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"We'll have bear roast for supper," Lucy announced.
"Bear?" Gloria shrieked.
"It's very tasty, similar to beef." Aiden told Gloria.
Frank hugged Gloria. Later Frank came up to Angus, "I can't believe you killed him with one shot."
"Depends on where you aim, and what kind of gun you got. I carry one rifle that I know will down them. The trick is not to let them intimidate you. Because once they do that, you forget about your good aim and trusted gun." Angus grinned. "Pumpkin will make us a fine coat with that bearskin too."
"Do you have a home, Angus?" Frank asked sitting close and watching Pumpkin and Lucy work on the bear.
"Naw, we just mostly drift around."
"I would think she would want one." Gloria came to sit by Frank now and nodded toward Pumpkin.
"Pumpkin, no, her people are wanderers. She's used to moving around. We get to see a lot of country that way." Angus told him. He looked at Frank, "They used to follow the buffalo, but they are getting scarcer as every man seems to want to hunt them. You said you traveled west on a wagon train. Where were you planning on settling somewhere in particular?"
"We were headed for the California gold mines, but I'm not sure now. I'm really not a miner. Although it is tempting. I'm more practical than that. A nice cabin where there's plenty of water and civilization around would be good. Although I've got to find work first, I'm afraid. We didn't plan this trip west very well."
"I think me, and Pumpkin might settle someday too, as the older I get the harder it seems to move about." Angus chuckled. "They are giving land grants away in Oregon, you know."
"Yes, but the horror stories we've heard along the way to get there, make me want to find a closer place." Frank told him.
"Well you're right about that now. Those mountains can be treacherous, and if you get a late start, they can be murder. But it is beautiful country there, once you get there." Angus shook his head. "I guess we'll stick to wanderin' for a while longer. It's too cold here to enjoy it much. We are thinking of going south."
Aiden brought the horses in and put them toward the back so they wouldn't be in the way and could still stay warm. Evidently the bear had curled up in a back corner so no one could see him.
The weather was getting extremely cold and bad outside the cave. The wind whistled through the cave now, making a strange music all its own. Aiden fed and watered the horses while Angus worked at closing the cave with branches and sticks, He hung a blanket up too, to help keep the wind out. But before he sealed it compl
etely Aiden stopped him.
"I want to fix something up to keep air coming in but not necessarily the cold too."
"Why?"
"Because we need a source of air too, to breathe in here, after keeping the fire going it will use all of what that tunnel will provide, so we need some for ourselves."
"We may be stuck here a few days." Aiden told them as he joined them around the fire. "We have to make the place as livable as we can until we leave. Air is important and we need it big enough we can check outside, too."
"Days, are you serious?" Gloria frowned.
"'Fraid so, ma'am. Take a good look, that's a full-blown blizzard out there, we can't travel in that. And by the time the snow stops we'll be digging our way out of here."
Gloria went to stand by the front of the cave. "I've never seen such a storm in my life. But I suppose I've never been out in one."
"You won't find them this harsh down in the valley, but up here, it can get dangerously cold. So, everyone prepare to stay indoors. Frostbite is a hazard and until we can move out there in the cold, we need to be patient and wait until the weather will allow us travel."
Aiden had a hammer and nails and several odd-looking piece of metal and wood.
Finally, out of curiosity, Gloria asked, "What are you going to do with that?"
Aiden sighed knowing everyone was curious about what all he was doing. He grinned and looked around at everyone who was staring. "I'm going to make us a place to do our privates in." He told her.
"You aren't serious?" Gloria shook her head.
"Very serious." Aiden told her. "It's too cold right now to go outside, every time someone needs to, and we have to make do with what we have. It isn't a perfect solution but going outside in this weather would be dangerous. There is a lot of us, and we'll have to dig a long and deep hole, so I better get started."
"But surely… " she glanced at the weather outside and shrugged. "Alright, alright, perhaps it's the only way."
