to wear the pants she loves so much. Whenever she manages to date them, her stepmother soon finds out, and she feels as if Evangeline is going to rip out her precious liver. It's so much to listen to, she gets to keep her voice not sweet for days in her head.

“I know it's not easy to ride, hunt, or do anything you normally do wearing a dress. But try to be less clumsy, Sam. - Mel said, concentrated, with the line in one hand and a dress in the other. - Do not misunderstand me. I don't think it's bad to pack your clothes, we help each other. But I'm afraid one day you'll show up without your dress. – She Said she while laughing at the image of her friend.

Really, Mel is right. She's more careless these days. Lucky she has a friend with blessed hands who can fix everything, and make it look like a new piece.

- Do not laugh at me. I will be more careful. - She said while trying to hold back a laugh.

Mel is a sister to Sam. The young woman has no blood brothers, but considers those who grew up with her as her brothers. Mel, for example, is his older sister. The one who tugs at your ear for being clumsy, but always fixes her clothes, and makes new ones for her.

– Where is Lena?

“She went into town to try to sell two rabbits. They are very good pets, one of the children's favorites. - Mel replied without looking up too much from the piece of cloth in her hands.

Rabbits... city... that reminds me of something. Of course, how could she forget? Simple, she was busy planting wheat for a couple of weeks. She hasn't been able to hunt almost anything in a while. Little, but enough to leave her with almost no money.

She got up from the bench she was sitting on as if she'd been shocked, it was a mental shock to be honest. The action made Mel look confused in her direction.

- Sorry friend, but I have to go. It will be dark in a few hours, so I have to take advantage of the time I have to see if I can get anything, even strawberries, or whatever can be sold. - She said laughing while looking for something in her pocket. One of the things she liked about her outfit, pockets. – Here, these are cookies with pieces of strawberries. – She said while handing a bag with some cookies to her friend in front of her.

Mel was used to Sam's ways by now. The young woman was always more agitated than most people. Then, as if nothing had happened, she grabbed the cookies and saw her friend's back moving away as she ran to a nearby horse. Just going back to sewing the piece that was in her hands.

Sam had always been really agitated. When she was little, she ran all over the garden of her house, and her father barely caught up with her. A little girl in a puffy dress, climbing trees and running like the wind around, imagines what a disaster it would be for any parent. But not hers, he always encouraged her to go further in her adventures in the family garden.

Sam's horse is not far from the house where she was. After walking for about two minutes, she was already beside the horse. A black and white horse, a beautiful Shire she got from her father for her two-year-old birthday.

The best place to hunt, without a doubt, was the forest. Most people in the village are afraid of the forest, either because it harbors wild animals or fear of beings from another world. But Sam doesn't consider the forest a dangerous place, when you basically grow up in one place, there's not much to fear about it. And this is the reality of the young woman, whether animals or fruits, most of them she gets in these forests or mountains that surround the village.

Oliver, Sam's horse, is very fast, so before long he reaches the forest. The sun is still shining in the sky, which makes Sam think it's not even four o'clock yet. Which is great, because the last time Sam came home in the dark, it took him about two hours to get down the mountain. Even knowing the region like the back of her hand, she still can't see in the dark.

Sam started walking into the woods with Oliver, not going too fast or too slow. Just enough so that it doesn't take longer than necessary, but you can easily notice whichever animal it is.

After almost 1h in search of an animal, or some fruit, she can see only poisonous fruits, and making poison is not her strong point, so don't even think about it. Giving up isn't Samantha's strong point, so she decides it's necessary to go deeper into the forest, anyway, it's not like she never went.

Deeper in the woods, Sam finally found something she could use, raspberries, but not ordinary raspberries, bigger and brighter ones, the last time she sold it, she made good money out of it. They are great for making jam or selling separately.

