“Maybe we should give them a little more motivation, Ragvald,” Honey said, in oh-so-casual tones that did not fool Buck in the slightest. “How about we make this a friendly competition? Your pack against mine?”
“A most excellent proposal, shield-sister!” Ragvald declared, as though reading off an invisible script. “Let us give each pack three attempts. The group that emerges victorious shall win much honor!”
From the expressions on most of the kids’ faces, this was not much of an incentive.
“And ice cream,” Honey added.
Thatgot a cheer. The kids divided into their respective packs with renewed enthusiasm.
“What are you up to?” Buck muttered to Honey out of the corner of her mouth.
“Team building,” she murmured back. She lifted her voice. “The winning team gets double dessert tonight! But remember, each pack only gets three tries. Think carefully about your strategy!”
NowBuck understood.
“You,” he told Honey, “are an evil, evil woman.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She patted his arm, smirking. “Finish your coffee.”
With a sigh, Buck drained his mug, and prepared to get wet.
At least the kids didn’t immediately hit on the obvious solution of jumping in together (realizing that they had to work as a team being, of course, the entire point of the exercise). Both groups started by sending out their biggest champion—Rufus, for their own pack, and a sturdy girl for the opposing group. Both kids managed a creditable splash, soaking his jeans up to the thigh.
“Draw,” Buck said, as both kids rejoined their packs. “Is that the best you can do?”
“Come on, kids,” Honey urged their campers. “Use your heads! I want to see Buck get soaked!”
“Think as warriors!” Ragvald encouraged his own pack. “Do not charge blindly at the foe, hoping that mere size will be enough. He may be a mighty opponent, but he is only one man. You are a war band! Together, you can seize the victory!”
The kids fell back into whispering huddles. Despite Ragvald’s heavy-handed hinting, it seemed they still hadn’t realized the right strategy. Beth, looking dubious, tried a belly flop, but only succeeded in splashing Buck’s ankles.
The other team had more success. A boy ran out with a determined expression, jumping high off the end of the dock. At the top of his leap, he spread out his arms and legs—and shifted into a polar bear.
“HEY!” Estelle yelled as water rained down on them all. “That’s cheating!”
“The counselors didn’t say wecouldn’tshift,” one of the other pack said smugly.
“Well, it’s not fair!” Bristling with righteous indignation, Estelle turned to Honey. “Tell them it’s not fair, Honey!”
From Honey’s hesitation, she hadn’t anticipated this particular derailment to her cunning plan.
“No, it’s cool,” Archie announced before Honey could deliver a verdict. He grabbed Estelle’s wrist. “We’re fine with shifting. But give us a sec, okay?”
“Archie!” Estelle protested as he dragged her back to the rest of the pack. “Are you crazy?”
“Shh!” Archie hissed, throwing a warning glance at the other team. “Keep your voice down. Wewantto be allowed to shift. That’s how we’re gonna win.”
“But grizzlies are a lot smaller than polar bears,” Flora objected. “Even if you shift, you’ll never be able to beat that guy.”
“Yeah, but I know everyone in that pack, and he’s their biggest shifter.” Archie looked round at the others in triumph. “They don’t know thatwe’vegot someone even bigger.”
“Oh no.” Beth backed away. “I’m not jumping into the lake in my shift form. Do you know how long it takes feathers to dry?”
“Rufus says he won’t do it either,” Finley said as Rufus shook his head. “And Flora’s wombat isn’t big enough.”
Estelle eyed Finley speculatively. “You’dbe big enough.”
“Yes, but I can’t shift here.” Finley gestured at the lake. “I wouldn’t be able to leap far enough to get clear of the dock. I’d smash it to pieces.”
