Christmas, Pursued by a Bear

by Ryann Fletcher

  “Don’t worry, it’s only about five miles out.”

  “Okay.” She pulled the car into drive and pulled out of the parking space, weaving through the lot to miss all the potholes that management refused to fix. “Music?”

  “I’d rather talk to you, if that’s alright.”

  “Sure.”

  “I wanted to make sure you weren’t too freaked out about the other night.”

  “No. I mean, yes, but no. I feel like… Werebears,” she whispered, “might not even be the weirdest thing I ever see in my life.”

  “It’s just, you didn’t call, and…”

  “I texted you! You said you were busy!”

  Cat whipped out her phone. “What?” She scrolled and tapped, and sighed. “Anita. She must have replied while I was sleeping, and then deleted the evidence.”

  “Does your sister not like me, or something?”

  “We just have a lot going on.”

  Andie turned onto the highway and accelerated to five miles under the speed limit. “That Bear?”

  “Yeah. She’s from out west. It’s… complicated.”

  “We can talk about it, if you want.”

  “I’ve spent the past three days talking about it. I’m sick of talking about it.” She tugged on the seatbelt. “Follow those brown faded signs.”

  “For the old trail?”

  “Yup.”

  “I thought that got closed down years ago.”

  “It did.”

  “Right.” Andie settled in behind another car, waiting for her turnoff. It looked like it might snow. “So do you frequently trespass on old condemned trails, or is this a special treat?”

  “I’ve never taken anyone here, actually. Not even my sister.”

  “Oh.”

  “It will be worth it, I promise.”

  “I trust you.”

  Cat smirked. “I mean, that much is obvious, you got into a car with a Bear and are driving to a secluded reserve.”

  “I didn’t really think of that.”

  “It’s okay, I already ate.”

  “Have you ever eaten a person?”

  “What? No!”

  Andie flipped on her turn signal. “I’m sorry, I just thought—”

  “I tend to make sure I’m in a place where there’s plenty of foraging. Stole some food from some careless campers once or twice. Ate a deer once, but the four of us shared it.”

  “I hear venison is nice.”

  “It is, especially when it’s fresh. Always gives me indigestion after, though. I prefer to stick to berries and tubers during a shift, and eat some nice cooked meat after.”

  “If Weres are real, then what else is real?”

  Cat shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. Some of us think that we evolved as a way to protect small community units from large predators. Others think we may have a completely different common ancestor, given the sterility that can occur when a Were has a kid with a…”

  “A Normie?”

  “Yeah.”

  “It all just feels so pretend, you know? Like, even though I saw it with my own eyes, I doubt myself.”

  “Trust me, it doesn’t feel pretend to me,” Cat said with a laugh. “When I’m trying to patch my jeans back together for the third or fourth time, it definitely feels real.” She pointed off to the left. “The turn in is over there.”

  “Are we going to get into trouble for being here?”

  “Maybe.”

  “What kind of trouble?”

  “Relax, Andie. We’re just two townies looking for a fun hike in the woods to get away from it all.”

  “Mm. Okay.”

  “What, are you afraid of that Ranger Dade?”

  Andie pulled her car off the highway onto the tree-lined, cracked concrete road surface. It had been a long time since any maintenance had been done here. “I’m not afraid of Dade. I’m afraid of getting arrested. I have enough shit to be dealing with.”

  “We’re not going to get arrested, alright? It’s barely even trespassing, see? The trail head signs are still here, and there aren’t chains to keep anyone out. Just trust me, alright?”

  “Weren’t you just lecturing me on how foolish it was to trust a Bear in the woods?”

  “Theoretically. But I’m a nice Bear. And I promise not to eat you, scout’s honor.” She grimaced. “I don’t think I could handle another off-cycle shift right now, anyway. I only just got rid of the last migraine.”

  “If it’s scout’s honor, then I guess I have no choice except to trust you.”

  “Exactly. Park over there, under the tree.”

  “Is it still a secret why we’re here, or are you going to fill me in?” Andie asked, pulling the keys from the ignition.

