Page 54 of Finding His Fox

Reluctantly, I took the leaf from his small hand. What was I supposed to do with it?

“C’mon,” Mitchell urged, gesturing for me to follow him.

I trailed behind the kid as he led me to a cluster of nearby bushes. He squatted down, flipping through some kind of guidebook.

“Is this poison ivy?” Mitchell asked, pointing at a particular plant.

I leaned in, examining the foliage. “No, that’s a Virginia creeper,” I said, recalling a lesson from what felt like a lifetime ago.

“See? it has five leaflets. Poison ivy usually has three, but there are other ways to tell them apart.” I then explained how to differentiate the two to Mitchell.

Did Rory teach me that? No, it was my dad, Donnie.

In that moment, a pang of realization hit me. I had let the painful memories overshadow the positive ones far too often.

My dad, Donnie, had been a good father too.

“Okay, thanks!” Mitchell exclaimed, plucking a leaf and carefully tucking it into his guidebook.

That wasn’t too bad, I thought.

I rose to my feet and saw Cal looking at me, a smile on his face. He turned back to the group of kids seated around him in a circle.

I walked over, curious about what Cal was teaching them.

“Remember, when you come face-to-face with a wild animal, like a bear or a wolf, what’s the most important thing to remember?” he asked them.

Without hesitation, the kids said in unison, ”To stay calm and maintain our distance!”

Cal nodded. “And what do you think comes next? Any guesses?” he asked.

His gaze locked with mine, a mischievous glint in his eyes. Swept up in the moment, I knew exactly what he had in mind, so I decided to go along with it.

“Well,” I began, a hint of excitement in my voice, “after staying calm and maintaining your distance, the next step is to unleash your inner beast!”

“That’s right,” he said, nodding at me. He continued, “If you encounter a wild animal, it’s important to assert your presence. Show confidence. Raise your arms, stand tall and look formidable!”

Cal lifter his arms, playfully mimicking the motion of claws. The kids burst into giggles, and I couldn't help but smile.

After the laughter subsided, Cal added, “But remember everyone. Your safety comes first. If you ever come across a wild animal, it's important to find the nearest adult immediately.”

Wanting to capture the scene, I reached for my camera. After a series of candid shots, I found a bench nearby and sat down.

Eagerly, I looked through the photos I had taken, a smile tugging at the corners of my lips.

The one where Cal was puffing up his chest, trying to look big, was my favorite.

“Nate?” a familiar voice called out.

I looked up to find Cliff standing in front of me, dressed in the same outfit as Cal.

He was carrying a bunch of long sticks, presumably for the next activity with the kids.

“Cliff! So you’re here at the camp too, huh?” I asked, surprised.

“Yeah. I’m volunteering. Just wanted to contribute something to the pack. So you’re here to take some pictures, huh?” Cliff asked, looking at my camera.

“Got anything good?” Cliff joined me on the bench.