A Heart to Bear (Bear Creek Forever #4)

Chapter Fourteen – Dougray

“Be careful,” Dougray warned.

What he really wanted to do was pull her back from the lion lying on the ground and put himself between them.

“I’m fine,” Tammy assured him without looking up at him as she worked to check the wound on the lion’s flank. “But the same can’t be said for this guy.”

We need to get him off this mountain . Dougray’s bear was as concerned for the shifter lying on the ground as Tammy. And you should be concerned, too.

Dougray let out a long, slow breath and tried to let go of his need to protect his mate. It didn’t work.

You don’t have to let go of it, his bear said. But you do need to control it.

“He needs fluids and stitches and antibiotics.” Tammy rolled back on her heels. “Now.”

There was no mistaking the urgency in her voice. But getting a lion down off the mountain would not be easy.

“Hey.” Dougray crouched down next to the lion’s massive head and leaned forward. “Can you shift?”

He looks too weak, Dougray’s bear said.

It’s worth a shot, Dougray answered. If he was in his human form, we could put him on Cobra’s back and lead him back to the ranch.

The lion’s eyes flickered open, revealing a glimmer of intelligence despite the pain clouding his gaze. He let out a low, rumbling growl that seemed to vibrate through the earth beneath them.

“I’ll take that as a no,” Dougray muttered, running a hand through his hair.

Tammy’s brow furrowed as she surveyed the prone lion. “We could try to fashion a makeshift stretcher,” she suggested, her eyes darting around the clearing for suitable materials.

“This guy is gonna be heavy.” Dougray stood up and locked eyes with Henry. “What do you think?”

Henry shrugged. “We need to get him down off the ridge. That’s our first obstacle.”

“From there we could head down toward Old Ma Hinchcliffe’s place. If one of us rides back to the ranch, we can get the truck and drive and meet you there,” Ezra suggested.

Dougray nodded, his mind racing through the logistics. “All right, that’s a plan. Ezra, you’re the fastest rider. Head back to the ranch and get the truck. We’ll start moving him down.”

“On it.” Ezra didn’t waste a moment, swinging onto Cobra and riding down the ridge, before disappearing into the distance at a gallop.

“Okay, so a stretcher,” Dougray said.

“Let’s gather what we can find and then figure it out.” Henry began gathering sturdy branches, Dougray joined him, while Klein and Levi tore down vines to construct a makeshift stretcher. While they worked, Tammy continued to tend to the wounded lion, monitoring his vitals.

“I don’t think this is going to hold a lion,” Klein said as they finished lashing together the makeshift stretcher.

Dougray frowned, eyeing their handiwork skeptically. “You’re right. We need something sturdier.”

Levi bore down on it, and the branches creaked ominously under his weight. “We don’t have many options.”

“Is there any way he’s going to be able to stand and walk?” Henry asked Tammy.

Tammy shook her head, her eyes filled with concern. “I don’t think so. He’s lost a lot of blood and moving him could make the injury worse.”

Dougray ran a hand over his face, frustration evident in his tense posture. They were running out of time.

You mean the lion is running out of time, his bear said miserably.

“What if...” Klein started, then hesitated. “What if we shifted? Between the four of us bears, we could probably carry him down.”

“On the stretcher?” Tammy asked.

“No, not on the stretcher,” Klein clarified, his eyes lighting up with the idea. “I mean, we could carry him directly. Two of us supporting his front end, two at the back. Our bears are strong enough to manage it.”

Dougray considered this, his gaze shifting between the wounded lion and his brothers. It was risky, but it might be their best option.

“It could work,” he said slowly, nodding. “We’d have to be careful on the descent, but we could probably make better time than trying to drag a makeshift stretcher.”

Henry nodded in agreement. “It’s worth a shot, but it will not be easy. We’ll have to keep in tight together to support him.”

Dougray looked at Tammy, seeking her approval. She bit her lip, considering the option.

“It’s not ideal,” she admitted, “but it might be our best chance to get him down safely and quickly. Just be careful not to jostle him too much.”

“All right,” Dougray said, his voice taking on a commanding tone. “We’re going to need to keep him steady. Tammy, you’ll need to guide us and make sure we keep close enough. One wrong move, one misstep and we’ll drop him.”

“I’ll do what I can,” Tammy replied. “But how are we going to get him onto your backs?”

Dougray considered Tammy’s question for a moment. “We’ll have to do it in stages,” he said finally. “Klein and I will shift first and get into position on either side of him. Then Henry and Levi can help lift him onto our backs.”

“Then Henry and I can shift and slide under his back end. If we keep close together and move as one, we should be able to get him down to Old Ma Hinchcliffe’s place.” Klein put his hands on his hips as he looked down at the lion.

The others nodded in agreement, and Dougray turned to Tammy. “We’ll be relying on you to make sure we don’t aggravate his injuries any further.”

Tammy’s eyes widened slightly, but she nodded resolutely. “I can do that,” she said, her voice steady despite the gravity of the situation.

Dougray gave her a reassuring smile before turning to his brothers. “All right, are we ready?”

Without hesitation, Dougray and Klein shifted into their bear forms, their massive bodies covered in thick, dark fur. They carefully positioned themselves on either side of the wounded lion, their powerful muscles tensed and ready.

Henry and Levi approached, their faces etched with concentration. “On three,” Henry said, his hands under the lion’s shoulders. “One, two, three!”

