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"Becka, Grab the boulder kit, the green canvas satchel behind the passenger seat." Greg said pulling the six foot pry-bar from it's holder along the roof rack, a rock hammer, 'D' handle shovel and Pick Axe.

" Uh, _ Boulder Kit? _" Becka asked.

"Yup that has the come-along some anchor spikes, chain, drilling hammer and cable net to move boulders out of our way to get the gold that settled under them when they were sitting in the flow of the river." Greg said looking over the equipment four buckets should be good, he thought as they headed up the slight rise to a flat area about ten yards above the camp.

"Yup, this looks like a good spot to start sampling, see the way we have a curve here, and these rocks sticking up?"

"Looks like we are going to be moving a lot of rocks, looks to be an inside bend, should be where we find the shiny stuff Right? this must be what you meant by it's the boulders that get cha" Becka chuckled. "Okay, show me what to do Professor." Becka said taking the Boulder kit she had slung over her shoulder and setting it with the buckets. "Pick, or Shovel?" she asked.

Greg took the pointy end of the pry bar and marked out a rough oval ten by twenty feet "This will be our first sample hole, try the pick, and work your way around and see what you hit we will have to get through the overburden and vegetation but once we do then we will have a better idea of what's down here."

Greg stepped back giving the topless Badger room to swing her pick.

Thunk- whack, thunk-whack, "grunt" thunk-whack, thunk-whack, thunk-whack, "Man, cancel the gym membership, this will give you a real workout!" Becka paused halfway around the marked out area to wipe the sweat from her brow using the tank-top she had stuck in her back pocket. Thunk-whop, "Ugh, Damn roots!" Becka groused spinning the pick in her hands to use the wide Adz blade on the pick to chop through a rood as thick as her forearm, from the underbrush that had grown up over the years the river had receded.

"Ack there are some big rocks here." The Badger groused, as the point of the pick glanced off something just under the surface.

"A-Yup... Looks like a proper boulder field." Greg said leaning on the end of the shovel clearing the loosened overburden Becka had worked over with the pick, "May not be easy going, but these usually hold some rich rewards for prospectors who keep at em. We just need to get down under them should find some good chunky gold at some point. Drink some water, you've worked up a good sweat last thing you want to do is get dehydrated. You will probably go through a couple gallons just working that pick." he advised pointing to the large jug of water in the shade of a half-submerged upright boulder near the edge of the bench they were working.

"Thanks... whew! That monster will be a real beast to move when we eventually get to working around it." Becka said chugging about a third of the jug as she sat on the large smooth river rock as the sweat made a small river trickling between her breasts. "How you holding up there Greg? And here I thought shoveling river gravel was a work out, this is hardcore." she chuckled walking over to the shirtless Possum handing him the jug.

"Yes Ma'am, and thankyee. It's a warm one this afternoon fortunately the overburden isn't too bad here we should be down around the boulders in another hour or so, then we can start pulling samples and doing test pans. Now don't over do it, we have plenty of time, we are not going ta be reaching bedrock today so don't feel you have to rush it, slow and steady gets the gold. When ya try and rush, is when accidents happen, okay?" he advised handing the jug back to the sweat-slicked Badger really admiring the way this Badger gal worked. "You are doing a great job, hon, this is what prospecting is all about."

"Thanks Greg, I was feeling like I was working too slowly, working around all the rocks and roots and never having done this kind of work before but I'm really feeling it in my shoulders and arms I'm going to be pretty damn buff by the end of the summer." she chuckled posing like a muscle beach weightlifter before grimissing and rubbing her right shoulder as she rotated her arm.

After Two hours they had most of the overburden cleared and were down into the rocks, a few of the smaller rocks less than a foot across had been cleared out they were working on the first of what Greg called 'a good size rock'. It was about four feet long and at least that around.

"That's it hon wait tel I get the pry-bar under it when I work it up a bit, toss some of those fist sized ones under it so we can wrench it out of here." Greg said placing his foot on a rock about the size of a shoe box he was using as a fulcrum.

"Think we will need the come-a-long for this one?" She asked huffing as the possum grunted and the rock started to pop free.

"This little thing? Naah, it'll move...oof. There we go, once we get this outta here take a sample pan from underneath it should give us an idea where along the gold channel we are sitting." he grunted as the edge came up about a foot Becka pushed some fist sized rocks under it to prop it in place as Greg repositioned the prybar.

"Heh may have ta take a coffee break after moving this one." he winked at Becka. who nodded

"That sounds good to me. Oh man, this is hard, but I love it!" Becka said as they pried the bolder from the ground rolling it onto the pile of overburden.

"okay now grab a bucket and classifier and hand shovel and work around that depression where the bolder sat. you should find something nice in there... That's it just toss those fist size rocks on the pile?" Greg said as Becka got down on her hands and knees leaning into the depression working the gravels and sand into the bucket. Digging down she scraped a few more hidden boulders snarling at them as she cleared the pocket standing up she brushed herself off holding up almost a fifth of a bucket.

