What's Beyond the Trees?

Chapter 6 Poachers

Raine's POV

We haven't seen anything to indicate where the poachers are at and we are getting closer to the home base once again.. I feel like this has almost been a waste of time, if it wasn't for getting to know Dawn a little better plus getting some fresh air and exercise.. but these clothes are restricting and very hot to say the least, so I want to get back to base as soon as we can if possible.

The closer we get to home base the louder the river is of course, but we can hear talking and groaning coming from the distance as well, just muffled by the river. Dawn looks back at me as she takes out her taser, so I take out the tranquilizer gun. "You go to the right and I'll go to the left.. just keep me updated about what you see.. and if you're in trouble yell and I'll be there.. I'm close by. Just remember that." She says to me as I nod at her, letting out a deep breathe.

We separate and heading separate ways around the building that we call home base. I creep out looking at all the details, just wondering what that groaning sound is.. It sounds like something is in pain and it's getting louder as time goes on. I look across the way to see that two men with guns are inching closer to this bear that is groaning out in pain. I weave through the trees to get closer without being seen as I watch the poor bear struggling to breath. The maliciously victorious smirks on the men's faces does not go unnoticed by me.

The breath is taken straight from my lungs I wish I wouldn't have ever seen such a scene it's horrific and makes me want to cry just knowing there are beings out there that would do this to something else.. no matter what the reason is.

I'm way closer now as I point the gun straight at the men.. this gun looks legit so I'm hoping they will believe it is. I see the man with a gun pointing it straight at the bear's head, taking the air from my lungs as I struggled to get out a threatening warning. "Back away from the bear! NOW!" I yell getting their attention as they slowly put their hands up looking at me, then the gun. "Don't worry miss, we work.. nearby and saw this threat, and needed to take care of it.. but we will get it out of your way." One man states as he inches closer to the bear but so do I.

"Dont touch the bear! Back away! I WORK HERE and know you both broke in.. Now you need to leave before I make you leave.. My coworkers that are littered across this area are headed straight here because I informed them of what I just saw and they have called for back up!" I yell again with my lies because I'm great at lying, and have been doing it for almost half my life. I keep the gun pointed straight at them, making them back away as I step over the bear and in front of him.

I can hear the bears heavy breathing and whimpering in pain, making the anger build up inside of me at these men. "You shouldn't get close to the bear he will attack." One man warns me as I say with all the confidence I can muster up through clenched teeth. "He is not the monster that I'm worried about.. He is innocent and you hurt him.. I want to do to you, exactly what you just did to him.. but I am a woman of mercy, so if you leave now, I'll make sure to keep that in mind instead of ripping you apart."

"Calm down beautiful." The other man states as he tries to inch closer to me, but I don't falter, keeping my gaze locked with theirs as I cover the bear with my protection. "Back UP!" I yell in warning as the man puts his hands in the air, but inching forward as we hear off to the side. "The lady asked you to back up... can you not hear her or just disrespecting her orders?" Dawn asks as she jabs him in the side, tasers his neck and kicking him in the face to send him quickly to the ground making the man now standing alone, looking between the two of us then down to the bear.

"This is the last time I will give you a chance to leave WITHOUT the bear.. now GO!" I yell at him as he pulls his friend up and dragging him away, taking the out that I have given him. Dawn grabs her radio and reporting all of this as I instantly get down to the bear's side. "You poor thing." I say so softly as I hear a small warning growl coming from his chest, I'm sure he is so scared right now.

"Shhhh.. you're ok.. I know you can't understand me, but I won't hurt you.. I just want to help." I gently touch his face as I watch a peaceful look appear in his eyes before his eyes roll back letting the exhaustion take over. I can see and hear he is still breathing, but finally able to rest to try to recuperate.

I touch his side seeing there is a gun wound and maybe a stab wound, but I can't tell with all this fur. "We need to take him into home base.." I say to Dawn as she states right back. "He is a bear.. we can't take him into the house." I shake my head as I feel the tears brimming my eyes just looking at this poor bears defeated body.. This makes me think of my family I lost so I look up at her and say. "If we don't then he will die."