  “Still a secret. You have to follow me up the trail.”

  “I hope you know where you’re going.”

  Cat climbed out of the car and slammed the door. “I have an excellent sense of direction, I’ll have you know. I think it’s from the Bear within. I’ve never gotten lost, not even once.”

  “Remind me to take you on my next road trip, then. My stupid GPS is always getting me turned around.”

  “I’d love that. Road trips are fun! Snacks, music, games in the car, weird, off the wall destinations like giant rocking chairs and salt and pepper shaker museums. Memories that last a lifetime.”

  “Sure, but we’re sharing driving duties. I can’t go longer than a few hours before my eyes start to cross.”

  “Come on, the trail is just over there,” Cat said, running towards the mulched path that had long grown over with weeds and vines, now frosted with ice in the winter air. “It’s not a long walk, maybe twenty minutes.”

  “Short date, then. You trying to welch on our deal?”

  “Shut up,” Cat said with a laugh. “It will be even shorter if we race to the trail fork.”

  “Please, you’re a Bear, I bet you can run faster than anyone.”

  “Not when I’m like this.”

  “What do you get if you win?”

  “I bet you didn’t talk to Mara yet about that hot chocolate.”

  “I haven’t been in there since my camera got smashed.”

  “Oh, Andie, I’m sorry,” Cat said, and grabbed her gloved hand. “How much will it be for a replacement?”

  “Too much. Five hundred at least.”

  “Jesus.”

  “Yeah. Anyway I don’t really want to talk about it, I’m still trying to figure it out.” Andie squeezed Cat’s hand and closed her eyes, savoring the clean crispness of the air and the scent of pine drifting around them. “You’re on.”

  “What?”

  “You’re on!” Andie released Cat’s hand and tore off down the trail, dodging low-hanging tree branches and swerving around dried up thorned vines that snagged at her coat. Cat’s footsteps echoed close behind her, racing to catch up.

  “Cheater!” Cat shouted after her, laughing.

  “I need a head start against someone like you!”

  “You don’t even know where you’re going!”

  Andie ducked under a pine bough. “I’m sure I’ll figure it out!”

  “Left! Go left!”

  She turned back to see where Cat was, and smacked right into a felled tree, falling over the other side. “And you call me a cheater! You led me right into a trap!”

  “It’s not a trap if you pay attention to what’s in front of you,” Cat said, climbing over the tree, breathless. “Look.”

  The trail had led them down into a rocky canyon, with a sparkling waterfall that fell into a pool of water, with red leaves from the trees above gently rippling the surface when they landed. “Holy shit,” Andie breathed. “How did I not know this was here?”

  “Not many do. The county pushes people to the reserve. It’s bigger, better signposted, more facilities. This place is smaller. No room for Bears, not really. Nowhere to run if we got cornered. Bad at climbing.”

  The quiet roar of the water immediatel
y soothed Andie’s nerves and made her feel totally at peace, like there was some ancient magic hiding underneath the damp earth. “How often do you come here?”

  Cat shrugged. “Once in a while, I guess. The others don’t really like it here.”

  “Why?”

  “Not outdoorsy.”

  “But… they’re Bears.”

  “We only have paws a few nights out of the month. Besides, if Bears could do their shifts in a five star hotel, Anita would be all over that. She is not the kind of girl who enjoys nature. She’d rather live in a city, but… well, that’s risky.”

  “This is beautiful.”

  “I’m glad you like it,” Cat said, putting her hand in hers again.

  “I can’t help but think of all the photos I would take if I had my camera here, even though I’m not much of a landscape photographer. Long shutter, filters, pump up certain color profiles in post. It would look magical, like somewhere a fairy would live.” She furrowed her brow. “There aren’t fairies, are there?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine.”

  “Thank you for bringing me here.”

  “So what did you want to claim as a prize?”

  “What?”

  Cat moved closer. “I mean, since you won the race and all, even if you did trip over the finish line.”

  “Oh.” Andie’s heart raced faster than it had when she was faced with poachers and Bears, looking down into Cat’s pretty brown eyes. “I, uh… I dunno.” She could practically feel her brain misfiring, giving her all the wrong things to say. She kept her mouth shut.

