Sticks and Stories - 1. The Wolf and Papa Bear

Starving, Papa Bear walked to the nearby diner. Ducking under the doorframe, he smelled the glorious combination of coffee and bacon. He needed the pick-me-up. Times were hard and living in the woods was undesirable, but the giant grizzly would be damned if he missed out on his Sunday tradition.

At first glance, the place was packed with all sorts of humans and magical creatures. Meeting the host, she said there would be a thirty-minute wait. Papa Bear's belly rumbled, causing a few nearby patrons to turn.

"Excuse me, miss," said a gray, bipedal wolf in the booth behind the host. "If the bear doesn't mind, he can sit with me."

Agreeing to the arrangement, Papa Bear hastily sat and asked the waitress for a soda. "Thanks a lot, stranger. You didn't have to do that."

The wolf grinned coyly. "Been there. What's a big bear like you doing here all by your lonesome?"

Papa Bear growled to himself. "Because I am lonesome. Going through a divorce. We had a break-in a while back, and it was this blonde kid. She came in, tore the place up, ate all of our porridge and shit." Leaning forward, Papa Bear gave the wolf a serious glare. "She even sat in my fuckin' chair."

The wolf deadpanned and whispered, "Dear God…"

Seeing a funny side to his new friend, Papa Bear laughed. "I guess from the outside lookin' in, it's pretty stupid. Mama brought the brat in, and I went along with it for a while. A decade later, my son starts liking this girl. Hell, she became a member of our family. I hate her guts, but I treated her like one of my own."

"And having your son and quasi-daughter dating messed you up?"

"Exactly! I mean, I get the argument, but that's—" Stopping himself, he sighed. "I stood my ground, and it was three against one. Scratch that, four. Even the therapist said I was out of my mind."

The wolf reclined in his seat. "Pretty sure therapists can't call you crazy. I think you're in the right. It's not exactly incest but that's what I'd call it. It's like foster siblings getting it on. And this happened under your roof?"

"Still is. I was kicked out. Been living in the woods since then."

"So, living the glamorous bachelor life? Leaves for TP? You should try out for the Charmin commercials. I'd like to see a real bear on screen instead of those red and blue weirdos."

Papa Bear was sipping his soda. It took everything in his power to prevent fizzy cola from spewing out of his nose. Swallowing, he fanned himself, earning a toothy smile from across the table. "Bachelor life isn't quite like I remember it from thirty years ago. I'm a paycheck away from nabbing an apartment."

"Dang, thirty years?"

"Yeah, right down the toilet. Well, as far as I'm concerned, it can get clogged with Charmin for all I care. It's a new day. I still get to see Baby Bear on the weekends, but it's no use. He's wrapped around Goldi's finger and doesn't want to hang with his old man anymore."

The wolf must have seen Papa Bear's sadness. A furry paw slapped the grizzly's arm. "I'm not a father, but you should be a little proud. Your boy's growing up. It might not be the one you wanted to be with him, but he's big enough to make decisions on his own, right?"

"But he's thinking with his dick."

"Yeah, but didn't we do that at his age? And look at us now, thinking with our stomachs."

"You're pretty wise for a wolf."

"Nah," the wolf responded as their food was set before them, "I've learned from my mistakes. I got on the right path after taking way too many long ones."

Eager to learn more about the creature, Papa Bear munched on a bacon strip as he leaned forward.

"Since you asked so kindly, I was a bad guy about fifteen years ago. Well, more like I was doing what wolves do. I ate enough people in my day."

"Like wolves do," Papa Bear said with his mouth full.

"One day, my actions came to bite me in the ass. Met this little girl, but I got cocky. She said she was heading to her grandmother's house."

The grizzly hummed. "Two-for-one special."

"Right. So I waited. Took a lap or two, and then napped on the roof. They left a bucket of sausages out by their lake, and I was stupid and hungry enough to go for it. Damn rocks were slippery and I fell in. Broke my back legs and everything.

"What got me was their kindness. They fished me out, bandaged my legs, and nursed me back to health. The grandmother even fed me cake."

Papa Bear could feel the emotions pouring off the wolf. "They saw something in you, bud. Probably the same guy that invited me to his table."

"Yeah. I owed it to those two. Changed my ways and everything. Red didn't live close, so every Monday I'd meet her and walk her to Granny's. Take her back when the sun set. After a few years, Granny wasn't doing too hot. I asked to watch over her."

"They let you? After trying to eat them?"

The wolf shrugged. "She was skin and bones. Not appetizing at all. Besides, I hadn't eaten anyone since the sausage bucket. My pride took a hit… More like a nail in the coffin."

"C'mon," Papa Bear pleaded, "it's not that bad."

The wolf raised an eyebrow. "Sure, there's elves, dwarfs, and talking animals, but since when do buckets of sausages just randomly appear?"

It was a struggle to keep himself from laughing. Shaking his head, Papa Bear admitted, "Don't tempt me with a good sausage."

"I'll give you a good sausage," the wolf mumbled as he scooped scrambled eggs into his maw.

"In your dreams. I'd be top dog, pup."

Both men stared at each other. Papa Bear saw the wolf in a new light. Far from a romantic interest, but it would be nice to let off some steam.

"You sure about that, Pops?"

Snorting, Papa poured more syrup on his pancakes, dousing them properly. "After twenty years of hearing Mama wanting to put that dwarf, Yjold, so far up her hoo-haw, I think I'm entitled to some fun."

"Still, you said you're going through the divorce."

"Man, Red and Granny did a moral number on you. Yes, divorce is going on, but it'll be finalized next week. I get Baby on the weekends, Mama gets the house, and all I have is a honey pot."

The wolf licked his lips. "I do like a good honey pot."

"So do I. Your place now, or my place in a week?"

The pair ate in a hurry. Papa dug for his wallet but saw the wolf's card hit the table. Once their bill was paid, he followed the swaying gray tail. "Name's Zeke, by the way."

Hopping in the gray-blue pick-up, the two enjoyed the rushing winds blowing through the open window. Watching Zeke's furs dance in many different ways, Papa Bear shifted in his seat. The wolf was gorgeous.

After driving through the woods, Zeke parked in front of a log cabin. "Here we are. It's not much, but it's what I was given."

"Given?"

"Granny left it to Red when she passed away last year. Red's set in the city so she told me to take care of the place. It's really peaceful out here. Plenty of woods to run around in. Lots of deer for when I get hungry."

Papa Bear admired the property. "Looks nice."

They walked in and the grizzly noticed the decor was based on a den. A few couches and a couple of large recliners. He growled to himself. They would be perfect for sitting in.

His hand was grabbed. Being led to the bedroom, there was no sign of a grandmother's presence. It was modern. An iron-framed king-sized bed commanded the room, and Papa Bear drooled over it.

The furs on the back of his neck tickled. He turned to Zeke. The wolf was at attention and his sack swayed as he got closer.

Papa Bear murmured, "What great balls you have."

Zeke smirked as he grazed the grizzly's hips. "The better to fuck you with, my dear."