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Uncle Rusty's Gift

My father couldn't find out what I was about to do with Uncle Rusty. To be fair, at the time I wasn't aware of what I was about to do either. Hell, I didn't even want to see him.

"You sure he lives around here?" I asked my father as he drove. The SUV rummaged through the forest, following a dirt road through the campgrounds. Trailers and tents dotted the area in their various reserved spots, a few campers moseying about. "I don't think he has a mailbox here, let alone a permanent address."

"You know he doesn't live here, Delos," my father said, making me sound like some idiot who didn't know the difference between an asshole and an elbow. Rhetorical question, Dad... "This was just the easiest place to meet."

We found a communal parking area with its collection of wooden bumpers to denote each parking space. My dad killed the engine after sliding into the closest spot.

"Would've been better to bring the trailer," I said.

Dad snorted. "You know your uncle ain't into trailers. Not even a tent."

"'We're bears,'" I quoted. My father chimed in for the rest: "'And bears are meant for the woods.'"

My father guffawed while I managed a half-hearted chuckle as the fresh forest air greeted us. We collected our things: a small cooler with some campfire foods, and our backpacks containing fresh clothes for the morning, our sleeping bags, some jerky, various toiletries. Not much. We only had a night planned.

After shouldering our backpacks, my dad and I exchanged looks before scanning the area for his brother. Nothing but endless trees and the sound of a nearby campfire surrounded by a rambunctious hircine family. I'd suggest giving my uncle a call, let him know we're here, but he didn't believe in cell phones... or common decency for that matter.

"Why didn't you end up like your brother?" I asked, giving my dad a sideways glance. Somehow we were the exact same six-foot-six height; having played intercollegiate football, I was hoping for the one good thing about my uncle: his size. Seven feet of ursine muscle and strength. "Wasn't grandpa an outdoors nutcase, too?"

"Your uncle took after our dad," he said, adjusting his hiking shorts. Odd seeing him in one of those. I was used to the whole suit-and-tie getup. "While I, on the other hand, ensured I could provide for the family I would have one day."

"A bear in the big city."

"Pretty much, son."

"Sounds like the title of your autobiography," I joked. "Bear in the Big City. Chapter One: Escaping the Great Outdoors."

"Hey, thanks to my escaping the 'great outdoors' for a comfortable desk job, I was able to sneak you into a good private school and pay your college tuition. Should I start charging you rent now that you've moved back in?"

"I'm eternally grateful, old man, and that includes the free room and board." Got that buddy-buddy stuff going on and patted him on the back. He scowled, not buying my act. "I really wasn't complaining! I'm very much a fan of indoor plumbing, air conditioning, and mama's homemade cooking."

My dad licked his muzzle at that. "God, a night out here is a night too many."

"Yeah," I agreed solemnly. "Hear you on that one."

That's when my uncle emerged from the trees, completing our family trio of brown bears. Greeted us with a smile as big as his body, such a large muscular man. Like I said, a half-foot taller than my father and I were. Other than his height, he was like a mix of us. Had my athletic build but my father's dad-gut. Uncle Rusty gave a wave with a broad paw. His attire consisted only of a red handkerchief around his neck and blue overalls that did little to hide his disheveled fur and his meaty pecs. The musculature of his arms flexed as he waved. Damn, seems like living out in these woods did his body good at least. Would've made a great linebacker, although I don't know how I'd feel about showering with my uncle in the lockers after a game.

Dad approached and both brothers exchanged big bear hugs and those good-to-see-you comments that families say every Thanksgiving holiday or family reunion. Except Uncle Rusty never came down for the holidays, and we had little by way of extended family. Reunion apps probably had a minimum system requirement to install, so to speak. My mom was the only child and my dad only had the one brother here who had never married nor sired any cubs. All my grandparents were dead. No cousins or aunts to speak of. What can I say? My family tree had tiny branches.

After their hugs and back pats concluded, Uncle Rusty looked me up and down. I returned a cautious stare. "Dammit, boy. You grew up fast! Come 'ere!"

Brawny arms squeezed the air from my lungs as I returned the hug half-heartedly. Breathed in the scent of his brown fur: pine trees and musk. Our muscles bulged against each other, showcasing to the other their power. Felt his gut, a densely strong thing in its own right. Lucky for me, I had a set of abs granted from all my workouts and scrimmages. Eating right. Uncle Rusty finally released but still held me by the shoulders, eyes looking over me as a big grin bared all his teeth.

"You look good. Strong like your Uncle Rusty!" He ruffled my head-fur, commenting on the streak of purple I had dyed there. I confessed a couple friends pressured me into it. But then his eyes narrowed. He fiddled with the sliver earring in my right ear. "What's this?"

"An implant," I explained. "Helps me detect the disapproval of transient family members."

"Looks plain as an earring to me. Your dad wanted one when we were boys, can you believe that? Father set him straight. We don't need jewelry. We're bears, after all."

My father and I spoke in unison with Uncle Rusty: "And bears are meant for the woods."

Despite our chuckling at his expense, my uncle's smile persisted. He said, "I see my older brother has trained my nephew on the art of sarcasm and teasing."

"Gotta pass down my legacy," my father said. "Someone needs to keep you in check."

"Respect your old Uncle Rusty," my uncle instructed me, sending my chin a playful bop. "And do me a favor. Smother your father in his sleep tonight."

"Nah-ah-ah," my father retorted. "One call to my lawyer and you're both off the will."

As we trekked through the woods down some half-beaten trail, my father and uncle shot at each other like siblings do--a couple of bantering bears amidst a boisterous badinage. (Excuse the tongue twister; had to take a dreadful poetry class to finish my degree.) My dad had nothing my uncle could possibly want upon his death. This forest was his home, the trees and buzzing insects its natural décor. Money? Obsolete here. Hungry? You gathered wild berries and fished at the meandering stream close by. Needed a shit? Leaves were ubiquitous. Entertainment? My uncle spoke of the stars at night and the twilit beauty of the forest, the music of a whispering breeze oscillating the boughs while he relaxed by that stream, water cascading over his tired feet.

"Give me the local cabaret any day," my father retorted, which summoned an eyeroll from my uncle that I didn't see so much as felt. We were deep in the woods now. I could no longer hear the campers or smell their campfire. Looking back, the SUV was long buried behind a foliage wall. My uncle and father blazed a trail ahead of me as they argued, and I couldn't help but wonder. What's it like to have a sibling with whom to bicker? My parents conceived me right after their college graduation. As soon as my mom broke the news, he proposed. Their wedding was enough of an event, I heard, for my uncle to leave these woods for a day. Since then, the times Uncle Rusty had left the comfort of his woodland home could be counted on a single paw. I swore, he was more boscage than bear.

A couple hours hiked by. We only stopped a few times to humor my uncle as he'd point out an interesting rock formation, a rare plant, or to take a piss. Eventually we found ourselves in a sunlit glade. My unfit father huffed and puffed from exhaustion. Years playing college football had granted me the stamina to handle such a trek, and my uncle only laughed as he directed my father to the makeshift chair of a tree stump. My father downed a bottle of water from his backpack, wiping the spillage from his mouth.

"You okay, Dad?" I grinned, setting the cooler and my backpack down. "You could've had your little brother carry you."

