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There's a bit of sex, but it's more about character pieces and loving on winter.", "description_bbcode_parsed": "Time for a Camp Summerflame story...set at New Year's! There's a bit of sex, but it's more about character pieces and loving on winter.", "writing": "At the Closing of the Year\n\nAlthough Camp Summerflame was best known to those who loved it as a place for long days of summer games and warm, star-filled summer evenings, its beauty in winter was undeniable. Many trees had lost their leaves, but the pines and firs were still a deep, vibrant green, and that stood out starkly from the heavy blanket of thick, white snow that had fallen. Charlie Carter, the raccoon who acted as the camp's beloved songmaster and child psychologist, loved seeing it this way. No one had paced the fields yet, and the snow was unbroken...unblemished. It was perfect and silent, frozen for a moment of pristine natural loveliness. Charlie loved to come up early on the days when the winter events were happening, just to enjoy it like this.\n\nIt didn't matter that Frank wouldn't have the heat on full blast until later or that Cookie wouldn't have gotten coffee brewing yet. Charlie was bundled up warmly, and he'd bought a fill-up of coffee from Rosie's Diner in nearby Hadley that was resting hot and fresh in his thermos. For a few moments, he sat in his warm car as the engine made little ticking noises as it cooled. Finally, he took a swig of the coffee, and, thermos in hand, he climbed out, feet crunching into the thick white crust that covered the familiar gravel parking lot.\n\nHe took a long look around, just standing there, before turning his back on the main camp and heading into the tunnel that led under highway 302. He went a bit cautiously at first; one year, they had found a homeless man in very bad shape taking refuge in the tunnel. But the tunnel was, as usual, quite empty. He walked through the shadowy interior, emerging on the gradual slope that led down to Lake Willowgreen. He took in a long breath, then exhaled it in a visible cloud that dissipated as it cooled in the frigid air. The Lake was gorgeous in the winter chill. The willows that gave it its name had changed from their bright summer green to a warm autumn gold, and they stood out against the snow, as did the brightly painted summer homes that stood silent and deserted.\n\nPassing back through the tunnel, he emerged to the parking lot and crossed it, walking out onto the main field of the camp. He smiled, leaving the first footprints in the now...other than the little marks of the winter birds that often came around, searching for food. He could see and hear chickadees, grosbeaks, and crossbills, and, off in the distance, he heard the occasional guttural cry of a pheasant. Many of the tracks centered around a crate on its side he knew Frank set up a week previous, before the snow. Plenty of different birdseed had been scattered there, making sure their winter birds had a safe place to eat. The open side allowed the birds to hop in, while making sure they were sheltered from the various hawks and falcons that also made the Granite Mountains their home. Nature was going to take its course, of course, but why make it easier?\n\nThe sound of a car engine made him turn, and he smiled, seeing Cookie's old beat up van pulling in beside his. He waved, although the glare of the winter sun on the windshield made it impossible to see the opossum inside the van. He was a bit surprised when not just Cookie but Frank stepped out. “Hey, fellas!” he called to them. \n\n“Charlie!” Cookie called. “Always the early one!” \n\n“Guilty,” Charlie said with a chuckle, walking back towards them. “I can't resist seeing the place before everyone and their mother is here and trampling the snow.” The two of them were old friends, Charlie knew, sharing a love of the outdoors, as well as a love of food. The beaver handyman was what Charlie thought of as stout, but Cookie was quite fat. They seemed relaxed in each others' company, like friends who could share a comfortable silence.\n\nFrank gave a wry smirk of a grin. “Well, I'm about to do a fair amount of trampling myself. Gotta get the heaters back up to full blast...not just the low burn we use to stop the pipes from freezing. But that's just around the main buildings. The trails up by the campers' cabins and such...got no plans to be up there, if you wanna walk 'em. Sometimes I do, and, in winter, it's like you're alone in the whole world.”\n\nCharlie grinned. “Exactly my point. Yeah, I'll probably head up there before folks start getting here.”\n\n“Well,” Cookie said, “you might want to go now. I saw a lot of familiar faces over at Rosie's getting breakfast. I'd say you have an hour at the outside. By the time you get back, I'll have a top up for your coffee ready.”\n\nCharlie nodded and grinned his thanks and started out across the main field. Cookie headed into the mess hall, while Frank headed for the admin building to start his duties there. Charlie turned right at the bathrooms, heading into the woods. Even though the trails were hidden by the fallen snow, Charlie knew them by heart. He knew the trees by sight, and it wasn't hard to spot the red-painted roofs of the camper cabins, huddled together in the clearing like they were trying to keep warm. He passed by them and headed all the way out to the firepit. Of all the places in camp, this was one of his absolute favorites. The way the natural amphitheatre just descended down to the dug out pit made it feel like you were sinking into warmth and memories. At least, that's how it felt for him. Acoustics were good, too.\n\nHe walked around the pit, tracing his fingers through the snow covering the log benches before sweeping some off. It was still damp, but his thick, warm pants protected him as he sat down. [i]What a shame,[/i] he thought to himself, [i]that more of the parents and staff don't take the time to come out and just be in the woods in winter. It really is a lovely thing. [/i]\n\nAs Charlie sat there, imagining a winter songcircle, his ears perked to the sound of feet crunching in snow. He frowned a bit, having wanted to have just a bit more solitude, but when he turned to look, his frown eased into a fond smile. It was Carey Winslow, one of his favorite campers...or...camper-counselor liaisons...he forgot what title they'd come up with to help cover Carey for the unusual nature of his status at camp. Despite his pleasure at seeing the little bear, Charlie feigned annoyance. “And here I thought I was out in the woods for some quiet and solitude,” he mock-grumbled.\n\nCarey giggled, walking down into the bowl of the firepit's seating. “It's okay, Charlie. We can be alone together.”\n\nThe raccoon couldn't stifle a laugh at that. He pulled the little brown bear into a big hug. “I can't think of anyone I'd rather be alone together with than you, Carey. How are you doing? Staying out of trouble?”\n\nThe boy looked up with a grin. “Can't get in trouble if they don't catch me,” he replied, then hugged back fiercely. “It's so good to see you! I missed you!”\n\n“Awww! It hasn't been that long. I'm glad you're here, though. Camp Winterlight wouldn't be the same without the boy who named it.”\n\nCarey's smile softened into something less mischievous at that. It had been Chief Burkessen's idea to have a New Year's Party for campers and staff every year, but everyone agreed they needed a name for the event. It had been Carey who suggested Camp Winterlight, as a play on the camp's more traditional name, and most people had voted for that name. Charlie smiled, too. He loved all the events the Camp held, although he hadn't been able to be up for Santa's Village this year due to problems with his mother's health. He was glad that she was doing better, and he'd at least be able to see everyone before the long drought of activities. And Easter was going to be late this year, which made it even more important to him that he see his camp family before the winter took them away.\n\n“I'm glad I'm here, too,” Carey said, and something funny passed over his expression. Charlie perked, the psychologist in him paying attention now. Something was bothering the normally perky boy. “If we find a few minutes, can we talk a little?” The little bear looked thoughtful and was biting his lip a bit.\n\nCharlie frowned, a little concerned. “Is everything okay? Is everything alright at...home?” He knew Carey's home situation was unusual, and he often felt a little worry that it would make the young bear's life difficult. He knew the boy wasn't exactly a little boy, but he couldn't help but feel the need to help however he could. “Do you want to talk now? This is an okay time for me.”\n\nCarey shook his head. “I got a ride up with Perry and his family. I told him I'd be there when Cookie showed how to make maple snow, and Cookie wants to do it early, when the snow is undisturbed.” He smiled. “It's okay. It's nothing real bad...just could use someone to talk to. And you're really good to talk to.”\n\n“Well, thank you, Carey,” Charlie said, smiling back. “I like talking to you too. Did you just come out to say hi?”\n\nThe bear nodded, still smiling. “Frank said you were out this way, and...” He gestured at the only footprints in the snow besides his own. “You were pretty easy to follow.”\n\nThe raccoon laughed. “Well, there's your merit badge for tracking...if we did merit badges.” He hugged the little guy one more time. “Okay, go get your maple snow. I'll be along shortly.”