Bernard's eyes widened as the click fully registered. This couldn't be happening, not to him!

There was no mistaking that noise though. That had definitely been a gun. The spirit cub squealed fearfully at the back of his mind. Bernard couldn't blame him.

Lightning struck the ground a few yards away. The accompanying thunder boomed as if Mother Nature herself was screaming. As Bernard's ears rang, they felt as if they had been stuffed with cotton balls, reducing the shrieking wind to a shrill whistle.

He scanned the horizon as the rain pelted the pines. If all else failed, he could make a run for it. The downpour would make it harder for the hunter to aim.

Bernard grimaced. It wouldn't help him that much. A grizzly barreling through the forest wasn't exactly the stealthiest creature on the planet.

There was no way he could outrun a bullet, but could Bernard buy himself enough time to get out of the hunter's field of vision before he shot at him? He peeked over his shoulder. The hunter stared at him with his knuckles clutching his gun so tightly that they had turned white. His backpack swayed each time he fidgeted. Bernard doubted it held much gear since the man wasn't scrambling for a can of bear spray. A well-prepared hunter would have had Bernard's eyes burning by now. Judging from the familiar smell of barbeque flavored chips that lingered around him, this hunter was the same person who had set up the campsite Bernard had raided. No wonder he was so unprepared to deal with Bernard.

Although the man kept his gun trained on Bernard's head, his trembling fingers threatened to ruin his aim. The scents of geese and blood wafted out of his backpack. It took quite a bit of skill to shoot a goose out of the air. If he was that good at hitting small targets, he shouldn't have any problems shooting Bernard. Why hadn't he pulled the trigger yet?

Inch by inch, Bernard turned himself around to get a better look. A sharp intake of breath made him freeze soon after he began. He started moving once more after the hunter remained silent for several moments.

Their gazes soon locked. Dark brown eyes met blue ones. The pair stared unblinkingly as they sized each other up. The hunter was the first to look away, glancing at Bernard's paws and shuddering. He stepped back, wincing as pebbles crunched under his boots.

Ah, so Bernard didn't have to be the one to retreat. As a new escape plan began to form in Bernard's mind, the cub said, "Don't even think about trying to scare him off. He'll kill you if you do."

"I don't suppose you have any better ideas?" Bernard said, cringing as the hunter's finger inched toward the trigger. He had to take his time with this. Scaring the man too much could easily lead to him becoming a bearskin rug.

Bernard let out a low, rumbling growl and clawed at the ground in front of him. The man grew pale and braced himself against the tree behind him.

Bernard curled his lip, baring his fangs at the hunter as he growled again. The man crept sideways, never breaking eye contact with the bear as his trigger finger trembled. He swore as he tripped on a tree root before regaining his balance.

So far so good. Bernard slapped his paw against the ground, watching as sweat ran down the man's face alongside raindrops. He could have sworn he heard the hunter praying under his breath.

Bernard's paws sank into the mud as he advanced on the hunter. He narrowed the gap between them until it was only half of what it had been. The man's eyes bulged as the grizzly grew closer. He cowered against the tree behind him and started shaking so hard that Bernard heard the man's jacket scraping against the tree's bark.

The gun shook as the iron grip on it loosened. "Come on," said Bernard as he pawed at the ground. "Drop it."

Seeing that the hunter needed more encouragement before he would flee, Bernard braced himself. Taking a deep breath, he gradually shifted his weight.

His muscles strained as he put his full weight onto his hind legs. He looked down at the hunter who stood quivering before him.

"Jesus!" the man whispered.

Bernard towered over him like a tree standing next to a sapling. One swipe of his paw could knock him down. One slap could send him flying.

"Leave me alone!" Bernard roared. Before his legs could wobble under his weight, Bernard dropped back onto all fours and snarled.

An unpleasant stench verified the plan's success, although the exact outcome was not what Bernard had hoped for. He had wanted to scare the hunter off, not to make him wet himself. Bernard stifled the urge to gag as he wrinkled his nose.

Nothing stopped the man from shooting besides his own terror. He clung to his weapon, keeping it locked onto the beast before him. It wasn't safe to flee yet. As soon as Bernard turned his back on him, the hunter could regain his nerve and shoot. He had to make sure he was completely out of danger before letting his guard down.

It was time for his last resort. Not wanting to harm the man, Bernard resolved to startle him enough for him to leave the area. A mock charge should do it. According to his father, bears used those all the time to drive away potential threats.

Muscles rippling, Bernard launched himself at the hunter. The man yelped and stayed frozen in place for a heartbeat before turning and sprinting away from the oncoming bear.

Both the hunter and the hunted gasped for breath as they tore through the undergrowth. Errant twigs ripped at the man's jacket and snagged in Bernard's fur as they ran.

Sides heaving, Bernard allowed the hunter to increase the gap between them. The chase was nearing its end. It wouldn't be long before he could stop and let the exhausted and thoroughly traumatized human return to his campsite. Even the weather had grown tired of all the excitement. The storm was beginning to peter out as the downpour dwindled to a light yet steady rain. Nonetheless, Bernard was completely soaked.

The man stumbled. He waved his arms in an attempt to regain his balance before falling into the mud. Bernard's momentum sent him hurtling toward him as he struggled to stop.

The man hauled himself back onto his feet. He whirled around to face the bear and raised his weapon.

An explosion made Bernard's ears ring as a searing pain burst through him. He screamed, jaws parted wide as his unheard cry tried to reach his ears. Bernard's limbs felt like they were full of lead. Darkness rimmed his vision.

"Not this time!" the spirit cub yelled as Bernard's vision faded to black.

In the darkness, someone screamed.