by J. K Harper
The apples of Tyler’s cheeks plumped up as he smiled with pride. “I won the skipping contest!”
“Skipping? I think we solved your girlfriend problem right there, little buddy,” Leah muttered under her breath. This kid doesn’t stand a chance. She felt terrible for even having the thought. He was a sweet child through and through. He just needed help finding a tribe to appreciate his skills aside from his Ranger brothers. She stared at his angelic face with his rosy cheeks, glasses, and gangly little limbs and felt a tug from her soul as if she’d found a lost cub.
“Let me see that technique – that amazing, award-winning technique,” she said, reaching over to rub his arm.
He instantly dropped the remainder of his food and jumped up to do some stretches. Bobby and Leah bit their lips trying not to laugh at the adorable sight.
“I’m really fast. Don’t look away,” he said as he took off in the opposite direction. It was a lot like watching a baby bird trying to take off for the first time with a few wobbly flaps of the wings. When he turned around for his return trip, his entire face was lit up like a Christmas tree. He swung his arms with purpose and brought his knees up high. The boys were good about supporting each other and clapped loudly.
“You deserved that ribbon,” Bobby said. “I have never seen technique like that before.”
“Skipping is definitely a lost art,” Leah added. “If that Gabby doesn’t appreciate your technique, then she is not the girl for you.”
Tyler sat quietly on the log and released a loud sigh.
Bobby reached over and gently patted him on the head. “Those pigtails did you in, didn’t they?”
He nodded and whispered, “Yeah, they did me in.” Tyler paused and looked up. “I’m not exactly sure what that means, but I think that’s what they did to me.”
Bobby laughed and looked over at Leah. “I know the feeling.”
Chapter 3
Bobby scooped up a bunch of sand and used it to finish extinguishing the fire. “Okay, how about we start working on knots. Have you guys been practicing?”
“What’s a pet rock?” Diego asked, scooting next to them to join the conversation.
“Huh? Not rock, I said knots.”
“Before, when Leah talked about the panther eating us, she mentioned us dreaming about pet rocks.” He bent down and found the nearest rock, stroking it lightly. “Like this?”
Leah laughed and said, “No, I said you dreamed of painting pet rocks. Are those not a thing anymore? People used to paint a face on the surface and even glue two smaller rocks under a big one like feet.”
“That seems silly,” Tyler said, tapping a nearby rock with his foot. “Only dogs and cats should be pets.”
“I didn’t say it was a brilliant creation,” Leah said with a shrug. “It just used to be a thing.”
Diego walked to the supply bags and started examining each one. “Do we have paint?”
“You guys will do anything to get out of making knots,” Bobby said with frustration. “They are crucial for survival training. I can’t let you graduate until you master these.”
The boys looked sullen as they stared at the ground.
“I’ve shown you over twenty different knots. How about you each pick your favorite ten?”
The boys glanced at each other but made absolutely no attempt to feign enthusiasm. Bobby looked befuddled.
“Oooh knots sound exciting,” Leah said in an attempt to help. “I’m ready to learn.”
“I’m ready to learn to paint rocks,” Ruben whispered from the side.
"We don't have paint or markers anyway,” Leah said. “Bobby put a lot into this trip, so how about you follow his itinerary? If we have extra time, I'll make sure we paint some rocks before you go home.”
There was a slight change in attitude, very slight.
Bobby shrugged and went to retrieve a box from the back of his SUV. "I wanted this to be a surprise after you passed the test, but maybe if I show you now, it will give you a little motivation." He reached into the box and pulled out a wooden slingshot. The handle had Birdland Rangers burned into the side. "I made these for you myself. All you have to do is attach the band with a simple constrictor knot." He held up the slingshot and waved it in the air. "No knots, no slingshots."
Finally, some enthusiasm bubbled up from the group. They were downright squirmy as if a slingshot held all the answers to the universe. Leah watched as they shared glances. It seemed odd to her, but this was her first time being around these kids and she wasn’t quite sure what was normal behavior and what was not. She helped Bobby pass out pieces of rope for them to practice their various knots.
"That was odd. What gives?" she asked when Bobby was closer.
“I don’t know,” he said, shaking his head. “This is the only thing standing in their way, but they always seem to choke. Maybe I’m being too hard on them.”
“I only know a basic knot, so I don't understand the difficulty. I do think your suggestion of 10 out of 20 is fair. Those slingshots are badass, though.”
“Aren’t they? I loved mine when I was a kid.”
“What do you think our friendly hunters are up to?” she asked.
“I was just wondering that. Would you mind watching the boys? I'll drive up a short distance and see if they're behaving."
He left her with the chart of diagrams for different knots. Leah never knew so many varieties existed. The list showed a figure 8, bowline, taut-line, and double fisherman’s knot among others. They were a little tricky, but not so difficult to warrant this avoidant behavior from the group. The boys were all huddled together trying to work as a group and mumbling softly. As Leah stood back and watched, she thought she saw Wyatt tie a perfect figure 8. He looked at it with pride, but the other boys elbowed him and encouraged him to do it wrong.