\n\nCarey smiled and waved, heading back to camp, and Charlie sat there, thoughtfully. He knew the bear had no family and wasn't really a kid, but he looked and often acted so much like one that it was easy to be concerned and feel protective. He cared about Carey as much if not more than many of the campers he saw on a regular basis, and the little guy rarely ever asked for help. Charlie determined he would give Carey whatever advice he could about what was happening. After a few more minutes of enjoying the quiet and solitude, charlie sighed, stood up, brushed off the seat of his pants, then walked back towards where he knew people would be gathering.\n\nSure enough, by the time he got there, there was quite a gathering of cars in the parking lot, and the sound from the mess hall was the roar of a merry throng. He frowned. How had they all got there so quickly? He looked at his phone and realized he had to have been sitting alone in the woods for over 30 minutes! He shook his thermos and realized it was mostly empty, then shook his head, chuckling at his absent-mindedness. It wasn't unusual for him to lose track of the time when he was feeling comfortable. Even as a cub, his parents had called him a little dreamy, and it had continued into adulthood. In a way, it was what made him an excellent counselor. He had boundless patience for sitting and listening to kids telling him their hopes, fears, and dreams. He had learned to set timers, not because he was concerned about being paid correctly, but because, if he didn't, he could let a cub go on forever, chatting together with them until their scheduled time had long since passed.\n\nCharlie made his way into the mess hall, and he was greeted by many warm hullos! He waved and called back welcomes to many campers. Chief Burkessen called him over and hauled him into a hug. “Hey, Charlie,” the Camp Chief said, affectionately. “I'm so glad you could make it! Happy Holidays!”\n\nCharlie chuckled, hugging the big badger back. “Happy Holidays, Chief. I'm glad I could make it, too.”\n\nBurke pushed him back to assess him, looking him up and down. “Your Mom's doing better?”\n\n“Much better, thanks for asking. If she weren't, I probably wouldn't be here.”\n\nThe badger nodded. “Fair point. Well, I'm glad she is, and I'm glad you are.” He gave Charlie's shoulder a squeeze. “Went out to the firepit?”\n\nCharlie grinned. “I guess I'm pretty predictable. Yeah, had a look. I still think we should do a winter songcircle out there, one of these years.”\n\nBurke shrugged with a warm smile. “I'm not against it, but try convincing Jimmy & Gary to haul out there over the snow. Or convince Frank to shovel all the way to the firepit for them.”\n\n“Okay, okay,” the raccoon said with a wry smile, holding up his hands in surrender. “Just saying.”\n\nThe badger sipped some coffee, then nodded to where it was. “I think Cookie's out back with some boys making sugar on snow, but he left a big, fresh pot over there.”\n\n“Heh...yeah I saw Carey earlier, and he mentioned the maple snow.” Charlie frowned a moment. “Did he seem okay to you?”\n\nBurke blinked. “Carey? Yeah, he seemed fine. Why?”\n\nCharlie smiled. “Oh, probably nothing. He just seemed a little...I don't know...concerned about something.”\n\n“Hmmm...I can't say I noticed, but that's why I have you.” \n\n“He's just...he's kind of an unusual case, and a great kid, so I want to help if I can.”\n\nBurke patted Charlie's arm. “I'm sure if Carey needs something, you'll be able to help him. You're always great with the campers.”\n\n“Thanks, Chief,” Charlie said, appreciatively. “Gonna see about this maple snow situation.”\n\nHe made his way out back to where he knew he was likely to find whoever was working on it. Sure enough, he found Cookie, Carey, Perry Somerset, and Manny Alvarez out back, scooping fresh snow into 9x13 Pyrex dishes. “Hey, fellas,” Charlie said brightly. “Can I join in?”\n\n“I dunno,” Cookie said, thoughtfully. “Do we let this masked bandit join us, guys?”\n\n“You better!” Perry said, with concern, as if Cookie would really refuse. “Charlie's one of the nicest counselors here!”\n\n“Awww, thanks, Perry,” Charlie said. “C'mon, Cookie, please?”\n\nThe other boys joined Perry in the request, and Cookie rolled his eyes. “Ugh, fine. Grab one of those dishes and a spoon and get scooping.”\n\nCharlie joined in, scooping in snow and packing it down to mostly fill the Pyrex dish. Cookie had chosen deep ones, because you didn't want the hot maple syrup to go right through the snow, but to cool on the top. They left the snow-filled dishes outside to stay cool, as Cookie led them inside and showed them as he filled a pot with a large amount of maple syrup that had been gifted to them by a former camper who owned a maple sugar farm nearby. He set a candy thermometer in it, heating it until it reached the “soft ball” state, and then used a broad label to pour it in ribbons into the packed snow in the pans, where it would cool to a taffy-like consistency. Cookie brought out disposable chopsticks, and he showed them how to roll each ribbon up onto a stick for easier and less sticky consumption.\n\nCookie carried a tray of the sweets out to the mess hall, letting people indulge, while those who helped him make them got their own, plus a small bag of cookies the opossum had made over the holidays. Jimmy Swindon and Gary Lopez, the owners of the camp, had arrived, and the couple were by far the center of attention outside the kitchen. A white-tailed deer and a Mexican wolf, they made a distinctive pair, even at their advanced years, and everyone involved with the camp, from counselors to campers to parents adored them. They knew all the staff and many of the campers by name, and their warm, friendly demeanor endeared them to everyone. Charlie was enjoying his sugar on snow, but he also wanted to talk to Carey, see if he could help the little bear with whatever was troubling him.\n\n“Charlie Carter!” The raccoon blinked, realizing Gary Lopez was calling to him. He smiled and approached the wolf. “My goodness, I'm so glad your mother is doing better and you were able to join us.”\n\n“Hi, Mr. Lopez,” Charlie said, with a smile. “I'm glad to be here myself.”\n\n“Charlie, please,” the wolf said, with a warm smile. “We've known each other for years. It's just Gary.”\n\nCharlie smiled and nodding. “Thanks, Gary. Your holidays were good?”\n\nThe older wolf smiled warmly, eyes crinkling merrily at the corners. He had a face for smiles. “Very good indeed, Charlie,” he said happily. “Jimmy and I just want to thank you for everything you do for the kids. We know our camp isn't exactly...typical. Having you here to help any of the boys who're having issues or concerns goes a long way towards making it possible.” The old wolf's smile was positively glowing. “Thank you for everything you do for them.” Charlie was blushing, slightly, and was about to reply, when Gary glanced to his husband. “Oh...it looks like Jimmy's warming up for a speech. I'll catch up with you later, alright?” He smiled again, squeezed Charlie's forearm, and then headed over to join Jimmy, who was, along with Chief Burkessen, moving to the front of the room.\n\nWhile the three of them engaged in welcoming everyone, saying words about winter at the camp, the new year, and the following year's schedule, Charlie found himself looking for Carey. He spotted the boy with his friends from Wolf Cabin. They were listening intently, eating their maple treats. Carey noticed Charlie looking over and smiled brightly, giving him a little wave. Charlie smiled and waved back. [i]Maybe I'm making something out of nothing,[/i] he thought to himself. Carey seemed fine. Maybe he just wanted advice on some crush he had or something similar. It would hardly be the first time a boy had wanted to talk about the strange new feelings he was having about some other boy at camp. While he doubted that was quite what Carey needed help with, he realized it could be something that trivial. He resolved to relax, enjoy being with everyone, and let the bear approach him with whatever he needed.\n\nOnce he made that decision, the rest of the day was extremely fun. He participated in various events, like a snowball fight, a singalong in the Community Hall (he had brought his guitar, of course, although it needed constant tuning due to the temperatures), and a walk along in the woods to identify birds and plants. He also had a lot of chats with parents about their kids and how they were doing. It was nice to see many returning faces and many grateful parents talking about how their boys were developing, growing, and becoming young men. All too quickly, night came, but it was a perfect, clear night, frigid and full of stars. He took a walk on the field with a number of boys, pointing out constellations they couldn't see during the summer, like Orion. Charlie always smiled when he saw the three stars of the giant's belt; Orion was like an old friend he only got to see for part of the year.\n\nA lot of the boys drifted around the field, some with parents, some with knots of friends. And eventually, Charlie found himself walking largely alone. He had his eyes on the heavens, thinking the names of familiar shapes, like Canis Major and Minor, Taurus, Carina, and Auriga. The sound of crunching feet in the snow drew him to look down in time to see Carey sliding his arms around the raccoon's arm, hugging in close. “Gosh, it's cold!” Carey said. He looked around, then murmured, “Do you have a few minutes to talk, Charlie?”