After harvesting as much as she could, two baskets that were strapped to Oliver's back and a basket on his back. She decided it was past time to go home. Surely her stepmother will be mad at her, and if she doesn't come down now, she might not be able to come down until dawn.

Before she could get very far from where she was, she heard a cry for help and the neighing of a horse, which Oliver responded by wanting to go see what it was. Let's be honest, in a forest, it was past 7pm, the sun was already gone. No one other than wild animals should frequent this part of the forest. If Oliver didn't demonstrate that he heard another animal neigh, Sam would easily start thinking she was hearing things, and by the gods, that she was hearing things.

But anyway, she thought it best to go see what it is, not least because Oliver seems to really want to see what it is. At worst, he's a hunter. Oh, how she hates these people. Despite hunting, she doesn't have one of her habits to kill. She only takes a few fish with her when she manages to catch any. But most of the time, all she gets are fruits and some grains and nuts, which are worth a lot, as the townspeople don't bother to get such food.

After riding for a few minutes, Sam smells a strange smell, she senses that she has smelled it before, but this time, the smell seems to enter her nostrils and go to her brain. This makes her, even if unconsciously, decide to go faster, passing through the trees like lightning.

The image in front of her eyes changes drastically, it's not the best. The sun is long gone, replaced only by a not-so-bright moon, so it's no exaggeration to say that you can't see much ahead of it, in fact, from either side.

What little Sam can see, she's already able to freeze her blood.

It's been a long time since you've seen a bear, let alone two grizzly bears? The bear scene would be amazing, if they weren't attacking someone on a horse, and she wasn't thinking about how to get away from the scene.

Run? This is definitely not the smartest choice to make. The horse may even be fast, but bears wanting to devour your dinner are much faster. And sneaking out is not an option. How could she live normally after being a coward and abandoning the stranger in danger?

The bears are quick to discover Sam's location, which makes the young woman's already icy blood almost freeze.

– Okay, think fast! - Sam said in a loud thought, the result of nervousness.

Of course, this may be the young woman's only, and last, chance to defend herself. If it works, I thank Chad for his amazing invention. If it doesn't work out, I'll serve dinner for two bears.

Quickly Sam shoved his hands into the pockets of his clothes, and began frantically searching for a small wooden box. Finally finding her. He opened the box, looked at the bears that were already heading towards him. It's now or never, he thought, taking a metal ball out of the box and throwing it with all the aim she could muster at that moment, next to the bears. Already covering the nose and closing the eyes afterwards.

As it landed, the ball opened up and out came what Chad calls “tear gas,” which is nothing more than pepper, many types of peppers, so many she doesn't even know what they are.

The act certainly worked, as Sam heard the bears running towards the rest of the forest as they hit some trees.

And of course, the smell of pepper, which even covering the nostrils, it was still possible to feel, and the stranger screaming “my eyes” and coughing violently, are also clear indications that the instrument will actually work.

Taking the courage to open your eyes without the fear of being blinded by it, not that there's really a risk of such a thing, but being without sight for at least half an hour, it's sure to happen.

Opening his eyes, Sam no longer saw the two enraged animals, but the stranger and the horse were still there. The horse had long since lost control, and the stranger was lying on the ground, covering his eyes with his hands.

Sam couldn't help but feel relieved. In her seventeen years of life, she had never felt so much that she would die. Even in critical situations. But as there was still a risk of bears returning or wild animals appearing, she decided it would be wise to go to the stranger, see if he was alive or had gone mad with fear.

Talking to strangers is not one of Sam's habits. But she could hardly deny a cry for help. For greater safety, Sam has decided that it is wiser not to get off the horse and ride to the stranger, if the stranger attacks, she can only run.

But the stranger did nothing, showed no reaction. He just sat there with his knees up to his head and his hands over his eyes. The horse, even in shock from the bears and the pepper bomb, stood in front of the stranger, proving strong.

Sam was captivated by the animal's action.

Indeed, some animals are better than many humans. But it was undeniable that the horse saw her as a possible danger.

