Second Lieutenant Avonaco (Bear) Black Feather was a reserve Army Ranger, and Deputy Sheriff. Recently returned from a mission gone bad (where he lost the use of his legs), he stays on the 3B Ranch while his physical wounds heal. Now Honorably Disch...
**** "It's a good one an' he's dug inta da mud real good ," he said as he began to pull the line in. "Git de gun ready, Gwyny."
"Ya jus' bring 'im up an' don' lose a hand ta 'im. I'll take care o' da shot." She growled still smarting at the thought of cleaning her uncles bigger boat.
Suddenly, a huge gator charged up out of the water and bit the side of the boat, barely missing Gwyn's leg.
"Holy cow! Watch out, Gwyn!" Nico yelled as she jumped back.
"He's missin' an eye and a front foot!" She exclaimed regainimg her balance.
"You two can't be thinking of actually bringing that thing in! It's head alone is nearly as big as Gwyn!"
"Oh, heck yeah!" Nico said as he fought the Bohemith that rocked the boat time and time again.
"I t'ink dis is Ole One Eye. He been causin trouble wit dat li'le swimmin' hole down yonda dat de kids have been complainin' about. Took one kid's dog right in front of him."
The gator charged out of the water and bit at Gwyn again but got the rifle instead. Bear pulled her behind him, out of the way and wrestled the rifle away from the Bohemith and handed it to Nico. He took the line from the other man with determination in his face.
"Dis ends here, he is not traumatizing any more children." The big man gritted. The gator churned the water and continued to charge and bite the boat. Bear's muscles bulged as he fought to get the monster in the right position for a kill shot. Just as it lunged out of the water and bit at Bear's leg, Nico fired the rifle only to have it misfire.
"Damn!" He yelled, "De gator must of....."
'Bang,' Gwyn fired a hand gun hitting the quarter sized spot on the back of the gator's head.
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Both men watched the gator sink back into the water and all was quiet. Stunned, both men gaped at Gwyn who stared them down, struck a pose and blew dramatically on the end of the barrel, eyebrows raised.
Nico was torn between being glad the fight was over and irritated that the kill shot hadn't been his. Bear began to grin, laugh and threw his head back to give a victory cry that had been used by his people in many years past.
He grinned at Nico, "Guess you can thank my lady for not having to clean your uncle's boat." He said smugly looking at her with pride.
"Now comes de real hard part. Gettin' 'im inta de boat." Nico piped in still smarting at not having made the final shot. "Gwyn, help me wit' de wench."
Bear looked down in the water. "That monster is longer than the boat! You really think we can haul it in without sinkin'?"
Both brother and sister looked at each other and laughed.
"We've done it befo', Bear man. A lot o' people use wenches now specially if dey hunt alone." She said, "We fasten chains ta da head 'n tail an' da wench bring 'im up on de' boat an' de rest is history."
Bear was amazed at how well the wench brought the gator out of the water and onto the boat. He particularly enjoyed seeing the look on various hunters faces as they traversed the swamp waters. Knowing that his tiny, delicate fiancé helped in harvesting an animal that was a menace to the community at large made his heart swell with pride.
Jasper strutted over to the boat when Nico drove into the facility parking lot. All gators had to be brought in, measured and tags recorded.
"Well, well, well. You all ready ta admit defeat an' schedule de cleanin' o' ma boat?" The older man asked, looking from his niece to nephew. "Sorry ya got roped inta dis, Mr. Bear."
The three grinned at each other and pulled the large tarp off the mammoth reptile. Jasper's smile began to slip from his face as more and more of the gigantic creature was uncovered.
Uncle Jasper closed his eyes as the gator measured in at fourteen feet and three inches, besting his by two inches. He bowed to his niece and nephew and took the defeat with a promise to turn the tables on them next year.
"You can turn the tables in Nico all you want next year. Just count Gwyn out on that one." Bear ordered as he hugged her close and kissed her forhead.
"I'll teach you to hunt animals that live on the ground. There are plenty of elk, deer and mountain goat on the ranch lands. Beau likes to keep the herds healthy with regulated hunts. I'll take you on an elk hunt. The meat is unbeatable and they don't he try to bite your leg off."
