Secrets of Bearhaven (10 page)

Spencer stomped down the dirt trail to the riverbank. He didn't care if Uncle Mark and the Weavers had promised Mom and Dad that they would keep him safe. He was
going
on that mission.

He wished the council had kept up their habit of disagreeing when it came to him. Instead, as soon as the silence had broken, everyone had clamored to give a reason why he shouldn't be allowed to help with the rescue.

“It's much too dangerous,” Bunny had said.

“You're not trained,” Uncle Mark had added.

The list continued:

“Your parents want you safe in Bearhaven.”

“We're not even certain what we're up against.”

“You're just a child.”

And on and on, until even Mr. Bee had said his piece. “You should be starting your studies here. There will be quite a bit of catching up to do, particularly in the Fish and Forestry courses.”

No way!
He wasn't about to stay in Bearhaven to learn about fish and forests while Uncle Mark and B.D. went out
to find
his
mom and dad and help the bears that
his
parents were trying to save.

Spencer knew he could help. He was smaller and lighter than Uncle Mark, so he could hide and fit into tight spaces, and he was good with computers and gadgets. True, he was a kid, but nobody would notice a kid! He could do and see and hear things that Uncle Mark couldn't.

He reached the river. Fred Crossburger and his exercise class were gone. He had the dock to himself. He walked out to the end and sat down to think. It seemed like every other week Mom and Dad were away somewhere, busy with something he didn't know much about. But the way he missed them now was different. Before, if he asked when they'd be home, the answer had always been “just a few more days,” and in a few more days they'd be there. Now, he couldn't even ask.

Sitting in the council room, hearing about the disgusting bear baying, Spencer had really understood why Mom and Dad did what they did. He'd felt the ferocious anger that he figured they must feel every time they heard about a bear being abused, and he'd felt the determination to do something about it. The council
had
to let him help finish the rescue mission that Mom and Dad had started.

“I'm a kid, but I'm also a Plain,” Spencer said aloud. “And the Plains rescue bears.”

“Who are you talking to?”

Kate! If she could help change Professor Weaver's mind, maybe he'd have a shot!

Kate was standing on the grass at the head of the dock, looking around and sniffing.

“Oh, nobody,” he answered.

Kate bounded down the dock, causing it to wobble and sway under them. Lowering onto her belly, she stretched out beside Spencer, her head poking over the dock's edge, snout close to the surface of the water.

“Why didn't you come to school with Reggie and me this morning?” Kate's eyes followed the fish in the river. “Have you been here all day?”

“No.” Spencer shrugged. He wanted to tell Kate all about the Lab and the council meeting, but he wasn't sure yet if she could keep a secret. Still, he needed her help.

“Then where did you—”

“I got into the Lab!” he blurted out. “You were right, the Bear Council was meeting about my parents.”

“Really? But how?” Kate scrambled to sit up. “You
saw
the Bear Council? Their meetings are
always top secret
!”

“It's a long story,” Spencer said, borrowing a line he felt he'd been hearing a lot lately. “And you
can't
tell anyone. Not even Reggie. But I got into the council meeting. Uncle Mark and B.D. are leaving on a mission in two days to rescue Ro Ro and her cubs, and they're going to look for more information about my parents. I
have
to go with them.”

“But the council—”

“The council doesn't want me to go. But I'm going.”

“But . . . it's so dangerous,” Kate whispered.

“That's what
they
said!”

Kate frowned and slid back onto her belly to watch the fish again.

Spencer hadn't meant to snap at Kate like that. “I know it's dangerous,” he said more calmly. “But I can't just sit here worrying about my family. I have to do something.” Kate
ignored him. “There are bears that need help,” he went on. “At least I can help rescue Ro Ro and her cubs, and maybe I'll find some clues that could get my parents back . . .” Kate made no move to respond. “Come on, Kate, you have to help me.”

“Help you?” Kate finally answered, but kept her face turned to the river. “What can
I
do? I'm not going. No. Way.”

“You don't have to leave Bearhaven. Just help me convince your dad that I should go.” If Professor Weaver changed his mind, then the council would come around, Spencer was sure of it.

Kate lifted her head to consider Spencer. “But I don't think you should go,” she said quietly. “It's scary out there, Spencer. Rescues are for grown-ups, and if the Bear Council doesn't think you should go—”

“I'm going.”

Kate snapped her mouth shut and splashed a paw into the river unhappily. “I'll teach you
Salmon King
if you stay.” She pouted.

“Kate—?”

