Pack of Three

Maya's summer took a turn when she started dog-walking Buster—the neighborhood's most chaotic golden retriever—to save for concert tickets. She'd been drifting from her friend group since middle school, everyone suddenly obsessed with being seen, being online, being anything but real.

"You're hanging with THAT dog again?" Lily laughed when Maya showed up to the park with Buster. "Maybe he's your only friend."

The words stung more than Maya wanted to admit. She'd been bearing the weight of their friendship falling apart for months—tiny digs, group chats she wasn't invited to, inside jokes she didn't get. But that day, with Buster frantically tugging at his leash toward the woods, something snapped.

"Actually," Maya said, surprising herself, "he's better company than fake friends."

Lily's face fell. Maya couldn't believe she'd said it either. Before she could overthink, bolted after Buster, who'd somehow slipped his collar and vanished into the trees.

"Buster!" Her voice cracked. What if he got hurt? What if she lost someone else's dog on her watch?

Twenty minutes of frantic searching later, she found him. But he wasn't alone.

A real bear. A cub, actually, smallish but still a literal bear, sitting near a stream with Buster standing guard like he'd found a new best friend. For a second, Maya's brain couldn't process it. This wasn't suburbia anymore. This was actual wild.

She crept forward, heart hammering. "Buster, come."

The dog glanced back but didn't move. The bear cub made a chuffing sound.

Then Maya heard it—a deeper, guttural response from the trees. Momma bear.

She didn't think. She moved. Grabbed Buster's collar, and they both ran, stumbling through brambles, tripping over roots, her sneaker soaking in the mud. They didn't stop until the parking lot came into view, both of them panting, Buster's golden fur now a tangled mess of burrs and glory.

"You're insane," Lily said, jogging over. She'd come looking. "We heard you scream."

"Bear," Maya managed, between breaths. "There was a bear."

Lily's eyes widened. "No way."

"Yes way." Maya looked at Buster, then at Lily. "I think we almost died."

Lily stared at her for a beat, then burst out laughing. "You and your dog against a bear? That's the most badass thing that's ever happened to anyone in our grade."

Something shifted. They sat on the curb while Maya picked burrs out of Buster's fur, Lily actually listening, actually present. Maybe real friendship was almost getting eaten by a bear together. Maybe it was just showing up.

"So," Lily said quietly, "about what I said earlier..."

"Forget it," Maya said. "Buster doesn't hold grudges, so I guess I don't have to either."

The dog woofed like he understood everything.