Davey fell silent, but it was that kind of silence that was almost loud with all the brain clicking he could see going on.
Sure enough, it didn’t take long. “So you don’t miss seeing Ben 10?”
Mitch turned his head to the side. “What’s that?”
Davey’s fingers tightened on his shoulders. “Oh, wow, you should see him. He’s this kid who has this watch that makes him turn into different aliens, and he fights the bad guys like Dr. Animo and Vilgax. It’s really awesome.”
“Hmmph.” Cartoons, he guessed. “You heard of Jim Bridger? This wilderness is named after him. He discovered the Great Salt Lake and was one of the first white men to see Yellowstone. Traveled this part of the country when it was still wild, when it belonged to the animals and the Indians.”
“Real Indians?”
“Yep. Crow and Shoshone, mostly.”
“Did Grandpa Cy know him?”
Mitch smiled. “No, Cy wasn’t even born then. This was way back over a hundred and fifty years ago, back when there were no roads or cabins. A long, long time before TVs or cars.”
He was quiet for a moment. “But Cy was a lot like him. He loved these mountains. He built that cabin with his own hands. Built the furniture inside it, too.”
“Didn’t he get lonesome?”
Mitch’s mood darkened. Not until the end. Not until your mother wouldn’t come. “He liked his own company fine. And he had all the animals, had plenty of Mother Nature to keep him entertained.”
“Did Jim Bridger kill animals?” Davey’s voice turned slightly sharp. “I don’t think that’s nice.”
“This is hard country, son. A man had to kill to eat.”
“They could go to the grocery store. They didn’t have to hurt the animals.”
Mitch pulled Davey from his back and set him on the ground at his feet. Then he knelt and met the boy’s eyes squarely. “They didn’t have grocery stores. Wyoming was wild then. A man had to find his own food.”
“I don’t want anybody hurting animals.”
“It’s part of nature, but you don’t do it to hurt them. You only take what you need to survive, and you thank the animal for its sacrifice. Some Indians believed that you took the animal’s spirit inside you and it became a part of you. We’re not separate from the animals, Davey. We’re all part of the same earth.”
Davey’s eyes studied him, troubled. His voice went very low. “Have you killed animals, Mitch?” His look made it clear that the truth would be the wrong answer.
But it was the truth. A man faced it and dealt with the consequences. “Yes, I have.”
The boy frowned, looking mutinous. “That’s a bad thing to do.”
“Was it bad for you to catch that fish?”
“I—I didn’t like that sharp hook. I bet it hurt.”
“The world’s not a fairytale, Davey. It’s a cycle of death and rebirth. Trees die and fall to the ground, then insects eat them and they crumble and fertilize the soil for new trees to feed on and grow. Bigger animals eat smaller animals. Nature is a balance, and we’re part of that balance. Cars and airplanes and TVs may seem natural to you, but they don’t belong in the true balance of nature. Man is taking over the natural places that the animals need to survive, just so he can have his pretty toys.
“Most of those who lived here long ago only hunted for what they needed to survive. That’s why this wilderness is here now, to help the animals who can’t compete with the world of cars and TVs. But even here, coyotes eat the old and weak elk who fall behind the herd. Birds eat insects. Fish eat insects, too. Birds eat fish.”
“I don’t want to kill animals.” Davey looked troubled.
“Maybe you’ll never need to. I wouldn’t want you to do it if it wasn’t your wish. But if you ever do want to hunt, I hope you’ll do it right. Some hunting is necessary to keep overpopulation down, but don’t do it to excess. Use equipment that tests your skills and gives the animal a fair chance. Use the parts of the animal as fully as you can, not just for some trophy on your wall.” Mitch thought about the clients he’d culled because they didn’t understand, trigger-happy or just wanted something to show off.
“And always thank the animal for its sacrifice and dedicate yourself to keeping its spirit alive. Make its bravery part of you. Let its life force live on.”
“I wish I had thanked my fish,” Davey whispered.
Mitch’s heart squeezed. He resisted the urge to pull the child close. He held back the smile that threatened. “You still can.”