With a collective grunt, Henry and Levi heaved the lion’s massive form onto Dougray’s and Klein’s backs. The bears let out low huffs as they adjusted to the weight, their powerful legs bracing against the ground.

Tammy hovered nearby, her hands outstretched as if to steady the precarious arrangement. “Careful,” she murmured, her eyes darting between the lion’s wound and the bears’ faces.

Once the lion was secure, Henry and Levi quickly shifted into their bears, sliding underneath the big cat’s hindquarters. Then they straightened their legs and took small steps toward each other.

The four bear brothers stood together, the wounded lion balanced precariously across their broad backs. Tammy circled them, her hands hovering anxiously as she checked the lion’s position.

“Okay, you need to shuffle closer together,” she said, her voice tight with worry as the bears maneuvered themselves closer together while keeping the lion steady. “Let’s move, but slowly. We need to keep him as stable as possible.”

Dougray let out a low rumble of acknowledgment, and the bears began to move as one. Their massive paws dug into the earth, creating a steady rhythm as they navigated the uneven terrain. Tammy walked alongside them, constantly monitoring the lion and the path ahead as she guided the bears around obstacles, ensuring the injured shifter remained as stable as possible.

The descent was slow and arduous. Sweat beaded on Tammy’s brow as she kept pace with the bears, her muscles tense with the effort of staying alert to every movement.

This lion is in the safest hands, Dougray said as he and his brothers made their way toward the bottom of the ridge.

It’ll get easier once we are on more level ground. His bear grunted, his powerful body straining under the weight of their burden.

As they made their way down the mountain, the terrain gradually became less steep, but the weight of the lion was taking its toll on the bear brothers. Their muscles trembled with exertion, and their breaths came in heavy pants.

“You’re doing great,” Tammy encouraged. “We’re almost to level ground. Just a little farther.”

The bears rumbled in acknowledgment, their massive paws continuing their steady rhythm.

“Klein, steady there,” Tammy called out, noticing Klein’s slight wobble. The bear grunted in response, readjusting his stance as he kept moving forward with his brothers.

As they finally reached more level ground, Tammy let out a sigh of relief. “Okay, shall we take a quick break here?” she asked as she leaned in to take a closer look at the lion.

The bears stopped walking and then carefully lowered themselves, allowing the lion to rest on the ground. Tammy immediately kneeled beside the injured shifter, checking his vitals and wound.

“How’s he doing?” Dougray asked, having shifted back to his human form. He crouched beside Tammy, his eyes filled with concern.

Tammy’s fingers gently probed the lion’s flank. “He’s holding on, but we need to hurry. The bleeding has slowed, but he’s still in critical condition.”

Dougray nodded and then stared into the distance. “We’re making good time. Ezra should be meeting us with the truck soon.”

“I never would have guessed we’d be carrying a lion down a mountain when I woke up this morning,” Klein said, stretching his arms after shifting back to human form.

“Life’s full of surprises,” Henry added with a wry smile, rolling his shoulders.

Levi, the last to shift back, looked at Tammy with admiration. “You’re handling this like a pro.”

Tammy shook her head, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. “Thanks. I’ve dealt with emergencies before, but never quite like this,” she admitted. “I just hope we can get him the help he needs in time.”

Dougray placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “You’re doing great, Tammy. We couldn’t have made it this far without you.”

“I’m not the one doing the heavy lifting,” Tammy said. “You guys are awesome. The way you move as one.”

“We know each other inside and out,” Henry said, casting a proud glance at his brothers.

Dougray nodded in agreement. “Blame it on years of working together on the ranch and shifting together. It becomes second nature after a while.”

“I think I hear the truck,” Klein turned to his left and stared into the distance.

“You do?” Tammy’s head snapped up and she followed his gaze. “I don’t hear anything yet.”

“Shifter hearing,” Klein explained. “It’s coming from the east.”

“Okay then,” Dougray said, relief evident in his voice. He turned to his brothers. “Let’s get ready to move again.”

The brothers nodded in unison, their faces set with determination. Without further prompting, they shifted back into their bear forms, their massive bodies rippling with fur as they once again took their positions around the injured lion.

Tammy supervised as they carefully lifted the big cat onto their backs once more. “Easy does it,” she murmured. “That’s it, nice and steady.”

They continued on, picking their way carefully down the mountain, drawing closer to Old Ma Hinchcliffe’s place.

I don’t know how she’s going to react when she knows a lion was responsible for scaring Hercules. Dougray’s bear strained as he took another step while focusing on keeping close to his brothers.

Maybe she’s tucked up in bed and won’t know a thing about it, Dougray replied. He’d be glad when they were down off the mountain and the lion was safely stowed in the back of the truck.

So will I, his bear replied, as he took another careful step forward. The weight of the lion seemed to get heavier with every step, but Dougray would not stop until the shifter was safe.

I just hope that he makes it, Dougray said. For his sake and Tammy’s.

His bear glanced up at their mate. Yeah, she will not take it well if we lose him.

“I hear it,” Tammy called out with relief. “I hear the truck.” She patted the lion gently. “It’s going to be okay. You are going to be all right.”

As one, the bears quickened their pace slightly, their muscles straining with renewed effort.

They might be nearly off the mountain, but this night was nowhere near over.