The cub huffed. “Okay, okay!” She wiped droplets of river water off her claws and onto her fur. Spencer waited, afraid to say anything that might change her mind. Once Kate had dried each of her claws, she looked back up at Spencer, her eyes gleaming. “Talking to my dad's never going to work. Talking is what Bear Council meetings are for. It's time for
showing.
” Spencer was lost.
Showing what?
“You have to
prove
to them that you should go. That you
can
go.”

“How?”

“We have to
train
you for the mission!” Kate answered excitedly. “I'll help you! Then, we'll show them that they
need
your help. You'll be so well trained, they won't be able to say no.”

“Okay, let's do it! Do you know what—?”

“Hello, you two!”

They spun around to see Bunny and Professor Weaver emerging from the trees. They looked like they were just out for a stroll, but Spencer guessed the council meeting must have ended and they were coming from the Lab.

Spencer and Kate exchanged a sideways glance.
Had the Weavers heard them planning?

“Hi, Mom! Hi, Dad!” Kate sang.

“Don't be late for dinner!” Bunny called as she and Professor Weaver turned onto the path that led back to the center of Bearhaven. Spencer waved, and in a moment the bears had rounded another bend in the path.

“That was close!” Kate gasped as soon as her parents were out of earshot. “Okay, are you ready?”

“Ready?”

“Ready to start training, of course!” the cub rushed on. “I'm done with school for today, and tomorrow is Saturday, so we can train then, too, and tonight we have dinner with everyone, so we can—”

Spencer gulped. “Everyone?” He imagined all of Bearhaven's bears gathering hungrily around him at dinnertime . . . “The rest of the family,” Kate exclaimed. “It's perfect! Aldo will be there, and Fitch, and my dad!” Spencer wasn't sure what Kate was getting at. Kate saw his confusion and went on in
an exasperated tone, “Aldo's on the Bear Guard. Fitch helps my dad in the Lab, and
both
of my parents are on the Bear Council. If we're sneaky, we can figure out exactly what we need to train you to
do
.”

“We can do it,” he said confidently. “It's the best shot I have.”

Spencer and Kate stood at the edge of the school yard. They'd crept around the side of the stone school building as quietly as they could, hoping not to run into any other cubs or teachers, only to find that they were completely alone.
I guess bear school and human school aren't so different after all,
Spencer thought.
When the weekend comes, everyone gets out as quickly as possible.

Kate turned to face Spencer, surprising him with her seriousness. “Reggie says that whoever's best at Bear Stealth in school
always
makes it onto the Bear Guard,” she explained. “All the cubs in Bearhaven go through Bear Stealth, because we don't learn it in the wild like other bears.”

Spencer surveyed the bears' version of a school yard. It was the size of a football field, and rather than a swing set, basketball hoops, and benches, it had boulders, logs, and other natural obstacles. A row of bushes bordered the yard, and behind it, there was a row of different kinds of trees.

“Okay, so now what?” Spencer asked. “I mean, what
is
Bear Stealth? What do you do out here?”

“Oh! It's hiding!” Kate exclaimed. “Well, hiding, silent walking, moving around secretly. That kind of thing. It's so we can move around the woods safely if we have to. I'll show you!” The cub bounded into the yard and ducked behind a boulder. Spencer kept his eyes on the boulder, waiting for the cub to reappear. A few moments later, he thought he heard a faint rustling from one side of the school yard. He turned just in time to see Kate leap out from beneath the needled limbs of a pine tree. She landed happily on all fours, obviously proud of her performance.

“That was awesome!” Spencer called, impressed by Kate's ability to move around the school yard without him even realizing that she'd left her hiding spot behind the boulder. “Can I try?” he asked, confident that he could do just as good a job as the cub. After all, he was smaller and more agile.

Kate bounded back to Spencer. “Sure,” she panted. “Start at the boulder. I'll stay here for a few minutes, then I'll come find you. The longer it takes me to find you, the better you are at Bear Stealth, so don't let me see you!”

Spencer jogged over to the boulder. He ducked behind it and looked around. He examined the boulder itself. Kate was on the other side of it, but several yards away. He turned to look at the trees directly behind him.
If I move back in a perfectly straight line . . .
Picking the tree that looked to be centered behind the boulder, Spencer crouched down and ran straight at it. When he reached the row of bushes that marked the back perimeter of the school yard, he leaped over and slid down onto his back, allowing the row of bushes to hide him.

“Okay, now what?” Spencer whispered to himself. He looked at the oak tree looming above him. It was the one he'd aimed for, but he wasn't about to climb it. Quietly, he rolled onto his belly, and, careful to stay low to the ground, he used his elbows and toes to propel himself around to the other side of the tree that faced away from where Kate was standing.

