Chapter Nine ~ A Very Special Kind of Bear

as told to Bethlorr by the Sasquatch

The sweet smell of sun-ripened huckleberries mingled with the sharp aroma of pine needles as she settled into the nest she had constructed on the fallen tree. The female sasquatch was tired. She needed rest.

Too many of the hairless ones were in the area. She wasn’t sure if she would be able to settle down and sleep. Between the nearby creek and all the berry bushes, all they needed was here. Further down the slope there was a cave where they slept most days. But her mate had been gone for two days, and she did not want to sleep too soundly in case he called.

The berry bushes are what drew the noisy hairless breed on days like today. Above was so blue. The light was so warm. And the hairless ones were everywhere.

She and her mate had moved inland during the cold time. Rumblings were beginning around Loowit, and they didn’t feel safe. The tales of their kind told of the past when the rumblings of Loowit increased and caused great destruction of all living things on her slopes. At times, the rumblings became small explosions. Other times, they were much larger. There were always rumblings deep in the earth, but lately it had felt different. There was more power behind them. She and her mate had decided to leave. Some of their small clan had gone south – into the mountains that stretched from what the hairless ones called Canada to California. Others went to the west, to the great waters. They’d heard stories of how many hairless ones were in those places as well, so they’d gone off on their own and headed east, into the mountains, seeking refuge.

Many lights they had slept and many darks they had walked. She had slowed them down with sickness from the one she carried within. Finally, they had reached an area that felt safe. There were few hairless ones. It was the cold time and there was much white coldness on the ground, but they had found the cave. Up another slope there was an ancient hairless one, though still not as many lights and darks as they had. The hairless ones did not live on these slopes for as many lights and darks as the sasquatch did. He knew they had arrived and dwelt in the area, but he left them in peace. He knew they meant no harm and were only seeking refuge and a home. Much like he and his people had been looking for when they arrived at their slope. There was plenty of room and food for all.

Their peace did not last long. As the time of the light winning out over the dark neared, the smelly metal boxes that moved arrived. They were full of the noisy hairless ones.

She and her mate tried to stay out of sight, but it became more challenging as the light gave more warmth. The hairless ones were everywhere on their slope. She knew her mate had been seen. He had called out a warning to her, “Fleep, fleeoweep!” to keep her from joining him. He had been gone for two lights now, she hoped he would return soon. There were not many more lights and darks before she would bring forth the one she carried within, and she would need her mate.

Now, she would rest in the nest she had made far away from the berries. None of the hairless should come across her. A pine tree had fallen over some odd structure left by them many lights ago and made a perfect spot for her to enjoy the warmth of the light time. It invited her to rest and gather strength for the coming experience. She had never seen a hairless one near the area.

As she drifted off to sleep. She heard a group of the young hairless ones calling to each other with strange sounds “Hallooo” and “you, you, you,” echoed far above. Snuggled into the warm branches she slept deeply. The squirrels and chipmunks quieted their normal chatter as they realized she was silent.

A metallic crash woke the sasquatch at the same time as her nest shuddered from an unexpected impact.

With a roar she quickly rose to her feet. What was this?

As her eyes focused from sleep, she smelled the sweet aroma of crushed berries, mingled with the scent of fear. She glanced down from her great height and saw what had collided with her tree – a young hairless one cowered below. Bleeding hands, a dirty face with tears glimmering in the eyes. It was a young female hairless and her fear was visible.

The sasquatch knew only that she must flee. She must protect the life she carried. This young hairless one would not cause her any harm, that she knew, but she still must flee to safety.

In a flash she had leaped over the side of the structure and headed for the underbrush. In a moment she was a good distance away, cradling the life within, hoping she had caused no harm with her leap. It took just a moment to get a good distance away from her nest. She would return to their cave. Calling “suka, suka, suka,” to her mate, in hopes that he would hear. Urging him to return to their cave. Soon. Soon she would need him.