Bear woke up later than usual and stretched along the rag rug. He rolled on his back and looked up at the ceiling, the beams crisscrossing along the open space between the floor and roof logs. He lay there, luxuriating in the feeling. After a while, he wondered why he wasn't hearing Girl, so rolled over and got to his feet. Padding into her room, he started to give her some smart-ass greeting but stopped once he was throu...

It was mid-morning, and Bear was seated on the porch, watching the mountains grow – or not grow, as the case might be. Girl was seated in her rocking chair, reading, her knees up under her chin. After a while, she put her book down and said, “Bear?” Bear’s head swiveled towards her, and said, “Frog?” She shook her head and said, “What? I’m not a frog, I’m a girl!” Bear chuckled, “I know. I just wanted to see if you were a...

It was early morning, and Bear was resisting the need to get up, luxuriating in that hazy land between sleeping and waking. Then he heard feet on the floor, moving fast. He lifted his head just as the front door banged open. He lumbered up, walked curiously towards the open door, and peered out, still slightly enmeshed in sleep. And saw Girl, wearing only her nightgown, running barefoot off into the meadow. He furrowed hi...

Bear and Girl were out walking in the forest one afternoon. The sky was blue, there were white puffy clouds, and it was beautiful. They were chatting about everything, and nothing, and laughing about it. Suddenly, a wolverine walked out from behind a bush, stopped, and growled at them. Bear shoved Girl behind him, and said, “Steady, friend. No one is here to hurt you.” The wolverine barred its teeth and started walking to...

The two friends were lazing out in the meadow, allowing the Sun to warm them while they idly discussed life, the universe, and other stuff. The conversation had lagged for a while when Girl spoke up. “Bear,” said the Girl. “Do you have dreams when you sleep?” Bear looked at her and smirked. “Yeah, I dream of fat, fresh seals, waiting to be caught and eaten!” Girl smacked him on his shoulder. “No, I mean real dreams.” Bear...

When Bear woke up, Girl was curled up on her side, inside his body, snuggled up to him for warmth, the blanket mostly covering her, except for one foot, which stuck out. The fire had died some time ago, and it was cool inside the cabin. Bear raised his head, and looked fondly at the sleeping form beside him, then shook his head and thought, Silly Girl! Cautiously, so as not to wake her, he moved away from her and went out...

~~~~~~~ Previously Girl carefully put two fingers on the porcupine quill she had selected and gently pulled on it. It didn't move at first, then slowly, like from a bottle of molasses, came free. Girl held it up. "I have it, Madam. Now what?" "Why scratch your tummy with it dear. It will sting a bit – but it will heal you. Over time." Girl turned and looked at Bear, but he indicated nothing. Girl pulled her shirt up, bari...

Bear awoke with a start, then strained to listen. Something was wrong, but Bear wasn’t quite sure what, or what woke him up. He swiveled his head left and right, listening. Then he heard it. It was Girl, and she was weeping. Bear got up, and padded towards her room, then stopped. The sound wasn’t coming from her room. It was coming from the bathroom. He turned and padded that way, then stopped outside the door. He heard s...

The two friends were out for a walk. The day was so–so–overcast and dull, but the temperatures were warm, and the wind was soft, so they decided to escape the cabin for a while. They were just ambling along, not going anywhere in particular and enjoying it. They’d visited a couple of favorite places – the waterfall, one of the lookouts – and were starting to head home, when they came to a long, gently sloping meadow, with...

The next morning, the two friends were quiet with each other. After saying good morning, and after both had foraged for breakfast, each in their own way, they retired to the porch, Girl to her rocker, Bear to his favourite spot at the end of the porch, looking at the mountains. After a while, Bear got up and said, “I’m going to go for a walk. Like to come?” Girl thought for a moment, then nodded, unwound herself from the...

Girl had found the boxes of books from the storeroom to be a treasure trove. Bear had long forgotten they were there, although he, too, had plundered their wealth when he was a boy, then discarded them when he reached his late teens. Girl was distinctly older than that but found that reading them let her pretend she was a child again, and rediscover a time when life seemed simpler, fresher, and more promising. As such, sh...

“Bear…” Bear lifted his head from the rag rug in the great room, but said nothing, then put his head down again. “Bear!” Sighing, he got up. It was a cold, wet, windy day: dull, drab, and bone-chilling, and all Bear wanted to do was to lie by the fire. But no; Girl had to go exploring the cabin. He padded around, looking for her, and finally found her at the back of the storeroom. “What,” he said, sounding annoyed. “Bear,...

~~~~~~~ Girl woke in the night, needing to get up and pee, but feeling as if the blanket had gotten particularly heavy on her legs. She started to get up, only to find Henry curled up next to her legs in the bed, with her original blanket drawn most of the way over him. She carefully extricated herself from the bed, walked quietly to the bathroom, then returned – and found Henry occupying the top of the bed again. She chu...

~~~~~~~ Instead of a rabbit hopping away, it was Henry, sitting off to one side, smirking at Bear. Bear relaxed. “Did you warn them off?” he asked. Henry just nodded, then patted his tummy. Bear settled back down on the meadow grass, then started a bit when Henry climbed up and made himself at home on top of him. Girl giggled as quietly as she could – but Henry lifted his head, looked at her – and winked. Bear lumbered co...

Bear came rumbling into the great room of the cabin, muttering to himself. He threw himself down on the rag rug in the center of the room, gave a huge sigh, and closed his eyes. Girl, who was making herself some lunch, said, “Is everything okay, Bear?” Bear ignored her. She walked gingerly over to him and stood nearby. “Bear?” “WHAT?” he shouted. Girl jumped back. This was most un-Bear-like behavior. “I’m sorry, I didn’t...