A quirky band of characters who have lived in the forest for ages, a dark force has nipped away at their memories over time, leaving them referring to each other by simple indicative names like Grey Coat, Paper Planes, and Toothpicks. While Wake and Kirby will take a bit to meet up in this more mystical part of the forest, the two do end up on the same path as they come across a group of people known as the Greenshields. However, the woods open up to him, the supernatural Deep Woods proving to be a surprisingly fitting place for him to escape to.

Immediately this is proven to be a poor idea as his self-made map of the woods is inadequate, his friend Kirby whom he planned to meet up with can’t find him, and he’s only packed enough sandwiches to last a short while. The rewards are savagely delicious.At the start of The Wild at Heart, a young boy named Wake has finally built up the courage to run away from a rough situation at home to try and live in the woods. A game cook battles against dryness, a problem easily solved with a little knowledge. It is also because there is rarely any fat marbling in the meat. This is chiefly because there is no uniformity to the meat – each purchase is very different. A word of caution before cooking any game for the first time – it is not like domestic meat. It is important, too, to break with the British traditions and remember that game birds, venison, hare and rabbit are eaten all over Europe, and it makes sense to explore recipes that do not always call for bread sauce.

With the snobbery gone, it is game for all it remains only to reveal a few hints and ideas to help with the cooking. In the case of game birds, the old regulation that banned the sale of frozen meats outside their season has been abolished, so there is a potential supply whenever we need it. The hangover lasted rather longer than the party, however, and only now has game meat become accessible: it is being sold in Marks & Spencer stores this season for the first time, as well as other supermarkets. It is a long time since furred and feathered game was something 'other people’ ate in gentlemen’s clubs or the countryside, and poachers were deported. It feels as though wild game has finally lost its reputation as a luxury.

Wild at heart game