The approach, and the lack of response told him much about his adversary. His own instincts for survival kicked in, as he hunkered down carefully in the dark. He was not going to be flushed out and tracked like a fox. He knew the immediate area, what little advantage that gave him.

He steadied his heart, his eyes and ears alert, his muscles ready to spring should a shadow flicker too close. Otherwise, he turned to stone, his breathing slow and silent. The entire ordeal was frustrating his well-laid plans. The longer the night wore on like this, the more hazardous his later tasks would become. Still, there was no moving forward from his current situation without resolving the incident which had come upon him. He would prefer to dispatch his foe without a shot, but the gun remained at the ready should it be needed.