"Who are you calling 'little'?" Uncle Rusty exclaimed, flexing both biceps. "Think I got this big working some desk job like Frangible George here?"

"You'll always be my little bro," my dad insisted. "Doesn't matter how big you get, or how much of a hermit you become. And as your older brother, I feel it is both my civic and familial duty to teach you the basics of civilization." He snatched a roll of toilet paper from his bag. "This be toilet paper," he enunciated, "for the clean cleans of the bum bums."

"Dad, you sound ridiculous." I shook my head, hiding my gaze in a palm. He was 44 years old and he sounded like a cub mocking his younger brother. At their age, the four-year gap didn't matter much.

Uncle Rusty sighed. "Quit patronizing me."

"Actually, nature's calling." My dad grimaced through a chuckle. "Should've listened to my boy who advised against the giant bean burrito at that taco-stand pitstop. You're the expert--where's a good spot to go?"

"You're not using that." Uncle Rusty snagged a few fresh leaves. "Here: nature's toilet paper."

"Last I checked, Charmin was biodegradable. Who are you to argue against the Charmin family?"

Uncle Rusty gave a disapproving look. My dad sighed and snatched away those leaves before disappearing into the woods. A deep-chested chuckle reverberated from my uncle's chest as he turned towards me. He placed a bare foot--I chuckled at the pun--on the tree stump as if he were claiming it for another country. Meanwhile, I unrolled my sleeping bag so I could sit. Could feel my uncle's eyes on me as I sat cross-legged. My uncle retrieved a poker-sized branch and prodded the ashes of an old campfire with its circle of stones. Weren't there laws that prevented such fires from being made outside the designated campgrounds? Accommodations, I knew, had been created for naturists like my uncle who sought off-grid living. The great outdoors was the church where they worshipped like the animals they claimed we all were. But these people like my uncle still had to obey some of the same rules, I'd imagine. Wildfires didn't care who started them.

Whatever. I set those thoughts aside, not wanting to bother. No sense grilling an uncle I hadn't seen in years when he couldn't observe the unspoken rule of family.

"So, what's it like being newly minted?" he finally asked.

"Oh, my degree?"

"Yes, your degree. You must be proud of all the hard work you put in."

How would he know? My uncle wasn't there for the graduation ceremony, much less my entire tenure as an undergrad. I gave a speech and everything. Apparently doing intercollegiate sports and maintaining a 4.0 GPA wasn't a common thing. Unfortunately, I missed out on booze and parties and video games at the quarterback's place. Didn't make many friends studying so much, but the professors and administration loved how I looked on paper. Got invited to give a speech about going beyond what was expected. With such a small family, it stung not seeing my uncle in the family seating when it was my turn to speak. He'd been invited and everything well in advance. My dad made sure of it. Talk about going beyond expectations. The speech could've been written for him!

"You're frowning," Uncle Rusty said, his cheerful tone sinking.

"What?"

"I've noticed it a few times already." Cue the awkward pause. "Look, I know I missed your speech."

"You kinda did, yeah."

"You can recite your speech for me now, if you want?"

Recite the speech for him now? I didn't have the dumb thing memorized. I had it all typed up right before me.

He noticed my silence but paused as if deciding if he should say what he had in mind. Finally: "The city is not for me, you know."

This time I noticed my frown. Felt it scar across my face. "You couldn't sacrifice an hour of discomfort to see your only nephew say a few words before he walked?"

"Look, Delos. You are my nephew, and I love you. But I don't do people. I can't. I invited you and your dad out here so I could celebrate your achievement in the only way I know how. Something small and simple. Just the three of us. Together."

I wasn't sure what to say to this. My memories of Uncle Rusty were few and far between. I saw him maybe twice as a cub. Once as a teen when my paternal grandparents--his parents--died. Guess a funeral was a big enough event to get him to crawl out of the woods and deal with those pesky mourners. But his nephew's college graduation? Too much, apparently.

"Don't worry about it," I conceded, though still very much annoyed. "Let's make the most of today. We leave around noon tomorrow, after all."

Uncle Rusty nodded, but I could tell he could tell I didn't fully mean that. "I made you something. Your graduation gift." He fished through one of his overalls pockets and gave me a small woodcarving. A little bear sitting on a larger bear's shoulders. My paw felt the smooth woodwork, the minute details of each bear--their grins, the semblance of fur, the big bear's paws holding the other's smaller ones. "Reminds me of a memory of us together. The first time we met. You were six at the time. You rode on my shoulders. I remember your tiny giggles. Such a small thing you were with such a kind smile. Now look at you. All grown up. Ready for the world with that degree of yours."

"I live with Mom and Dad again. I don't know for how long. Might move out as soon as I find a good job, or maybe some out-of-state graduate program. You could visit more often until then, you know." Uncle Rusty winced. A bit forward, that request. I regarded the gift, touching the belly of the bigger bear. "This is great. I barely remember this day, no pun intended. But the feeling stuck with me. I knew you were the fun uncle." If only you were around more, I wanted to add.

"I'm your only uncle." He chuckled, seating himself onto the tree stump with a grunt.

"So, what made you choose a life of seclusion like this?" I offered the inquiry like a truce and gestured to the surrounding forest, his home.

"That's a long story."

"It isn't." That was my dad, prompting me to stuff the woodcarving in my pocket. He let out a sigh, relieved of his gastrointestinal plight. "You were a papa's boy, and you took his love of nature to the next level."

"No argument there," my uncle agreed. "'A simple life is the best life,' he'd always say. It doesn't get any simpler than this." He gestured to the surrounding forest as I had just done. "But this isn't about me. I want to hear more about your son." He faced me, eyes full of levity. "Found yourself a girl yet? Would be nice to have a set of grand-nephews and nieces."

"Oh, here we go," Dad said, shooing his little brother off the stump so he could sit. "Son, I'm telling you Charlotte was a keeper."

My uncle's ears perked up curiously. "Charlotte?"

"My ex," I explained. "I'm telling you, Dad, it wouldn't have worked out. I know, she was kind, fun, smart, supportive. Not to mention pretty. But she wasn't for me." My paw squeezed the woodcarving. Two bears caught in a happy memory I kept stuffed in my pocket.

"Son, do what I did with your mother. Find something good? Never let go. Right, Rusty? Tell him about all _your_gals."

Uncle Rusty said nothing, but there I sat waiting for his response.

"Go on, Rusty. Your nephew's curious."

Again, silence.

"Go on now."

"Stop it, George," the larger bear finally warned.

"Tell your nephew how many girlfriends you've had. You were quite the lady's man, am I right?"

"George..."

"Tell your nephew the odds of him getting a cousin before he has his first child."

"Shut it!" Uncle Rusty growled, shoving my dad off the tree stump before pouncing. I shot to my feet. I've broken up a fight once before, but not between two fully grown bears. Relegating myself to the sidelines, all I did was shout for them to stop. Both bears tussled in the spotty underbrush of the glade, kicking up loose dirt. A contorting ball of muscle and brown fur and fury. As they rolled around the forest floor, grunting and growling, my father wound his way on top of my uncle and pinned him underneath. Fear warned I was about to lose both an uncle and a father in the same day, one to fratricide and the other to a lifelong jail sentence. My breath returned, however, when I noticed them both laughing.

