Bearly Camping

by Lynn Katzenmeyer

  “I could take you,” Ebsen said, “I’m just on call today, as long as I can hear my radio, I’m good to be anywhere.”

  “I’ve imposed on you enough,” I told him, motioning to the table of food scraps, his shirt on my body and the bedroom, “I couldn’t possibly ask you to do that.”

  “Yuri would love for you to see the falls,” Ebsen amended, “If you carried my radio, he could take you.”

  “Eb-” I said, trying to figure out what he wanted from me.

  Ebsen shrugged, “As corny as it sounds, the bear likes hanging out with you. And you’ve been monopolizing his shift time to go stargazing.”

  “We only went the one time,” I reminded him, “And that was weeks ago.”

  “Then how come I see fresh bear tracks on the athletic field when I patrol after a shift?” Ebsen asked, trying to catch me in a lie.

  My eyes narrowed at him, “How would I know what you’re up to when you’re in bear form?”

  Ebsen’s eyebrows raise, “I only get bits and pieces, and every night I let him take over, he runs to the field.”

  “Awww. Does Yuri have a crush on me?” I asked with a teasing grin. When Ebsen’s face turned serious, “Wait, is that even possible?”

  Ebsen shrugged, “Either way, it’d please the bear and let me get a nap in if you’d take him off my hands. Just tell him to shift if my radio goes off.”

  ​​“That’s where you go when you’re in animal form, you...sleep?” I asked, amused. “The pancakes are ridiculously good. In case you didn’t know. I may roll in poison ivy just to get them again.”

  Ebsen looked at me briefly confused and then threw his head back and laughed his hearty laugh, “I’ve never had a woman want seconds before.”

  “Their loss,” I said, digging back into my stack, “Answer my question.”

  Ebsen shrugged and nodded, “Yeah, pretty much, sometimes if he’s doing something exciting, like chasing down a deer he’ll wake me up so I can see, but usually I just...sleep.”

  “And you’d really be ok with me taking your bear on a hike?” I asked.

  “Why Firebug, you want to hang out with Yuri, don’t you?” he asked, amused, “He’s your widdle teddy beawr.”

  I chuckled, “It’s kind of cool, ok, it’s also the exact opposite of my precisely two human instincts to be so close to the bear. Like, he’s huge. His hump-y thing-y almost comes up to my shoulders. And his claws, they’re huge, but he’s very careful with them. All the shifter safety materials and Eddie and Amber say that shifters in animal form should be treated as if they’re wild.”

  Ebsen’s eyes narrowed, “You should, except for Yuri,” he quickly added.

  “Alright, fuckbuddy,” I said, leaning back casually in the chair, “You’ve convinced me. I’ll run back to my cabin, shower, and get ready to-”

  “You can shower here,” Ebsen offered, “I don’t know what’s in your backpack, but I only ruined your underwear last night.”

  I blushed, “I packed a spare pair.”

  Ebsen laughed again. “I’ll just go shower then,” I said, awkwardly standing up.

  In his shower, Ebsen only had unscented bar soap that had seen better days. Covered in tiny chest hairs... at least I told myself it was chest hair as I lathered the bar in my hands. I scrubbed every inch of my body and hair. I knew my comb would be angry at me in the morning, but I figured it was better than the alternative. I remembered the looks I got when I arrived smelling like Sig, I couldn’t imagine the ribbing I’d get smelling like sex and Ebsen.

  ​​I finished showering and cursed that I had left my towel in my backpack on the ATV with my clothes. “Here,” Ebsen held my backpack out to me through the curtain.

  I was startled by the thoughtfulness, “Thanks, Ebsen.”

  “If anyone asks about the smell, just say I was showing you the ranger stations,” he said, “I’ll back up your story.”

  I looked at him weirdly, “Um ok, thanks.”

  I dried off and got dressed. He wasn’t in the cabin when I left.

  An hour later I was dressed in yesterday’s clothes following a fluffy bear butt down a narrow trail in the middle of the Minnesota woods. Yuri kept turning back to make sure I was following him, he’d slow his pace until I bumped into him, then he’d sprint ahead and sit waiting for me. I think he was worried about the incline. We hiked up the backside of the cliff toward the waterfall.

