Chapter 10 #2
“They’re just kids.” Buck shifted his weight from foot to foot; unfolded his arms, then recrossed them the other way. “You’ll be fine.”
He was fidgeting , she realized with a start. She didn’t think it could be due to sudden cold feet. Yesterday, he’d been nothing but totally confident in her ability to pull this off.
Now, however, he didn’t seem to know what to do with his hands. Despite the gray exhaustion in his face, there was a drawn tension to his body. He looked more like a soldier bracing himself for battle than a counselor ready to welcome a group of campers.
“Buck.” She moved closer, so that they were side by side. “Are you nervous?”
“Me?” His biceps stood out like boulders. “Of course not.”
“Well, you look nervous.”
“Good.” He let out a huff of breath, not quite a laugh. “Because I’m actually motherloving terrified.”
“Hey.” Touched by the admission, she bumped her elbow against his. He twitched as though at an electric shock. “Like you said, they’re just kids.”
He shot her a wry look. “That’s why I’m terrified.”
And the campers poured in.
They came in a dense, surging mass, laughing and yelling and running. Honey glimpsed Leonie darting around at the back of the crowd, herding the kids along.
“Remember your number!” the head counselor called, lifting her voice over the din. “Go to the sign with your number!”
“Three! Three!” a young boy shrieked as the crowd broke apart. He spun round and round, frantic gaze sweeping straight past them. “Where’s three? I can’t find three!”
Honey stepped forward, waving to catch his eye. “Over here!”
The boy’s face lit up. He pelted straight for her at top speed, shirt flapping.
Just as he reached the dining hall, he tripped. Honey instinctively lunged to catch him—and found herself with an armful of fur.
She sat down hard, barely feeling the impact of her butt hitting dirt. The warm, heavy bundle of clothes wriggled on her lap. A wet black nose and stubby muzzle poked out from the twisted t-shirt, followed by big dark eyes and two round, fuzzy ears.
“Oh my goodness,” she breathed. She touched the soft brown fur, still scarcely able to believe the evidence of her own senses. “You’re a bear. An actual bear.”
The actual bear seemed pleased by her powers of observation. He puffed out his chest proudly, holding out his front paws as though inviting her to admire them.
“Look at you.” Lost in wonder, Honey ran her fingers over the rough pads and long, curving claws. “Oh, just look at you!”
“You aren’t supposed to shift,” Beth said primly from somewhere behind her. “Not unless it’s free time, or an adult says it’s okay. You’re breaking camp rules.”
The bear cub stuck a small, pink tongue out at her.
“None of that sass,” Buck growled. Reaching down, he grabbed hold of the bear by the scruff of the neck. “Get off your counselor. You can’t go around pouncing on people.”
“I didn’t mind,” Honey whispered in one round ear. Giving the cub a last hug, she reluctantly let Buck haul him off. “But I think you’d better transform back now. Otherwise, you won’t be able to tell me your name.”
The air around the cub shimmered. An instant later, a small boy dangled from Buck’s hand, hair mussed and clothes askew.
“I’m Archie!” the boy announced, beaming from ear-to-ear. “And I’m a BEAR!”
“So we gathered.” Buck lowered his arm, dropping the boy back to his feet. “At least you aren’t bare. Go find your shoes, kid.”
“I’ll help,” Finley said, coming forward. He scooped up a discarded sock, handing it to Archie. “Hello, I’m Finley. I think I can see one of your shoes over there.”
Pulling up his shorts, Archie trotted after the other boy.
Looking round, Honey discovered that a few more children had already joined their group, much less dramatically.
A dark-haired girl was carefully printing her name on a sticker under Beth’s direction.
Another girl with an illegible name tag haphazardly stuck to her t-shirt was talking a mile a minute with—or more accurately, at—Rufus and Estelle.
Honey got to her feet, brushing off the seat of her shorts. “So far so good,” she murmured to Buck.
“For a certain value of good that includes being flattened by an unexpected bear,” he muttered back. “And you were lucky he didn’t turn out to be something a whole lot bigger. Next time, dodge.”
Leonie’s whistle sounded again, making all heads turn in her direction.
“Okay, packs! Hopefully you’ve all found each other by now.
Any stragglers, come see me and I’ll get you sorted out.
Now, I’m sure you’re all hungry after your journey.
Counselors, if you’ve got everyone, lead your packs over to the dining hall. It’s snack time!”
An enthusiastic cheer met this announcement. Counselors started herding their campers across the square, lining up to file into the hall. Honey scanned their own group, performing a quick head count.
“I think that’s everyone,” she said to Buck. “Shall we—”
A muffled boom like a distant thunderclap interrupted her. Something swept overhead, blocking out the sun. Honey looked up, and her jaw dropped.
It was a dragon.
Its scales were bright gold, glittering like polished coins.
From nose to tail tip, it must have been at least the length of two school buses parked end to end.
As it swept round in a tight circle, the wind from its wings blew grit into Honey’s eyes.
She would have put up a hand to shield them, but she was too busy gawping.
Buck’s hand closed on her elbow, hard enough to make her start.
“Shut your mouth,” he muttered. He raised his voice, directing his words at their campers, who were also staring up at the dragon with avid interest. “You all look like frogs on a log. Put your eyes back in your heads. It’s just a dragon.”
“I’ve never seen a real dragon shifter before,” Archie breathed.
“Lucky you. Wish I could say the same.” Buck herded the kids together like a cranky sheepdog with a particularly stupid flock. “Come on, into a line now or the other kids will grab all the good snacks. Follow Honey and she’ll lead you to your table.”
Honey started to step toward the kids, but Buck’s fingers tightened on her arm. He held her back, stooping a little to put his mouth right by her ear.
“Get ‘em inside as fast as you can,” he said in an undertone. “And whatever you do, stay out of sight until that thing’s gone.”
“What?” Honey pulled back to look into his face, startled. “Why?”
“Because I’ve got a horrible feeling that’s not just any dragon.” His jaw was set in a tight line. All his weariness had vanished, replaced with a hard, dangerous focus. “And if it’s who I think it is, we can not let him see you.”