Chapter 29
The forest closed in around him again as he made his way down the path toward the chopping noises. Here and there were felled trees of various sizes. At times, he had to step over a log that lay across the path. He crossed a stream via a downed tree trunk. Sam figured it was the same one he had stopped at earlier, snaking its way through the landscape. At the point he crossed he could see the stream was a good two feet deep.
The sound of chopping became louder. He could see the form of a man through the trees. Nils?
Walking silently, as his life among the people had taught him, he came to the edge of the trees without detection. He stood and took in the sight of the man working with his back toward him. He was naked to the waist and the muscles of his back glistened with sweat in the warm autumn sunshine. Sam felt his body become alive with awareness of the masculinity displayed before him.