by Marie Fraser
But Byron shook his head, “We should look around first, to make sure that everything is stable. We might have to fix a few things before we actually get settled.”
“Well how long will that take? It’s not like we have very much daylight left,” Kevin complains making a move to return to the door he had just exited.
“Does this place even have electricity?” Jess asks, making a valid point. He still hadn’t gotten out of the car yet, he was reclining back slightly in his seat now that Kevin was no longer behind him. “Hey, don’t look at me, I’m not the one who called about getting it set up. There’s no guarantee they’ve made it out here to turn it all on.”
“Okay, how about this. We at least set up the kitchen?” Byron offers.
At the mention of the kitchen Kevin instantly perks up and runs back towards the trunk to gather some supplies. They weren’t going to move the food into the cabin just yet in case there were problems that had to be fixed, but the thought of an actual kitchen has him enthuse. Byron locks the car after all the doors are shut before the three men make their way to the main cabin. They had chosen the one directly in the middle mainly because it was center to everything else and it was also the main lodge, the one where campers would eventually gather for group activities and such.
The steps of the porch creaked as Byron walked up them, Jess followed directly behind him. But Kevin lingers behind to make sure he has everything. He sets one foot on the bottom step of the porch and then the other, but with a tremendous crack the step breaks, and his feet fall into the hollow area below. Kevin falls forward with a curse of surprise, before dropping the kitchen supplies to brace his fall. “Damn dry rot!” he roars as the other two stand on the porch laughing.
5 years later…
Chapter 1
Byron stood by the lake gazing out at the calm water. It was still early in the morning and he was sure no one else was up yet. Kevin might be up if he was already preparing breakfast for the campers. He shrugged and returned his full attention to the water. There were very few ripples along the surface. No one chose to go out fishing this early. This fact always astounded Byron. The water was calm; there was no additional noise or disturbance in the water. It made it the perfect time to go fishing. In the distance he could see a pair of black and white birds floating on the water. He clasped his hands together and brought them to his mouth to do a loon call. The cry penetrated the silence of the water. Shortly after there was a response, an eerie noise that drifted across the lake.
Byron stripped himself of his shirt. His muscular chest sported the same unruly hair that covered his head, except is a lesser amount. His olive skin tone only made his hair seem that much richer in color and texture. Picking up his clothes he hung them up on a nearby branch. If there was anything he did not want to encounter when he got back from his swim, it was red ants inside his shirt. The thought made Byron cringe.
Stretching to his full height, he came to about six feet four inches of naked man. The breeze tickled his vulnerable skin. The grass cool against his bare feet. He cups his testicles in a moment of uncertainty, before he freezes for a moment to look around, needing his space. It didn’t take long before the morphing began. In the silence of the forest Byron’s limbs no longer look like his own. They became bulkier. They grew a thick coat of black fur, as did the rest of his body. His hulking frame hunches over until he is standing on four massive paws. They were big enough to smother a person in their sleep, or to kill them with one fierce swipe to the neck, not that Byron was into killing, at least not anymore. He shakes his head to clear his mind for a second, the rest of his body shaking with him, including his stubby tail. His black eyes look longingly at the lake in front of him. His first step towards it is still hesitant; however, his next one, since everything was still silent, was more relaxed and carefree. He was at the edge of the water in a mere moment. He dips his paw into the cold water lapping against the sand before jumping into it and submerging himself. Paddling around he enjoys the coolness of the water against his body. He takes particular amusement in how the fish dart away from him while he swims underwater. But what he loves most about swimming is the peacefulness. The silence around him even though he knows the world is large and full of endless life. Before long the bell rang for breakfast and he snapped out of his tranquil state, slowly returning to land and the form of his human self.
Byron trotted out of the water, shaking it off of himself as he strolls to where he left his clothes. The water is already calling him back to it, but he knows that duty calls. He was standing there naked yet again, running one of his hands through his hair as he stares off into the trees. His hair was still dripping as he thinks about how many people are residing in their cabins this season. They’ve become busier and busier as the years progressed. Reaching for his shirt he slung it on over his head, as he flicked an ant off the sleeve. His shirt clung to the wet curls on his chest and bunched up over his abs. Thankfully, he knew he’d be dry by the time he got back to the main cabin.
It had been five years since he’d pooled all of his money together with Jess and Kevin for this little venture. Honestly, he’d been more than a little worried, in the beginning that it wouldn’t work. But after fixing the place up, including a few additional accidents and a little publicity from a close friend, they were able to get their business off the ground. Of course, it was only a trickle at first. The tourists were more interested in staying around to eat and hanging around the cabins. At least until it was clearer as to how developed their skill sets were outside. No one wants to go out into the forest or on the water with a guide who has little to no experience.
Grabbing his pants, he tugged them onto his legs. They stick to his skin as he tries to pull them up. That was the annoying thing about being wet. Clothes never went on as easily as they came off. He could only imagine the headache women went through, trying to put on a bra and panties, let alone a dress or something more complicated. As he walks toward the main cabin to get his shoes, he looks up to take in the morning sky. It was starting to lighten up as the sun rose higher in the sky. The colors of a post-dawn skyline, there was nothing like them. You could tell that it was going to be a nice day out, red skies at night and all that. Byron walked up the porch steps and reached for the door handle just as it opened. He takes a few steps back, a little startled by this sudden event. Jess was standing in the entryway, a piece of bacon hung from his mouth.