- Who's there? – Asked the stranger, still sitting on the floor and squinting.

– Your savior. – Sam replied, trying to see more of the stranger lying on the floor.

Apparently, he appears to be a young man. Sam can't give him an age, but he shouldn't be much older than her.

The stranger, still on guard. Which is very normal, considering that Sam herself is ready to run at any moment.

Sam thought it was too dark for anything, it must have been past 8pm, many villagers must already be asleep. Talking to a stranger is no longer prudent on her part. But talking to a stranger in the dark is even less prudent.

So she decided that she would use what little battery was left in her pocket flashlight, it wasn't too big, but it's enough to lighten two meters around her, and the battery can last another two hours.

The flashlight really did its job well, illuminating the place well. Sam saw that there were no wild animals around, and that the horse standing in front of her was nothing less than a thoroughbred Arabian. Such a horse?

No one in this region has such a horse, she is sure of that.

The stranger, who remains in the same position, now has more defined features, even though it is still not possible to see his face well. A young man dressed in an outfit that appeared to be made of leather and a type of fabric she'd never seen before, and black leather boots.

This young man really wasn't from around, which made Sam's head work even harder. However, she soon realized that the pepper smell was already leaving, which means she has to leave the place soon.

Sam decided to get off the horse and check on the young man. As dangerous as approaching a stranger was, it is more dangerous to stay in the woods.

– Can you get up? – Sam asked the young man who was sitting on the floor like a statue.

The answer took a while. Sam almost

checked that the young man was still breathing, but just before her hand touched the young man's shoulders, a voice was heard.

- I guess so.

And the young man who replied with a tone of confidence did not take long to get up. Which unfortunately didn't last that long, as the young man almost fell flat on his face, not before a grunt of pain.

Sam felt bad for the young man, and before he fell like a bad apple, he grabbed the young man and tried to support the young man's body with his own body, which he found to be difficult work. With the emotion of the moment Sam didn't think, it turns out that the young man is about 30 centimeters taller than her, and the weight is also greater than hers.

– Okay, you can't. So I'll help you, okay?

- Right. - Answered the young man seconds later.

Sam felt that she really was helpless. She just went to get something to sell. But she discovered a stranger asking for help, and was nearly eaten by two bears.

Looking at the man's horse, it didn't seem very safe to try to get the man on top of the horse. So she decided that her horse was the best option at the moment.

Sam called Oliver with his free hand and the horse came towards her, giving Oliver two light pats on the spine, he lay down on the ground. The perfect position to place the injured man on the horse's back.

- You ride my horse because I'm afraid of yours! - Said Sam, while trying to fix his own body. Which earned a brief laugh that came from above her head. But Sam couldn't pay attention to whether it was actually a laugh or a grunt, or a failed attempt at speech. She has other concerns at the moment.

Her feet feel like they want to sink into the floor. Sure enough, her boots must be completely dirty, and there must be two deep boot marks. The stranger was very heavy, even though she had a strength considered greater compared to other young women of her age, she still felt that if she didn't hold it well, the man could fall, or both could fall.

With a lot of work, Sam managed to get out of the holes her feet had made. She didn't even knock the man down and she's still standing, which is already better than before.

Without taking long, she put the man on the horse, the young man still able to move a little, even making a few low grunts of pain. The grunts really disturbed Sam, she couldn't help but worry about the young man. The feeling of worry greatly increased when she felt something wet in her hand, and the smell was the same as she'd smelled before the pepper bomb.

The scent that intrigued her... comes from the blood, the blood of this young man. Sam is not a famous doctor and she is not used to dealing with blood on a daily basis. But one thing she's sure of, that's not what blood must smell like. And the worst, she can't say for sure what that smell is.

Sam let this matter slide, at least for now. It was late enough that she didn't know the time, the pepper scent was dissipating, and most importantly, there was an injured stranger on his horse.