"You might be bigger than me, Rusty," my father said, grinning with victory, "but you're still my little brother."

"Get off me," Uncle Rusty exclaimed, shoving my dad who stumbled to his feet. Uncle Rusty ignored the paw my dad offered and stood on his own. "You always pick on me."

"The duty of older brothers everywhere."

"What's the matter with you two?" I chided. "Mom would've had a fit. Imagine her son coming home with the news of her husband's demise?"

"What?" my father exclaimed. "Why am I the one to die in this scenario? I clearly won!"

"I was going easy on you," Uncle Rusty replied, slugging my dad in the shoulder. Then he cracked a grin at me. "Your father is doing you a disservice not squirting out a brother for you. Nothing like a brotherly rough and tumble. Tell me, George, what did the doctors say about your narrow urethra?"

My dad scoffed. "I call it a natural contraceptive. Saved me from spending my allowance on condoms. By the way, you never told me how many girls you've banged."

Stuffed my ears with both my paws. "I'm not hearing this."

Both my dad and uncle chuckled warmly at my prudish naivete concerning the lurid back and forth between brothers. But my uncle had a point. My father's condition made it a miracle that I was conceived. Sure, a little brother with whom to roughhouse and tease could've been nice, but the single child's life also had its benefits. My parents had spoiled me to death.

My uncle's sex life was too juicy a topic for my father to drop, though. Wasn't a fan of hearing such talk myself, but I was old enough now. Twenty-two. Sex was normal, and my dad didn't want to waste any opportunity to dig into his little bro. Visits were rare, anyway. Teasing was the tincture I felt my father missed most from his childhood, and he didn't want to lose this opportunity for a laugh.

An incessant barrage of noogies did my uncle in, and he finally admitted he only ever had one sorta-kinda sexual partner a long time ago, and the experience tanked. Thankfully, my uncle spared the details, but I could tell admitting this embarrassed him so. My father, however, was incredibly chuffed.

"Dad, lay off the humiliating life experiences."

"Thank you, Delos." Uncle Rusty sent a nod my way. "Glad to hear someone's on my side."

Altruism was an ideal that everyone should strive for, but I couldn't take credit for that. "Sorry, it's just--no one wants to hear about their uncle's sex life."

"Or lack thereof," he admitted sheepishly.

Miracles must exist, for the rest of the day was less revealing of certain private affairs. My father set up his own sleeping bag on the other side of the campfire, probably to leave space for Uncle Rusty to sleep close to me. What a dad. Both spent much of the afternoon playing catch up or recalling memories from their childhood. Temptation did its thing, the smart phone stuffed in my bag begging to be turned on and swiped at. Such technology offended my uncle, though, and I didn't want to be rude, so away it stayed. We hadn't seen each other in years. In fact, my uncle would regularly turn his attention to me when my dad caught a breather between stories. Uncle Rusty asked about my life goals, my dream job, if I wanted a family... Honestly, I had no idea on all accounts. Yeah, I tackled my way through college football, but I had no interest in playing professionally afterward. And my degree program? Flippin' Humanities. That didn't prepare me for any particular job. While I thought about the possibility of grad school, I wanted a break from my studies. Don't even get me started on the dreaded f-word. I haven't even figured myself out. How was I supposed to support a wife and kids and help them all self-actualize?

When evening permeated the woods, my father insisted they get a fire going for warmth and food. My concern over the legality of such a fire prickled my mind, so I aired it out. Both my father and uncle laughed.

"I've been skirting the expectations of society for as long as you've been alive, Delos," my uncle said. "If society deems itself so offended by a paltry fire, then let them come to my home and tell me off."

"The worst that can happen is a fine as minuscule as this fire," my father added. Then came the humblebrag: "I can write them a check with a little extra thrown in for their trouble."

Out came the hotdogs without further ado. At first my uncle refused, saying he preferred to live off the land, eating berries, roots, fish. What nature could provide. In fact, he would have offered to catch us each a nice trout, but my dad hated anything with scales or fins. Too icky. My uncle accused him of not being a real bear. I professed that I loved fish.

"You sure he's your son?" Uncle Rusty teased. "How about this. Before you leave tomorrow, we pay the stream a visit and I can demonstrate how a real bear catches an icky thing with scales and fins." My dad scoffed at the jab, but my uncle continued: "Get you in touch with your ursine instincts."

I agreed just as my father made his brother agree to two hotdogs. Uncle Rusty was gonna steal my father's duty of teaching his boy how to fish, after all. Might as well indulge him and join the festivities of fire-roasted hotdogs we skewered with the longest sticks available. French bread rolls and the usual condiments--ketchup, mustard, relish--completed the picture. As much as Uncle Rusty didn't want to admit it, he liked them hotdogs. Brought up memories of camping as a kid. Must've been hard sacrificing all the comforts of home, including childhood favorites. And now here he had an opportunity to enjoy himself for an evening. Ended up eating four hotdogs instead. Half the package! That left my dad and I with two dogs each, although I didn't mind. Thought it was nice having some semblance of normalcy in our family. A guy out camping with his father and uncle, about to enjoy the stars now popping overhead.

That night, the fire died before the conversation with my uncle could. Dreamland had already swept my father away, leaving behind the chugging exhaust of his snores. I could see the faint outline of my uncle who lay on the ground with no pillow or sleeping bag. Just his overalls I suspected he only wore because he had company.

"You know the reason why I like it out here all on my own?" he said.

"It's peaceful here when all you have is the company of stars."

"Aren't you perceptive," my uncle said sincerely. "You were meant for college. Me? I was terrible at school. Math made little sense. Books bored me to death. I only ever did well with art and gym class. Loved working with my paws, seeing what they could do, what they could create."

My paw went for the woodcarving I had stuffed in my pocket. It wasn't there! My heart jumped for a second before I realized I had placed it safely in my backpack after devouring the hotdogs. Didn't want to break it in my sleep or something.

"The carving you gave me was beautiful. I never thanked you for it. So, I'll say it now: thank you."

"You're very welcome, my young nephew."

"You're talented," I added. And with that one simple compliment, some of the disappointment over his absence all these years dissipated. "Do you have any more carvings you're hiding throughout the forest? You could make some good money with your skill. They got websites like Etsy and--"

"No, no, no, Delos. I'm not some factory mass-producing so-called art for the general consumption of the public. That woodcarving is special, and it's something I don't do anymore. These days I keep my paws busy living a simple life here: collecting food, catching fish, swimming. Sometimes I'll meditate or strike up a conversation with the campers here if I get bored or lonely. It's a simple life, but it's safe and predictable living."

There must've been something to this statement. The few things I've learned in the handful of psychology classes I've taken said that Freud would've had a field day learning about my uncle and his childhood.

"What happened when you were young?" I asked directly.

"When I was young?"

"I don't mean to pry... but not many just leave society and go completely off the grid for no good reason. I know this natural-living stuff has been a growing movement, but still. Most people want the comfort of society--the regular social contact, a roof over your head, grocery stores and restaurants, television and the internet. Friends and dates--you know, bowling or something. Milkshakes afterward. Then, if the cards are right, eventually finding the love of your life and starting a family together. Enjoying all the good things life has to offer. No one sacrifices all of that for no good reason. And I wonder if it all started in your childhood."