“Does Kevin know you took that?” Byron questioned, as he leaned against the railing of the porch.
Jess raised an eyebrow, “And if he doesn’t?”
Byron didn’t get a chance to answer because Jess walked past him, munching away on the bacon he lifted from their resident chef. He was still dressed in his pajamas, which naturally, consisted of only pants.
Walking inside the door, he let it close behind him. He could hear Kevin working in the kitchen and decided to check in on how he was doing. As he walked into the kitchen he was just in time to be entertained by a blast of curse words from over by the stove. Kevin had burned himself while flipping bacon. It was an unusual incident for him, but Byron supposed it happened every so often.
“Hey Kev, do you need any help? I have some time before I need to think about which spot we’ll be doing the morning catch and release.”
Kevin glances at Byron from the stove top. There were pans filled with bacon and others with sausages. He could smell Kevin’s classic biscuits baking in the oven. Byron also knew that Kevin probably wouldn’t start the eggs, until later, because they cooled the quickest and he wasn’t a big fan of leaving them in a heating pan. He was hoping there would be a hollandaise sauce to go with breakfast, his mouth started to water at the thought.
“Thanks for the offer, Byron, but I think I’m good. We only have a few campers today anyways so it’s no rush. Not to mention I’m focusing on the classics for today’s breakfast since it’s the first one of this season. There’s nothing like bacon, eggs, and my homemade biscuit
s,” Kevin titters from his pan.
“But since you’re here,” Kevin said, as he paused mid-flip. “What’s on the schedule for today?”
“Well,” Byron said as he sat down at a nearby table. “We have a few catch and release groups throughout the day, hiking around noon, there might be a camping venture into our usual area if the weather holds up, and I think Jess was planning a few things. Probably a scavenger hunt and some camp fire songs for the kids. We won’t get into any of the other activities, until the folks settle. We want them to be comfortable first, before we pull out any of the big guns so to speak.”
“So, I probably won’t need to bust out the high protein meals until later in the week?” Kevin asks as the bacon sizzles. Byron had to admit, it was a pleasing sound.
“Not for another day or two at least, but maybe have some snacks prepared for the hiking trips? Just light stuff. No need to weigh down their stomachs while they’re on the go,” Byron said as he glances at a plate of fruit that sat tantalizingly in front of him.
“Don’t even think about it, Byron.” Kevin warns, his back facing him.
With a frown Byron stands up from the chair, shaking his head. “Kevin, I swear, sometimes you have eyes in the back of your head.”
“Also, if you see Jess, give him a smack on the head for stealing my bacon.” Kevin replies, still attending to his pans.
Byron chuckled as he left the kitchen. Jess was always a troublemaker. The second breakfast bell wouldn’t be going off for another hour so he had time to check his fishing equipment, before heading back to his room. As he was walking out the front door a caravan pulled into the parking lot. It definitely wasn’t new, but it looked well taken care of. The engine sputters before the driver turns it off. Three women and a man make their way out of the vehicle. Byron’s eye wanders across one of the women getting out of the back seat. From afar, her beauty struck him like a lightning bolt. Her figure, from what he could make out, was trim. The jean shorts she wore drew his eyes to her curvy waist and hips, which was all he had time to notice before Jess walked into him.
“Hey Byron!” He said, after bumping into him.
“What do you want? I was just checking out the new arrivals,” Byron replied a little annoyed to be disturbed. He couldn’t see the woman anymore, mainly because Jess was blocking his view.
“Oh nothing, nothing at all.” Jess said as he walked off in the direction of the main cabin.
Byron stood there feeling confused, which was something Jesse usually enjoyed doing to people. He strived to throw people through a loop. The group that had just arrived started to walk towards the main cabin while Jesse had distracted him. Byron was rooted in his spot. He could see the woman he had set his eyes on a few minutes ago.
“Hi, do you work here?” A young man asked, switching his duffle bag to his other hand.
“I uh –” Byron stares down at his bare feet, his mouth going dry as he notices the woman’s eyes on him. “Yeah, I guess I do.”
The newcomer raises an eyebrow, as chuckles erupt from the women.
“Well, do you know where we can check in?” The man inquires, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips.
“Of course,” Byron points to the cabin the group faces. “Go in there, turn to the left and you will find our receptionist. You can check in with her and if you like even leave your bags, she can bring them to your cabin while you go out and explore a little before you all settle in.”
The young man looks at the women who shrug and nod. “Alright, well thanks, man.” He says as he reaches out his hand to shake Byron’s. “I’m Max by the way, this is Celine, Camilla, and Rebecca.”
Celine…
Byron had to shake his head to stop from staring at her. As they walk away, Byron had a chance to watch her from a different perspective. What caught his eye at first was her beautiful, shiny auburn hair. It was the color of a cool, red wine; vibrant, beautiful, and intoxicating. He could picture burying his face in it as he hugged her from behind.