“I saw that,” Leah called out. “You all know how to tie these perfectly, don’t you?”
They all looked at her nervously and started fumbling with the pieces of rope.
Tyler was the first to speak. “You can’t tell him.”
“What are you up to?”
“You heard him. If we pass, then we graduate, and we won't be Birdland Rangers anymore.”
Leah smacked her head with complete understanding. “I see graduation as something different. It means you’re at a higher level, and maybe you get to help him with training. You’ll also make room for some other kids to have the same wonderful experience.”
“No,” Tyler said, shaking his head. “It means he’ll leave us.”
“You guys are always welcome here.”
“Lots of people say things like that,” Ruben added while staring at the ground. “And they don’t really mean it.”
Leah stared at their faces and saw pure fear. Fear of the unknown. Fear of being alone without the one male adult that seemed to give a shit about them.
“You’re wrong. This isn't fair to Bobby, and it isn’t fair to you. He doesn’t want you to hold yourselves back. You always have to believe that life and people are full of good, even if you get kicked in the butt sometimes. Otherwise, what do you have?
“A sore butt,” Wyatt offered to the delight of the others.
“Tell me more about you,” Leah said while mindlessly playing with a piece of rope. “Are you all in foster care?”
“Only me,” Tyler said with a sigh.
Diego raised his hand and said, “I have my mom. My dad is still in jail, but he just does pot. He doesn’t do this kind of drug,” he said, tapping his arm as if he were shooting up heroin.
It broke Leah’s heart that he even knew the difference.
“How about you, Wyatt?”
“My mom tries hard. She’s just not around very much. I never met my dad.”
“My dad isn’t here, but I know he’s coming back,” Ruben added. “He’s off doing really important work. I think for NASA or something. That’s what my mom said.”
Leah could tell he didn’t believe the words a
s they came out of his mouth, but at least it gave him something to hold onto. While listening to them speak, she told herself she would never complain about anything again. It was so easy to just live her life in a bubble and not realize what was on the other side of the bridge and how much someone might be hurting.
“I give my word that you are welcome whenever you want to come up to Mistletoe Hollow. You know what it means to give your word, right? Even if you don’t have material belongings, you always have your word. I will help you fish and roast marshmallows…”
“And track panthers?” Wyatt asked.
“Yes, even track panthers.”
Diego sat quietly for a few moments before asking, “Are you going to tell him?”
“No,” Leah said. “You are.”
They slowly nodded their heads in agreement and stacked their hands on top of each other. “Birdland Rangers for life!”
Bobby drove up to one of the lookout points and searched with his binoculars. He found the young hunters at the edge of Thorny River. They were casting out the fishing lines without a gun in sight. He didn’t see Dennison but assumed he was in one of the three tents set up on a flat patch of land near a small campfire. He was correct.
Dennison was inside using his hunting knife to sharpen points on several pieces of wood. He knew plenty of ways to trap and kill wild animals. Sometimes he would set up a timer and see how long they were able to survive after having a leg crushed in a metal trap. He would root for them just so he could watch them struggle. He only showed mercy when a limb was starting to stink too much. While he loved to kill, Dennison was not a fan of the stench of death.
He didn’t have access to a metal trap this time, so he’d have to go old school with a foot hold trap. He preferred the snares that hoisted the animal off the ground, leaving them with little leverage to fight back while poked and prodded by his tools. With a big cat, though, he couldn’t risk the tree breaking and dropping the beast in an angry fury of fangs and claws.
“If I can’t shoot the cat, I’ll fucking kill it slowly,” he mumbled. “Those assholes out there can fish all they want.” He blew forcefully to remove the debris from the sharpened tip. “Just for you, pretty kitty. Just for you.”
The two guests had informed him they would be leaving in the morning and expressed their displeasure over the whole incident. All Dennison said was, “No refunds.” The men were at least trying to make the most of the vacation by leaving with their bellies full of river trout and a lesson learned.
Bobby returned to camp and found Leah and the boys standing in a row with huge grins. They were ready to be tested.
“What’s all this?" he asked as he looked to Leah for an explanation. All she could do was shrug and nod towards the row of children.
Ruben stepped forward and took a deep breath. “We’ve been lying to you.”
“About what?”
“We know how to make all the knots.”
“Since when?”
“Umm … pretty much forever.”
“We just didn’t want to graduate,” Tyler said, taking a small step forward to join Ruben.
“Why would you not want to graduate?”
They all looked at each other and down at the ground before they nodded at Tyler to continue. “We thought we would never see you again if we passed the test.”
The look on Bobby’s face made Leah’s heart melt.
"Aww you guys, we are Birdland Rangers for life."
“That’s what Leah said.”
Bobby looked at her and winked. He motioned for the boys to come closer and join him in a circle. “You should always want to move forward. Always forward, never backward. After graduating, you can help me turn this into a bigger group. And we can go on more camping trips.”
The boys fidgeted with excitement.
“So, are you ready to take this test?”
“Ready!” they all shouted in unison.
