Page 42 of Bear Creek Father's Day
An odd grouping wandered through the snowy woods, leaving both footprints and pawprints behind. Orrin and Kip trundled along in bear form, leading the way down familiar paths as Zak walked beside them and Rayn rode on Orrin’s back. The Preserve abutted the Cub House property and was a wonderful place to let their fur out when their bears got antsy. Due to their mixed heritage, Zak and Rayn also had an affinity for nature, though they weren’t driven by it. Having a full-body fur coat certainly gave Orrin and Kip an advantage, but as long as the wind remained calm, the quasi-shifters among them would be fine for a while.
Rayn couldn’t stop smiling. Having been spared a slog through the deep snow was great all by itself, but to have a warm, softbear to carry her about was much better. Once in a while, she’d start to slip off and Zak would reach over to get her re-centered on Orrin’s back. Kip, on the other hand, was led by his nose and veered off to investigate whatever his bear found interesting. Each time, Orrin had to call him back with an odd jaw-popping sound that served as a warning, and the little stinker would reluctantly get back on track.
Their route had taken them on what was essentially a large circle, eventually returning them to their backyard starting point. As they got closer, Orrin’s behavior changed—repeatedly raising his head to scent the air and slowing his pace. When Kip started doing the same thing, even Rayn became agitated and reached for Zak.
“What’s wrong, Papa?”
Zak settled her on his hip and stopped moving when Orrin did.
“I don’t know, sweetheart. Orrin and Kip smell something up ahead, but I…”
Orrin suddenly shifted right there in the knee-deep snow with a fierce expression on his face.
“There’s a strange boar blocking the way. I’ll distract him while the three of you get to the house. Tell Tasha I need her help, but stay inside no matter what, understand?”
Zak reached down and scooped up Kip.
“Got it, love. Be careful.”
Orrin shifted again, on the alert but moving quickly along the tracks they’d left earlier. Frightened, Kip began to mewl and cry as Rayn patted his furry head. Zak was a strong man, but walking in the deep snow with two little ones in his arms madefor awkward progress. They spotted the big boar all too soon, hovering near the edge of the backyard. He was thin, with a scarred face, only half of his left ear, and sporting an upside down V-shaped chest blaze. Zak assumed he’d left his winter den in search of food, but he looked like a rough character you wouldn’t want to mess with.
Orrin had gone into protect and defend mode—now huffing and grunting as he warily approached the intruder. Zak made a diagonal beeline for the house; loath to leave his man out here all alone, but he was unarmed and carrying precious cargo. Once he cleared the trees and underbrush, Zak scurried towards the back door. It opened as he approached and Tasha, already shifted, bolted past him—growling up a storm as she rushed to assist Orrin. The only cubs at home were Scout and Birdy, huddled in the back hallway looking more confused than afraid. Kip was shaking by this time and still in bear form; too afraid to shift back and clinging to Zak.
“Everybody to the sunroom!”
The cubs obeyed, knowing the windows there would allow them to see what was happening in the backyard. Though the angle wasn’t ideal, Zak had a fair view of the action as they all lined up to watch the drama outside. Both Orrin and the intruder were standing and growling, sizing each other up while Tasha scooted around behind the strange bear. Focused on Orrin, their opponent didn’t expect the smaller female to be any threat.
Tasha charged, swiping the bear’s hindquarters with sharp claws before dodging out of his reach. Orrin took advantage of the distraction and tackled the beast—knocking him down. He rolled, got back on all fours, and froze. With two aggressive opponents growling and huffing, he turned tail and ran towardsthe heart of the Preserve. Orrin and Tasha chased after him, making enough racket to scare anyone or anything close by.
Scout and Birdy cheered, jumping up and down, even as Kip finally shifted in Zak’s arms and Rayn burst into tears. Zak collapsed on the cushioned sofa, arms aching from holding the little ones for so long. They both needed reassurance, and he let them hug his neck on either side while he spoke softly.
“It’s all right. They scared away the bear, and everyone is safe.”
Scout and Birdy had gathered round, wondering what was next and when Orrin and Tasha would return.
“I’m sure they’ll be back soon, so don’t worry. Scout, please find some clothes for Kip and bring them to me. Birdy, if you know where the blankets are stored, can you get two and put them by the back door?”
Scout answered for both of them.
“Okay, Zak!”
They ran off, glad to help and have something to take their mind off the scary encounter. Zak grabbed some tissues from the coffee table, wiping eyes and noses. Natural bears did some things that shifters normally wouldn’t, and it was a sure bet Rayn had been totally unprepared for what she’d seen. He and Orrin would talk her and Kip through it later and help them understand. The world wasn’t always a safe, orderly place, and today’s encounter would be a valuable learning experience for both children.
Once Kip was redressed and calm, Zak asked Birdy to watch for Orrin and Tasha while the rest of them reported to the kitchen in search of something to make for supper. The menu on the fridge listed Sloppy Joes for tonight, and Zak gathered all the neededingredients before browning the ground beef. He knew Zuzu wouldn’t be home until tomorrow, but wasn’t sure if Griffin and Fort would be back before supper or not. With a shrug, he made enough to feed everyone, just in case.
Soon, he had a big pot of seasoned meat simmering away while they collected all the other fixings needed for the meal—chips, buns, carrot sticks, Kool-Aid, and cookies for dessert. As they were preparing to set the table, Birdy came rushing into the kitchen.
“Here they come!”
Zak turned off the stove, grabbed the blankets, and opened the door for the weary bears. They walked right in, tracking wet, dirty snow over the hallway floor, and waited until Zak had draped them with a blanket before shifting. Nudity wasn’t a big deal among them, but he didn’t want either of them exposed if they normally took precautions in front of the cubs. Tasha got hugs and kisses from Scout and Birdy, while Zak, Kip, and Rayn welcomed Orrin.
Fortunately, neither of them had been injured, and the boar had been chased far enough away that they were confident he wouldn’t return anytime soon. At the men’s insistence, Tasha went to her quarters to clean up while they waited with the children. It didn’t take long for her to shower and dress, and then Orrin went home to do the same while she continued the meal prep.
While he had a few moments of privacy, Orrin called to report the nuisance bear to the authorities. He was told that the description matched many other sightings and incidents in recent days, and that the bear had already been relocated twice in the past and insisted on returning. So far, the crafty ursinehad eluded their attempts to capture him. Meanwhile, Orrin was warned to keep his eyes open and their trash locked up, leaving the miscreant one fewer reason to visit.
When Orrin reappeared, Zak couldn’t keep his hands or lips off the man, and neither Kip nor Rayn would leave his side. Supper was rather subdued, lacking the usual conversation and energy. Right after they’d finished dessert, Griffin and Fort returned home and were immediately informed of the scary battle in their own backyard. In turn, they described what they had been doing all afternoon.
Afterward, instead of a game or story time, they gathered upstairs in the big room to talk about what had happened today. Unless it was something that might frighten the littlest among them, all questions were answered. Differences between natural bears and shifters were discussed, and the children learned something important by experiencing it firsthand.
