“Yeah, OK.  Those.  First just one, then three.  They killed our dog on the first day and kept sniffing around here, trying to get in.  We shot several, but more just kept showing up day after day.   A week ago, one of them managed to latch onto Cliff’s leg.  Tore it up really bad.  We killed it, but we could already hear more of them howling in the forest.  He said he was a dead man anyway with his leg so badly hurt.   Told me to hide in the cellar while he tried to lead them away.  Maybe if they didn’t smell anything anymore, they’d eventually leave the area in search of prey.”

She looked down, her candy bar forgotten.   “He pulled the rug over the door to hide my scent, then wiped his blood from the floor and headed out.  I heard a few shots a little while after he left… then nothing.   Until I heard them sniffing around up there.” She pointed through the trap door.

“They were inside the cabin.  So I made myself as small and quiet as I could and waited.  My water should have lasted longer, but I kept getting so thirsty.” She sounded as if she was apologizing.

Allistor shook his head.  “The door was open when I got here.  But I didn’t see any sign of canids or any other critters up there.  Nothing’s been disturbed.  Well, not before we got here.  Fuzzy has done a little damage.”

“Fuzzy?” she asked.

“My pet bear.  Bear cub, actually.   He adopted me yesterday.  He’s spent the last couple hours sleeping on that bear rug.” He smiled at her.  “If you think you have the strength now, I’ll help you upstairs and you can meet him.”

She nodded and got to her feet.  He offered a hand and a shoulder to lean on and helped her climb the ten steps to the main floor.  Pretending not to notice the smell of urine and feces down below, he closed the door saying, “Can’t have one of us falling down there.”

She didn’t hear him as she was in the middle of a staring contest with Fuzzy.  The bear tilted his head, then sniffed.  Not liking what he smelled, he snorted and turned away, walking back toward the kitchen and food smells.

She laughed.  “Was that his polite way of saying I need a shower?”

Allistor just grinned.  “I haven’t had time to teach him manners yet.”  He helped her to one of the bedrooms that had a bath attached, then closed the door behind him as he left.

While he waited for her to shower, he retrieved the two bowls from his ring, along with a couple cans and the opener.   He emptied two cans of spaghettios into one of the bowls and used the sink to fill the other partway with water.   Setting both on the floor, he said, “Now don’t make a mess, you silly old bear.”