though they held up a blue sky that stretched to eternity and back. Water gurgled over rocks, a festive marching band of sound as spring thaw began its parade across the land. Timber crowded along the edge of the water and reflected in the broad pool.
It was the familiar place of nightmares.
Kipp clapped his hands. “Leave the stuff here for now, and we’ll get camp set up later. The bears should be out feeding, so bring your cameras and come with me.” He paused long enough for Denny to pull out his digital video camera and fit Kipp with a wireless mic. “Better leave the dog here.”
Haley nodded and put Oscar back in his carrier, much to his displeasure. She gave him his rubber hot-dog-and-bun toy for solace. Some people were touched in the head, and Haley was beginning to think she was one of them to have even agreed to come along. She met Augusta’s gaze as they followed Denny and Kipp to the river. The roar of the rapids grew louder until the foursome stood on the steep bank looking down onto crystal water rushing over a small waterfall.
“There they are!” Kipp pointed out two forms standing along the shore.
Haley had missed the animals at first. She took a step back. She hadn’t expected them to be so big . They were only ten feet away, and both turned at the sound of Kipp’s voice. Haley said, “One of them is yellowish. I thought brown bears were brown.”
Kipp ignored her comment. “Hello, bears, I’m back.” Kipp approached them confidently.
Denny kept the camera running but answered Haley’s question. “Brown bears range in color from white to blond to brown to black, and all the shades in between. The tips are lighter in color. That’s what give them the grizzled effect.” He stepped closer to Kipp.
Kipp spoke in a soft, confident voice. “I’m just going to watch you catch fish for a while. You’re doing a great job.”
The closest bear, the smaller of the two and the only one she’d really call brown, swung its head around and regarded him curiously, then waded into the rushing water. It ducked its head under the stream and came up with a fish in its mouth, then carried it to the shore. It sat down and held the wiggling fish in its paws and began to eat it.
“Good catch,” Kipp said, approaching still closer.
Haley wanted to shout at him to stay back, but so far neither of the bears seemed to mind his presence. They were too intent on their breakfast, ignoring both the humans and each other. She finally recovered her wits enough to begin snapping pictures. Augusta sat on the riverbank and began jotting notes for the coffee-table book she had come along to write.
The smaller bear finished its meal. It settled against a tree and began to scratch its back against the rough bark. Haley watched in fascination. The other bear finally caught a fish and lumbered to shore with it. It sat down with its back to them and began to bat the fish around as if it were a toy.
“Bears are the brothers of my soul,” Kipp was saying into the camera. “We have no need to fear them. They are benign creatures who wish to live in harmony and peace with us.”
She would have laughed at that before today, but watching these bears, she thought he might be right. These two animals showed no signs of aggression. When the bears ambled to a berry patch and began to strip the brambles of fruit, Kipp picked some berries for himself.
“That’s a wrap for tonight. Let’s get camp set up,” Kipp finally said. He strode back to their things, then led the group to a clearing.
“How many adventures have you gone on with Kipp?” Haley asked Denny.
“This will be the fourth. He’s quite a ham. The more outrageous the stunt, the more the crowd loves it.”
“Has he ever gotten hurt? Every time I watch the show, I hold my breath. Remember that show where he walked up to the buffalo in Yellowstone and jumped on its back? The thing bucked him off and turned to gore him. I thought he’d end up in the
It was the familiar place of nightmares.
Kipp clapped his hands. “Leave the stuff here for now, and we’ll get camp set up later. The bears should be out feeding, so bring your cameras and come with me.” He paused long enough for Denny to pull out his digital video camera and fit Kipp with a wireless mic. “Better leave the dog here.”
Haley nodded and put Oscar back in his carrier, much to his displeasure. She gave him his rubber hot-dog-and-bun toy for solace. Some people were touched in the head, and Haley was beginning to think she was one of them to have even agreed to come along. She met Augusta’s gaze as they followed Denny and Kipp to the river. The roar of the rapids grew louder until the foursome stood on the steep bank looking down onto crystal water rushing over a small waterfall.
“There they are!” Kipp pointed out two forms standing along the shore.
Haley had missed the animals at first. She took a step back. She hadn’t expected them to be so big . They were only ten feet away, and both turned at the sound of Kipp’s voice. Haley said, “One of them is yellowish. I thought brown bears were brown.”
Kipp ignored her comment. “Hello, bears, I’m back.” Kipp approached them confidently.
Denny kept the camera running but answered Haley’s question. “Brown bears range in color from white to blond to brown to black, and all the shades in between. The tips are lighter in color. That’s what give them the grizzled effect.” He stepped closer to Kipp.
Kipp spoke in a soft, confident voice. “I’m just going to watch you catch fish for a while. You’re doing a great job.”
The closest bear, the smaller of the two and the only one she’d really call brown, swung its head around and regarded him curiously, then waded into the rushing water. It ducked its head under the stream and came up with a fish in its mouth, then carried it to the shore. It sat down and held the wiggling fish in its paws and began to eat it.
“Good catch,” Kipp said, approaching still closer.
Haley wanted to shout at him to stay back, but so far neither of the bears seemed to mind his presence. They were too intent on their breakfast, ignoring both the humans and each other. She finally recovered her wits enough to begin snapping pictures. Augusta sat on the riverbank and began jotting notes for the coffee-table book she had come along to write.
The smaller bear finished its meal. It settled against a tree and began to scratch its back against the rough bark. Haley watched in fascination. The other bear finally caught a fish and lumbered to shore with it. It sat down with its back to them and began to bat the fish around as if it were a toy.
“Bears are the brothers of my soul,” Kipp was saying into the camera. “We have no need to fear them. They are benign creatures who wish to live in harmony and peace with us.”
She would have laughed at that before today, but watching these bears, she thought he might be right. These two animals showed no signs of aggression. When the bears ambled to a berry patch and began to strip the brambles of fruit, Kipp picked some berries for himself.
“That’s a wrap for tonight. Let’s get camp set up,” Kipp finally said. He strode back to their things, then led the group to a clearing.
“How many adventures have you gone on with Kipp?” Haley asked Denny.
“This will be the fourth. He’s quite a ham. The more outrageous the stunt, the more the crowd loves it.”
“Has he ever gotten hurt? Every time I watch the show, I hold my breath. Remember that show where he walked up to the buffalo in Yellowstone and jumped on its back? The thing bucked him off and turned to gore him. I thought he’d end up in the