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I give all my good byes to Tom and Sue, I truly hated leaving them, at least I know they will be safe. It would be nice to live in paradise and not worried about being killed. But North Mountain, has always been home, there is no place like home. It’s a little before dark as I head out. I don’t want to cross the county line, until after. The back country road, divides the counties. It’s a moonless and starless night, but bears are nocturnal and I can see just fine.
It’s now pitch-black outside, as I cross the county line, I saw a truck go down the road with a dog box on it, just before I crossed the road. I need to make good time so I can cross over Stone Coal Gap Road, at least 2 hours before daylight preferably longer than 2 hours. It has been snowing here, making travelling a little slower, I already know I won’t make it the whole distance. I decided I would just spend the day at Tom’s old den, when I get there, I was having going have to stop there, to get what all Tom had left me anyway. Upon entering, I was remembering, when I first met Tom, and he was sitting there waiting to die. All the emotions, good and bad, were flowing though me. The marijuana had changed Toms life, but he was able to get off of it. Then during chase season, when we turned the tables on the dogs. We just left them stranded up the tree. Best part of that day was without a doubt, meeting Sue. I was as determined she would be Toms, as she was, that she would be mine. A little trickery, and she fell for Tom. I’m just so blessed to have them both in my life. They have giving me a purpose in life, since I have no mate. Without them in my life now, what would my life be like?
I don’t even know what Tom had left for me, but I’m about to find out. I hope there is some food for me here. I,m now be getting hungry, after that trip back here in the snow. I started to look around the den, and there is a whole yearling, he left for me, also in the cupboard, there were 6 strawberry rhubarb pies, I was in heaven now, thanks Sue. As I was preparing the deer backstrap, I was just thinking tomorrow is Saturday, and all the hunters will be out. I need to just stay put here, until tomorrow night, as though there is no hunting on Sunday, it will be safer for myself, Lucy, James, and Sophia. It would be reckless of me leaving scent going up to our den. So, I have Toms den all to myself, until after dark tomorrow night. I have all I need inside of the den, So I don’t need to go outside. The good thing is, it is continuing to snow; it’s hiding my track so, the hunters and hounds can’t track me here. As I’m preparing the backstrap, there is porridge, collard greens, and several pounds of bacon. I put the collard greens and bacon on to cook, but decided to leave the porridge until morning. The den is smelling, as if Sue was here cooking. I’m going to miss those two. Ever since meeting Tom I have had a purpose in life, I’m just hoping that doesn’t change now; with the loss of Oliver. But even though James, will be in our same den this winter, I consider myself as the boar of the den now, that Oliver is dead.
Supper is done and I dig in, everything is delicious for the main course, I had popped 1 of the strawberry rhubarb pies in the oven to warm up. Heated it taste almost as good, as when Sue pulls one straight out of the oven. This den just brings back so many great memories, and some that wasn’t so great, when I first met Tom. I still get sad thinking about him sitting right here, stating he was waiting to die. I have 5 more strawberry pies; I should I eat them all I’m thinking.
The next morning, I go to the entrance of the den, boy this is one hell of a doozie of a storm, there is almost 3 feet of snow, and it is still coming down. I knew it would be a week or 2, before anyone would be hunting, so I decided to go ahead and head to the Sophia’s den. It’s been a week now, since I’ve been there. I cooked breakfast; I’m having the rest of the bacon and porridge it’s so delicious, well there’s pies left so I dig in to them. I guess now is as good a time as any to head home to our den. I grab rest of the food and start towards the den. This storm is a storm to remember, as I’m trekking my way to the den, it’s a whiteout blizzard condition. It’s a good thing bear has a good sense of direction, or I’d never find our den. It’s very slow going, my plan is to get to Stone Coal Gap, before I start hunting for deer, then If I kill one or 2, I can get the belongings that Tom left me to the den, and then myself and James can come back for the deer.
I finally made it to the road, and there are 5 deer right on the edge of the road. It was the easiest kills I have ever made. It was more like hunting possums, I walked over to them, and 1 big swipe they were dead. I guess myself and James will be making several trips to the road. Yes, I did kill all 5 of the deer, a bear must eat and get fat, this time of the year. I take everything Tom left me to the den it, doesn’t look like anyone is home, I also see no tracks outside of the den in snow. I go inside, and I find everyone safe and sound, taking bear naps. Sophia is the first one to wake up, she said I did not expect you back, this is the storm of the century. I figured you would stay with Tom and Sue, at least until the storm was over. I tell her I needed to be here, now that I’m the boar of the den. I tell her how I got 5 deer laying down at the road, I am going to wake James up to help me, to go and get them back to the den. Then I showed her the 4 strawberry rhubarb pies that Sue had left me. She said that’s amazing they each can have one for supper tonight. Then she says James knew the storm was coming, so he had killed 3 deer prior to the storm. Also, you know your sister, she fished all the time before the storm, we were trying to be prepared. So, we have plenty to eat until time to go into hibernation. I was pleasantly surprised, that everyone had prepared for the storm and hibernation.
I wake James and Lucy, they were very glad to see me, and Lucy said I wasn’t expecting you back during this storm. I tell them, that being the boar of the den, I had to make my way back to the den, come hell or high water, well snow. James tells me he had killed the 3 deer, and Lucy had caught 10 baskets of fish. I tell James, let’s go and get the 5 deer laying down on the road. Lucy said, she would go also. 3 bears walking in all this snow, looked like a snow plow went down off this mountain. We each grab a deer and took to the den. Once there Lucy said, her and James would go and get the last 2. She said just sit here and relax, with Sophia; you have already had a long day.
Sophia was asking how Tom and Sue were doing. I tell her that they were ready to move to a new county, that doesn’t allow bear hunting, when I got to their den. They were moving due, to both their neighbors was killed, the same day that Oliver was killed. We took a nap and were ready to go to their new county come dark. It was a long night getting their belongings there. We spent the night in a very small shelter. I found them a den on our first full day there, but I didn’t find until almost dark. So, it was several hours after dark before I got back, to the small shelter, that they spent their 1st night in. We stayed in the small shelter the 2nd night, then, the next day they moved all their stuff to the den. Tom and Sue were extremely happy with their new den. They both wanted me to stay, but I told them I knew they was safe, and I had to get back to y’all, since I was the boar of the den now.
James and Lucy are back now, and we all clean and bag the deer to put in the freezer. While we are doing this, Sophia starts cooking some fresh backstraps, smashed taters, and put on 4 loaves of sourdough bread. Sophia has this den smelling wonderful. She finishes cooking about same time, that all the deer is in the freezer. We had a feast and after the feast Sopia tells Lucy, go and look in the oven, at what Sue had sent us for dessert. She said OMG, it’s her famous strawberry rhubarb pie. The smell when she opened the oven was delicious. Everyone enjoyed their own strawberry Rhubarb pie. Could it get any better than this? What does the rest of this winter and kill season hold for us? Will we all survive rest of this kill season? How long will this snow storm of the century snow last? So many questions but so few answers!
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Dale Thacker Aurthor 