  “Are you okay?”

  “It’s snowing.” Fat, fluffy white blobs had begun to fall from the heavy sky, and were already starting to settle on the mossy rocks near the water. Their clouds of breath mingled together in the air, intertwining, before spiraling up through the canyon, and dissipating into the falling snow.

  “This is nice,” Cat said, grasping the extra fabric of Andie’s coat and pulling her closer. “It’s so quiet.”

  Blood pounded in Andie’s ears. How the hell was this scarier than looking down the muzzle of a rifle? “It’s always quiet at my apartment,” she said, finally. “Just me and Daisy.”

  “Who the hell is Daisy?”

  “My chinchilla.”

  Cat laughed. “Right.”

  “I’m a one-woman… woman,” Andie said. “Or maybe more accurately, a one-Bear woman?”

  “You’re rambling.”

  “I’m nervous.”

  “Of what? Me?”

  “Of this.” Andie gathered every ounce of courage within her, and pulled Cat’s face to hers, kissing her gently on her soft lips. She felt like there were explosions in her brain, like she wanted to scream, and laugh, and cry, all at the same time.

  Cat kissed her back, wrapping her arms around Andie’s neck and leaning into her, the soft sighs from their warm mouths despite the icy air melding seamlessly with the bubbled rush of water from the falls. Had anything in the world ever been so perfect, so right? No. Never.

  “Cat,” she whispered, pressing their cold noses together.

  “Yeah?”

  “I never want to leave this place.”

  “Me neither.”

  They kissed again, and Andie wrapped her tight in her arms, settling around Cat’s waist. Snow was falling thick and fast now, and she resented that the worry about her car’s tires interrupted the moment. If only they could stay in that moment forever, and never have to deal with rent, or park rangers, or Bears from far away, or broken cameras. With Cat in her arms, she almost felt invincible.

  “The snow is sticking,” Andie said softly.

  “I guess we should go.”

  “Should I take you home?”

  “No.” Cat nuzzled Andie’s neck. “Let’s make dinner together. I want to see your apartment for real, I want to spend more time with you. I don’t want to go home.”

  “What about the new Bear?”

  “Delilah will be fine with the others for a night. The boys are only too eager to teach her how to be a Bear. It’s like she’s the little sister they never had.”

  “I don’t have any food at home, unless you want dry cereal or ramen noodles.”

  “Stop by the store, I got paid today. I can treat us to some spaghetti, a jar of sauce, and a bottle of two-buck-chuck.”

  Andie pulled her into a kiss again. “I wish we could stay.”

  “We can come back soon, once the roads are cleared. Tomorrow, or the next day.”

  “You haven’t had enough of me yet?”

  “Nope.” Cat snuggled into her and sighed. “And you’re not getting rid of me that easy.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  When Andie pushed open the door to her apartment, Cat eagerly shuffled inside. The canyon was beautiful, but it was damn cold outside, and the snow was already two inches deep on some of the side roads. It would be hell trying to get home later. “Cute place,” she said, and meant it. It was small, but welcoming.

  “I don’t have a couch, you’ll have to sit on the bed or on the stools at the table.”

  “You making me dinner?”

  “You paid, I’ll cook,” Andie said, unloading the tote bags onto the small counter. “I think I can manage it.”

  “Pour us a glass of that cheap ass wine, I’m freezing.”

  Andie nodded, pouring wine into two mugs. “I would have thought Bears didn’t get cold.”

  “I don’t have my fur at the moment, yes, it’s fucking cold,” Cat said with a laugh, pulling her coat tight around her. “And this must be Daisy?” she asked, approaching the generously sized cage. The little beast inside, with huge ears and a dense fluffy coat started to shout, or bark, whatever it was, and Cat nearly tripped over herself trying to back away. “Shit, I don’t think she likes me.”

  “She’s just timid,” Andie said, rushing to the cage to comfort her.

  “No, some animals don’t like Bears. It’s like they can sense it.”