His hips pressing against the small of her back. His sensitive nose caught the scent and Byron knew just how it would be, burying his face in those long, lush locks. It was long enough to reach the jean shorts she was wearing. He runs a hand over his face as he enjoys the hypnotic way her hips sway as she walks. His thoughts drift towards running his hands over her curvy waist, cupping her tight ass before he-
He was broken out of his fantasy by the last breakfast bell. His jeans were a bit more constricted than usual as he looks down at his still bare feet.
“Shit.” He says out loud and continued walking towards his cabin. He could always check on the fishing equipment later.
Chapter 2
The group of newcomers walked into the main cabin. Max and the two other women turned to the left and continued on their way to reception while Celine stayed behind. She stopped to admire the pictures on the wall of the main entrance. Almost every shot had been taken outside in the surrounding area.
She looked closely at one that appears to be taken out on the water. It was breathtaking. The sky was so clear of clouds that you would have been able to spot a bird for miles. The calmness of the water in the photo makes her want to take a dip in it. What intrigued her most out of the entire photo was the solo canoeist. He was staring off into the distance. Her nose almost presses up against the frame as she notices that he was also shirtless. She couldn’t exactly make out his features, but he was almost, as breathtaking as, the view.
“Oh, Celine!” A female voice drawls, tapping her on the shoulder.
She turned around to see that her friends had finished in reception.
“Well that was certainly fast,” Celine replied as she holds her bag in front of her.
“It only seems that way,” Max chips in; he still had his bag over his shoulder.
“So what cabin are we in?” she asks, a little curious since she had missed that little bit of information.
“It’s by the water. Apparently, it’s one of the best, or that’s what the receptionist, Aiyana, told us while we were in there,” he says, filling her in on what she had missed out.
“She was pretty cute too, I think she got our Maxie a little hot and flustered,” Rebecca said, as she playfully punches his arm.
“Oh, shut up,” He says as he turns to walk out the door. “Are you coming or not?”
“We’re right behind you!” Celine squeaks as the trio of women follow him out of the door and back outside.
“She did give you directions, though right?” Celine asks, as they venture their way down a path that splits off from the main cabin.
“No, we have to find it ourselves. Of course, she gave us directions,” Camilla said, as she rolled her eyes at Celine in mock irritation.
“I was just wondering…” Celine began to say, trailing off when she spots the man they had met when they first got here.
He was walking up the path towards them. Studying him from afar, she noticed that he had put on shoes at some point. He was ruggedly handsome and as he walked by them, she picks up on the strain on his face and wondered what could have possibly been bothering him so much to put that look on his face. She was still looking over her shoulder when she bumped into Rebecca.
“Oops, I’m sorry, Becca.” she began, but was waved off by her friend’s hand. The entire group had stopped.
Blocking their path was a mother doe and her baby fawn. They took their time crossing the path and stopped to graze on the shoulder.
“They’re adorable,” Rebecca gushes as she clings to Celine’s arm.
Celine only nods. It had been a while since she had gotten the chance to be one with nature. The entire ride up here she was awed by the surroundings. Trees were everywhere, it was almost endless. Even this path was surrounded by trees. It was almost like you were being swallowed up by nature. She was in love with that feeling. It took a few more minutes, until the little family of deer was on their way back into vast expanse of trees. A small smile erupt
ed on Celine’s face once they were out of sight.
The group started moving again and they had only a few more feet to go before they came face-to-face with their lodging. It had a rustic sort of vibe. On the porch there was a swing with a padded seat, Camilla ran to it, bag and all, and plops down. As Celine walked up the porch she wandered over to one of the front windows and peers into it. A pout curves her lips as her view of the inside of the cabin is blocked by its curtains.
“Ya know Celine, there is an easier way to get inside,” Max teases her as he jangles a set of keys.
Celine stuck out her tongue, as Max inserts the proper key into the lock. As he was unlocking the door, Celine notes that there was some sort of wooden plague on the front of it. From where she was standing, the plague looked like a bear.
Max and Rebecca went inside and Celine could hear their contentment from outside. Camilla soon stopped her swinging to brush by her and enter the cabin, as well. She didn’t bother looking around the main living area, instead she left the room to go search for a bed.
Celine stood in front of the door for a few more minutes studying the plaque. A gentle breeze ran its fingers through the tendrils of her hair, cooling her neck some. The plaque was indeed a bear, and it was catching a fish. She assumed it must be a grizzly or a black bear. She closed the door as she walked through the entryway, mesmerized by the skill it would have taken to craft that plaque amazed her. It would have taken days to get all of that detail to where it was at.
“Earth to Celine!” Rebecca calls to her from the furthest side of the room; she was examining a shelf with various items on it.
“Oh, sorry Becca. Did I miss something?” Celine asked, as a sheepish smile crossed her face when she realized she must have zoned out.
“Well we were just picking out beds and we’re kind of waiting on you. I know how picky you can be, girl. I didn’t want there to be arguments already so I told the other two to hold off for a few minutes. Camilla wasn’t happy; she’s already basically claimed one of them,” Rebecca said, before she rolled her eyes and turned back to the shelf.