Excerpt from Under A Bear Sky

November 28, 1835

Gabriel Alexander Lee ducked as the bear threatened horse and rider with slashing claws.

Big and gnarly, the black bear growled and stood on his powerful back legs. Before Gabe could grip the pommel, his horse instinctively spun away from the danger and Gabe was thrown from the saddle.

The horse galloped west while the longhorn calf Gabe had been searching for dashed east. The same calf the bear had been hunting. Watching his prey escape the bear bellowed his frustration and focused on Gabe.

Jumping to his feet, Gabe stood tall and raised his arms over his head to appear threatening. The bear was old enough to have left his mom, but not adept at feeding himself. He was young, strong, and hungry. Just like me.

Reactively, Gabe thought to grab his rifle, but the horse had run off with the weapon sheathed to the saddle. Gabe cursed. He couldn’t outrun the danger. He had to talk the bear out of using him as a replacement for the calf.

Gripping a fallen branch, he brandished the dead limb like a weapon. When his stance didn’t deter the predator, Gabe braced. This could hurt.

Sharp teeth glistened in ropes of saliva as the bear bellowed again and loomed over him. Gabe swung the branch and felt the satisfaction of a solid connection to the animal’s midsection. With a loud crack, the branch snapped. Howling his pain, the bear suddenly fell forward and crushed Gabe to the hard ground.

Coarse hair filled Gabe’s mouth and the weight of the bear pressed the air from his lungs. Intent on dodging ripping claws and teeth, Gabe didn’t immediately realize he was the only one thrashing. Turning his head sideways to suck in a great breath of air, he inhaled lingering scents of sage and soil in the musky odor of the bear’s coarse fur.

With a great heave, Gabe pushed away from the bear’s smothering weight and rolled out from under his would-be killer. Stumbling to his feet, he expected the beast to rise at any moment, swinging massive claws and bearing down with deadly teeth.

Instead, the animal remained face-down and still.

Cautiously, Gabe pressed a boot to his would-be attacker’s thick forearm. Moments earlier he had dodged claw and tooth, but now there was no response from the bear. A well-placed rifle hole to the bear’s heart explained why Gabe had not wound up as a midday snack.

At the sound of hoofbeats, Gabe looked up to see Eli arrive, ponying Gabe’s missing mount. Still nervous from his encounter, the gelding’s nostrils were wide and he stamped his preference to be away from the predator.

His gun aimed at the bear, Eli dismounted. “You okay?” Old enough to be Gabe’s grandfather, the black man quickly surveyed the scene.

“The calf?” Gabe found his hat and slapped it against his leg to beat off the dust.

“Dashed back to the cow’s side.” Confident the bear was no longer a threat, Eli ran a calming hand over the nervous gelding.

Glancing in the direction Eli had come and the angle of the hole that had killed the bear, Gabe shielded his eyes and looked north. He spotted riders. Pulling his rifle from his saddle, he watched to identify who they were.

Tension between Texans and Mexico over the land of Tejas had become the most talked about topic at his father’s table, in town, and in the newspaper headlines. When no group of riders appeared behind the oncomers, Gabe relaxed. Arriving without a show of force, these four were likely travelers, bringing news, or someone who had business with Gabe’s father.

“Whatcha see, Mr. Gabriel?” Eli holstered his gun.

Gabe squinted. “Are we expecting guests?”

“Don’t believe so.” Eli shaded his eyes and looked north. “How many?”

Gabe studied the horizon. “Four horses.”

As they drew near, Gabe spotted the hat worn by the tallest rider and let out a whoop. He threw himself into the saddle and spurred his still nervous horse into a lope. Coming closer, he saw the man with the coonskin cap atop brown hair was dressed in his hunting suit. He carried a fine rifle Gabe knew had been presented to him by friends in Philadelphia. The same weapon Gabe was certain had taken down the bear.

“Mr. Crockett.” Gabe drew his horse to a stop. “It’s mighty fine to see you.”

For You

Other novels available for you to read now are HERE. Titles include Homeless for the Holidays, Chasing Sunrise, The Patent, Secrecy Order, Unnatural Cause, and Cohen Code.