Waiting for an answer provided only the sound of my uncle's heavy breathing I nearly confused for the deepness of sleep. I wanted to say his name as if calling him from the darkness. But somehow I knew not to. Somehow I knew it was best to stay quiet. Just go to sleep. Go to sleep and forget anything was ever said.

* * *

Early. A word that should never follow 'I awoke.' But here I was, up before dawn--a habit I needed to break. Too many mornings waking for a pre-dawn class. Conditioned my body to slam both eyes open at this time, even now that classes were over. Already I could hear the birds chirping in the trees. Dawn had smudged some of its first light over the world, but all I could make out were the silhouette of trees. My father's steady breathing brought some comfort, but I couldn't make out my uncle's breaths or his own silhouette. As my eyes started to adjust, I noticed the spot next to me. Empty. Uncle Rusty was gone.

I shot up. Dug through my backpack for my cell phone. Perhaps he had simply moved to a more comfortable spot on the ground. How the hell did he sleep all these years without a sleeping bag? I flooded my surroundings with the cell phone's light. Only my father.

My ears perked up. There was humming in the distance. It grew closer until finally my uncle emerged from the trees.

"Oh, good. You're awake," Uncle Rusty said quietly. "It's time to go fishing."

"This early?" I shot back through a whisper. "But I can't see."

"You're a bear. Use your eyes, not your gadgets."

"What?"

Annoyance drained the warmth that typically radiated in his voice, but as I stared into his eyes, I noticed how they reflected the shine of my phone. A phenomenon I've noticed before, of course, but to which I've paid little attention.

"Bears can see in the dark," he explained. "You're so used to lights 24/7 you've forgotten what your very eyes can do. Shut off your phone. Put it away. You don't need it."

I did as he instructed and wobbled onto my feet in almost total darkness. As he promised, soon enough the world grew clearer. Even with the scant light the early dawn offered, it was enough to help me distinguish my surroundings--the upturned roots, the space between trees. Enough to support my will to walk around.

"Whoa," I said. "Way cool. I've learned our eyes could do this but never really experienced it myself."

Uncle Rusty agreed that our bodies were magnificent things. He offered to show me what else our bodies could do, down by the stream. When I tried putting my shoes on first, he chided me again. "Feel the earth under your paws," he instructed. Could hear his feet clawing at the ground in demonstration. "Our paws are meant for the earth, not for petrochemicals and rubber."

So off I went without my shoes on, without my cell phone, and an uncle who only laughed when I complained about the cold, how I shivered. I wanted to curl back into my sleeping bag.

"How does a bear with all that fur shiver from the cold?"

As much as I hated to admit it, he was right. I'd gotten so used to a working thermostat in a climate-controlled house. But he assured me I'd acclimate to the cold too. Drowsy and grumpy, I hugged myself for warmth and didn't speak as we walked. My bare feet navigated the various textures of the forest floor--dead leaves, twigs, rocks, probably a few bugs. Meanwhile, my uncle hummed, a soothing but playful tune, until the sound of babbling water grew closer and louder. We continued through the trees until we finally reached a wide stream that flowed gently as my uncle's humming.

More light had filled the sky during our walk, so the scene was clearer. Insects skipped around, some floating on the still areas of the water. Fish would occasionally rise to the surface and gobble up a delectable bug. This was why my uncle wanted us down here so early. We were crashing an insect buffet.

"Ready to catch your own breakfast?"

"Catch? Don't we need a fishing license or something?"

Uncle Rusty scoffed before mentioning the laws protect sincere naturists from needing one, to which I reminded him I was no "sincere naturist" myself. My uncle may have been doing this for years, and certainly the rangers knew him and his beliefs, but they didn't know me. My uncle simply laughed at my concern. "You worry too much. First the fire, now a license."

"No sense in ruffling the wrong feathers," I replied.

"Good thing we're dealing with fish instead of birds."

"Then where's the fishing pole?" I knew it was a dumb question as soon as I said it. My uncle's warm chuckle was further evidence of that. "We're catching fish with our bare paws?"

"Well, you're a bear, aren't you?"

I caught the pun like a fishnet. "That I am."

Uncle Rusty grinned. "That you are."

Then he undid the straps of his overalls. Let his only article of clothing, save the red handkerchief around his neck, slide off his body. At first I noticed the big, firm belly, but as my eyes naturally drifted down to the rest of what he'd revealed, I had to stop my jaw from dropping: my uncle was hung as fuck. A flaccid nine-inch dick swung between his thighs, appropriately accompanied by a pair of low-hanging nuts that could each easily fill a paw on its own.

I caught myself staring and averted my eyes. My uncle grinned. "You ready to watch?"

"W-watch?"

"Yeah, watch me demonstrate how to catch a fish."

My uncle waded into the water before I could answer, and I caught sight of his tight backside. Thick, firm-looking two-toned globes with a patch of what seemed like lighter brown fur around his crack. He didn't wade deep, the water only going up to his knees. But he waited carefully. I could see the fish swimming about, their dark ambiguous forms under the water. One swam near. My uncle's paw was quick. Pinned an unlucky trout to the stream bottom. I expected my uncle to grab the fish with both paws, but instead he dipped his muzzle in and out. Water showered everywhere. But in his jaws writhed his catch, eyes glinting with pride for his skillful first try.

As he strode out of the stream, water dripped down his soaked fur and making it cling to his muscular body. I couldn't help but watch how powerful he looked. How sure of himself. Of course, my eyes darted south again out of curiosity. His large ursine member swung back and forth, the plump glans half-covered in foreskin. Damn, he was as long soft as I was hard--and I thought I was quite the big boy....

"What do you think?"

"Huh?" I glanced up at his smiling eyes. He held his writhing catch firmly in his paws so he could talk.

"What do you think of your uncle?"

"Oh, uh... dang. Very impressive." Jeez, could I have been any more obvious? I should return my degree, tell them they had picked the wrong guy to speak at the commencement ceremony. I finally stumbled through a clarification: "How you caught that fish, that is. That was quick."

"And it's your turn."

A gulp forced what little saliva I had left down my throat.

"My turn? Where do I start?"

"Well, you can start with your clothes. No sense getting them wet."

I've never been shy undressing with the guys in the locker room. In fact, it felt good catching some sneaking an envious peek at my size. But for some reason, when it's your own uncle just standing there waiting, with a huge, intimidating dick just hanging there... just makes a guy think twice about getting buck naked. Excuse time: "I got some fresh clothes in my bag. I don't mind. Plus, it's not like I'm going snorkeling or anything."

My uncle grinned. "Didn't take you for a shy little Care Bear."

"Oh, I ain't shy," I snapped. I almost ripped my clothes off right there just to prove him wrong. But the thought of boning up in front of my uncle on accident mortified me. I knew I liked chicks, but seriously--my uncle was huge. This was how dick envy felt.

"Well?"

Instead of stripping off my clothes, I waded through the water with them on. My hiking shorts dipped just past my knees, so I made a note not to go too deep. If they got too wet, I could just change later. But the water bit and snapped as I waded in. Nearly jumped out of my own damn skin, the water was so cold. And the stream bed's congregation of stones, all of varying sizes and smoothness, jabbed and prodded the soles of my feet. But I persisted. Glanced around for any fish. A few darted away. Left and right. I swiveled in the water for a better view. Everything kept swimming off.