Sam decided it would be unwise to go with the stranger on the horse, as she only has two hands, and would not be able to hold the flashlight.

– Put your arms around the horse's neck. Can you hold on?

- I can. - Answered the young man hugging Oliver's neck.

Sam didn't answer, just patted Oliver twice, and he stood up. Suddenly Sam thought of something, what about the boy's horse? Sam glanced at the horse that was still standing, already behind her.

– Will the horse follow us? – Sam asked in a slightly uncertain voice. If the horse doesn't go of its own accord, there's nothing she can do.

– Hm. – replied the young man.

Sam decided that “hm” means “yes”. So Sam just took the reins of his horse and walked away at a little quick pace, but not too fast, for she was afraid the man would fall off the horse. A drop of nearly two meters is no small feat. The man was right, the horse really was following them closely. This somehow soothed Sam's heart.

As they were almost in the middle of the forest, Sam decided the best choice was to go back to where she came from. And she's really scared of that damn battery running out. What will she do if that happens? She doesn't see in the dark.

– Where are you taking me? – Asked the man half lying on the horse.

Only now did he seem to realize that he was seeing someone strange. As much as this person really saved him, it's a person he'd never met.

“I'm taking you to a lake nearby. I will wash my hands and boots. And I will see your situation. - Said Sam, while walking in the forest as if it were his house. - Do not worry. If I wanted to kill you, I wouldn't have saved you. – He said when he saw the great lake a little ahead.

- I didn't mean that... - Answered the young man, after all, she was right. And he didn't want to upset someone he depended on.

Sam was already almost exhausted, but she was overjoyed when she saw the lake. Finally, she was able to calm down a bit, and arrived at a considerably safe place.

Sam took Oliver and the stranger to the edge of the lake and asked Oliver to lie down, which he did. Before checking the stranger's condition, he washed his hands in the lake, and washed his boots without taking them off his feet. She definitely couldn't make it home with her boots in this condition, there seems to be a boot of mud around the leather boot.

Sam isn't the reckless type, she's not getting along today. It is very necessary to help those who need help, but she has to consider things. Normally she would just take the young man to Edvin, but not this time, in addition to feeling that she must help, she still trusts this stranger. She could have just gone crazy.

The young man has not yet presented any risk and remains obediently clinging to the horse. So, so far, he's still not untrustworthy of her. Even though deep down she knows she shouldn't do what she's doing. But afraid of giving up, she soon advances towards the young man and helps him to get off the horse.

- What is your name? – Sam asks, realizing that she doesn't even know the young man's name.

- Call me Alex. And you?

- Call me Sam.

The young man nods in agreement. He suddenly stops and looks around.

– Sam?

- Hi?

– It's nighttime, right? – Asks the young man, still looking around.

- Yes, why? – Sam asks, already starting to get worried. Which is? It's been dark for a while, and why else would it be dark now?

– Are you seeing something? – Alex asked, without answering the previous question.

- I am. I have a flashlight with me... - Sam replied while showing the flashlight to Alex, and seeing his hands clench into fists. - Wait... you... - Sam said already distressed.

Alex didn't say anything, just made an expression of confusion and despair. God, why couldn't he see an inch in front of him?

“Alex…” Sam said, almost freaking out inside. – Calm down, let me have a look. - He said and pulled Alex's face in a way that she could look into his eyes.

Sam can't decide which is more amazing, the deep blue present in the iris, or the redness around it. All she can think of is one word "damn."

– Do you know what happened to me? - Alex asked, distressed and trying to stay as calm as possible at the moment, which was not much.

– Did you squint your eyes? – Asked Sam, looking into the young man's eyes and trying to discover anything.

– Hm. - The young man agreed, which did not relieve Sam's anxiety much.

– So that must be it. – Sam said, trying to convey confidence. “If this doesn't go away until I finish bandaging you up, let's go to a friend, he should be able to sort this out…but now, let's wash his eyes. – He spoke as he took a large bottle of fresh water from his bag.

