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It was one of those golden autumn days that gave this season its name. Indian summer, as it was commonly called. The sun was still high in the sky and its rays warmed everyone who was out and about in the otherwise already crisp air. The sky was bright blue, and the few clouds that sailed lazily toward the horizon were white, like freshly fallen snow. The leaves on the trees had already turned copper red and golden yellow, and the first leaves were already falling from the trees. The locals agreed that this was the most beautiful time of the year, but unfortunately they weren't the only ones who thought so, and so from September to the end of October, hordes of tourists flocked to the area to see the colorful splendor of autumn.

Sunny's Pump was one of the countless rest stops along the extended Appalachian Trail. A gas station, kiosk, and tourist information center in one small building. It had been in the family for four generations, and its current operator, Hugh, or Gray Wolf, as he was called by his peers, was a stocky man in his sixties, and even though the years had been kind to him, he shared the fate that most Native Americans had in common with him. His striking face, which seemed to be frozen in a perpetually sullen expression, was furrowed with deep wrinkles and made him look much older than he actually was. His stoic face also hid the cheerful and good-humored character for which he was known among the locals.

He sat in his rocking chair on the porch in front of the entrance to his station, dozing. He wasn't particularly worried that someone would rob his kiosk. For one thing, Fey, his faithful companion, would alert him to anyone approaching the station, and for another, his son Jimmy was behind the counter in the kiosk.

It was a slow day; only a few hikers had come along the trail so far, and it was still too early for the locals to come and have their after-work beer with Hugh on his porch. Usually, the hikers came along the trail in small groups and stopped here to rest before continuing on to walk the last stretch to the end of the trail. It was only about a hundred miles to the end of the Appalachian Trail, but few made it that far north. Most turned back much earlier to make their way south, where there were shuttles to the nearest airports or bus depots. Only those who had either started from here or parked somewhere nearby came here to walk this small, idyllic section of the approximately 2,200-mile trail.

An ideal day to simply relax and unwind.

It was early afternoon, when the sun had slowly moved far enough across the sky that the canopy over Hugh's porch provided shade, that Fey announced with a barely audible whine that someone was approaching them. He didn't move, because at this time of day, small groups of hikers usually passed by.

Indeed, it was a middle-aged couple walking briskly along the wide path out of the forest. They seemed slightly rushed but not panicked as they stepped off the path onto the gravel of the parking lot. Their quick steps crunched loudly on the loose material that formed the surface of a parking lot that was generous for the size of the rest stop, where only a few vehicles were parked.

The long strides of the obviously experienced hikers quickly brought them to the gas station and thus also to the kiosk. They paid no attention to Hugh and the really big dark gray dog lying next to him, but immediately entered the small building that housed the kiosk, the tourist information office, and the gas station cash register.

"Welcome to Sunny's Pump, how can I help you?"

Jimmy called out the well-rehearsed welcome to the new arrivals. Only when he saw their serious, if not panicked, faces did his trained smile fade slightly. The man, who was estimated to be in his mid-forties and clearly wearing far too expensive equipment, approached him with his finger raised.

"You need to call the ranger immediately, and the sheriff…"

he began in an agitated voice, while his companion, who was about the same age and wore exactly the same clothes, looked around nervously.

"…there's no cell phone reception here, otherwise we would have done it ourselves."

the man added, and Jimmy just nodded, trying to appear calm.

"But of course, right away. What should I tell him? What happened?"

replied Hugh's son, already picking up the receiver of his old-fashioned telephone. The man, visibly reassured that someone was so willing to help him, took a deep breath and gestured toward the forest they had just come from.

"Back there, about two miles from here, at that lake, there's a huge bear. A monster, I tell you."

he began again in an excited voice, waving his arms wildly to convey the bear's size to Jimmy. The man behind the counter suddenly smiled again and put the receiver back on the hook. The tourist looked at him in horror, as if Jimmy might think he was crazy.

"It's true. Such a huge bear,"

the man confirmed again, while his companion, presumably his wife, nodded eagerly to reinforce the man's statement. Jimmy raised his hands reassuringly.

"Don't worry, I believe you. Every word, I promise,"

he said in a calm tone, pointing to a photo hanging on the wall behind him showing a truly gigantic bear. There was a plaque on the frame that read: "Papa Bear, do not feed the bear."

"You met our local mascot. That was Papa Bear. He may be huge and intimidating, but he's basically harmless."

added the salesman, trying to de-escalate the situation, but his counterpart only seemed to get more upset. The man's face flushed with anger before he blurted out:

"Are you kidding me? You know about this monster and you let it run around here freely? What if it attacks someone? A bloodthirsty monster like that should be shot!"

The man talked himself into a rage, the veins on his forehead bulging dangerously, so much so that even his companion was already trying to calm him down. Jimmy took a step back but remained steadfast and shook his head.

"Papa Bear has lived here for many years, there has never been a problem. As long as you stay on the path, he doesn't see you as a threat…"

He didn't get any further, as the man cut him off.