"Okay, let's take this down and see how it pans out" Greg said as they headed down to the riverbank

"Looks like about two pans worth here, you wanna give it a shot hon?" Greg asked.

"Um...okay thanks! Becka said grabbing a couple of pans from the jeep handing one to Greg as he divided the contents of the bucket.

"Now, remember how I showed you, just take your time we will do it here in camp in the dish tub so you won't have to worry about loosing anything, and we will run what we have in here through the sluice later, okay?" The Possum nodded at the Badger who took up position and dunked the pan into the tub of water.

"Wow, my very first sampling pan, of stuff I dug myself..." Becka breathed almost shaking with excitement. "...Side to side, Fluidize...back and forth, tilt and strip... and back and fluidize again." Becka muttered the steps like a mantra as she worked the raw material down to black sand. And there was a lot of black sand. Greg watched encouragingly.

"That's it, now pick it up and tap the top edge to settle the gold in the front of the pan... Now wash the black sand back like the waves of the ocean and let's see what you've got."

As Becka washed the black sand back several large chunky flakes, not quite nuggets appeared along with something that looked like small translucent red seed beads, but good color. The Badger squealed in excitement

"Well that looks very promising!" Greg said "Nice chunky gold and we are just getting into it so this bench might give us more than a couple ounces it should only get better the deeper we go towards bedrock."

What are the red things?" Becka asked squinting at them.

"Looks like Garnets or possibly rubies, not uncommon to be found in the heavies. Got a small bottle of them back home, you can separate them out if you like, put them in a small vial, not much value, but they are pretty." Greg chuckled working his pan in the washtub coming up with a few more fat chunky flakes and garnets in the bottom of the pan. Looking up Greg noticed Becka had that manic glee of a fully blown case of Gold Fever!

"We have a couple more hours of usable light, What would you like to do Becka?" Greg asked the Badger. She looked up from her pan separating out the garnets with tweezers.

"Well I'm really feeling the Gold Fever! Part of me wants to race back up there and tare those rocks out with my claws to get at the gold! I can almost hear it singing in my ears like a melody on the breeze! This is the most amazing feeling I have ever had, hell it's almost better than SEX! And for me to say that, that's saying something." she laughed maniacally.

"Well the gold will be there tomorrow, it has been waiting a long time for us to find it, but I understand what you are going through, we can pan out the cons and get an early start on the bench in the morning... do you fancy a swim? We both got pretty sweaty digging up there."

Becka set the pan aside stretched and got a whiff of herself and wrinkled her nose "Ugh! yeah a dip in the river sounds great." She stood and peeled out of her shorts and kicked off her shoes stood and stretched gave herself an all over body shake enjoying the feeling of the sun and breeze on her grey and tan fur. Greg looked up enjoying the view.

"Like what you see?" she asked coyly with a tilt of her head.

"Oh, verry much you are a stunningly beautiful young lady, and it's nice to see that the carpet matches the drapes." Greg chuckled.

Becka rolled her eyes "You knew that already, but I am glad you like the way I am put together I find I really enjoy the way you look at me." she said placing her hands on her hips holding out a hand to him "Care to join be in some fun in the water good sir?" she asked her Violet eyes glowing in the late afternoon sun.

"I'd love to frolic in the river with you my dear. You make an old Possum feel young again." he stood, stripped took her hand and walked to the river.

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"Greg, may I make a suggestion, on sleeping arrangements?" Becka asked looking at the good sized tent.

"Sure thing hon, anything ya like." the possum smiled as he chopped kindling for the fire

"If you don't mind, and I know this is going to sound weird but hear me out..." she paused Greg nodded tilting his head.

"Mkay, I really like the idea of us sleeping together and all, but if you wake up like in the middle of the night with a boner, feel free to plow me with it anywhere you like, I don't mind, I am playing 'camp wench' for a reason and all... But, and this may sound kinda odd... I was hoping it would be okay with you if I woke up and you had a nice hard on, if you would be okay with me sucking you off?" Becka looked at the ground a moment before meeting his eyes. Greg smiled.

"That's fine hon thank ya for that offer and all kinda sounds very accommodating all around and I see no reason to deny you a midnight snack if you are so inclined... hell if you get wound up and I am stiff, feel free to climb aboard and go for a midnight ride. The tent should give ya plenty of headroom."

"I may be old and somewhat set in my ways, but I am not an old stick in the mud. Like I said there is plenty of room even if you wanted your own section of the tent to sleep in all by yourself it's all good hon I am not going to rape you in the night like some slavering beast. I was kinda hoping you'd like to cuddle up." Greg said holding out his arms and Becka filled then with a full body embrace in nothing but their fur.

"Mmmm you feel so good to hold onto Becka." Greg sighed kissing her on the top of her head between her ears as his hands started to massage her shoulders.

"Oh gawds, that feels sooo good you have like for all eternity to stop that... you are going to melt me into a puddle of Badger fudge ripple." Becka cooed.