\n\nCharlie perked and nodded, immediately. “Of course, Carey.” He glanced over, seeing the admin building was dark. “How about over there? Looks like we'll have some privacy.” The boy nodded, and Charlie led him, still clinging to his arm, to the red-roofed building on the opposite side of the field from the green-roofed mess hall. Charlie led the way inside, bringing Carey back to his office. Rather than flip on lights to get there, which might have someone come check on them, Charlie used the light on his phone to lead the way. Once in the office, he closed the door and turned on a desk lamp, giving them a bit of illumination while making it unlikely anyone would spot a light and come to see who was out there. “So what's going on, Carey? Is everything okay? I know you said before it wasn't anything too bad...”\n\nCarey smiled. “Yeah, it's more...kind of embarrassing. You know I play soccer a lot back home, right? I do it with the YMCA group?”\n\nCharlie nodded at this. It was no secret that Carey played soccer whenever he could at camp and back home. “ I know you do.”\n\nThe little bear sheepishly grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, we had this substitute coach for part of the year...Coach Tony. He's a brown bear, like me, and we kind of...um...y'know...did stuff.”\n\nCharlie chuckled. “Nothing too unusual there. It's not as if you haven't had plenty of special friends here at camp. Myself included.” He hugged the boy, who hugged back. “Did the fact that he was a bear, too, make it kind of special for you?”\n\nCarey blushed deeply. “Y-yeah, it did. I don't know many other bears, so it was really neat. He liked calling me his...his baby bear. And he called himself Papabear. It made it pretty exciting. I didn't know it would hit me like that.”\n\n“Ahhhh, I think I see,” Charlie said, thoughtfully. “You don't have parents of your own, so having someone acting like that was exciting. But maybe it also made you feel kind of funny? Playing with someone who was also acting like a Papabear?”\n\n“That's part of it,” Carey admitted, softly. “But it was more...um...some other stuff he did...”\n\nCharlie's eyes widened. “He didn't hurt you, did he?”\n\n“Oh, no no!” Carey said quickly. “No, he was wonderful! But he...um...the whole baby bear thing? He took that...pretty far...”\n\nCharlie wasn't sure he understood, but then something clicked for him. “Oh! Did he have you...um...dressed in the part?”\n\nCarey nodded, ears very red. “And I think I...um...kinda liked it.”\n\n“Is that making you feel strange?” Charlie said. “Is that why you wanted to talk?” The raccoon felt a wave of relief when Carey nodded, and he smiled, leaned forward, and put a hand on top of Carey's hand. “That's totally normal in all ways, Carey.”\n\n“Really?” Carey perked up, looking hopeful. “You don't think it's weird?”\n\nCharlie chuckled. “Not at all. An interest in diapers and infantilism is a relatively common paraphilia...a fetish or kink, I guess you'd say.”\n\nCarey cocked his head. “Don't those mean the same thing?”\n\n“Not exactly. If you have a kink you like, it means that you enjoy it, but it isn't necessary for you to have a satisfying sexual encounter.” The raccoon paused, watching the boy's sweet face, then said, “A fetish, however, is something you want in every encounter. You need it to feel truly satisfied. Would you say that's how you feel about what happened?”\n\n“Oh, no,” Carey said with a shake of his head. “I really liked it with Tony, and I...y'know...I'd probably do it with other guys at times, if it seemed like they were into it, but I love just regular sex, too, and all kinds of other stuff.”\n\nCharlie smiled. “Well, there you go,” he said. “Sounds like you enjoy a diaper kink, but you don't have a diaper fetish.”\n\n“The only thing I wasn't completely sure about...he was really possessive, and he talked a little rough at times,” Carey said, biting his lip. “He didn't do anything bad, but I almost would've liked it better if he had talked to me all gentle...the way you do.”\n\nNow it was Charlie's turn to blush. He did love talking sweetly to the little bear when they had played. “Well, you know I love being with you, Carey. When we play, it just makes we want to tell you what a sweet boy you are.”\n\nCarey smiled. “Tony did get a lot nicer as time went on. At first, I was scared and a little embarrassed, though. But I've never been scared with you.” He got up, came over to Charlie, and hugged him, warmly. “I'm glad you don't think it's anything weird.”\n\n“Not at all,” Charlie assured him. “If anything, it sounds pretty adorable...and a little sexy, too.”\n\nCarey pulled back, looking up in surprise. “Really?”\n\nCharlie chuckled. “I...we used to have a boy here at camp who needed diapers for medical reasons that his parents were convinced were mostly psychological. I saw him for many sessions, and, well...I found him so cute. I guess I'd have to say that I guess I have a little bit of a diaper kink, myself.”\n\nCarey's smile spread across his face, slowly. “Wow...I'd...um...I'd be your baby bear any time, Charlie.”\n\nCharlie smiled and gave his hands a squeeze. “Well, next summer will be here before you know it. I know we keep some boys' sizes of diapers on hand, in case of accidents. But the infirmary is locked up, which is a shame, as I think you'd make a delightful Baby New Year.”\n\nThe little bear blushed and smiled some more. “That's okay. It'll be nicer in summer, when it's warmer.” He clung to the raccoon for a time, then blushed some more. “Charlie, do you want me to...um...do anything for you?”\n\nCharlie smiled. “Carey, you know I love any time we're together. Maybe you could...?” He opened his pants, fishing out the semi he'd been sporting during Carey's descriptions of what he'd done.\n\nCarey giggled, softly. “Wow, I guess you really do like those ideas.” He knelt down in front of his counselor, leaning in, inhaling the warm musk of his lap. Then he began to softly kiss around the tip. \n\nThe raccoon sighed, resting a big, arm hand on Carey's head. “That's right, baby bear. I've got your pacifier for you, right here.” He was rewarded with a dark blush on bear ears, and then the feeling of a warm, eager muzzle sliding over the first few inches of his increasingly erect cock, suckling and nursing tenderly. “Oh, honey...you're such a sweet boy.” Charlie was rewarded for his words by a soft whimper and a hungrier pulling on his cock.\n\nCharlie looked down at the boy working on his shaft. He knew Carey was older than he looked, but he wasn't sure how much older. A few counselors has raised concerns once Carey's unique condition was made known to them. Was he taking advantage of other campers? But it was clear that he wasn't, and that he just wanted to be treated like another cub. Charlie had been one of the worriers in the beginning, and he had many sessions with Carey, feeling him out. In the end, he had come across as a fairly mature boy, but still very much a boy. It didn't matter what age he really was, Charlie had realized, because Carey presented as a boy of about 12, and he had similar hopes, dreams, and fears to a 12 year old. He wanted to have fun summers, to play soccer, and to swim in the Lake. He wanted to eat camp food and sing at the firepit. And yes, he wanted to have sex, though he very much gravitated to staff over campers. And Charlie knew he was hardly the only boy there that did that. He wanted to be happy, and he didn't want to be perceived as odd by his fellow campers. Didn't everyone deserve that, regardless of age?\n\nCarey looked up with those warm, gold eyes, and Charlie smiled down, stroking his head. “You're doing so good, baby. You must be hungry, 'cause you're working hard on getting fed.” Carey whimpered! He began bobbing his head, sucking even harder. “Oh, baby bear. I love you so much. Here you go, honey.” Charlie hadn't realized how pent up he'd been, but it was clear now, as the boy already had him so close. And then he groaned, fingers digging into Carey's scalp a little, as his cock swelled slightly and then the dam burst. He heard Carey mmmph! and then watched the little bear swallowing, a slight trickle damp running down his chin. “Oh, honey...oh, Carey...” He held there, until he was finished, and Carey had swallowed it all. Then he pulled the boy up into his arms and lap, kissing his face all over. Carey panted and giggled under this affectionate onslaught.\n\n“Well, that was quite a show,” Chief Burke chuckled from the doorway, making them both jump slightly. “Don't worry, it's just me. Gary was wanting to have you talk with him and Jimmy, Charlie, and he asked me to find you.” He smirked a little. “You know, Carey, your friends are looking for you, but if you wanted to stay behind with me for a few minutes, I'd say...we have time.”\n\nCharlie paused, watching the bear boy follow Burke into his office. He smiled. The boy was special to many of them, and anything Charlie could do to make him happy and comfortable, he'd be happy to do. He chuckled, hearing the murmurs of low voices, followed by a low growl and a higher-pitched moan from the young bear. Charlie grinned, tip-toeing away. He knew Burke was much thicker than he was and suspected he was...giving Carey's jaw a little rest. \n\nBack in the Mess Hall, Gary noticed Charlie and waved him over to where Jimmy was talking with some parents. “One sec, Charlie,” Gary whispered, then turned, murmuring in Jimmy's ear. The older deer smiled and excused himself from the parents, coming to speak to Charlie.