  “Am I too slow for you bud?” I asked him after his fifth sprint. Yuri harrumphed. When the trail widened, he walked next to me. He rubbed his head on my waist forcing my arm on his side. I pet the scruff of his neck hump thing and he grumbled, “You like that Yuri?” The bear’s jaws hung open like a dog’s and he made a groaning sound. We’d been hiking for two hours before I heard the falls.

  I patted Yuri’s scruff, “I hear them! Oh, I’m so excited.”

  Yuri looked up at me and ran ahead.

  “Yuri, no fair!” I called after him walking faster, still careful to watch where I was walking. This trail was a part of the backcountry and wasn’t as meticulously maintained as the trails around the village. There were more than a few tripping hazards, but Yuri had been making sure I avoided them.

  I caught up to the grizzly. He sat with his back to the small waterfall, watching me come up the trail. He playfully roared at me as I came closer. I took in my surroundings. It was a small tributary that flowed into the larger lake several miles southeast of where we’d ended up. The trees here were old, tall, and strong. The pines had protected much of the ground from the snow and it was covered in the dead red needles. I closed my eyes and took in a deep breath of spring air. The big waterfall was no more than 20 feet tall, but it was wide and the black rock behind it was a stark contrast to the white foam at the base. The smaller one was 100 yards south and only about 7 feet tall. Turning to face the direction of the river you could see the wide expanse of green. I could barely make out the Adventure Village. Beyond that was the massive expanse of blue that was Lake Superior.

  “I feel like I’m in a fairy tale,” I told Yuri who had joined me to look out, “have you ever seen anything so full of splendor?”

  Yuri licked my hand. A wet slobbery lick, “Hey big guy, rule number one, no kisses.”

  Yuri and I hiked back after eating the picnic lunch Ebsen had surreptitiously packed in my backpack. As we were hiking back to Ebsen’s cabin, he was radioed in. Yuri shifted into Ebsen who grabbed his uniform and radio out of my backpack.

  “Have a nice nap?” I asked as he was lacing up his boots.

  Ebsen grunted at me.

  “Well I had a nice time with Yuri today,” I told him, passing him his hat and radio, “Thanks... for everything. You’re a good friend Ebsen.”

  He looked up at me and gave a quick nod taking his hat before running off down the trail, “Ebsen on radio.”

  ​​I made it back to Ebsen’s just before dark. The ATV I rented was still out front of his cabin so that was first on my list. I returned the ATV to the motor pool. Next, I needed a shower. I ran back to my cabin and got my shower caddy and a change of clothes. Since the arrival of summer staff, the showers were never truly empty.

  ​​“Smells like someone had a run in with a grizzly,” a male voice called from one of the shower stalls.

  ​​I heard an inhale from another stall, “No blood, probably another of Ebsen’s summer conquests.”

  ​​“No, I smell fur too,” the first voice said, “Who is it?”

  ​​“It’s Souli you pervs,” I yelled out, I’d quickly learned they’d figure out it was me so it’s easier to steer into the skid, “I saw Ebsen’s bear on the trail get your minds out of the gutter.” It was technically the truth. The best kind.

  ​​Next, I would enjoy my weekly social media and phone check. Even though the WAZ had Wi-Fi in the village, I preferred to go by summer camp rules. No cellphones, no internet, and no non-work-related electronic devices. I checked my personal email, nothing but spam. I h
ad a text from my younger brother, Ron short for Acheron, checking in. A missed call from Clara Johnson, she didn’t leave a message probably checking that I got my boxes. Social media was another bust. Rather than text Ronnie, I called him.

  ​​“The mythical Souli Barre,” my overly dramatic brother said as he answered, “Is it true, are you really alive?”

  ​​“Shut up, Ronnie,” I groaned, “How’s it going?”

  ​​“Pretty good, you tell mom and dad about your new job yet?” he asked. He was the only one I’d told about it, especially after I’d discovered it was a shifter safe haven, I wanted to limit the humans who knew of it.

  ​​“No, and I’m not going to,” I warned him, “I like this job, I don’t want to jinx it by having the Professors Barre bare down on me.”

  ​​Ron laughed, “How’re things between you and Sig?”

  ​​I got quiet.