"You've got to be kidding me. Call the ranger and the sheriff right now, or I'll do it!"

The tourist was almost shouting as Jimmy took another step back and pointed to the phone.

"Be my guest…"

While the tourist was freaking out inside, Fey sat up and yawned extensively. The big dog laid her ears back and looked through one of the large shop windows at the spectacle inside before gently laying her head on Hugh's lap and whimpering softly. The old Indian nodded slowly and scratched her behind the ear.

"I know, my girl. I heard them,"

he muttered, enjoying the contact with his companion, who pressed her head against his hand.

"Maybe it's better if you go check on him and let him know."

he added, earning a look that could best be described as "really?" He ignored his dog's silent protest and continued to scratch her behind the ear. Fey took a deep breath and growled softly, which brought a slight smile to her owner's face.

"You're much faster than me, and besides, Brother Bear listens to you,"

said Hugh, lifting his hand from Fey's head. The dog lifted her head and looked at him searchingly for a moment. The way she tilted her head seemed to say, "Fine, I'll do it, but you owe me!"

Hugh smiled gently and patted her head.

"Good girl, now hurry up."

It was almost a laugh, but only almost. Fey slowly got up, stretched extensively, and oriented herself toward the forest before trotting off.

In the kiosk, the tourist was busy arguing on the phone with the county sheriff, who also didn't see the point in making such a fuss about the bear, at least not when nothing more than a scare had happened.

Jimmy let him be, so at least he didn't have to deal with the tourist. Instead, he turned to the tourist's companion:

"Can I get you anything, ma'am? Coffee, tea, or would you prefer something cold?"

he asked in a calm voice with a friendly smile. The woman looked at him in complete bewilderment for a moment before a jolt went through her and she smiled too.

"Oh, a coffee would be wonderful right now, thank you."

she replied, clearly relieved by the distraction.

Meanwhile, her companion slammed down the receiver with the words:

"I've never encountered such incompetence in my life. You'll be hearing from my lawyer!"

His face was deep red as he turned to them. Fire blazed in his eyes.

"What… is… he… doing…?"

he asked, trying to pronounce each word calmly, but before his companion could say anything, Jimmy jumped in.

"Coffee, sir. Would you like one too? To calm your nerves, on the house,"

explained the salesman, and the tourist stared at him silently for a moment. His gaze wandered in slow motion to his companion, who had already armed herself with sugar and milk, before slowly returning to Jimmy, who was just removing the cup from under the machine to hand it to the lady.

"W… What?"

he stammered, apparently not knowing how to deal with the situation.

"Coffee. But I can also make you tea if you'd like."

Jimmy offered, pointing to the hot water control on the complicated-looking coffee machine. The man shook his head.

"No, no, coffee is fine."

he muttered, while Jimmy nodded friendly and began operating the machine again.

"Where are you two from?"

he asked over his shoulder, placing a new cup under the coffee maker and pressing a few buttons and switches.

"Colorado,"

the woman offered before the man could say anything, then added,

"It's our first time on the trail, it's so exciting."

Now Jimmy knew why the man had been so excited; he didn't know any of this. Sure, there were bears in Colorado too, and that was probably why he was so jumpy, but Papa Bear was really harmless.

Fey ran through the thicket of the forest, away from the path. The large, almost black dog stretched out with relish as she galloped. She rarely had the opportunity to run properly. She had a pretty good idea where she would find the oversized teddy bear. Her destination was the cabin by the lake, where they rented canoes and paddleboards to tourists in the summer so they could paddle around the lake a bit.

She ran fast, and except for the occasional rustling of leaves and her panting breath, nothing could be heard as she shot through the undergrowth of the forest. Just before she reached the small cabin, she slowed down and finally stopped. Her tongue hung out of the side of her mouth as the dog looked around. The traces of the big bear were everywhere, and as she sniffed the air, she could smell him very clearly.

Her lips curled back into a smile and she straightened up, assuming her human form and stepping onto the path.

"Come out, Brother Bear, I know you're here," she said calmly, knowing full well that he could hear her very well, and it only took a moment before the bear's characteristic growl could be heard behind the cabin. Slowly, the bear came into view from the small jetty. He was indeed enormous.

He looked almost like a large grizzly, but his fur was too dark and his striking blue eyes did not fit the image of the black bear typical of this area. With a friendly smile on her lips, Fey approached the bear, who raised his head and showed the bear equivalent of a smile. With her hands, which were dainty compared to his head, she ruffled his long, shaggy fur and massaged his ears while he pressed his head tenderly against her bare stomach.

"Hiiiii…"

she exclaimed before she began to laugh loudly.

"…be careful with your cold nose."

There was no anger or annoyance in her voice as she continued to caress the big bear's head.

"Hugh sent me…"

she whispered, scratching him vigorously behind the ears. A contented growl let her know that he understood her.

"…you startled some hikers earlier."

she added, and the bear nodded slightly. Fey smiled; it was almost as if she could feel his grin.

"You know that's just going to cause trouble again, don't you?"