  “Hmm. Maybe she’ll warm up to you. We can try, if you want.”

  “I don’t want to scare her.”

  Andie went back into the small kitchen and returned with a small box of raisins. “You can usually bribe Daisy. She loves treats. Just don’t give her too many, she’s a little greedling.”

  “Aren’t we all?”

  “Sit on the floor with your legs out in front of you. I’ll set her down, and you can offer her a raisin.”

  “Okay.” Cat sat down and took the box of raisins. “Will she bite?”

  “Is a Bear really scared of a chinchilla?”

  “Tiny teeth still hurt.”

  “She’s pretty gentle, I don’t think she will bite unless you grab her.”

  Cat shook her head. “I wouldn’t do that.”

  “Here we go,” Andie said, setting Daisy on the floor. “Get some treats, Dais!”

  “Who doesn’t want some dessert, right?” Cat asked, setting a raisin on the floor near her. “I’m just a big teddy bear, I won’t hurt you.”

  Daisy approached cautiously, zig-zagging across the floor, sniffing the air. She snatched the treat and ran back to the safety of Andie’s shadow.

  “Rip the next one in half and put it a little closer.”

  “Come on, Daisy,” Cat cooed. She really was a cute little thing, like a giant, cuddly mouse. The chinchilla came back, closer this time, and stayed while she munched on the treat.

  “One more, on your lap this time,” Andie whispered. “Unzip your jacket.”

  “See, I’m not dangerous, am I?” This time, Daisy climbed into Cat’s lap and chewed the last bit of raisin. “Oh my God, she’s so cute.”

  “She likes to snuggle in your shirt, if you hold her in there like a little hammock.”

  “Can I?”

  “Sure.”

  Cat folded up the edge of her shirt and rocked gently until Daisy curled up, making tiny little squeaking sounds. “Hey, it worked.”

  “I told you she was easil
y bribed.”

  “I bet she’s good company.”

  Andie went back into the kitchen to stir the pot of sauce. “She is, when she’s not sleeping. Daisy gets grumpy if I wake her up.”

  “Well, I’d be grumpy too, if someone woke me up,” Cat said to the little creature nestled in her shirt.

  “She’s going to love you forever, now that you gave her treats. Raisins are her favorite, or dried cranberries.” Andie set some leafy vegetables into the cage along with some fresh hay. “She’d eat the whole box if I let her, but she needs her veggies, too.”

  Cat’s stomach growled. “When’s dinner?”

  “In a minute, I just have to drain it. You can set her back in her cage when you’re done bonding.”

  “Can I play with her again sometime?”

  “Of course! I didn’t think you’d like her, I thought you’d prefer something… more dangerous.”

  “Andie, there’s something you should know about me.”

  “I already know you’re a WereBear.”

  “Well yes, that, but also, I’m incredibly risk-averse. A chinchilla is exactly my speed, I think.”

  Andie snorted. “Imagine, a Bear being risk-averse.”

  “In my defense, actual bears are, too. We all just want to be left alone, really, to eat some fish and berries and wander around in the forest.”

  “Sounds like the perfect life to me.”

  “Yeah,” Cat agreed, setting Daisy back into her cage, “it’s not bad. Being broke as hell sure sucks, though. Hard to hold a salaried job when you get sick after a non-cycle shift, or spend all your time worried the park ranger is going to show up and cramp your style.”

  “What would you be, if you could do anything?”

  “A nurse.”

  Andie set the plates on the table. “I see that. You’re very gentle and caring.”

  “Oh,” Cat replied, blushing. “That’s very nice of you to say.”

  “It’s the truth.”

  “I went all the way through school, you know. Aced every test. Couldn’t get through the practical because they were so inflexible on timing, and I just couldn’t get around it with shifts.”

  “That’s terrible.”

  Cat slid onto the wobbly stool. “I tried loads of different hospitals and programs, none would accept me if I said I was unavailable at certain times of the month. Seeing as I can’t exactly disclose why, well… it just didn’t work out for me.” She twirled her fork around some spaghetti, eager to change the topic. “You know, some house plants would really liven this place up.”