Perfect!
The oak's trunk was split and mostly hollow. A knothole looked like it had rotted out, leaving a gap just big enough for Spencer to slip through. Pushing aside the thought of spiders and other creepy-crawly creatures, he stood up and slid sideways through the crack in the trunk.
This is definitely
not
one of the Bearhaven elevators.

There was barely enough room for Spencer's entire body inside of the tree, and every breath he took came with the strong smell of wet wood. Something crept along the back of his neck. Spencer shuddered.

“Here I come!” Kate called. A minute passed, and then another. Spencer stood completely still. Soon, there was a rustling sound nearby.

“I can smell you but I can't see you!” the cub sang. Her footsteps circled the tree, then the trunk started to shake, and a little shower of sawdust and wood fell on Spencer's head.
She's climbing the tree . . .
Spencer realized.
Thump.
The tree stopped shaking, and Kate's footsteps circled the tree again.

“Spencer?” Spencer could hear the cub sniffing loudly. “Spencer, where are you?” Suddenly, Kate's snout poked through the crack in the trunk. “
There
you are!” she shouted, extracting her snout. “I didn't even
look
for you in there!” She stepped back, leaving Spencer enough space to wiggle out of the gap in the oak's trunk. He brushed himself off. The bugs
and rotten tree insides were worth it. He was a Bear Stealth master!

“You did great!” Kate exclaimed. “A bear would never be able to get in there!”

Spencer smiled. “Thanks. What's next?”

“Dinner! We have to go, or we're going to be late! But follow me; we can keep training on the way back!” Kate dashed along the row of bushes and turned to head down the side of the school yard toward home. She skidded to a halt and waited for Spencer. “Okay, what do you see?” she asked, motioning to the ground in front of them. Between the row of bushes and the row of trees, the ground was covered with twigs and leaves. It looked completely different from the bare ground Spencer had slid onto a few minutes earlier.

“A bunch of twigs?”

“A
loud
zone,” Kate corrected matter-of-factly. “You have to practice your silent walking.” Gingerly, Kate stepped onto the bed of twigs and leaves, then carefully started to walk.
Chh, chh, chh.
The sound of the brush under her feet was much quieter than Spencer expected, but he could still hear it. Determined to be completely silent, he set out after her.

CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH!

“I said
silent
walking, not noisy marching!” Kate giggled. “Use all of your muscles. Silent walking isn't just about feet; it's about the whole body.” The cub continued, her quiet
chh, chh
picking back up.

Crunch.
“Dangit!” Spencer exclaimed. This was harder than it looked.

“Pretend you're as light as a fish bone! Pretend there's a vine pulling you up into the air and carrying you across the ground so that your feet hardly touch.”

Spencer tensed his abs and lifted his leg off the ground, trying to think about all of the muscles in his body working at once and lifting upward. He set his foot down.
Chh.
He did it again.
Chh.
“I'm doing it!”
Chh, chh, chh. Crunch.
Slowly, they continued forward until the quiet
chh
sound of their feet was all they could hear, and even that got quieter as they went. When they reached the end of the loud zone, Kate took off, loping toward home.

“Come on!” she cried. “Last one there's a rotten tree trunk!”

When Kate and Spencer burst into the Weavers' home, out of breath and covered in dirt, they found Bunny bustling around the kitchen.

“There you are!” She turned to greet them, and her warm smile immediately faded. Bunny had the same look of surprised dismay that Evarita had every time Spencer handed over his grass-stained baseball uniform to her. “Heavens! What have you two been doing?” After a moment, when neither Spencer nor Kate offered an answer, Bunny continued. “No matter. Go wash up so you can set the table.”

Kate dashed out of the room without protesting, but Spencer hung back. “Is Uncle Mark coming? To dinner?” He looked up at Bunny hopefully. Since stomping out of the council meeting that afternoon, Spencer hadn't seen Uncle Mark. If he came to dinner, maybe Spencer could talk to him about the mission again . . .

“No, dear, just you and the Weavers tonight!” Bunny said cheerfully, turning back to her cooking. “I believe your uncle's at Raymond's with B.D. They usually work out mission details there.” Spencer's shoulders slumped. Uncle Mark and B.D. were planning without him. “Now, off you go! Your mother would not approve of me putting food into those filthy hands of yours!”

Spencer shoved his hands in his pockets and retreated to his bedroom to get ready for dinner. Just because he wasn't planning the mission with Uncle Mark and B.D. didn't mean he wasn't going. His training had begun, and he had plans of his own.