The change was miraculous. Bobby had never seen knots tied so fast in all his life. Their little fingers were nimble as they called out each completed task and high-fived each other with approval. Bobby handed out the slingshots and watched with pride as they attached their flexible bands with perfect constrictor knots.
While the boys tested out their new presents, Bobby motioned for Leah to join him by the side of the river.
“The two hunters were peacefully fishing. I didn’t see the third one, but I’m sure the other two will keep him in line.” He looked back over his shoulder and asked, “How’d you get them to admit the lie?”
“I didn’t force them. The boys chose to come clean. They told me a little bit about their lives, so I can’t blame them for wanting to stay with you. I totally get it. I always thought the shifter life was hard in a non-shifter world, but I had it so easy compared to them."
Bobby leaned back on his hands and stared out across the river. “When I was young and still going to church, they always described hell as this other place where terrible people go after they die. For some people, even good people, hell is right here on earth. My childhood pales in comparison to theirs.”
“Thank God you found these kids. Do you think they’ll be okay in the end?”
“It won’t be easy, but they’re fighters. I’m worried the most about Tyler since both his parents are gone.”
“What happened to them?”
“Drugs, prostitution … you name it. He’s been in and out of the system for most of his life. You know, one day he made me swear to tell the truth and then asked me if I thought he’d grow up in foster care.”
“Leah placed her hand over her heart at the thought of Tyler staying up at night worrying about the matter. “What did you say?”
“I told him the truth like I promised. I didn’t know, but I hoped not. Sometimes I think I should become a foster parent and take him in.”
“You’d be great at it! After meeting these kids, it makes me reevaluate all the silly things I do with my free time. I could do so much better. You do realize you’re like the dad of Birdland.”
“And you’re the crazy cat lady.”
Leah laughed and elbowed him in the side, letting her body linger against him for a moment. “Yes,” she said before standing up and dusting off the long underwear.
“You agree you’re a crazy cat lady?”
“No, silly. I’m agreeing to go on one date. Not that I feel I owe you anything, but I will grant you one date.”
“Grant me? Thank you, Queen Leah,” he said with a bow.
“It’s the least I can do,” she said in her best British accent. “Do you think it’s safe to retrieve my clothing? I just realized my house keys are in my coat pocket. I do appreciate this outfit, however.”
“You look pretty hot in it. It would be even hotter if you’d let me test those buttons.”
“The buttons stay closed.”
“All right,” he said, sighing loudly. “You promised them a scavenger hunt.”
“Crap. I forgot about that. Can you distract them and I’ll sneak off? Maybe they won’t remember.”
He shook his head and said, “I'm not letting you go alone, and I'm not leaving them behind. Where did you leave your clothes?
“Up on the ridge near Slick Rock.”
“Alpine Cathedral is fairly close to Slick Rock. We'll park at the start of the meadow, and you draw a map with an X in the center of the thicket. I'll grab your clothes and hide them among the trees before they even realize I’m gone.”
"Hmm … that actually might work. Shall we gather the troops?”
Leah tore off a large piece of a supply bag and hastily drew a pathetic map with the word “Treasure” across the top. Everyone knows a good treasure map boasts of its purpose. They all piled into the SUV and made their way up the mountain. When they were in the vicinity of the hunters, Bobby pointed out the window towards their campsite. Before they passed it completely, Leah asked him to pull over and wait.
“No. What are you trying to do?
”
“I only need a few minutes. I’ll just check on them.”
“No, Leah. Leah?”
Bobby’s calls were ignored as she was already out of the SUV and creeping slowly towards the tents. She froze and listened for movement. The voices of the young hunters carried over from the river, but there was no sign of Dennison. She crept a little closer and noticed him in the distance filling his arms with sticks. Leah quietly entered one tent after another. Bobby waited for her nervously and was just about to go collect her when she came running back to the car giggling.
“Go!” She rocked her body forward as if it would help propel the SUV up the mountain.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing. No one was there.”
“Why are you giggling?”
“I’m just happy to see all of you,” she said, looking back at the boys. “Who’s ready for this treasure hunt?”
The all raised their hands. Bobby drove away, stealing suspicious glances.
Once they reached the meadow, Leah stayed with the boys and encouraged them to search high and low around the cluster of trees that comprised Alpine Cathedral.
“Are you tricking us?” Wyatt asked after ten minutes.
“You just started! Are you giving up already?”
“Can’t we have a clue?”
“The map is your clue. It could be anywhere,” Leah teased. “I have a terrible memory.”
Nobody noticed Bobby sneaking off in the direction of Slick Rock. It didn’t take him long to locate the pile of clothing at the rock’s base. He held up her undergarments and smiled at the site of the purple lace. He used her jacket as a carrying vessel, piling her flannel shirt, jeans, socks, and shoes into it and tying the jacket arms around the bundle. He quickly raced down to the far end of Alpine Cathedral and hid the clothes under a pile of leaves.
It was Tyler who claimed victory, jumping up and down as if he’d found a million dollars.
“Wait a minute,” Ruben said, halting his celebration. “We don’t even know what the prize is.”
“I’m treating you to pancakes at Sally’s Place in the morning. No campfire cleanup on your last day here.”