She just nodded and returned to the bedroom, closing the door behind her.  He leaned down and patted Fuzzy’s side a couple times, then he settled in on the sofa and closed his eyes.

*****

Allistor woke in the morning to a cold wet nose jammed in his face.  Sputtering and pushing the fuzzy face away, he sat up.   Helen was sitting in a nearby chair, an amused look on her face.   “I think he wants to be let out.”

Allistor blinked a few times, wiping the sleep from his eyes and looking at his pet.  “Is that right, Fuzzster?  Are you house-trained already?  That was easy!”  He got up and went to the cabin door, opening it for the bear.   Fuzzy stuck his nose out, checked the air, and then ambled into the bushes.

“Guess that answers the question about whether bears do it in the woods!” Helen giggled at her own joke.  Allistor wished he had thought of it first.

“Good one.   So, did you sleep well?”

“Like a log!  Thank you again for coming to my rescue.  I would certainly have died down there in the dark.”

“You’re most welcome.  How ‘bout we talk about what’s next?  I told you about the Warren and my people there.  You’re welcome to join us if you like.”

Helen nodded her head.  “I’ve been thinking about that since I woke up.  I’ve been working in the park for ten years, and I know this area pretty well.  If you’d like some company on your little road trip…”

Allistor thought about it.  On the one hand, it would be great to have some company.  Other than Fuzzy, of course.  But it was dangerous, poking his nose around out here.  He’d almost died more than once already.

“This isn’t a picnic out here.  Canids are far from the worst of the monsters we’ve run into.  I’m planning to go into a large city or two, and will more than likely get my face eaten.  The safe thing for you to do is take my pickup and go to the Warren.  You can stop at the gun shop Outpost on the way and load up weapons and such.  I’ll take one of the park service trucks here.  Those are better for me anyway, as there’s more room inside for the bear as he gets bigger.”

Helen shook her head.  “I’m done with safe.  I sat in the dark down there trying to be safe.  Safe is just a slow way to die.  If you’re worried about me pulling my weight, I’m an expert marksman with a decade of experience in the woods.  I can track, find berries and nuts and roots for food, and probably teach you quite a bit.”

Impressed, Allistor agreed.  “I still think we should take one of the park trucks, if that’s okay?”