In the Kingdom of the Bears

“A snuffling and snorting outside my tent stirs me awake. I sit up, feel for my bear spray, and try to recall my surroundings. My tent is just one of several, and the food is locked in an old trailer down a path through the scrubby trees. The only other sound is my breathing—until a sharp bang from someone hitting a pot splits the air, shooing away our midnight visitor in a calm, firm voice: ‘Yau ‘thà. [Hello, black bear.] Go on now. Not tonight, thank you.'”

 

Jude Isabella – Hakai Magazine – October 2018

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