"Still yourself. Seek a tranquility that is greater than the stream. Be a stone the fish do not notice."

I rolled my eyes. "What's next, Uncle? Chakra pools? Gonna help me awaken the avatar state or something?"

The blank look and confused blink said everything.

"I forget," I exclaimed, shivering in the water, "you don't have television out here! Where did you even learn all this?"

"Read it in a book once." Uncle Rusty chuckled despite my exasperation. "I know, I'm not some mystic mountain man. But it works. Trust me."

While my body shook, although from anger or from the damn frozen water, I couldn't tell, my mind was nothing but sparks. I couldn't ignore the fact that my uncle was naked on shore, and that he asked me to undress before him. What was the point of that? He was the outdoorsy naturist that probably walked around in the buff all the time. I lived in the city. Civilization. What was he expecting from me?

"More tranquil than the stream, Delos," my uncle cooed. "That includes your thoughts. Empty them. Let them drift down the stream of your consciousness. The fish can sense your tension. Just let it all go."

That seemed an impossible feat considering I was (a) wet, (b) cold, (c) hungry, (d) tired. Worst. Combo. Ever. How do I empty my thoughts when my feet were going numb? Despite my anger, I took a deep breath, an entire lungful of crisp morning air. Reminded myself not to be such a spoiled brat. Lifted my head to the sky that was growing ever brighter--the world around me ever clearer. Exhaled.

Uncle Rusty continued: "Let your other senses in--what do you hear, Delos? What does the forest tell you? The water? Truly listen."

The world darkened again as I closed my eyes. My ears picked up the calming sound of the stream, the distant birds and insects cavorting in the background, even my uncle's breaths from shore. Soon I felt my body acclimating to the temperature of the stream. Like we were becoming one.

My heart soon slowed to a patient rhythm, and that's when I opened my eyes. Fish surrounded me. Even saw one break the surface to snatch up some water-skating bug nearby. Before I knew it, my paw dashed into the water for a big one. Pinned it to the bottom. My other paw dug into its flesh, not quite breaking skin, but there to hold it, and I practically dragged a huge, writhing, flopping thing with fins and scales onto shore.

"Bravo! Bravo! Most well done, nephew!"

I sat next to my uncle on a humongous stone, water dripping from my paws. My fish wasn't nearly as big as my uncle's. But still damn impressive for a first catch.

"Now what?" I said. Did he want me dragging this thing back to our camp? We didn't bring the cooler full of the remaining half-liquified ice.

"Now what?" Uncle Rusty mocked playfully. "Why, we have breakfast, of course. Doesn't get any fresher than this."

"You mean... uncooked? Raw?" The fish in my paws writhed and wriggled. It was very much alive. "I mean, I've had sushi before, but this?"

"Of course, this. You're a--"

"Bear," I cut in. "I get it."

"Well then," he said flatly. "Be a bear."

Then my uncle, quite calmly in a way, tore into his fish. Ripped off the skin, the pink flesh, some bone. Chewed a few times before swallowing.

I gulped. Bones and everything? All raw? I watched my uncle tear into another piece. This wasn't anything weird to him. This was his life, and he's been doing it for longer than I've been alive. What was I worried about?

One last gulp of hesitation and I dived into my own fish, into its scales and bone and wriggling flesh. Swallowed the first chunk down... and realized that this wasn't so bad. And that made the pair of us, eating a freshly caught fish as the first true rays of dawn broke through the sky. Bright beams of light that began to fill the earth with its warmth. And when there was nothing left of our fish--yes, heads and fins and everything, too--we both looked at each other. And I couldn't help but laugh.

We eventually settled into some light conversation. My uncle joked about his brother as he relived some childhood memories, such as the time my dad conked out on the sofa and pissed all over it. Such a deep sleeper. Wouldn't even wake to urinate if he had to. Their mother was livid and grounded him for a week when he, quite unsuccessfully, tried to blame the pungent yellow spot on his brother. Then my uncle spoke of his years here in the forest, how he decided to seclude himself, even away from his family, although he never discussed why he did it. Instead, he segued into how he'd made multiple campsites, not just the one where we'd slept last night. The forest was huge, and he'd explored most of it, sleeping where he needed to, eating what he could find. He'd had run-ins with the rangers who weren't a fan of a naturist taking root in their forest, but the laws had been made. Allowed unobtrusive folk like my uncle, who weren't disturbing the peace or causing mischief, to live in the woods per their genuine beliefs.

"Have you met any other naturists out here?"

"Surprisingly no," Uncle Rusty said. "You'd think I would, but we're not so common, and there are many places in which to settle. I'm surprised our government passed laws to accommodate our beliefs. I think it was a respected politician who had some naturist sister. Introduced the bill on her behalf."

"Don't you get lonely?" I wasn't interested in our political system. I was leaving today and wanted to learn more about my uncle instead.

"Sometimes, yes."

"God, what you wouldn't give to bump into some hot nature chick as naked as you are right now."

"Something like that has crossed my mind."

"Don't you ever want to get married? Have kids? You seemed a little upset yesterday when my dad brought that up."

"Your father jokes," he said but then left it at that.

I pressed on. "Why don't you want to have kids? Might be nice for me to have a little cousin."

"Well, for one you can't raise a cub out here. That part was struck out of the original bill."

"And for two?" I continued. My uncle was holding something back. Sure, he could say that having a kid would force him to integrate back into society. But there was more to it than that. There had to be.

"Well, think about it, Delos. Having a child would--"

"Force you back into society. I _just_considered that. What prompted you to leave everyone behind? It isn't just civilization. It's your family. What happened, Uncle?"

Eventually he smiled. A small one. "You're an astute cub," he said. "What made you leave, oh what's her name? Charlotte. She seemed like a nice gal from what you've described."

"Hey, I asked first!"

"Maybe you'll get an answer. Humor your uncle. What made you leave a girl that was apparently kind, fun, smart, supportive. Pretty, even. That's quite the list. You didn't say one negative thing about her."

I wasn't sure how to answer that. And maybe that's why my uncle deflected my question with a question of his own. Perhaps there wasn't an easy answer for why he left not only society behind, but his family. Same deal. Objectively, there wasn't any reason for me to leave Charlotte. We got along just fine. She was happy. I was happy. Well, except for one minor hiccup that I was too embarrassed to admit to myself. And even with that, she supported me. Said she understood. Why the hell did I break up with her?

"You're frowning."

"I..." I looked up at my uncle, at his broad muzzle flecked with grey, his kind eyes. "God, it's quite the ignominious situation."

"Ignom-what?"

I grinned. Literature classes had their uses. "It's... too embarrassing to talk about, I mean."

Uncle Rusty gave an affirming nod. "Same here."

Then he stood with a big stretch, and my eyes zipped down to his fuzzy ass, and the stubby tail there. I shot up when he looked at me, but I could see that huge dick of his swinging about.

"Let's go for a swim. There's a nice swimming hole upstream. We can talk our hearts out or we can enjoy the day while it's still very much young."