\n\n“Charlie Carter,” he said, softly. If Gary's face was made for smiled, Jimmy's voice was made for affection, and the raccoon heard it clearly. Jimmy hugged him, gently, and Charlie smiled, hugging back. “So happy to hear about how your mother's recovering.”\n\n“Thank you, Mr. Swindon...Jimmy!” he corrected himself, seeing the deer about to comment. All three of them chuckled. “We're happy she's recovering, too.”\n\n“We both wanted to thank you for all your wonderful work with the boys this summer. Your name comes up frequently in the letters of happy parents, and we think you're just wonderful.” Jimmy's soft brown eyes twinkled slightly. “In fact, we have nothing but the utmost trust in you, which is why we have a very special favor to ask you.” As Charlie's tail curled, curiously, Jimmy turned and called out, “Julie? Honey, could you come here?”\n\nTrotting over to them was a little white-tailed deer fawn. He was dressed in thick khaki pants with a Rudolph-themed sweater. He looked slight of build, so that the sweater hung on him loosely. He had, Charlie thought, the most lovely eyes he'd ever seen. They were large, deep, a liquid brown, and they looked up at Charlie like an owl's eyes. He looked around six or seven, without even the nubs of antlers.\n\n“Charlie, this is my nephew Julius, but we all call him Julie. Julie, this is Charlie Carter, one of our absolutely best staff at the camp.”\n\n“Hello, Mister Charlie,” the little fellow said, lifting a hand to shake.\n\nCharlie smiled warmly at the lovely lad. “Hello, Julie. It's so nice to meet you.”\n\nJulie smiled at him radiantly, and then, to his surprised, stepped in and hugged him tightly. Charlie blinked, smiled, then leaned down, hugging back.\n\nJimmy and Gary had nothing but smiles for both of them. “Julie is seven, but he'll be turning eight a few days before camp this year.”\n\nCharlie grinned. “Oh wow! Are you going to come to camp with us, Julie?”\n\nJulie's eyes got big. “I...maybe...I'm a little scared.”\n\n“Oh, gosh! You don't have to be scared! Camp is super fun! We do games and swim and sing songs and stuff. And Cookie makes really good food! And you don't have to be afraid of anything, because all the staff and counselors are there to keep you safe and happy.”\n\nJulie considered this. “Are you going to be there?” he asked, softly.\n\n“Yup! I'm there every day, and I play guitar and help people learn all the fun songs!”\n\nJulie still seemed to be considering, but then he said, “Okay!” He hugged tighter, and Charlie felt his heart absolutely melt.\n\nHe felt Jimmy's hand on his shoulder. “Here's the thing, Charlie...Julie is...precocious.” He gave a light squeeze. “But he can be timid about some things, like sleeping away from family. He needs someone gentle to help him feel comfortable.”\n\nCharlie smiled. “Oh, that's no worry. I'm sure we'll get him settled in fine.”\n\nJimmy chuckled. “Well, there's a bit more than just that.” He patted Julie's shoulder. “Julie, honey, go see if they have any more of those excellent frosted lemon cookies.” As the boy sprinted off, Jimmy leaned in. “There are a couple of...small concerns we have.”\n\nGary leaned in, too. “He already knows about the kind of...special things that happen at camp.”\n\n“Oh?” Charlie blinked. “Oh!”\n\nGary grinned. “Right. And we want to make sure that he'll have someone around...someone gentle...to help him explore those interests...but only if you wanted to.”\n\nCharlie's jaw dropped. “Oh, that's...oh my. I mean...if we hit it off, of course, I'd love to...um...help him explore.”\n\nGary chuckled. “Told you he'd be amenable.”\n\nJimmy nodded. “I had no doubts you were the right person to speak to. And don't worry. You won't be his first.”\n\n“Or second,” Gary snickered softly. “Little tyke's a bit insatiable.”\n\nCharlie swallowed, feeling his pants tighten a bit. For one brief moment, he felt a pang that he wouldn't be giving Carey his full attention after the intimate talk they'd had. But then he remembered that, right now, Carey was likely on all fours on Chief Burke's desk. Carey had never been a boy to be terribly monogamous, and he never seemed to be jealous of those he cared about. “Honestly, Jimmy, I'd be more than honored. Assuming he likes me, of course.”\n\n“Oh, he likes you,” Gary chuckled. “He doesn't go in for the hug on just anyone he meets. I pointed you out to him earlier, and he thinks your handsome.”\n\nCharlie blushed deeply. “Well, I think he's beautiful. It means a lot to me that you both trust me so much.”\n\nJimmy squeezed his arm, lightly. “No one I would trust more.”\n\nJulie came running back. “I got four lemon cookies!” He handed one each to his Uncles, then shyly smiled and offered one to Charlie, even as he put his own cookie in his mouth.\n\nCharlie smiled, crouched down, and took the cookie. “Thank you, Julie,” he said, softly.\n\nThe little fawn hugged him again, this time around the neck. “I can't wait for summer!” he whispered in the raccoon's ear.\n\n“Same here, buddy!” Charlie whispered back.\n\nBurke and Carey reappeared a short while later, both looking in good moods. Julie stayed glued to Charlie for a lot of the evening, and Charlie introduced him around, including to Carey. Carey shook hands and promised to help show Julie around the camp in the summer. He saw the little bear eyeing them both and grinning. When Julie was over with his uncles, getting introduced to other campers, Carey murmured to Charlie, “He's so cute! You two are so cute together!”\n\n“It won't change anything between us, Carey,” Charlie said, seriously. “I promise. You don't have to be jealous of him.”\n\n“Course it will!” Carey said, chuckling. “And that's okay. He's crushing on you hard, and I think you're gonna have a little shadow next summer. I just hope *he* won't be jealous of *me*. I know you, and I know you'll have time for me, too.”\n\nCharlie gave the little bear an affectionate hug. “You're really an amazing kid. You know that, right.”\n\n“Yup, I know,” the bear said, with a playful grin. “I'm just glad you know it, too.”\n\nA lot of the younger campers and their parents were gone well before midnight, but a number, including Carey, Perry, and Manny and Perry's folks, who had driven them, were still there, as were most of the staff. Jimmy and Gary stuck around, too, and Charlie watched as Julie, who was up way past his bedtime, was dozing against Jimmy's side. He came over and touched Jimmy's arm. “Want me to find him a place to sleep?” he asked.\n\n“I think that's a wonderful idea,” Jimmy said.\n\n“Cozy Cove is open, Charlie,” Carey said helpfully. “It should be pretty quiet and dark in there, and it's warm, and there are blankets and pillows.”\n\n“Thanks, bud,” Charlie said, lifting the boy, carrying him towards the dark area adjourning the mess hall.\n\n“Is it midnight?” Julie said sleepily.\n\n“Not quite, buddy. We're just going to find you someplace to sleep. We'll wake you up when the big moment comes.”\n\n“Okay,” Julie said, head on the raccoon's chest. Charlie laid him on one of the well-worn couches, covering him with an afghan quilt. “Charlie, will you stay with me a little.”\n\n“Sure, buddy,” Charlie said, softly, sitting on the couch, stroking the little fawn's back, softly. Julie sighed, and he was very quiet. Charlie, thinking he had drifted off, began to stand.\n\n“Charlie,” said the plaintive little voice from the couch.\n\n“Yeah, buddy? You need a drink or anything?”\n\n“Can I see your thingie?” the little voice said.\n\nCharlie flushed, his “thingie” answering “YES!” in a surge of hardness. “Well, it's pretty dark, buddy, but...um...” He grinned. “You can feel it if you want?”\n\n“Yeah, I want that,” Julie said, sleepily. Charlie sat back down, opening his pants, fishing himself back out. He guided the little questing hand to it, and Julie sighed. “It's nice. Warm...big.”\n\n“Aw, it's probably not as big as your Uncles',” Charlie chuckled. “But thanks.”\n\n“In the summer, I can suck it?” Julie asked.\n\n“Yeah, honey, if you want,” Charlie agreed.\n\n“Will you put it under my tail?” Julie said, curiously.\n\nCharlie wondered how far Jimmy and Gary had gone with him. “Did your Uncles show you that?” he asked. \n\n“Uh huh,” he replied, yawning. “Unca Gary likes doing it a lot, but Unca Jimmy likes my muzzle better.”\n\n“Which do you like better?” Charlie wondered aloud, feeling the boy feeling along his shaft. He was rock hard now.\n\n“I like both,” Julie said, sweetly. “Do you wanna put it under my tail?”\n\n“Yeah, I do,” Charlie admitted, softly.\n\n“Now?” Julie asked, sounding like he might be on the verge of dozing back off.\n\n“No, honey,” Charlie chuckled. “In the summer. When we can be all alone. Too many people around.”\n\n“Awww,” the boy protested, but he didn't go further. “Okay. In the summer.”\n\nCharlie leaned over and kissed the boy's cheek. “You're a sweetheart, Julie. Happy New Year.”\n\n“Happy New Year, Unca Charlie,” the little voice said, trailing off into slumber. The little addition to his name melted his heart even further. He carefully tucked himself back into his pants, zipping back up, then went out to rejoin the group, hearing the countdown starting. He positioned himself near Carey, and, when the clock hit midnight, he kissed the boy, happily. [i]Happy New Year, boys,[/i] he thought to himself. [i]I really can't wait until camp's back in session![/i]", "writing_bbcode_parsed": "At the Closing of the Year