"Well that sounds like something to save for later lay you out and massage you into jello." the older possum said. "You will get used to it over time but there is no reason you should be hurting if I can give you some relief. Now, we have those trout for supper, how does some cormbread with butter and honey sound?" Greg asked. Becka slurped.

"Hot Damn being outdoors makes me so ravenous in more ways than one." she chuckled.

"Allrighty then, I'll make up a wicked good batch of cormbread. the secret is getting the skillet scorching hot and using bacon grease. Gives it just the right flavor."

Becka's belly growled in anticipation. The smells of rustic fare and campfire smoke added to the Badgers hunger.

"Greg I've got to say, that smells incredible! I'm so hungry it feels like my belly is trying to gnaw through my backbone!" Becka said gratefully accepting the plate piled high with Three succulent grilled river trout served on slabs of golden cornbread slathered in melted butter and honey made for quite a feast.

"Well dig in hon, this should quiet that growling belly of yours. Mining is hard work, ya gotta eat good to keep your strength up. I'll get some beans soaking and start them simmering in the mornin. We can do flapjacks, bacon and eggs to give us a good start on the day, I ken whup up a mess of hushpuppys to snack on as we work that bench and by the time we break fer lunch we will have a nice pot-o-beans waitin, nothing like a pot-o-camp beans to fill yer belly.

Greg handed the Badger a tall can of lager to wash down dinner with. She gave it a double-take.

"I didn't bring wine." The Possum chuckled popping the top on his own can. Becka was amazed just how well the beer went with the rustic meal she was left with half a can after licking her plate clean. Sitting back patting her very happy belly with a contented sigh... looking at Greg with half lidded eyes.

"Tasty vittles, eh?" he chuckled seeing the contentment radiate off his young mining partner

"I'll say. I was starving! But now I feel relaxed and content and...Happy. Really happy to be out here, now this, is living." the Badger sighed taking a pull from her beer, looking up at the vault of stars.

"Oh... the sky is full of stars! You can't see this in the city, it's... it's like I can reach out and touch them!" Becka said lifting an arm to the sky.

"One of the fringe benefits of being out in the great outdoors, no light pollution from the city.

And there is the gold, but sometimes I wonder if that isn't the bonus for being away from the hustle and bustle of the modern world." Greg paused to take a pull from his beer "I am really glad you could be out here sharing this with me, Becka. Do you remember that question I asked you back at the coffee shop?"

the Badger stared into the campfire looking pensive a few minutes seemingly lost in thought.

"Ah, the 'where did I see myself in five years one'?" she asked meeting his eyes.

He nodded.

"Well...depending on how this expedition turns out, I could easily say out here, doing this. I'll let ya know more after we get through that bench, but after today, I am reconsidering my options. Now, this could be just the _ ' G old Fever' _talking, but for the first time in my life I can see a way out... Out of the rat-race that is modern life. Away from the insanity that is rush-rush-rush running in place and getting nowhere. looking back at the warehouse I was humping heavy crates From one part of the building to another, and it didn't seem to make any difference... I mean Me Personally, I was like some interchangeable cog in the machine. but here, moving that rock and finding that Gold... _ 'I' _did that, well, _ We _ did that, but still, it was something I could see direct reward for my efforts. You were right, the gold is here, under our feet. All we have to do is dig it up and bring it home. Looking back, what did I have at the end of the day? Absolutely Nothing to show for my labor, here I have Gold, and gemstones. Real, tangible things to show for my hard work, sweat and toil... and it feels a hell of a lot better than coming home empty handed for a paycheck at the end of the week." The Badger smiled and shook her head Greg hoisted his can of beer grinning

"To Freedom" he said and at that moment everything clicked into place. Becka's eyes went wide as she raised her can.

"Freedom... That's what this is all about, isn't it? Out here, we are free, totally and completely _ Free! _ It just clicked. That's what prospecting is... being free to find your own wealth by your own hands...with no one to tell you how much you are worth... this must have been the 'pioneer spirit' you were talking about. I can see it, it resonates in my soul. I can really see it now, and to think answering a personals ad for water-sports could lead me to my freedom." Becka said slamming the remainder of her beer and crushing the can between her paws. Blinking with slightly unfocused eyes she shook her head to clear it. "Wow, what a rush."

"Kinda mind blowing and liberating at the same time, I'm glad you were in a head-space where you could receive it... all our talks last week must have really sunk in... and yeah, I'm pretty sure part of it is the 'Gold Fever' talking, like I said it can change the way you look at the world. So far you seem to be handling it pretty well. I would chalk it up to that 'pioneer spirit' of yours, it may keep you from going off the deep end into total obsession where there is nothing but the siren song of gold... for that way lies madness. I've seen it a time or two, never pretty but I look at it as part of the winnowing process. Welcome to my world Becka." Greg stood and held out a hand to her. She stood, reached out and took his hand in hers knowing Greg was a true kindred spirit. And partner along the path. And perhaps a partner in other things as well.

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