With that, we walked the bank of the stream. The swimming hole wasn't far. Just around a stretch of trees around which the stream curved. But, damn, the whole time my uncle's backside served as a distraction. I'd look away, the left, the right. The sky, even, as some raptor soared ahead looking for prey. As my uncle spoke about how he typically stayed close to the stream as both a food and water source, my eyes traced the lines of muscle and sinew on his strong back. The curve of each love handle.

Thankfully the swimming hole appeared and without skipping a beat, my uncle threw off his handkerchief and waded into the water before diving in once it got deep enough. He emerged, laughing, and waved me over. Again, the consequence of getting naked loomed in my mind. I could just strip my shirt and hiking shorts, keep on my boxer briefs. But I was certainly bulgy down below. If I were to get hard...

"What are you waiting for? Come on in."

I waded in, taking a few cautious steps into the chilly water. It was a miracle Uncle Rusty had dived right in unphased by its bitter coldness.

"Oh, come on, Delos. You really gonna swim with all your clothes on? There's nobody here except us. No need to be shy."

"I ain't shy!"

Uncle Rusty lifted an eyebrow. I flung off my shirt, revealing my muscular frame. My hiking shorts got wet as I shirked them off, but they'd probably dry off by the time we were done. They landed in the sand with the shirt and handkerchief. Hesitation kept on my white boxer briefs which had one of those anatomical pouches. Flaccid I was a thick seven inches, and I had to stuff myself inside this little pouch. Now imagine a boner wanting to stop and say hello. The extra girth, the extra couple inches I would grow... But at least the fabric would help conceal things. Hopefully.

I joined my uncle and dipped into the frigid water, boxer briefs still on. Thankfully he said nothing, but when I emerged from the water, he took a good look at me. Whistled as he looked me up and down.

"You really were a football player. You are in shape."

With my wet fur all weighted down, the definition of my chest and abs and broad shoulders were very much apparent. Firm muscle all over. Regular practice and gym time ensured that, and even after graduation, I still made time for the gym.

"Keep in mind, I'm a lifter, not a swimmer."

Caught myself catching too many glances of my naked uncle as he admired my body, and a part of me didn't want to venture down whatever road this was. I dove into the water. Nearly shot back out with a yelp. But, right now, the cold was probably a good thing.

My uncle chuckled and dove back in without complaint. I decided against being a total wuss and dived in after him, darting through the water, making big splashes everywhere. We spent an hour or so out there, and only once did I think about my father who, knowing him, must've been asleep still. Hell, he'd sleep away the afternoon without Mom here to pester him awake.

Water became our weapon, and both my uncle and I were soldiers of the Splash Wars. Big, open-mouthed laughs made us vulnerable to choking on the icy water. My uncle got me good once and wouldn't let up even though I was hacking half to death. As revenge, I dove up from underneath my uncle and spat a thick stream into his eyes. Oh, he did not like that one bit and dunked my head underwater for a few seconds. Resistance was futile, he was so strong, and for a second I feared he would actually drown me. Mercy granted my release, and he chuckled warmly as I gasped for air. Without warning, I hopped onto his back with a playful growl and dunked _him_into the water.

Fatigue soon quieted us down, and we found ourselves drifting lazily on the water for rest. On the other side of shore were a few naturally formed stone steps. When our energy returned, we took a break combatting each other to do some cannonballs. Let me tell you, my uncle didn't cause a splash so much as he did a tidal wave, his body was so big.

After his last cannonball, I hauled myself to the shallow pool by the stone steps we'd been climbing. The bed there was nothing but silky sand, and the stone felt warm against my back as I sat against it. My uncle emerged from his cannonball, hooting triumphantly from the giant splash he'd caused. His head darted around for me, and when he saw where I was now relaxing, he swam over to join in. As the water grew shallower, he emerged to walk the rest of the distance. Again, his big dick flopped into view, water gushing down his huge body, and I turned away and pretended not to notice anything. In fact, I found myself getting up to do another cannonball.

"No, no, no," he said warmly. "No need to get up. It's time for a break."

Biting my lower lip, I plopped back into the foot-high water and brought my legs up instinctively, probably to wall off my crotch for... just in case. In case of what? My uncle wiped water off his face and gave a long, luxurious grunt as he sat down next to me. Stretched his legs straight out. From the corner of my eye, I saw his dick resting along the crease between his closed legs. Both his nuts pooled over his thighs, too.

"Uh, I can't believe we only came up here," I managed, glancing over the water. Looking anywhere else but there."You know, for only a day. I'm envious you have all of this to yourself."

"Well, once in a while I have to share. Pesky off-trail hikers or groups of kids your age who know this spot. Other than that, it's nice here. Secluded. Peaceful." I still didn't want to look at him, and I wasn't sure what else to say but a quick "yep." But he continued: "It's been great having you here, Delos. I'm sorry I missed your graduation speech. I really am."

"It's all right," I said before giving up a sigh. "I should apologize too. I've been a turd. It isn't easy for you living up here on your own. The things you must sacrifice. I get it. But you have a reason you're doing it. I'm just glad we're spending time together now." I offered my brightest smile. Something to let him know I forgave him. But I nearly leapt from my fur like a surprised cartoon bear when his paw fell on my thigh.

"Thank you, Delos. That means a lot. But you don't need to apologize. I'm just... a scared old teddy bear."

My eyes went wide then. God... my uncle... his dick... I could see it plumping up with every heartbeat, foreskin stretching back to reveal more of his bulbous glans. My eyes darted away, pretending not to see it. I wanted to scamper off, dash for camp, tell my dad to pack up quick and not ask any questions. But I felt trapped by my uncle's paw. Couldn't just shove it away, not after we'd both apologized. Then he'd know I was--

"I know you've been looking," he said, completing my thought.

Shit.

"Looking at what?" I licked my lips even though they were still wet form the swim.

He grinned. "You weren't exactly subtle."

"What are you talking about?" I still didn't look over, which made me look all the more guilty. There wasn't any point in denying that I'd been stealing one too many peeks.

"You're a beautiful young man, Delos," he said. My heart began to thump. "You have a beautiful body, and you're a sweet boy. Go ahead and look. See what you're doing to me."

What the hell was he saying? My legs felt weak. I wasn't sure what was happening. My head slowly turned to his, regarding those warm eyes, and I nearly gasped when I saw his dick jutting out like the massive stone we'd been cannonballing from. God, that monster was nearly a foot long, foreskin stretched back fully, showing off the prominent flare of his glans. My mind screamed to get away from here, to get away from _him._But there was another voice in my head that whispered something else....

"Go on..." my uncle encouraged, so quietly that I thought it was that new voice in my head. A part of me wanted to... but he was my uncle....

His paw moved down my thigh towards my crotch. Immediately I snatched his wrist. He saw the worry in my eyes. But I felt myself getting hard awfully fast. Then, to my surprise, I said, "What if my dad finds out?" All he did was grin, flashing his set of big bear teeth. Then his paw was on my crotch. And I let him do it. Let him slip from my grasp. Let him feel me up. He groped and tugged at the big boner straining against my boxer briefs... and this was the moment I was afraid of.

I very much liked this. Every last bit.