  ​​“Souls-” Ron said seriously, “Is everything ok with you and Sig?”

  ​​“We broke up,” I told him, I heard him gasp, I knew his next question, “A couple weeks before I took the job, I’m fine, I promise. I didn’t say anything because it doesn’t matter, it's not like you guys were overly fond of him anyway.”

  ​​“We hardly knew him, Souli,” Ron reminded me, “But I thought you two were going to do the whole white picket fence and 2.5 kids.”

  ​​“How’s your life going, Ron?” I asked with a bit more snip than intended, “hitting your senior slide yet?”

  ​​“Same old, same old. Don’t suppose your preserve is hiring?” He asked with the disillusioned cynicism only a person who’d filled out 1000 job applications could have.

  “I’ll ask around, but I doubt it,” I told him already knowing the answer. My brother was as human as I was. There was no chance he’d be hired, “Where’ve you been applying?”

  I talked to Ron about his future for a solid hour and a half before I heard his roommates coming back.

  “I better let you go,” I told him.

  “You should call mom and let her know abou-”

  “I’ll tell them in person,” I promised, “Go study or whatever it is you do with your free time.”

  Chapter 11

  I slept like the dead. Blissful dreamless sleep. I woke up the next morning with a different soreness. The smile remained the same. I stretched my arms overhead before dressing for the day. The sun hadn’t risen yet but I already heard the ground’s team doing last minute maintenance on the Adventure Village.

  Arrival day, the most exciting day for any summer camp, I just hoped it was just as exciting for an adventure zone. I dressed in my WAZ issued long sleeve polo and puffy vest emblazoned with the WAZ logo. I pulled my radio off the charger and grabbed my clipboard.

  “Souli Barre on radio,” I checked in as I walked down the stairs. Sliding the bookcase over, I nearly ran into a wall of man was standing in front of my desk moving my papers around, “Ebsen, you’re...”

  “On map duty today,” he replied with a wry smile pointing to the box on my desk, “I get to sit at the end of the parking lot directing truckloads of city-shifters to camp sites.”

  I couldn’t help the smile cracking over my face, “City-shifters?”

  I heard a familiar grumble, and he picked up the box, “Have you eaten yet?”

  I shook my head.

  “Join me and the rest of the rangers for breakfast. Art and Linde always give a rousing speech that’s much more entertaining from the back,” he offered.

  “I’d like that. I have a few things to do here first,” I said, gesturing around my office. “Amber covered the desk on my day off. I want to make sure she didn’t miss anything.”

  “Great, I’ll save you a seat.” He bent down and I could swear his lips brushed the top of my head. But that wasn’t possible, rule number one was no kissing. I was mistaken; reading too much into things. Ebsen was not the kiss before work kind of guy, and I’d just have to learn to live with that.

  ***

  I found the ranger table the furthest table from the stage. The men and women in official looking park-uniforms were already sitting when I got there and I took the only open space between Carlson and Pole, almost the whole table away from Ebsen.

  Ignoring the disappointment that he didn’t save me a seat, I turned my attention to the rest of the table, “Good morning.”

  “Ready for the wolves?” Ranger Irvin asked with a leering smile.

  Amber told me he was a badger shifter and was kept on the perimeter of WAZ territory to keep trespassers away. Unfortunately for Irvin, first arrival day of the season meant all hands-on deck, even the grumpy badger-ranger.

  I shrugged, “We’ll find out, won’t we?”

  “What were you up to last night?” Carlson asked conversationally as she spooned her oatmeal into her mouth, “The light was on in your office until like, 10.”

  I smirked, “I was on the phone with Ronnie for about two hours.”

  I saw Ebsen stiffen briefly before he looked at me apathetically, “Oh who’s Ronnie?”

  “Jealous?” Ranger Zetti asked, elbowing Ebsen in the ribs. Did they know? Had Ebsen told them about our adventure? No, he promised he wouldn’t. Maybe the rangers were just teasing him for taking an interest. That had to be it.

  “No,” he growled, eliciting laughter from the ranger table, “Who is he?”

  “My brother,” I told him with a chuckle turning back to my own food, “He’s struggling to find gainful employment and a place with better roommates”

  “Luckily, we don’t have to deal with roommates, right?” Zetti asked, “Gotta love those ranger cabins. With real beds.”

