Mirrored footsteps on pine needles,
oak leaves crispy crack each step,
I can hear faint breaths from behind me,
but each time I look, nothing.

Faded shadows swirl behind trees,
faces in the gray and black bark wink,
taunting me, feeding on my paranoia,
birds fly, startled by something not far.

Knocking sounds in the distance,
something flies by my head,
a rock bounces across my path,
a giant splash from the creek.

I proceed at my own risk,
large footprints in the mud,
suddenly I am surrounded,
a dozen deer run by, tails flagging.

A mountain lion screams in the distance,
is that in fear or warning,
either way I walk in the territory,
of large hairy beasts, afraid, but unconvinced.