Although Camp Summerflame was best known to those who loved it as a place for long days of summer games and warm, star-filled summer evenings, its beauty in winter was undeniable. Many trees had lost their leaves, but the pines and firs were still a deep, vibrant green, and that stood out starkly from the heavy blanket of thick, white snow that had fallen. Charlie Carter, the raccoon who acted as the camp's beloved songmaster and child psychologist, loved seeing it this way. No one had paced the fields yet, and the snow was unbroken...unblemished. It was perfect and silent, frozen for a moment of pristine natural loveliness. Charlie loved to come up early on the days when the winter events were happening, just to enjoy it like this.

It didn't matter that Frank wouldn't have the heat on full blast until later or that Cookie wouldn't have gotten coffee brewing yet. Charlie was bundled up warmly, and he'd bought a fill-up of coffee from Rosie's Diner in nearby Hadley that was resting hot and fresh in his thermos. For a few moments, he sat in his warm car as the engine made little ticking noises as it cooled. Finally, he took a swig of the coffee, and, thermos in hand, he climbed out, feet crunching into the thick white crust that covered the familiar gravel parking lot.

He took a long look around, just standing there, before turning his back on the main camp and heading into the tunnel that led under highway 302. He went a bit cautiously at first; one year, they had found a homeless man in very bad shape taking refuge in the tunnel. But the tunnel was, as usual, quite empty. He walked through the shadowy interior, emerging on the gradual slope that led down to Lake Willowgreen. He took in a long breath, then exhaled it in a visible cloud that dissipated as it cooled in the frigid air. The Lake was gorgeous in the winter chill. The willows that gave it its name had changed from their bright summer green to a warm autumn gold, and they stood out against the snow, as did the brightly painted summer homes that stood silent and deserted.

