The eyes watching August from the tree line were not blue. They weren’t even human.
They belonged to a brown-furred monster, with long black claws.
Snow crunched, and piles were ejected from under the stretcher with the forward movement. Night had already fallen under the trees, creating shadows that swallowed the bear as it moved. There were times it disappeared so long August thought he’d imagined it. Then the golden highlights in the animal’s fur would snap it out of the dark.
“Keegan.”
The stretcher bumped a rock and August was jostled hard enough to move his leg. He clenched his jaw. Sweat stung his eyes, and nausea welled in his stomach. It withdrew, and the bear picked up its pace.
Wind tossed up particles of ice. August coughed, trying to clear his throat but it was too dry. “Keegan.”
Could the man hear him? His heavy breaths were more labored than August remembered. How long had he been asleep? How long had the bear been following them?
And if he yelled, would it charge?
August had to take the chance. He put more force behind the man’s name, and everything came to a stop. The ice had made chunks in Keegan’s beard and clung to the fur covering his hands. More had packed the folds of his pants. The edge of his boots was swallowed by what covered the ground.
“You okay?”
The bear froze, its body a mass merging into the thick trees. Was it gone? Dark eyes glittered. Then slowly, as August’s eyes adjusted, the outline of the beast reformed. It had crouched down, body tense. A loaded spring.
“Bear.” The word wasn’t much more than an exhale.
The Keegan made a slow turn and at the same time dropped the rucksacks he carried. By the time he had his back to August, the rifle was in his hands.
“Two o’clock,” August said. Keegan took a step, blocking August’s view. Then another, clearing the way. Shadows pooled in the empty space around the tree trunks. Keegan scanned, turning his whole body, rifle raised. When he’d made a full circle, he put down the gun.
“It was there,” August said.
Keegan knelt and loaded the satchels he’d been carrying onto the stretcher.
“It was there. I saw it.”
“I believe you.” He tightened everything down.
“I swear, I swear, it was that fucking grizzly.”
Keegan put a hand on August’s shoulder. “I said, I believe you.” As Keegan stood, a massive brown shape rose up behind him. The scream got caught in August’s throat, but it was too late. One huge paw came down, catching Keegan in the side, sending him airborne. There was a clatter of metal and wood and Keegan rolled out of sight. The bear raised its head and the air shook with its voice.
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