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Eyes ablaze, a bear ca under claw In the light of a crackling campfire its shadow flickered upon the trunks of conifers Breath swirled about its snout before rising into the night Fast asleep, Maistoinna (My-stween-a) Standing Bear was oblivious of the ursine's presence - or maybe he wasn't Either way, he turned his back on the bear

Maistoinna wasn't concerned about a bear invading his ca in Bear Country and took precautions The Blackfoot Indian was fond of saying: "If a bear's crazy enough to slash his way intofor hi instead to sleep under the stars

The cinnaash upon its shoulder Around the wound dried blood ht pause to paw at this rock or that,a tasty treat This bear seemed different; slowly, deliberately, heBlackfoot, the bear paused, studying his quarry as its steamy breath belched skyward

When Maistoinna rolled onto his back, the bear pounced With a priiant paw, startling him fro over the treetops

The bear pinned Maistoinna and lowered its snout "Shut up!" the bear growled, engulfing Maistoinna with putrid breath "Sweeny, Shut up! It's me," the bear shook Maistoinna's shoulders

Terror filled Maistoinna's eyes as he struggled to free his arht

"Calnition settling him

"Sorry to scare you, et your attention," the bear said

"It's happening again," it warned "Do so Don't let another Eagle fall"

Maistoinna aith a start, his heart pounding Next to hiloeakly "A dream, only a dream," Maistoinnathe tree line Far fro the Appalachian Trail in northeastern Pennsylvania, in thethe two thousand- bag For the first time in his adult life, he didn't feel at home in nature He suddenly feared the dark and what lurked within; he wished to be in a motel roo this week's million-dollar movie