Passing back through the tunnel, he emerged to the parking lot and crossed it, walking out onto the main field of the camp. He smiled, leaving the first footprints in the now...other than the little marks of the winter birds that often came around, searching for food. He could see and hear chickadees, grosbeaks, and crossbills, and, off in the distance, he heard the occasional guttural cry of a pheasant. Many of the tracks centered around a crate on its side he knew Frank set up a week previous, before the snow. Plenty of different birdseed had been scattered there, making sure their winter birds had a safe place to eat. The open side allowed the birds to hop in, while making sure they were sheltered from the various hawks and falcons that also made the Granite Mountains their home. Nature was going to take its course, of course, but why make it easier?

The sound of a car engine made him turn, and he smiled, seeing Cookie's old beat up van pulling in beside his. He waved, although the glare of the winter sun on the windshield made it impossible to see the opossum inside the van. He was a bit surprised when not just Cookie but Frank stepped out. “Hey, fellas!” he called to them.

“Charlie!” Cookie called. “Always the early one!”

“Guilty,” Charlie said with a chuckle, walking back towards them. “I can't resist seeing the place before everyone and their mother is here and trampling the snow.” The two of them were old friends, Charlie knew, sharing a love of the outdoors, as well as a love of food. The beaver handyman was what Charlie thought of as stout, but Cookie was quite fat. They seemed relaxed in each others' company, like friends who could share a comfortable silence.

Frank gave a wry smirk of a grin. “Well, I'm about to do a fair amount of trampling myself. Gotta get the heaters back up to full blast...not just the low burn we use to stop the pipes from freezing. But that's just around the main buildings. The trails up by the campers' cabins and such...got no plans to be up there, if you wanna walk 'em. Sometimes I do, and, in winter, it's like you're alone in the whole world.”

Charlie grinned. “Exactly my point. Yeah, I'll probably head up there before folks start getting here.”

“Well,” Cookie said, “you might want to go now. I saw a lot of familiar faces over at Rosie's getting breakfast. I'd say you have an hour at the outside. By the time you get back, I'll have a top up for your coffee ready.”

Charlie nodded and grinned his thanks and started out across the main field. Cookie headed into the mess hall, while Frank headed for the admin building to start his duties there. Charlie turned right at the bathrooms, heading into the woods. Even though the trails were hidden by the fallen snow, Charlie knew them by heart. He knew the trees by sight, and it wasn't hard to spot the red-painted roofs of the camper cabins, huddled together in the clearing like they were trying to keep warm. He passed by them and headed all the way out to the firepit. Of all the places in camp, this was one of his absolute favorites. The way the natural amphitheatre just descended down to the dug out pit made it feel like you were sinking into warmth and memories. At least, that's how it felt for him. Acoustics were good, too.

He walked around the pit, tracing his fingers through the snow covering the log benches before sweeping some off. It was still damp, but his thick, warm pants protected him as he sat down. What a shame, he thought to himself, that more of the parents and staff don't take the time to come out and just be in the woods in winter. It really is a lovely thing.

As Charlie sat there, imagining a winter songcircle, his ears perked to the sound of feet crunching in snow. He frowned a bit, having wanted to have just a bit more solitude, but when he turned to look, his frown eased into a fond smile. It was Carey Winslow, one of his favorite campers...or...camper-counselor liaisons...he forgot what title they'd come up with to help cover Carey for the unusual nature of his status at camp. Despite his pleasure at seeing the little bear, Charlie feigned annoyance. “And here I thought I was out in the woods for some quiet and solitude,” he mock-grumbled.

Carey giggled, walking down into the bowl of the firepit's seating. “It's okay, Charlie. We can be alone together.”

The raccoon couldn't stifle a laugh at that. He pulled the little brown bear into a big hug. “I can't think of anyone I'd rather be alone together with than you, Carey. How are you doing? Staying out of trouble?”

The boy looked up with a grin. “Can't get in trouble if they don't catch me,” he replied, then hugged back fiercely. “It's so good to see you! I missed you!”

“Awww! It hasn't been that long. I'm glad you're here, though. Camp Winterlight wouldn't be the same without the boy who named it.”

Carey's smile softened into something less mischievous at that. It had been Chief Burkessen's idea to have a New Year's Party for campers and staff every year, but everyone agreed they needed a name for the event. It had been Carey who suggested Camp Winterlight, as a play on the camp's more traditional name, and most people had voted for that name. Charlie smiled, too. He loved all the events the Camp held, although he hadn't been able to be up for Santa's Village this year due to problems with his mother's health. He was glad that she was doing better, and he'd at least be able to see everyone before the long drought of activities. And Easter was going to be late this year, which made it even more important to him that he see his camp family before the winter took them away.

“I'm glad I'm here, too,” Carey said, and something funny passed over his expression. Charlie perked, the psychologist in him paying attention now. Something was bothering the normally perky boy. “If we find a few minutes, can we talk a little?” The little bear looked thoughtful and was biting his lip a bit.

Charlie frowned, a little concerned. “Is everything okay? Is everything alright at...home?” He knew Carey's home situation was unusual, and he often felt a little worry that it would make the young bear's life difficult. He knew the boy wasn't exactly a little boy, but he couldn't help but feel the need to help however he could. “Do you want to talk now? This is an okay time for me.”