It was a rhetorical question; of course he knew that, but she couldn't be angry with him. It was his nature, and he couldn't change who he was. Well, at least not completely.

Like Fey, Brother Bear was a shape-shifter, and like her, he had been part of the community for many, many years. The locals knew of their existence and kept it secret from the outside world. In return, Brother Bear, Fey, and a few others made sure that there were never any wildlife accidents or similar incidents here.

Fey had joined Hugh, while Brother Bear, following his nature, had settled here by the lake as a hermit.

Fey placed her hands under the bear's head and gently lifted his heavy chin so she could look into his eyes. She loved those azure blue eyes, so full of life, in whose infinite depths she had lost herself countless times.

"Do you really want to stay in this form and leave all the talking to me? That's not like you at all."

she whispered softly, stroking his broad snout. Her companion growled gently and lifted his head a little more. It was only a tiny moment, but before Fey could do anything, the bear had licked her neck and chin.

"Eeeew…"

she squealed and recoiled as the bear began to laugh. It was an animalistic, rough, deep laugh that gradually became more human as the bear first stood up on its hind legs and then rapidly changed shape until there stood a rough-looking man laughing heartily. Fey wiped the saliva from her neck and chin in disgust before standing up to her full height and approaching the man. Temper blazed in her eyes and she was tempted to slap him, but she knew that this would only incite her counterpart to even more mischief.

"You… You're dispicable!"

she threw in his face, poking his broad, hairy chest with her finger. Brother Bear took it in stride; he deserved it, but it had been worth it to him. He raised his rough, scarred hand and ran it lovingly through her hair.

"Yes, I know, and that's why you love me,"

he replied confidently. Fey pressed her lips together; she couldn't disagree with him. She loved him for his easygoing nature and his jokes, but at the same time she hated him for his ego and his sheer endless self-importance. She looked up at him; even now he towered over her by almost a head, and although she was quite muscular, she seemed almost dwarfed by his massive build.

"I should…"

she began, but broke off mid-sentence because he was still just looking at her dreamily and she was about to melt away.

"…what should you do to me?"

asked Brother Bear, pulling her gently against his chest before hugging her tenderly. She snuggled up to him, rested her head against his shoulder, and let herself sink into his strong arms.

"…spank you…"

she whispered, the smile very clear in her voice. He looked down at her and stroked her back.

"Right here? Or would you rather go inside first, before more tourists arrive?"

he countered, gasping slightly as he felt her teeth in his shoulder. He didn't resist; he deserved that too. They both knew that when it came down to it, she didn't stand a chance against him. She had tried several times in the past, and he had, as they say, wiped the floor with her, and she had the scars to prove it. She clawed at his chest hair and stood on tiptoe so she could see his face better.

"Don't make me offers you don't intend to keep,"

she said quietly, looking deep into his blue eyes, which radiated so much warmth despite their color. She could see the small wrinkles at the corners of his eyes as his smile reached them before he slid his hands down her back. His paws gently enclosed her buttocks and lifted her effortlessly.

"Oooohohoho…"

Fey laughed and wrapped her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck.

"Pushy…"

She was now eye to eye with Brother Bear, and he grinned at her openly.

"It's been a while…"

he said, planting a little kiss on her nose. Fey closed her eyes and allowed herself to enjoy the intimacy of the moment before tilting her head forward slightly and opening her dark brown eyes again. She looked up at him slightly, her smile promising so much more.

"Mhm…"

He hesitated for a moment before pressing his lips to hers. Fey returned the kiss and pulled herself closer to his sturdy body. It was only a brief moment, but one that showed them both that neither of them was able to prevent what would follow.

When their lips parted again, Fey was almost panting and she felt her body quickly heating up.

"Get one of the canoes… if… if someone's going to see us, then… then I want to give them a show…"

she gasped, letting go of him as Brother Bear nodded and set her back down on the ground. His excitement at the promise in Fey's statement was more than obvious.

Meanwhile, back at Sunny's Pump, tempers had calmed down again. After the two tourists had enjoyed their coffee, Jimmy had shown them a map so they could continue following the trail and finally reach their destination. They were not quite out of sight when Jimmy left the kiosk and joined his father on the porch.

"Brother Bear doesn't seem to be hibernating yet," he said calmly, handing Hugh a cup of coffee. The old Indian watched the two hikers and accepted the drink. He sniffed the hot brew with relish before bringing the cup to his lips.

"Mmm…"

he grunted and took a sip.

"I sent Fey to check on him,"

he finally explained after swallowing the coffee. He turned the cup back and forth in his hands a few times.

"At some point, he'll come across a hiker who has a gun with him."

Jimmy replied, rubbing his left arm as he always did when he thought about unpleasant things. Hugh nodded with a grim smile.

"Luckily, very few of them have silver bullets in their magazines."

It took Jimmy a moment to get the joke, but then they both laughed heartily.

"Yes… exactly… silver…"

Concept and Idea by

El Poyo Diabolo

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El Poyo Diabolo

Characters by

El Poyo Diabolo

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El Poyo Diabolo