Bear-(mxm rever series 2)

Bear 6

(Cheese would like to know if you would throw her toy for her lol cause I don't do it enough while writing, evidently.) 

It had been snowing solidly for the past week. Preparations for the coming winter had to be pushed into overdrive, taking away much needed hours of sleep. Ranger had thankfully returned to normal the evening they'd come back from dropping Marshall off, but he'd needed a few days to regain his strength after fighting back his inner beast. The horses and other livestock didn't trust him for a few more days after that, too, leaving Walker to handle most of their tasks. 

It was now two days before he'd promised to go back to the mountain, but the sudden cold weather was making him worry. If Marshall's instincts pushed him to seek shelter in a den instead of continue to try and forage, he might not show up, even if he knows he needs help. 

"You're spacing out again, bro," Ranger said as he walked up leading one of their older mares. The younger ones had access to the heated barn if they wanted to come in, but they never took a risk with their retired older horses. The one he was leading, Spring, was a little over twenty, though her exact age wasn't known since she was originally a rescue. 

She'd had quite a spring to her step when they'd purchased her away from a butchery, so the name had been pretty much settled from then on. Her coat was a dark dappled gray, giving her quite the look compared to most of their simple brown and black horses. She was also the only horse that would ever stand her ground against Ranger during the rare moments he was in his dangerous shift form. She'd also won each of those times, too. A well-placed kick to the face was a phenomenal deterrent, even for such an aggressive predator. 

Walker looked up at his twin and smiled tiredly. He really wasn't all there, and hadn't really been for most of the week. 

"Go back inside and eat something, Runner. I don't need you passing out on me," Ranger said as he nodded toward the house they shared. 

Not having the energy to argue, Walker set down the bag of feed he'd been holding for the past ten minutes and began trudging through the thin layer of snow still on the ground. He slipped inside the house as he shrugged off his coat, hanging it up by the door before heading for the kitchen. The entire house was wood, from the walls to the floors, right down to the kitchen cabinets. The counter was a dark granite, making it easier for two men who didn't like cleaning up small bits of crumbs or spills. 

Of course, they did clean, eventually, but with the winter fast approaching, things were definitely needing done. Shaking his head, Walker opened the refrigerator and took out a few large carrots. He honestly hadn't been very hungry the whole week, but he could never say no to crunchy food. While Ranger wouldn't touch most vegetables, Walker would gladly eat them raw and not bat an eyelash. 

He settled on the sofa, his mind already beginning to wander back to the bear out in the middle of the forest. I know he's waiting for me to come back. He'll settle down here... maybe even come to like our farm enough to want to stay.

You're dreaming really big there, bro. 

I saw you text that girl who dumped you after two days. The one who you swore would ask you to merry her within two weeks, Walker replied sarcastically. Did she text you back professing her love yet? 

He could feel his brother's annoyance through their bond but he remained silent until the front door opened about an hour and a half later. The guy was covered in mud up to his knees. His boots were completely brown and about to dump at least a pound of wet dirt and feces on the floor from the freshly mucked stalls. 

"Those boots are going outside," Walker said as he sat up, eying the disgusting footwear. 

His brother didn't mind the farmyard smell at all, but he drew the line at poop in the house. He could tell that Ranger wanted to mess with him about it, but thankfully he relented and nudged the boots off outside, then stepped in and shut the door.