Carey shook his head. “I got a ride up with Perry and his family. I told him I'd be there when Cookie showed how to make maple snow, and Cookie wants to do it early, when the snow is undisturbed.” He smiled. “It's okay. It's nothing real bad...just could use someone to talk to. And you're really good to talk to.”

“Well, thank you, Carey,” Charlie said, smiling back. “I like talking to you too. Did you just come out to say hi?”

The bear nodded, still smiling. “Frank said you were out this way, and...” He gestured at the only footprints in the snow besides his own. “You were pretty easy to follow.”

The raccoon laughed. “Well, there's your merit badge for tracking...if we did merit badges.” He hugged the little guy one more time. “Okay, go get your maple snow. I'll be along shortly.”

Carey smiled and waved, heading back to camp, and Charlie sat there, thoughtfully. He knew the bear had no family and wasn't really a kid, but he looked and often acted so much like one that it was easy to be concerned and feel protective. He cared about Carey as much if not more than many of the campers he saw on a regular basis, and the little guy rarely ever asked for help. Charlie determined he would give Carey whatever advice he could about what was happening. After a few more minutes of enjoying the quiet and solitude, charlie sighed, stood up, brushed off the seat of his pants, then walked back towards where he knew people would be gathering.

Sure enough, by the time he got there, there was quite a gathering of cars in the parking lot, and the sound from the mess hall was the roar of a merry throng. He frowned. How had they all got there so quickly? He looked at his phone and realized he had to have been sitting alone in the woods for over 30 minutes! He shook his thermos and realized it was mostly empty, then shook his head, chuckling at his absent-mindedness. It wasn't unusual for him to lose track of the time when he was feeling comfortable. Even as a cub, his parents had called him a little dreamy, and it had continued into adulthood. In a way, it was what made him an excellent counselor. He had boundless patience for sitting and listening to kids telling him their hopes, fears, and dreams. He had learned to set timers, not because he was concerned about being paid correctly, but because, if he didn't, he could let a cub go on forever, chatting together with them until their scheduled time had long since passed.

Charlie made his way into the mess hall, and he was greeted by many warm hullos! He waved and called back welcomes to many campers. Chief Burkessen called him over and hauled him into a hug.  “Hey, Charlie,” the Camp Chief said, affectionately. “I'm so glad you could make it! Happy Holidays!”

Charlie chuckled, hugging the big badger back. “Happy Holidays, Chief. I'm glad I could make it, too.”

Burke pushed him back to assess him, looking him up and down. “Your Mom's doing better?”

“Much better, thanks for asking. If she weren't, I probably wouldn't be here.”

The badger nodded. “Fair point. Well, I'm glad she is, and I'm glad you are.” He gave Charlie's shoulder a squeeze. “Went out to the firepit?”

Charlie grinned. “I guess I'm pretty predictable. Yeah, had a look. I still think we should do a winter songcircle out there, one of these years.”

Burke shrugged with a warm smile. “I'm not against it, but try convincing Jimmy & Gary to haul out there over the snow. Or convince Frank to shovel all the way to the firepit for them.”

“Okay, okay,” the raccoon said with a wry smile, holding up his hands in surrender. “Just saying.”

The badger sipped some coffee, then nodded to where it was. “I think Cookie's out back with some boys making sugar on snow, but he left a big, fresh pot over there.”

“Heh...yeah I saw Carey earlier, and he mentioned the maple snow.” Charlie frowned a moment. “Did he seem okay to you?”

Burke blinked. “Carey? Yeah, he seemed fine. Why?”

Charlie smiled. “Oh, probably nothing. He just seemed a little...I don't know...concerned about something.”

“Hmmm...I can't say I noticed, but that's why I have you.”

“He's just...he's kind of an unusual case, and a great kid, so I want to help if I can.”

Burke patted Charlie's arm. “I'm sure if Carey needs something, you'll be able to help him. You're always great with the campers.”

“Thanks, Chief,” Charlie said, appreciatively. “Gonna see about this maple snow situation.”

He made his way out back to where he knew he was likely to find whoever was working on it. Sure enough, he found Cookie, Carey, Perry Somerset, and Manny Alvarez out back, scooping fresh snow into 9x13 Pyrex dishes. “Hey, fellas,” Charlie said brightly. “Can I join in?”

“I dunno,” Cookie said, thoughtfully. “Do we let this masked bandit join us, guys?”

“You better!” Perry said, with concern, as if Cookie would really refuse. “Charlie's one of the nicest counselors here!”

“Awww, thanks, Perry,” Charlie said. “C'mon, Cookie, please?”

The other boys joined Perry in the request, and Cookie rolled his eyes. “Ugh, fine. Grab one of those dishes and a spoon and get scooping.”

Charlie joined in, scooping in snow and packing it down to mostly fill the Pyrex dish. Cookie had chosen deep ones, because you didn't want the hot maple syrup to go right through the snow, but to cool on the top. They left the snow-filled dishes outside to stay cool, as Cookie led them inside and showed them as he filled a pot with a large amount of maple syrup that had been gifted to them by a former camper who owned a maple sugar farm nearby. He set a candy thermometer in it, heating it until it reached the “soft ball” state, and then used a broad label to pour it in ribbons into the packed snow in the pans, where it would cool to a taffy-like consistency. Cookie brought out disposable chopsticks, and he showed them how to roll each ribbon up onto a stick for easier and less sticky consumption.

Cookie carried a tray of the sweets out to the mess hall, letting people indulge, while those who helped him make them got their own, plus a small bag of cookies the opossum had made over the holidays. Jimmy Swindon and Gary Lopez, the owners of the camp, had arrived, and the couple were by far the center of attention outside the kitchen. A white-tailed deer and a Mexican wolf, they made a distinctive pair, even at their advanced years, and everyone involved with the camp, from counselors to campers to parents adored them. They knew all the staff and many of the campers by name, and their warm, friendly demeanor endeared them to everyone. Charlie was enjoying his sugar on snow, but he also wanted to talk to Carey, see if he could help the little bear with whatever was troubling him.

“Charlie Carter!” The raccoon blinked, realizing Gary Lopez was calling to him. He smiled and approached the wolf. “My goodness, I'm so glad your mother is doing better and you were able to join us.”

“Hi, Mr. Lopez,” Charlie said, with a smile. “I'm glad to be here myself.”

“Charlie, please,” the wolf said, with a warm smile. “We've known each other for years. It's just Gary.”

Charlie smiled and nodding. “Thanks, Gary. Your holidays were good?”

The older wolf smiled warmly, eyes crinkling merrily at the corners. He had a face for smiles. “Very good indeed, Charlie,” he said happily. “Jimmy and I just want to thank you for everything you do for the kids. We know our camp isn't exactly...typical. Having you here to help any of the boys who're having issues or concerns goes a long way towards making it possible.” The old wolf's smile was positively glowing. “Thank you for everything you do for them.” Charlie was blushing, slightly, and was about to reply, when Gary glanced to his husband. “Oh...it looks like Jimmy's warming up for a speech. I'll catch up with you later, alright?” He smiled again, squeezed Charlie's forearm, and then headed over to join Jimmy, who was, along with Chief Burkessen, moving to the front of the room.