Sam helped Alex wash his eyes. Even though she tried not to show it, she really was very tense. She had never blinded anyone, even if it was unintentionally. It is possible that she is more anxious for him to see again than Alex is.

After washing his eyes, Sam gave Alex some water to drink. Still freaked out by the amount of blood that was on her hand as she supported the boy, Sam hurried to see the situation around her waist.

– Sam?

- Hi?

– Why are you helping me? – Alex asked, confused. After all, Sam was a girl, a lady, and she was helping him, a strange man she'd never seen before.

Sam stopped what she was doing for the moment, looked at the man, and for a moment, didn't know how to respond. She herself was confused by this. How to explain such behavior? Should she say “I saw I needed help and decided to help”? She herself knows that she shouldn't deal with a stranger in such a way. But not what could she do? She just felt like she should.

- Because I am. And why did you accept my help? I can be a forest monster.

– I don't think so. - Alex said shrugging his shoulders. “And anyway, it's not like I really have a choice. In the condition I'm in, I'd die easily. And you haven't killed me so far, so I don't think you would.

Since Alex stopped talking, which made Sam thank heavens, she decided it would be best to continue what she had started, to see the boy's injuries.

As she imagined, the bears hit Alex, as he has deep marks from his claws, marks that go from his belly to the middle of the coast. It really hurt just looking at it. Which made Sam think that this young man has a lot of resistance to pain, as it really is awful.

“I'm going to need you to stay seated, Alex. – Sam said as she carefully pulled the man up.

- You live far away? – asked Sam.

– Not much, why?

- Well, I'm going to clean and make a simple dressing only. And we don't have doctors in the nearest places.

– How not? Alex asked, clearly confused.

– You are clearly not from the region. - Sam said looking at Alex with curiosity. – We had a doctor in the area, but he left last year. So he doesn't have a doctor available in the next five villages. And even last year, he wouldn't be able to do much for you.

Alex was silent and seemed to get lost in some thoughts. Sam, taking advantage of the moment of silence, started digging through his bag for something that could be used. And Mel forgive her, but she would have to use the cloth she gave him, it's the only one available.

Sam ripped a piece of his cloth and rubbed it carefully over Alex's skin, drying the wounds.

“Now I need you to stay put. – Sam said, wrapping the thin cloth around Alex's abdomen.

– How is your vision? – Sam asked as he finished making a simple bandage.

“It's not very good, but at least I'm not blind. - Alex replied with a dry laugh.

Sam really felt helpless, she couldn't take strangers with her, but she couldn't leave him in the middle of the woods either.

Alex's vision was supposed to be back to normal, but that obviously hadn't happened yet, and Sam couldn't tell if he'd be back in a few minutes or hours. But she was getting ready to spend the night in the woods.

How could she abandon the person she'd even accidentally left blind? And how could she explain the boy to any of her friends? It's not like she can say, "Look what I found in the woods. Cute, right? I got it to create."

So all she could do was wait, even if waiting wasn't something she liked to do. She just couldn't do more than that. And if the young man's eyesight doesn't recover at least 70% or 80%, enough for him to go home, he might just think about doing something else, maybe dying.

Let's wait a little longer... - Sam said as he handed Alex's shirt back.

Alex put on his shirt and lay down so the cloth wouldn't come loose,

– Sam? - She called Alex.

– Hm?

- Where do you live?

– Close by. Is that you?

– A little farther.

And the silence was present again, which did not put either of them at ease.

– What were you doing in the forest? – asked Sam.

– I was hunting. - Alex replied, after a few seconds of silence. - Is that you?

– I was also hunting.

- I've never seen you around this region. – Said Sam, she was really curious about it. It's not as if the region is even touristy, or as if people move there often.

– It's because I'm not from the region. - Said Alex. - I'm from the capital.