Billy, an Owl, and a Bear

Billy and his best friend, Tommy Little Bear, had planned two weeks of hunting in the wilds of the Mystic Mountains. An avalanche separates the boys and Billy finds himself lost and alone with only a few essentials and no wilderness experience. A small barred owl leads him to a remote hunting camp where they are joined by a young bear. The animals have much to teach and Billy has much to learn. His animal friends join him in facing off a cougar and fending off the wolves, but where are they when the blizzard of the century hits and the cabin becomes encased by snow? Billy runs out of wood and food and.... This delightful story begins when Billy is introduced to a First Nations family named Dubois, members of the Bear Clan. They make him one of their own and teach him many of the old ways. It ends as Billy recalls the words of Grandmother Dubois during a smudging ceremony.

If you enjoy the wilderness, you'll enjoy the hunting and fishing techniques that Billy learns. You'll also have a better appreciation of our furry friends and feathered neighbors.

(Novelette - 119 pages 16,500 words)