Mishaps and Wolves (OLD VERSION)

Chapter 2 - Introduced to a Bear

Chapter 2 - Introduced to a Bear

Three weeks ago...

"...these mountains are home to a few wild animals, but not to worry! You aren't in any danger!" chirped the guide on the overhead speakers.

Marissa was annoyed, half-listening to the tour guide prattle on about the local area surrounding the ski lodge.

She turned to look at Randy who was practically jumping in his seat as he looked out at the open snow.

It was his fault she was in the freezing cold on the ski trip with his accounting firm. She absolutely hated the cold, but Randy could not be trusted when left to his own devices. He was worse than a five year old on a sugar craze, so she just had to suck it up and deal with it now. They were about five hours away from any city and she just didn't have the heart to say no to her best friend.

When the bus stopped, and the speaker announced "Enjoy your stay!", Marissa was off the bus and dragging Randy by the arm as fast as her legs could carry her.

She was inside the lodge when she finally slowed down.

The fires blazing in the fireplaces had her tearing off her coat as she walked with a grouchy Randy to the front desk.

The woman manning it was older, grey streaking through her brown hair that she'd twisted into a sever bun. She wore a blouse and skirt but looked so uncomfortable by the way her face held a permanent frown.

Her steely eyes fastened on them as they walked up to her.

"You vant room?" her thick accent rang out.

"Um...yes. We're with-" Randy began hesitantly.

"I know! Your room, 136." She handed them the key and both walked away.

When they were far enough, Randy mockingly shivered, "Did she frighten you as much as she does me?"

Marissa looked back at the woman and scoffed, "Na, I'm not scared of her."

The woman at the counter turned at that moment to glare at them, making them race quickly up the stairs to find their room.

Their room was cosy, two beds, a private bathroom and a lit fireplace.

Marissa instantly claimed the bed by the window and collapsed onto it. Randy doing almost the identical thing on the pile of thick comforters covering his bed.

They were barely able to sigh in relaxation before someone was knocking on the door shouting, "Time for the first trust exercise!"

Marissa waved evilly at Randy as he got up and sulked out of the warm room and back into the cold.

***

After the team work exercises, the whole lodge was treated to a warm dinner and most went up to go to bed after a tiring day. Marissa was sitting comfortably in bed whilst Randy was pacing and fidgeting.

"Will you calm down?" Marissa told him again, unable to concentrate on her book.

"I don't want to be indoors right now Mer."

She sighed, "Just take a look out the window and you won't feel as trapped, okay?"

Randy went over to the window and it was barely a few moments when he was quickly rushing back to his bed and tossing his coat and shoes on.

"And what do you think you're doing?"

Randy paused and looked up at her, "That lady from the front desk is sneaking outside in the cold."

Marissa put her book down and went over to the window to watch exactly what he had seen.

She turned back around to see Randy slipping out the door. "Damn it!"

She hurriedly put on her snow boots and grabbed her jacket as she made her way down the stairs and followed after the quickly disappearing Randy.

When she caught up to him, they were behind the lodge and moving through the forest.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" she whispered.

"Following, duh!" Randy called back.

They emerged at a cave opening where the woman had disappeared into.

Randy moved forward and Marissa grabbed his arm, "No way are you going in there."

Randy shrugged her off laughing, "What's the worse that could happen?"

He hastily turned and went into the cave. Marissa stayed outside.

Suddenly Randy was running out of the cave yelling and right on his heels was a bear.

Marissa was sprinting alongside him instantly back towards the lodge. The bear behind them roared into the night.

They ran and were soon halfway there when a wolf burst from the bushes to their left and joined the chase.

The wolf managed to get closer than the heavy bear and bit Randy's ass.

Marissa grabbed her pained friend and pulled him ahead of her as they increased their speed.

As they passed a low hanging branch, she yanked on it, breaking it off the tree and used it to hit the wolf behind them on the snout.

It whined and stumbled back, shaking off the pain. Marissa only dropped the log, grabbed Randy and made a beeline for the lodge, not looking back at all.

When they got back to the lodge, she helped Randy up to their room. Grabbing the room's first aid kid, she used her veterinary skills to disinfect the wound, patch him up then they were both out of there and back in the city later than night.

***

They were back at Marissa's house and were sitting around her coffee table. Randy kept shifting to his side as he ate the late night pizza as his ass was still sore from the bite and the stitches he'd gotten at the hospital.

Marissa laughed, "Man, I totally feel for you right now."

He looked over at her, pained and spoke sarcastically, "Har, har. har. Hilarious." He placed a hand over his growling stomach.

Marissa smiled, "There's ice tea in the fridge, I think. It should help the stomach cramps. Just be careful with my jug, it's crystal and way too expensive for you to break."

He got up and walked to her kitchen. "Then why even have it?" he called back to her.

"It's gorgeous, duh!" she spoke around her mouthful.

A large crashing sound had her dropping her slice back into the pizza box and her rushing into the kitchen.

"Randy! What the Fu-!" she froze as she rounded the island.

Her crystal jug was shattered on the ground and amongst the broken shards of glass and spilt tea was a pale brown wolf and a shredded pile of clothes.

Marissa stared at the wold who stared and whined back at her.

"Holy crud on a cracker," she said brokenly.