“Everything seems clear towards the edge of the forest. If you want to get moving down here I will fly back up to keep an eye on things.”
The wolf laid down on the ground so the fox could climb on top of its back. With that done, the wolf stood up and slowly walked in the direction of the edge of the forest, moving to a trot as the fox settled in.
As the day wore on, the motley group of fast friends moved ever closer to the edge of the forest, the trees gradually thinning out. Suddenly, the owl flew into the forest ahead of them, screeching.
“Stop, stop, stop!”, the owl cried urgently, diving towards the ground, a dry mist rising from the dusty ground as his talons grasped a single branch stretched out from a nearby tree. “There is a bear at the edge of the forest!”
The wolf slid to a halt, cringing as the fox’s claws dug into its back, trying desperately to hang on but flying off nonetheless.
The owl screeched down to the fox and wolf. “When I came back this way the bear was still just sitting there, its rear paws sitting in the stream that separates the forest from the mountains. I think he was fishing.”
“Fishing? Oh no, he will probably be there for ages”, lamented the wolf. “Is there another way across the river?”
The owl thought deeply, focusing on his strength of wisdom. “I will fly up again and scout the land each direction, see if there is another way.”
The owl quickly flew above the trees, noticing how much thinner they were so close to the river. Focusing his sharp eyes to the northern part of the forest, he could not see another place shallow enough to cross. It was the same heading towards the southern part of the forest. Feeling defeated, he flew back down, landing on the same branch.
“The shallowest path within several days’ journey is the one we are on. Even swimming through some of the most shallow areas would be difficult with the racing of the water.”
His stomach growling, the wolf said, “I doubt we would find much food to eat over the many days it would take for a longer journey.”
The owl and the fox both formed half smiles devoid of confidence. They were all predators, after all.
The fox spoke up next. “I’ll sneak around behind the bear and get a closer look. Maybe he’s thinking along the same lines as we are; new friends to help solve new problems.”
The owl nodded. “Be cautious. He is sitting nearly in the center of the path, and though he is busy with the fish, he will likely hear you coming.”
The wolf snickered. “Smell her coming more likely.”
The fox looked sternly at the wolf and walked away, slipping and sneaking down the path.
The bear sat on the rocks on the edge of the river, his feet dipped into a small depression under the water. Sitting very still, he waited for a fish to swim by, ready to strike and snatch it up.
The river was cool on his feet, small fish swimming over them occasionally, their tails tickling him. He was hungry, but also patient. He was skipping the snacks while waiting for the meal.
As the fox darted from tree to tree, keeping a watchful eye on the bear. Just as the fox was about to move toward another tree, the bear cocked his head to one side, his ear twitching. The fox froze, lying flat on the ground while watching to see what the bear did next.
Turning his head, the bear looked back at the forest behind him, listening, looking for movement. He tilted his head back slightly, sniffing the air, sensing an animal just inside the trees. Not wanting to leave his fishing spot, the bear adjusted how he was sitting, angling his head so he could listen while he fished.
The fox noticed the bear looking its way but was certain the bear had not seen him. The bear had heard or seen something, though, as it had turned towards the fox, getting a better view into the trees.