Wolf Camp (Bear Naked 2)

Chapter Four, part 2

"So who do you think they will send?" Erica asked. She was laying on her bed and throwing a rubber ball at the ceiling, catching it as it came down.

"I don't know," Connor said.

"I still say, it will be Leah, mark my words," Tanner said.

"But if it's not?" Brianna asked.

"Then it's not," Connor replied irritably. This was a common conversation over the last few days and Amanda could tell he was losing his patience. "It doesn't matter. We are not going to break truce no matter who it is."

"I know," Erica persisted. "It's just, well I was thinking about this the other day. What if it's a trick?"

"What's a trick?" Connor asked.

"The whole thing. What if it's a way to get someone into the camp to kill Amanda," Erica said.

"That's daft," Jonathan said. "They'd be torn apart the second they tried something."

"Yeah, but just think about it. According to everything we've been told, they treat it like some sort of religious duty to wipe out the bear clan. So what if it's like, a suicide mission or something?"

Everyone paused while they took in that idea.

"No," Connor said. "That's not going to happen. Because we are all going to stay with Amanda the entire time whoever is in the camp. There will be no letting her out of our sight. If they try anything Jonathan will be right, they'll be torn apart. Before anything happens, by one of us."

Bye bye any chance for privacy for the next couple of weeks.

"Here is the other thing that bothers me," Erica said slowly, "Arthur."

Amanda glanced from the book she was reading towards Erica and then Jonathan. She had wished that Arthur's part in this had been kept quiet, for Jonathan's sake, but it had been Arthur who had spoken on the behalf of Garmenson's at the council and everyone knew.

"What does he think he's doing, helping them?" Erica went on angrily. "Especially now that he knows what they are like."

"They are a powerful tribe," Jonathan countered, "and the ones that he is dealing with aren't the same as the ones who attacked us."

"Brothers," Tanner said, "that's pretty close."

"Are you responsible for everything your brother does?" Jonathan asked sharply. "Besides he just wants the tribe to be strong."

"The apple doesn't fall far from the tree," Erica muttered.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" Jonathan groused.

"Nothing," Erica muttered again.

Jonathan rolled over and stood. He glared at Erica. "In case you haven't noticed," he shouted. "I am not my father's favorite person anymore. And I don't see why I have to answer for his actions." With that, he turned and stormed out.