Áskell scoured the riverside as he looked for the hazel bush he'd found before. He and Gossamer had decided that they were going to make spears this time and then try and stab a fish with what they made. His father was resting up in the shaded trees that grew along the bank. While he looked for a good stick to use. He soon found the hazel bush he'd see the last time he was at the river and there was a branch hanging part way off the tree so he walked over to it and chewed on it until it was free. Once that was done he moved back along the river bank to a clearing where they could work. Kári had also told him that there were a bunch of fish here they could target.

Gossamer trotted along the river with Ásta and Natha in tow. The cat eventually went off to hunt leaving the canine duo to find Áskell. Gossy couldn't wait. She had a secret weapon and Ásta was going to help her make it. She'd show that boy once and for all!

Gossamer arrived and set the stick down that she planned to use for her spear. "Hey Áskell, ready to lose?" She grinned and looked to Ásta. "Remove all the extra branches and leaves, right?" The fox nodded. That was going to be the easy part and then it would get more complicated from there. Gossamer set the branch between her paws and got to work, placing herself so her back was to the boy so it would be harder to spy on what she was doing. While she worked Ásta got a fire going.

Áskell set the branch between his paws and started to chew off the extra branches and leaves so that he would have a clean, straight stick to sharpen into a basic spear. He seized one particularly tough brach and tugged for a moment before working his teeth all the way to the bottom and chewing it off. He felt that doing a flexible and straight forward spear would be the best for fish. Soon Gossamer arrived and he let out a fake laugh at her comment. "Prepare to get knocked down a peg, princess." He'd show her. Sometimes the simplest solution was the best. Áskell focused more on what he was doing than he had in a long time. He really needed the spear to be smooth so it moved well.

The competition was on but it only pushed Gossamer to work harder and focus on what she was doing. She soon had a straight stick to put to use. She looked to Ásta who leaned in to whisper the next set of instructions. "Ok, use your teeth to make a notch in one end of the spear, that's where we'll put the bone spearhead you made." Gossamer nodded. This was going to be so cool. She shifted the stick between her paws so she could work her canine's down into the end to cut a notch into the spear. She moved carefully as she didn't want to chew a chunk off or do something goofy and ruin the whole project right from the start. True, she could get another stick but she wanted this one.

Áskell picked up the spear in his jaws and sauntered over to a large rock. He carefully repositioned the spear in his mouth so that his jaws were closer to the tip he wanted to sharpen for better leverage. He eyed the rock for a moment then started rubbing the end of the spear against the rock as he worked to make a sharpened point. It took some doing but with a little persistence he soon had a basic spear. "Ok, I'm done and waiting!" He picked up his spear and moved to the water's edge just to show Gossamer how much quicker his spear came together than whatever she was making. He started scouting for fish, figuring he may as well get a head start.

"Ok, now we'll put some of the heated pine pitch in the notch and add in the spearhead to help glue it together." Gossamer nodded and leaned the spear against a larger rock so that the end stuck up. She moved to the travois and unwrapped her stick of pine pitch. Taking it in her jaws she trotted over to the fire and warmed it to the point that it was sticky and starting to ooze. She took the pine pitch back over to the end of the spear and lightly pressed the pine pitch into the notch. She then set the pine pitch down and picked up the bone spearhead she had made. She carefully pressed the back end of the spearhead into the notch, using one of her paws to hold the spear steady. She held the spearhead into the spear until the pine pitch dried enough so that the spearhead wouldn't move out of place.

"Hey, don't get started without me, that's cheating!"

Áskell watched the fish as they swam by, trying to get a feel for the speed and motion of their movement. He chuckled at Gossamer. "We never agreed to wait til we were both done, if you want to spend all your time on something fancy that's fine but I'm going to get a fish." Áskell picked up his spear in his jaws and ambled to the riverside. He stood sideways with the river and aimed his spear. Just as he was about to throw it he heard something big moving in the bushes and brush behind him. Áskell's head whipped around in time to see a grizzly bear plod out of the bushes toward the river side. It fixed it's gaze on the pup and Áskell swore he could see it drooling.

Gossamer's tail twitched as she waited for the pine pitch to dry. If she tried using her spear too early then it could fall apart but she also didn't want that smelling little boy getting ahead of her so quickly. She heard something moving and as she turned around to see what Áskell was doing now she felt her stomach leap into her throat at the sight of the bear. Oh no, not another one of those things. Gossamer was frozen to the spot. Ásta came up beside her and spoke in a low voice. "Ok you two, back away slowly and do not make eye contact with the bear." Gossamer gulped and nodded. Her fur was standing on end, ears pinned as she slowly started to back away from the massive creature.

Gossamer's movement caught the bear's attention and it leapt toward her. On instinct Áskell whipped his head to the side and his spear poked the bear right in the butt. It wasn't enough to break skin but it was enough to get the bear's attention. It whipped around and swung its paw at Áskell, knocking the spear right out of his jaws and jarring his teeth. He didn't know what to do with the bear, well, bearing down on him so he screamed for his father. He tried to make his legs move but he felt glued to the spot. The bear's jaws dove toward him but failed to connect as Kári, the magpie, swooped in and began pecking violently at the bear's face. It roared and stepped back as it tried to swat the bird away.

Gossamer shrieked as the bear started to lunge for her but instead it whipped around and went for the boy who had poked it in the butt. Gossamer immediately grabbed her own spear and twisted her head as sharply as she could so that the point of her spear jabbed the bear's rear as well while the boy's magpie harassed it. Ásta also joined the fray. The fox leapt onto the bear's back, her graceful head snaking forward and latching onto an ear. The bear thrashed and twisted sending the fox flying. Gossamer steading her grip on her spear then charged, seeking to ram the spear into the inside of the bear's thigh where the skin was thinner. This time she drew blood and while it was only a scratch it was enough to draw the bear's attention to her. Uh oh.

"Run! Both of you!" Heeding her companion she dropped her spear and ran while Ásta and Kári continued their assault to distract the bear.

Áskell let out a cheer as Kári dove at the bear's face. Now that was a brave bird. Gossamer's companion also started to fight and as the bear turned around to go after Gossamer, Áskell bit onto the back of one of the bear's ankles. It's hide was thick and tough but he managed to draw blood. Then things got more serious and he heard the fox call out for them to run. Áskell nodded let go and started running. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his farther charge at the bear and the girls body guard came in as well. He wanted to see the fight but he also wanted to get out of harm's way. As he ran with the girl he looked to her. "Truce?"

Gossamer turned and ran when Ásta ordered her to. She'd see a bear before, she'd seen what it could do and now she knew better than to stick around. Besides, Natha was on the seen and she knew the feline had a long history of battling bears of all shapes and sizes and the boys father was there to. The grown ups would take care of it. She bounded through the brush and away from the river, slowing to a stop as Áskell did. She sat down panting, listening to the sounds of battle in the distance. When he looked to her and spoke she nodded and offered a weak smile. "Yea, truce." They'd both put their spears to good use today. They both won.