I watch her shrug her shoulders as she says, "We tried to get here to help but maybe that wasn't enough, but we don't have the equipment to take care of a bear, let alone restrain him when he comes back to reality and panicking." I huff out, not in defeat but with a dermination.. I won't let his bear die on my watch if I can help it. I grab him by his feet and dragging him across the rocks and towards the house. He is so incredibly heavy that I'm heaving trying to get as close as I can to the house and with the hill underneath us I might have a chance.

"Ray?! What are you doing?!" I hear Orion ask me from afar as I spat back as if it should be obvious. "Poachers tried to kill this bear and failed, so I'm going to try to save him." He runs to my side and taking my hands off of the bear as I fight his hold. "You can't do this Ray he could kill you!" He states as if I didn't already know this but of course I do, he is a bear and twice my size.

"I don't care, he still has a chance and I want to help him.. I can use my training that I took with that nursing program to hopefully help him survive.. but I'm not quitting until I try." I spat with the most determination I have ever felt inside of me. I don't know what it is about this bear but I feel like I have to try.

Orion knows me and knows I won't stop until I at least attempt this, so he grunts out, gaining my attention as he shakes his head. He goes to the other end of the bear and picking him up to help me.. but what surprises me is that everyone else decided to now help, slowly picking him up together.. or as much as we can because he is so heavy, then leading the way down the little hill that leads straight to the home base house.

It takes a lot of energy and struggling but we get to the outside of the house as we hear a yelling in the distance.

It's Shayne running down to us with a shocked look on his face. "What are you guys doing?!" He asks as I roll my eyes and explain as best as I can. "The poachers hurt this bear and I want to help him, but if I don't help him now then he will die.. But with my nurse training I think I can help him."

He looks back and forth between all of our faces as he states, "you are all helping her?" They nod but no one says anything outright. "You can't bring him into the house I will not allow that.. He would be a danger and three of us live here.." He says as I feel the color draining from my face because I really wanted a chance to try to help him. He sees this as he groans out and rolling his eyes before adding, "But you can take him to the storage shed."

I let out the breath I never knew I was holding in before he waves for us to follow him around home base and to the storage shed besides it. He unlocks it and cleans it up on the floor trying to give us as much room as possible as we struggle to carry this heavy animal across the way. My arms are burning as it get's harder to breathe from using every last bit of my strength today. We get to the storage shed finally, before putting him to the ground abruptly, but as slowly as we could.. he is just too heavy.

"We don't have anything to restrain him except some ropes." Shayne states to me, causing me to shake my head as I look up at him and say. "I don't feel threatened, I just want to help and with him being out here, it will be easier for him to rejoin the forest animals if he gets scared and wants to run.. I think it would scare him more to restrain him.. I just need the first aid kits and water to clean off this wound.. Maybe some towels if I can."

They nod at me as Shayne and Orion say almost at the same time. "I'll stay and help." I shake my head and state, "there is barely any room in here for me with this big bear for one thing and for another reason, is because this was my idea to bring him here, so if anyone get's hurt I would prefer it was just me.. I don't want to have the guilt of anyone else getting hurt because of what I chose to do.. So no thank you.. I just need those supplies if you can grab them for me and I will try to position him as best as I can to do this.. I think he might have a stab wound and a gun shot and maybe more." I explain as they both look torn by my statement but don't object one bit as Shayne walks off and inside the house to grab the first aid equipment... Luckily, we have a lot of stuff since we are farther out in the wilderness and have more chances of things happening that need to be taken care of right there right then.

I swallow the very big nervous lump in my throat that feels almost caught. I can hear the bear's heavy breathing as I touch over his thick fur, petting him to try to comfort both of us I think. It's kind of working as I hear the footsteps approaching with Shawn and Orion carrying multiple items for me to work with.

"Thank you both. I appreciate this.. And can you please tell everyone else thank you for helping me to get him here.. I will be staying out here probably all the rest of the day and into the night to try to make sure I can help him as much as I possibly can.. I will come inside when I'm hungry so please don't bring food out here, because I don't want to wake him up and hungry... and then only seeing me.. I don't want to be a meal if I don't have to be." I say playfully to them as they both reluctantly nod with me. "I will be back to check up on you either way, whether you like it or not sis." Orion states as I send him a small smile and nod in understanding.

"Let me know if you need anything and good luck." Shayne states to me as I nod back at him as well. They slowly turn around and start talking back and forth between each other on their walk back to the place.