Uncle Rusty said nothing. But he let out a soft, deep groan as he continued. He, too, liked this very much. His paws touched my thighs, cueing me to spread them apart for easier access, before returning to my bulge. Stroked me off. Groped the big tip. All I could do was lean against the wall of rock behind me with eyes closed. I wasn't sure what was happening, but it all felt so good--my uncle touching me, pleasuring me, stroking me through the fabric, making me moan.

He made quick work of navigating my erection through the fly of my boxer briefs. I almost stopped him before he could fish me out, but the word 'fish' made me think of the one I had caught and eaten earlier. If I could do something like eat a whole fish raw... then perhaps I could do something like this. Out sprung my hardon, all nine inches. He didn't waste any time, putting his big paw all over it. Touching my young, big cock all over. His paw was warm and rough, probably from all the years he spent surviving the great outdoors. And it felt wonderful. But I could tell he wanted more.

Up to his feet he went, more nimbly than one would expect for a big guy. He bent down and scooped me up from the water, paws gripping my ass. My arms held onto him, and I could feel our hard dicks smashing against the other bear. The show of strength excited me all the more considering I was no lightweight. He hoisted me onto one of the stone steps. My legs dangled off the side. My dick bobbed tauntingly in front of my uncle's large, thirsty muzzle. After lapping at it playfully, that muzzle took in every inch. He sucked and licked and groaned. Blew me off sloppily, he was so hungry for my dick.

"God, Uncle Rusty..." I finally managed, taking a peek at his work. His moan reverberated through my cock, and my paw found its way behind his head, encouraging him to suck deep. The pleasure of his maw made my body tense and spasm. I clutched at the fur of his head, tugged on an ear, encouraged him to take all nine inches. Felt my cockhead prod the back of his throat, but amazingly he never gagged. And he kept at it until I couldn't take the warmth and wetness of his muzzle anymore. "Uncle Rusty... I'm gonna cum...."

He grinned, giving my dick one last suck before releasing me. Lapped at the tip of my swollen glans and the bead of pre-cum that had formed. Never been this hard before. Jerking off had always been quick pleasure sessions. Something I'd finish off in a few minutes. Got hard enough to get the job done. And then sex with Charlotte... It was as if my uncle read my eyes.

"You could never get hard like this with her," he said, stroking my cock with his big paw. I nodded dumbly, hissing back from the pleasure this caused. My dick wasn't just fully hard. It was _achingly_stiff. And it felt incredible. Nothing I did with Charlotte got me this aroused. Again, my uncle sensed the disappointment in my sex life. He added, "I know exactly how you feel."

That's when he hauled himself out of the shallow pool, his boner bobbing along. Residual water from his final cannonball pattered the warm stone where he joined me. As I expected, his head dropped to mine, and we interlocked our muzzles. One of his paws led one of mine to his very hard cock--the first I had ever touched beside my own. Eleven inches. We both moaned. Kissed deeper, tongues lapping, tasting the other, my paw moving over my uncle's entire length in steady, even strokes. The bulging glans felt amazing, and I could feel the rivulets of prominent veins down the entire shaft. Somewhere in the middle of all the kissing and touching, I had shirked off my boxer briefs, both my plump furry balls finally getting some air... and attention. He fondled them. Tugged them gently. Then brought a paw over my abs, over their firmness. Kept kissing as his paw worked up to a firm nipple and squeezed. The other paw explored my muscular back before venturing south to my taut rump. He tried slipping in a finger through the crack without success. I knew what he wanted to try, what he was hoping to do. The question that formed in my mind: Should I let him?

I released the kiss. Looked back at my uncle without saying anything. But he was perceptive. Could read in my eyes that I wanted him to do what he was wanting to do.

We both found our way back shin-deep into the water, and he bent me over one of the lower stone steps. I kept myself propped up on my forearms, glancing back to watch. Both of our boners never softened, and I could feel my own dick strain against the stone step from between my legs. My uncle's erection angled high despite its heft and thickness. And that's when the first zip of fear made me rethink things.

I've never done this before, my eyes explained.

I've never done this before either, his eyes replied with the sort of warmth that promised safety. But don't you worry.

He pried my cheeks open, revealing the puckered hole between them. Could feel the stub of my tail nearly curl in anticipation simultaneously with my toes. The big bear behind me did not wait. His long ursine tongue lapped at the sensitive hole, making me clench in response, before slipping in as deep as he could over the course of several attempts. A little deeper each time. The slick muscle lapping at my insides and stretching out my tailhole. Goodness, he spent his time patiently back there. Eating me out until my body tensed and shook, forcing out tiny gasps.

But my uncle's body needed something else. When his tongue released itself, strings of saliva snapping free, and his paws began to massage the globes of my ass, I knew what was next. The thought already made everything clench, but Uncle Rusty continued to massage me gently, waiting for my body to relax, to loosen up. I thought about his fishing lesson. To become more tranquil than the stream, and I felt my attention focusing on the sounds of the water around us, drifting slowly and steadily without a care. I noted the birds chirping, the insects buzzing. Then to the wet musky scent of my uncle behind me. The taste of his tongue that still lingered. A breath whispered from my maw, and I felt the tension leave my body.

His fat cockhead prodded my hole. I sensed my body wanting to tense. Noted the worry that something thick and hard was about to penetrate me, but I let the thought drift down the river of my mind. He slipped in, forcing a grunt out of both of us. I tensed, but then relaxed. Deeper my uncle went, inch after inch. Pulled back a bit when he felt resistance before sliding back in. Manly grunts and groans silenced some of the nearby insects and birds. My tight, wet hole felt good. So good my moans coaxed him to push a little harder, a little faster and deeper. White troughs formed on the stone beneath my claws. My snout ruffled into a snarl as I grunted loudly. My uncle eased his weight onto me until finally my ass pressed against his groin. His firm belly upon my lower back and a pair of heavy balls resting against the backs of my thighs.

We huffed and huffed together for a minute or two. The feeling of fullness, of something so long and thick and hard prodding me deep felt amazing. But God, I felt stretched tight. Kept clenching around his dick while mine, still achingly hard, throbbed between my legs. But my uncle grunted his impatience, not wanting to wait any longer, and he started with a few slow testing thrusts. I moaned every time he pressed against my ass. He pushed a little harder, a little faster. Building up speed until finally his body was colliding with mine. Incessant bestial thrusts. I braced myself upon the stone step, crying out every time we collided. God, it felt good. His thick paws held me firm around the waist, our wet bodies slapping against each other, his big nuts pounding my thighs.

Hearing my uncle grunt like a pure animal as he used my ass to pleasure himself, it was such a turn on. Eleven thick inches burying deep inside me, pressing against my prostate over and over, and all I could do was growl my approval. Minutes blurred past until the pleasure fueled by my uncle's powerful lust became too much.

"Uncle Rusty..." I managed. "I'm gonna cum..."

He didn't respond with words. Only a succession of grunts and groans and pleasurable growls as he thrust faster, pushed harder. My tailhole clenched around him in protest, but all my hazy mind registered was pleasure at this point. A good ache spread from deep within my loins. This ache seemed to hop up my throat, leaving my tensing body as a pleasurable gasp. Threw my head back in unison with my uncle who threw his back in a mighty, teeth-bearing roar.

