Bears Page #2

to the edge of the tide

to search for anything

that could count as calories.

Bears have an excellent

sense of smell.

Their noses are seven times

more sensitive than a bloodhound's.

Scout doesn't seem to get

what Mom's looking for.

Jackpot.

Sky pulls up a meaty clam.

It will help in the meantime,

but one or two clams,

even a dozen,

aren't nearly enough.

Sky needs her

cubs to stay close.

She's following the low

tide a long way out.

But Scout's not worried.

He'd rather enjoy his

first day at the beach.

Amber chooses to

stay close to Mom.

It looks a little less,

well, ridiculous.

But Scout doesn't care.

He likes this sand stuff.

"Watch this somersault!"

"Well, it was a

half somersault. "

"Amber, look at me!

I'm a mud monster!"

"Real mature, Scout.

Real mature. "

"No, come on! It's fun!"

"Why is this bird always

following us around"

"no matter where we go?"

"I'm gonna go ask him. "

"Hey, bird!"

"Hey, where did you

get those fish?"

Sky and Amber enjoy some

mother-daughter bonding time.

Scout's learning that

sand tastes bad.

Both cubs,

in their own way,

are loving their first

day at the beach.

But Sky can't afford

too much time playing.

She's got to keep searching

for clams while the tide is out.

Wherever Sky goes,

the raven follows.

The raven can spot an

opportunity from way up high,

while the bears got a nose

for finding hidden food.

An unusual partnership,

but it works.

"Hey, Mom, how do you open

one of these things, anyway?"

"Mom!"

"Never mind, I got it. I'm fine. "

"My claw has...

Mom, the... "

"Well, what do you do if your

claw gets stuck in the clam?"

"Let go. "

"Mom, it's stuck in my claw!"

"What are you

looking at, bird?"

"This is how I carry it. "

"Just walk it over here. Just taking

my clam for a walk, that's all. "

"Let go of my claw, clam!"

"Let go!"

"I didn't want that

clam anyway. "

Sky and the cubs are far from the

shore when the tide starts to turn.

Sky is trying to get as

much food as she can

before the water

covers up the mud.

Scout doesn't know what's

about to happen to the tide.

He's just tired

from a long day.

And now, they are

surrounded by water.

Freezing cold water.

When Sky finally heads

back to the shore,

she assumes both her cubs

are close behind.

It's a mistake.

Scout is too tired

to keep going.

Amber notices that Scout isn't

just dawdling this time.

He's asleep.

When Scout wakes up,

he sees he's stranded

far from the shore.

He desperately

calls for his mother.

And she calls back.

Urging him to hurry.

The current is much

stronger now,

and Scout is really struggling

to get back on land.

Scout stayed tough and

made it safely to the shore.

And the cubs, well,

they look pretty happy

to see each other.

As the weeks progress,

the weather warms,

and the mudflats are

no longer so exposed.

Time to head back

to the meadow,

where it's bursting

with color.

Scout and Amber are bonding during

these early days of summer,

while their mother watches

from a safe distance.

With no fish nearby,

it's back to eating grass.

Scout is less

than impressed.

By this time of year,

everything tastes a little stale and dry.

With food in such

short supply,

even the female bears

are getting a little cranky.

These fierce head-to-heads

may be short,

but they are becoming

more frequent.

It's getting tense.

The cubs know something

feels wrong.

There's nowhere to hide.

Everyone is watching them.

Seeing her cubs

getting nervous,

Sky goes to their

side to protect them.

Magnus.

And this time,

he's really hungry.

He's spotted the cubs.

Sky must quickly

decide what to do.

She runs, hoping

to find safety.

It's a choice,

she will soon regret.

Chinook!

Round two and

ready to fight.

He takes off

after them.

Chinook is much

stronger than Sky,

but she'll fight with

everything she's got

to give her cubs

a chance to escape.

The cubs make a run for it.

Sky tries to

lead him away,

but instead of

following her,

Chinook heads straight

for the cubs.

He knows they can't

have gotten far.

Chinook's powerful

sense of smell

tells him the cubs are

hiding in the logs.

But which ones?

Sky is desperately searching

for her cubs.

Amber.

But no sign of Scout.

Amber doesn't want to leave the

meadow without her brother.

But Sky knows they need

to keep moving.

Chinook could come back

at any moment.

She still has Amber

to protect,

no matter how much she

wants to look for Scout.

It's not an easy decision.

There he is!

Back together again.

Sky knows another

spot up the coast

her mother took

her to long ago.

As she leads

her cubs there,

she must be hoping her

luck will start changing.

Midsummer brings longer

days and a new place to feed.

While Sky and the cubs are

moving to a safer place to eat

the rest of the bears leave the

meadow, and head for the shore.

Chinook is already here.

And so is Magnus.

For now, they wait,

and wait.

It's salmon!

The first opportunity to fish.

It has been a full year

since the bears went fishing.

Looks like they're a bit rusty.

"I got it!

I got it!"

"I... I had it. "

"These are really

slippery fish. "

Only Magnus has

dignity here.

Magnus doesn't

have to fish,

because he has a plan.

He's going to take

whatever Chinook catches.

"Yeah, that's it, Chinook. "

"Get me that fish. "

"Good bear. "

Magnus moves in.

Magnus ultimately wins,

and Chinook can

only limp away

watching his hard-earned meal

go to someone else's stomach.

Chinook won't forget this.

Far from the danger of the

crowded salmon beach,

Sky and her cubs are still searching

for a quiet place to feed.

Scout gets distracted

by the tiniest things,

slowing them down.

They're being followed.

Tikani has sensed

an opportunity.

If he's quiet enough,

he can snatch

a dawdling cub.

Scout attacks!

Tikani wants Scout

to follow him.

Get him alone.

But Sky stays close.

Only Sky can

chase Tikani off.

This mama bear's keeping

a good eye on her cubs.

Tikani's usual tricks

aren't working,

but that doesn't

mean he's giving up.

Just a few miles

up the coast

Sky follows the

raven's call

to a very special place.

A hidden sanctuary

where the bears can

let down their guard.

Nice find, Mr. Raven.

Good eye.

Sky must be worried

about her milk supply.

If she doesn't eat tons of salmon

by the end of the summer,

she won't have enough fat stored up

to feed Scout and Amber

through next

winter's hibernation.

The cubs could starve to death

right beside her in the den.

Sky knows that

before too long

she will have to brave

the salmon beach.

But first, she has a little treat

to show her cubs.

When the tide goes out,

the ocean becomes

a secret restaurant,

serving up mussel-covered

rocks.

It's all-you-can-eat,

but you have to eat carefully.

The cubs seem

completely confused.

"Is it supposed to

taste like this?"

"This is really crunchy. "

But Sky knows that a good

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