Free Beneath a Winter Moon by Shawson M Hebert

remembered and were going be sure to tell you.”
    There was a moment of silence, and then Steven asked, “Would it have made a difference? Does it make one now? We can turn around, you guys. This was not about money for us as much as it was having some company as we chart some of the northern section thoroughly…and besides, Del practically begged. It wouldn’t surprise me to find out that he was on his knees when he talked to me on the phone. He is really convincing you know…he really wants this hunt.”
    Thomas looked at Daniel. Daniel cocked his head and shrugged a shoulder. They both knew that, for Delmar, these revelations would not matter in the slightest.
    “No,” Daniel said, “We don’t want to turn around. It’s okay.”
    Thomas stroked Jack’s thick fur. A chill ran down his spine as he imagined two men being surprised by one of the huge Grizzlies…maybe even a pair of them. “So—they never found the bear? No more attacks?”
    Steven shook his head, “No. They could not find a trail, and no, there hasn’t been another attack anywhere, much less up in that section.”
    Through it all, Delmar snored.

CHAPTER TWO
     
    Turbulence began to rock the aircraft about an hour later. The sudden, violent jerking of the aircraft woke Daniel and Delmar just as it prevented Thomas from dozing off. Jack buried his head in Thomas’s lap in protest as Thomas looked out his window. Outside there was a white-out. The snow was so thick that Thomas could not see anything. The helicopter rocked and rolled…and Thomas felt ill.
    Delmar grinned at Thomas when he saw the worried look on his face. He shook his head and shouted over the whir of the rotors that there was nothing to worry about. Thomas saw that his friend had not yet donned a helmet, so he pointed behind the big man and motioned for him to put one on. Delmar rolled his eyes but obliged Thomas and strapped on the helmet. He poked Daniel in the arm and then pointed to Thomas and Jack. He grinned again at Thomas, then folded his arms and closed his eyes once more.
    “We are over the lake, now,” Jenny said, “The winds are bad so keep yourselves strapped in. Be mindful of the E-Raft.”
    Thomas could have gone his entire life without that last statement. The thought of crashing into the icy water and trying to get the life raft to inflate made him feel even more ill.
    Steven’s voice blasted over the intercom as he radioed the cabin. “Crazy Horse one to Southern Base. Come in Kyle. How do you read, over?” He was radioing Kyle Ross, who was taking care of the cabin. He had agreed to stay there after they got the horses on site. Thomas knew Kyle and liked him, although he did believe the younger man was a bit immature.
    There was static and then, “…Kyle. I read garbled …how far…”
    “Roger Kyle, you read my signal as garbled. We are twelve minutes from the LZ, copy?”
    “Twelve minutes out, copy,” Kyle replied through static.
    “Have you taken a wind reading, Kyle?” It was Jenny’s voice.
    “Roger, wind reading about fifteen minutes ago. Gusting in….red. Copy?”
    “Copy”
    “We’ve got near white out conditions, Steven,” Kyle said. “…to abort.”
    “Roger, Kyle, I copy. I want to get closer to the LZ before making the call. Copy?”
    “Roger. Also, weather conditions at the northern LZ appear to be better. The storm … through there already. Copy?”
    “Roger Kyle. Weather at Northern pad is good.”
    “Roger.”
    “Will check back in seven minutes, copy?”
    “Seven … copy.”
    The aircraft bucked and rolled as if in battle. Thomas hated this and he tightly closed his eyes and held onto Jack. Daniel reached over and gripped his friend’s shoulder to help reassure him. It helped, but Thomas kept his eyes shut.
    Steven did not like the situation but knew that it would be far worse to attempt to make it back to the airfield. They would have to fight this all the way back and although he felt his fuel would hold, he