I tried my best to not run at the bear and get Sarah to safety. I slowly turned and when the bear was out of sight I quietly ran into the house.

"Sophie! Jake! James!" I called through the house, "Hurry up, it's an emergency!"

I heard three pairs of footsteps rush down the stairs and into the living room.

"What's wrong Emily?" James asked, a little out of breath but not quite.

"It's Sarah! There's a bear out back!" I pointed to the door.

"A BEAR!?" Sophie gasped with a look of terror on her face.

Jake ran upstairs and returned with four long sword like knifes we have had for a while.

Everyone took one and we went outside. I avoided stepping on and breaking brittle twigs that littered the ground as we went to the side of the house. It was a big bear too. An adult male if I had to guess. It had long, yellow, snapping teeth. It's pelt was not in bad shape and could be used as a rug or something IF we were successful.

"Jake, Sophie, go to the other side of the house," James ordered.

The two nodded and ran around the corner. Since when did James order MY siblings around, that was my job! I had not time to argue with myself about this, Sarah needed help.

"It is going to attack any second now", James whispered in my ear and inched forward.

I held my knife at the ready. I caught Jake's eyes on the other side of the house and nodded to him. He nodded back then him and Sophie held up their long knives and stabbed the bear. Me and James bolted forward.

"Sarah! Get inside!" I yelled to her over the bear's roar of anger and distress.

Sarah met my gaze wit fear in her eyes. She turned and bolted to the front of the house. James was already helping Jake and Sophie fight. I rushed in and help control it.

"Should we try and drive it back in the forest?" Sophie yelled to me.

"It will just keep coming back if it's starving and has no choice, I think we have to kill it", Jake shouted back.

I hated to have to agree with him, but Jake was right. The bear would only return to stock up on food before hibernation. Snow was on the way. I could feel it in the cold air. Then, i saw one.  a little white snowflake drift to the ground. I heard a roar and then snapped back to reality. I had lost focus. Even though it was for only a second, that is enough time to get you killed.

"Emily! Watch out!" James's shout warned and then i felt long claws slash at my arms and i was thrown back.

I looked at me arm, i saw a long scratch mark from where the bear's claws had impacted the skin. I gripped my arm, the wound was on m upper arm and hurt like heck! I squinted my eyes and took in a deep breath. I heard a really loud roar then it stopped. I heard a thump  and then Sophie, James, and Jake ran to my side.

"Emily! Emily!" I felt James struggling to help me up off the ground.

I moaned in response and blinked open my eyes that desperately wanted to close and never open again.

"We have to get her inside!" James said with fear controlling his voice.

I only saw Jake helping James pick me up and Sophie, frozen in fear.

"Sophie! Snap out of it!" Jake shook her shoulders.

I heard Sophie gasp and she gave a sob.

"Crying won't help", Jake said calmly.

"Ok", Sophie said as she tried as she pulled herself together.

"Oh, Emily!" Sophie whimpered and bent down and brushed the hair off my face.

I closed my eyes and let my head lay back. I felt someone pick me up and start to carry me in the house. I heard Sarah run out crying.

"This is all my fault! If I hadn't went out back", she broke off sobbing.

"Sarah, that won't help her right now, but you healing talents can", Jake said and I heard him open the door.

I felt the warm cabin air rush over me and I felt a little more comfortable. I blinked my eyes open one last time and saw that James was laying me down on the floor. He gently laid my head down on one of the pillows from the couch.

I heard Sarah take in a deep breath. She must be getting ready to treat me.

I heard footsteps go upstairs.

"Will she be ok?" I heard James ask Sarah.

Sarah didn't respond but Jake did.

"I'm sure she will be fine", Jake said reassuringly.

I couldn't hear Sophie so I guess she went upstairs, it must have been to hard on her, seeing me in this state, could I really blame her? She did help fight the bear.

"I'll go and take care of the bear's body", I heard Jake pat Jame's shoulder, "you staying here?"

"Yeah, I can help Sarah", James sighed and I felt his gaze landing on my weak body.

I flinched as I felt a wet cloth on my wound. It was a mixed feeling of relief and a sharp stab of pain. It will help, it is worth the pain.

"You'll be ok, you'll be ok", Sarah's words were not only soothing and convincing me, but herself.

I heard James shift on the couch and I felt him kneel down on my other side.

"This is all my fault", Sarah muttered as she held the cloth in place.

"Sarah, for the last time, it's not your fault. You didn't know the bear was out there,", James said with confidence.

It was at this point I felt my tiredness take over. No matter how much I wished to stay awake and listen to there conversation, I was thrown into a clan sleep which I hoped I would wake from.

I woke up. I didn't know how long I had slept, or if I was in fact alive. I tried to reach out my senses to my surroundings. I felt the soft sheets of my bed beneath my hands. I could feel, I was alive. I could hear the wind outside the window and someone across the room. I heard myself breathing gently and steadily. Also, there was a dull pain in my upper arm. The bear bite! Wait, I was downstairs, how did I end up back upstairs.

I blinked open my eyes and saw James, his brown hair was a mess and he was sleeping. He was sitting in chair next to me bed. His head rested on his arm which rested on the night stand.

Had he sat by me all night? I realized it was morning when I saw the sun starting to rise.

I saw Sarah and Sophie were still asleep but Jake was no where to be seen.

I shakily sat up and looked at my shoulder. There was a large, thick bandage over the gash. It was sore by to didn't kill like yesterday.

I scooted over to the other side of the bed so I could walk down stairs and not wake up James. I put my feet on the floor and took a step forward. My head felt a little dizzy, probably from blood loss. I put one hand against the wall and pushed off.

My footsteps were heavy and clumsy and I kept thinking I would fall and re-open the wound. I clung to the rail as I walked downstairs. When I reached the bottom, I sat on the bottom step.

I hated to feel helpless and weak, then again, who did? I was a strong hunter and warrior of the forest, weakness out here could be deadly.

"Good morning, how'd you sleep."

Jake was sitting in a chair with a big brown pelt spread over his lap. I recognized the bear pelt, he was turning it into a rug for the living room.

"Fine", I replied, even though, I slept amazing!

"James sat with you all night", jake said but didn't look up, "when Sarah was done, he carried you upstairs to your bed, he really cares".

Not this again. I just get severely clawed by a bear and the very next morning I have to have this conversation with my brother.

"I told you already Jake! Friends!" I exclaimed, not to loud so no one else would hear me and wake up.

This conversation was awkward in its own way.

Jake shrugged, "you say that now, but future you might not agree."

Neither of us spoke again. I guess that was the end of that conversation. I felt my stomach growl, I was starving.

I stood up and stumbled to the door.

"Really?" I hear jake say with amusement, "you just got clawed by a bear pretty badly and you insist on going into the woods, injured?"

"I'm hungry", that was my only excuse, my only reason, but I hoped it was a gold one.

"But if me our one of our sisters even lightly sprains a wrist, they are confined to bed?" Jake said in a voice that he thought he had a good sense of humor.

"I am in charge of this family now, it is my job to be the over protective one", I retorted.

Jake gave a short quiet laugh, "well looks like it's time to take a break and let me take over for the day."

"If it was anyone it would be Sophie, you know, your older sister?" I shot back.

"She doesn't have the courage that I do", Jake praised himself and pigged out his chest, "plus, she is so flippin bossy! She wants what, I would care for the family."

"In your dreams!" I laughed.

Jake stood up and went to the door, "I can get the food, and not get attacked by a bear, I am that amazing!"