Eleven thick inches of ursine dick pulsed hard in my body, the whole thing hilted deep inside me. Wave after wave of my uncle's cum flooded my insides. Man, he was pent up. My own nine-inch pecker began spurting handsfree, powerful contractions sending thick streams of cum into the water below. Just jet after jet. Euphoria invaded my senses, like the water here after each cannonball. Made me see stars. Our twin orgasms propelled everything my nuts had into the water, several more spasms shooting out the final thick ribbons of semen out of my system.

My uncle returned from his roar, breathing so heavily it sounded like he'd been doing laps around the swimming hole. Glancing back, I watched him glance over his work, his hard dick still deep inside my ass, so much cum_--his_ seed--leaking out.

We stayed locked together like this for as long as we could, the sun keeping our backs warm. Our breathing eventually returned to normal as my uncle squeezed and massaged my ass. Eventually I felt him going soft, and his dick slipped out, releasing a gush of semen that drooled down my thighs. He lifted himself onto the stone to join me as I sat up. We kissed again, one of my paws rubbing his belly. I chuckled as I went for his dick, still hefty even flaccid, commenting on his size. He chuckled. He knew he was a big boy, even as a kid.

"Have you ever been with a woman?" I finally asked.

"No," he said after a pensive pause, his smile fading. "I've never been with anyone. Growing up, people were still very much grossed out by all them gays. A guy down my street was even beaten up for it. All over the local news. I was frightened."

"And that's why you live all alone here? It's not so bad anymore. Even my college had an LGBTQ club and everything."

"It's... not just that." Uncle Rusty gave me a look I couldn't read. "You look so much like your dad when he was younger... and fitter." He chuckled. "That desk job didn't do him any good." Another chuckle before he again went pensive. "Don't know if I should admit this, but at this point, I might as well..." A deep sigh. I nodded understandingly. "Look, I looked up to your father. He was my big brother, after all. We were really close growing up, and there were times I wanted to _be_him. But I took that admiration a little too far once I got old enough to..."

"To masturbate."

"Yessir. I crept into his room one day. Dug through his hamper of dirty clothes. God, we were both such horny teens. He had one of his boxers with cum stains all over it." Uncle Rusty shook his head. I could tell he was embarrassed. "Of course, I was a horny as all hell. I sniffed it. Got hard. Started beating off, pants around my ankles and everything. Then Mom storms into my brother's room at that moment to do his laundry. Catches me choking the chicken with my brother's boxers around my muzzle. And does she keep that a secret between us?"

"I take it that's a no."

"Bingo. Tells my father right away what she'd caught me doing. They upended my room. Found a gay porn tape, some fitness magazines I'd use for jerkoff material, a few lewd drawings I'd doodled. All the horrific stuff that made me feel like my life was ending. They even took the picture I had of your father when he was young and fit, flexing for the camera."

I raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, I jerked off to that too. It was bad enough being gay, but being attracted to my own brother? That was too much for your grandparents. They sent me to a shrink. Conversion therapy, even. Got me on some pills. Nothing worked. Thankfully they didn't tell my brother anything. Just told him I needed to work through some behavioral problems. But as soon as I turned eighteen, I was my own man now. And I was deeply ashamed of myself. My family hated me, and I couldn't tell your father how I felt about him."

"So, you came here."

"Yep. The year the law passed, it was all over the news. My dad was big on the outdoors. Taught us camping, fishing, how to build a fire, the works. George hated all that, but I loved it. I simply took those skills to the next logical step. I was now a naturist. Been one ever since."

This was a lot to take in. Honestly, before doing what we did, the idea of my uncle being attracted to my dad, not to mention that he actually jerked off with him in mind, would have grossed me the fuck out. But now...

"When you were plowing my ass, were you thinking of him?" I asked curiously.

"Honestly, yes," my uncle said after a brief pause. I wasn't sure if I should be disappointed or understanding. He saw the confusion in my eyes. "But only at first. Your father and I are different people now, and my thoughts quickly moved to you. My handsome nephew with a good heart and quite the big dick himself."

We both chuckled nervously before we got serious and delved into the next steps from here. The idea of my parents finding out about us twisted my gut into knots. Was I gay now and was too chicken shit to admit it? Was it wrong, what we just did? We were related. Flesh and blood! But Uncle Rusty kissed my forehead, sensing my anxieties. Reassured that there was nothing to worry about. We'd take things one step at a time. And the first step? Getting ourselves clean. We dove into the chilly water and washed away any evidence of our little tryst. My backside ached something fierce, but it was a good ache. The kind of ache I wanted to visit again and again.

When we finally returned to the campsite, I swore my father's snoring had scared off all the little forest critters. Always the deep sleeper. I had my bundle of clothes in tow, and since my father was asleep, I didn't worry about hiding my nakedness. After toweling off, I decided to go commando and simply slipped on a new pair of hiking shorts. No shirt either. Talk about breezy.

My uncle took the opportunity to towel off himself before slipping back on his overalls and handkerchief. My dad eventually snorted awake, glancing around in that post-sleep daze. I chided him playfully for sleeping the day away, but he bit back when he said we should have woken him.

"Did you land any fish?"

"We certainly did, brother," Uncle Rusty said, sending a big bear slap to my father's back and a knowing look my way. "I'd say it was quite the catch."

When my father checked the time, he cursed for having slept the day away. It was only late morning, but we were slated to leave by noon. Which meant we had to start the hike back now. While packing all of our stuff, I realized I had never shown my dad the woodcarving Uncle Rusty had gifted me.

"Hey, that looks like the old one you'd given me way back when," my father said, addressing my uncle. "I remember losing it as soon as you left for these woods."

"Yeah. I made a new one for Delos. Hopefully he's more responsible with it than his dad."

Uncle Rusty winked at me. This wasn't a new one, I figured. This was the original.

We hiked back to the car. My dad was full of questions on all we'd done while he slept. Most of it I kept on the downlow for good reason, but I admitted that Uncle Rusty made me eat a raw fish, to which my father chastised him. "You'll make him sick!"

"He's fine," Uncle Rusty said, not losing his cool. "He's a bear."

"And a bear belongs in these woods, right?" my father said, annoyed.

"Well, actually, George. I wanted to ask you. Perhaps it's time I make my return."

My ears perked up.

"Return? To civilization? You're joking."

"I'm not."

"What about that quote?"

"Yes," Uncle Rusty admitted, "bears belong to the woods, but that's because I always thought this place was my home." Uncle Rusty looked at me. A steady gaze. Happiness glistening there. "But I think I learned an important lesson while fishing with your son."

"And what's that?"

"Bears do belong in the woods..." Dramatic pause for effect. "But sometimes wood belongs in the bear." Uncle Rusty winked at me. "And a certain bear at that."

I brought a finger to my lips. How could he joke like that in front of Dad?

My father had no idea what Uncle Rusty was on about. To him, this was naturist philosophical mumbo jumbo. But, half-heartedly, my father offered the guest room if my uncle was serious, although I could hear the hint of excitement in my father's voice that he was getting his brother back. Regardless, plenty of doubt remained.

"Why now?"

My uncle and I exchanged grins. We certainly knew the reason why. And we just had to keep that reason a secret--a bear deep in the forest, away from anyone and everyone except for those who cared to quiet their minds and take a moment to really, truly listen.