“Where?” he asked humorously. He brought some paper plates over, too.
She lifted one. “Conservation?”
“Recycled paper. Easier to toss it on the fire than try to wash up, especially come winter. It’s also useful for starting a fire if someone gets stranded out here.”
“True.” She hadn’t thought of that, but if people came out here to ski or snowmobile in the winter, and got into trouble, the forest service cabins might be all that stood between them and death. “Do you keep the cabins locked over the winter?”
“Absolutely not. Toolshed, yes, cabin, no. Not this far out. If someone gets in trouble out here, they’re going to need every possible little edge.”
“Does it happen often?”
“Once in a while. That’s why it’s so important to check in with the office before you come out here. If someone doesn’t come back, we definitely need a starting point. Searching a few thousand square miles is no joke.”
By the time they finished eating and had cleaned up, it was still raining steadily. When Craig went out to check on Dusty, she followed. The woods had grown so dark with the clouds and approach of night they almost looked like a ragged black wall.
She thought Dusty gave them a look that spoke volumes as he stood beneath the overhang. “He’s sick of it,” she remarked.
“Can’t say I blame him. He likes to be moving. Mustangs will often cover fifty miles a day just grazing. He’s not much different. He must feel like a prisoner.”
Dusty watched almost indifferently as fresh feed was laid out. Craig spent a few minutes patting him and talking quietly to him, but as he turned away, something changed.
Dusty nickered, but not that one little friendly nicker. He did it repeatedly, bobbing his head and pawing at the ground.
“Bear?” Craig asked, looking at the horse. Sky immediately peered around them.
Dusty shook his head and emerged from beneath the overhang, trotting around the corral as if he was disturbed. Twice around, then he reached a point where he actually reared up and pawed the air.
“I’m getting my gun,” Craig said. Apparently he didn’t need to hear it again. “Come inside.”
“I can help.”
“I’m sure you could, unless it’s a bear. If it is, we don’t want to spook it. Nor do you know how to deal with one.”
“From what I hear there’s not a lot of dealing to be done.”
“Depends. Just do me a favor and stay inside. I don’t want it to escalate if this is a bear.”
Reluctantly she took up a post in the open cabin door. “I’m at least going to keep an eye out.”
“I can live with that. Grab a couple of pans. If you see us come running out of the trees, start banging them.”
She could do that. She grabbed the frying pan and the saucepan, then resumed her post. He left with his Mossberg and a strong flashlight.
She was surprised when Craig came around the corner from the corral riding Dusty bareback. She didn’t have a lot of experience with horses, but riding without a saddle or stirrups struck her as risky.
But she was glad he wasn’t going on foot. Dusty made him appear a lot bigger and might prove to be more help by far than she could be. If it was a bear.
She didn’t want to think it was a human threat. Although Dusty wouldn’t have responded to that, would he? He hadn’t reacted earlier.
Then she wondered why Craig was even checking it out. If it was a bear, wouldn’t it be wisest for them both to remain inside?
Dusty, she realized. He didn’t want the horse out there by himself if a bear was hunting. TV animal specials popped up in her head. Bears wouldn’t be hunting at this time of year. Didn’t that come later in the summer, after they’d fattened up on berries and stuff? But what if this were a grizzly? From what she understood about them, they didn’t need a whole lot of reason to kill. Maybe that was wrong. She cursed her lack of knowledge. All she knew for sure was that if some bear was hanging around it might well have cubs, and that was a big problem.
Minutes stretched by as her nerves grew more taut. Where had they gone? How could they see anything in this lousy light? Well, he had taken that flashlight, although she wondered how he was going to juggle everything. Riding bareback, no holster... Maybe he could control Dusty with his knees?