An hour later, I was this close to collapsing when the forest itself decided to spice things up.

A roar split the rain-soaked air, deep and bone-shaking. My ears perked, my stomach dropped, and every instinct screamed run. I glanced over my shoulder and—yep. A hulking brown bear, teeth bared, eyes wild, was charging straight at us.

I screamed. Loud. “WHAT THE ACTUAL—GREGOR, THAT IS A BEAR!”

Alpha Smugpants didn’t even flinch. Didn’t break stride. He just leapt to a tree branch ...