  The other rangers mumbled their agreement. They turned their conversation to the arrivals today. Early May was when the older packs came to visit. They didn’t care too much for watersports or extreme activities like rock climbing and ropes courses. They prefer singing around fires, going for runs with old friends, and shooting.

  “So many saggy ball sacks,” Carlson groaned, “Remember the retiree wolf pack that insisted on being au naturale last summer?”

  Art got up on the stage to give his speech, contrary to what Ebsen had promised, the ranger table was not a more amusing place to hear it.

  May flew by. Art had me ankle deep in solstice preparations. On days without arrivals or departures, I was coordinating event logistics like, portable lavatories, extra wells to be drilled, speaker systems, and a temporary cell phone tower. Art’s anxiety was rubbing off on me. A few council members had come to visit and oversee the arrangements. He was very careful to have me out of the office during their visits.

  “That’s actually a really good idea,” Pole remarked, “Wouldn’t want to get caught between a momma lion and her cubs. Can’t imagine any of the unmated females would be too keen on having you around either.”

  “Ugh, holiday weekends are the worst,” Irvin groaned, “I really wish they didn’t open it up to families ever. Seeing all those happily mated shifters makes me want to gag.”

  I nodded and headed toward the AVC. It was full of guests, by this point in the season, staff got their food to go and ate outside.

  “You ok Souli?” Jamie, Ethan’s mate asked as she put fries next to my sandwich.

  “Weird day,” I told her, “I’ll be fine.” She smiled at me kindly and handed me my food. Art’s door was closed, and he was talking in hushed tones I couldn’t make out. Line one on the phone was still lit up.

  I finished my shift and Ebsen was standing out in front of my office, “Did you avoid the poison ivy today, Firebug?” he asked, watching me flip the sign saying I’d be back in the morning.

  I looked up at him. “Why Ebsen, if you have an itch, all you need to do is say the words.”

  He looked down at me suddenly serious, “Are you ok, Souli?”

  “Weird day,” I told him, “Want to grab dinner and find a campfire to mooch a smore off of?”

  Ebsen smirked and leaned down t
o me, “I ate early today, I was expecting an acrobatic evening.”

  My eyes widened, “Ebsen,” I hissed, scandalized and a wee bit turned on.

  “It’s what you do to me Firebug,” he was leading me toward the AVC, “I have marshmallows back at my cabin. I could build a fire in the pit; you can stare at the stars eating white dripping goo from my-”

  “Rule number four,” I said, turning back to him, rule four, no food. It was the only rule I’d instituted. It was completely necessary after an ill-fated honey nipple incident that ended with Ebsen getting stung by a bee.

  Ebsen lifted his hands innocently, “Grab yourself some dinner.”

  I ran through the line and grabbed a couple steaks because even if he said he didn’t need it after a big meal, Ebsen enjoyed snack time. I knew he’d enjoy nibbling on some meat in a few hours.

  “Mind walking?” Ebsen asked, “It won’t be dark for a few more hours.”

  “I do have to work tomorrow,” I reminded him.

  “I’ll have to wake up early to cook you breakfast then,” he said, stealing a French fry from my container.

  “I’m not itchy,” I reminded him, “And you haven’t said you were itchy. Why’d you need to make me breakfast?”

  “You like my breakfast,” he said quickly, sounding confused.

  “Yeah, your breakfast is amazing,” I said honestly, “But you only feed your conquests if they can’t walk after you-” I rolled a French fry in the air, “you know. But you have yet to say that you want to.”

  Ebsen leaned his face close to my neck and I could feel his breath, “Fucking you is the highlight of my week, Firebug. I’ve been waiting by my radio all day for you to say Ranger Ebsen channel four.”

  Warm shivers raced down my spine, “Ebsen, did you just put poison ivy down my shirt?”

  “What, no I’d neve-” Ebsen sounded genuinely scared for a minute before his bellowing laugh scared birds from the trees. He scooped me up in his arms and ran all the way to his cabin.

  “Snacks for later on the table,” he said as he set me down.

  “I don’t have my backpack,” I whined but doing as he instructed, “I’ll be walk-of-shaming it on a Monday.”