While the three of them engaged in welcoming everyone, saying words about winter at the camp, the new year, and the following year's schedule, Charlie found himself looking for Carey. He spotted the boy with his friends from Wolf Cabin. They were listening intently, eating their maple treats. Carey noticed Charlie looking over and smiled brightly, giving him a little wave. Charlie smiled and waved back. Maybe I'm making something out of nothing, he thought to himself. Carey seemed fine. Maybe he just wanted advice on some crush he had or something similar. It would hardly be the first time a boy had wanted to talk about the strange new feelings he was having about some other boy at camp. While he doubted that was quite what Carey needed help with, he realized it could be something that trivial. He resolved to relax, enjoy being with everyone, and let the bear approach him with whatever he needed.

Once he made that decision, the rest of the day was extremely fun. He participated in various events, like a snowball fight, a singalong in the Community Hall (he had brought his guitar, of course, although it needed constant tuning due to the temperatures), and a walk along in the woods to identify birds and plants. He also had a lot of chats with parents about their kids and how they were doing. It was nice to see many returning faces and many grateful parents talking about how their boys were developing, growing, and becoming young men. All too quickly, night came, but it was a perfect, clear night, frigid and full of stars. He took a walk on the field with a number of boys, pointing out constellations they couldn't see during the summer, like Orion. Charlie always smiled when he saw the three stars of the giant's belt; Orion was like an old friend he only got to see for part of the year.

A lot of the boys drifted around the field, some with parents, some with knots of friends. And eventually, Charlie found himself walking largely alone. He had his eyes on the heavens, thinking the names of familiar shapes, like Canis Major and Minor, Taurus, Carina, and Auriga. The sound of crunching feet in the snow drew him to look down in time to see Carey sliding his arms around the raccoon's arm, hugging in close. “Gosh, it's cold!” Carey said. He looked around, then murmured, “Do you have a few minutes to talk, Charlie?”

Charlie perked and nodded, immediately. “Of course, Carey.” He glanced over, seeing the admin building was dark. “How about over there? Looks like we'll have some privacy.” The boy nodded, and Charlie led him, still clinging to his arm, to the red-roofed building on the opposite side of the field from the green-roofed mess hall. Charlie led the way inside, bringing Carey back to his office. Rather than flip on lights to get there, which might have someone come check on them, Charlie used the light on his phone to lead the way. Once in the office, he closed the door and turned on a desk lamp, giving them a bit of illumination while making it unlikely anyone would spot a light and come to see who was out there. “So what's going on, Carey? Is everything okay? I know you said before it wasn't anything too bad...”

Carey smiled. “Yeah, it's more...kind of embarrassing. You know I play soccer a lot back home, right? I do it with the YMCA group?”

Charlie nodded at this. It was no secret that Carey played soccer whenever he could at camp and back home. “ I know you do.”

The little bear sheepishly grinned, rubbing the back of his neck. “Well, we had this substitute coach for part of the year...Coach Tony. He's a brown bear, like me, and we kind of...um...y'know...did stuff.”

Charlie chuckled. “Nothing too unusual there. It's not as if you haven't had plenty of special friends here at camp. Myself included.” He hugged the boy, who hugged back. “Did the fact that he was a bear, too, make it kind of special for you?”

Carey blushed deeply. “Y-yeah, it did. I don't know many other bears, so it was really neat. He liked calling me his...his baby bear. And he called himself Papabear. It made it pretty exciting. I didn't know it would hit me like that.”

“Ahhhh, I think I see,” Charlie said, thoughtfully. “You don't have parents of your own, so having someone acting like that was exciting. But maybe it also made you feel kind of funny? Playing with someone who was also acting like a Papabear?”

“That's part of it,” Carey admitted, softly. “But it was more...um...some other stuff he did...”

Charlie's eyes widened. “He didn't hurt you, did he?”

“Oh, no no!” Carey said quickly. “No, he was wonderful! But he...um...the whole baby bear thing? He took that...pretty far...”

Charlie wasn't sure he understood, but then something clicked for him. “Oh! Did he have you...um...dressed in the part?”

Carey nodded, ears very red. “And I think I...um...kinda liked it.”

“Is that making you feel strange?” Charlie said. “Is that why you wanted to talk?” The raccoon felt a wave of relief when Carey nodded, and he smiled, leaned forward, and put a hand on top of Carey's hand. “That's totally normal in all ways, Carey.”

“Really?” Carey perked up, looking hopeful. “You don't think it's weird?”

Charlie chuckled. “Not at all. An interest in diapers and infantilism is a relatively common paraphilia...a fetish or kink, I guess you'd say.”

Carey cocked his head. “Don't those mean the same thing?”

“Not exactly. If you have a kink you like, it means that you enjoy it, but it isn't necessary for you to have a satisfying sexual encounter.” The raccoon paused, watching the boy's sweet face, then said, “A fetish, however, is something you want in every encounter. You need it to feel truly satisfied. Would you say that's how you feel about what happened?”

“Oh, no,” Carey said with a shake of his head. “I really liked it with Tony, and I...y'know...I'd probably do it with other guys at times, if it seemed like they were into it, but I love just regular sex, too, and all kinds of other stuff.”

Charlie smiled. “Well, there you go,” he said. “Sounds like you enjoy a diaper kink, but you don't have a diaper fetish.”

“The only thing I wasn't completely sure about...he was really possessive, and he talked a little rough at times,” Carey said, biting his lip. “He didn't do anything bad, but I almost would've liked it better if he had talked to me all gentle...the way you do.”

Now it was Charlie's turn to blush. He did love talking sweetly to the little bear when they had played. “Well, you know I love being with you, Carey. When we play, it just makes we want to tell you what a sweet boy you are.”

Carey smiled. “Tony did get a lot nicer as time went on. At first, I was scared and a little embarrassed, though. But I've never been scared with you.” He got up, came over to Charlie, and hugged him, warmly. “I'm glad you don't think it's anything weird.”

“Not at all,” Charlie assured him. “If anything, it sounds pretty adorable...and a little sexy, too.”

Carey pulled back, looking up in surprise. “Really?”

Charlie chuckled. “I...we used to have a boy here at camp who needed diapers for medical reasons that his parents were convinced were mostly psychological. I saw him for many sessions, and, well...I found him so cute. I guess I'd have to say that I guess I have a little bit of a diaper kink, myself.”

Carey's smile spread across his face, slowly. “Wow...I'd...um...I'd be your baby bear any time, Charlie.”

Charlie smiled and gave his hands a squeeze. “Well, next summer will be here before you know it. I know we keep some boys' sizes of diapers on hand, in case of accidents. But the infirmary is locked up, which is a shame, as I think you'd make a delightful Baby New Year.”

The little bear blushed and smiled some more. “That's okay. It'll be nicer in summer, when it's warmer.” He clung to the raccoon for a time, then blushed some more. “Charlie, do you want me to...um...do anything for you?”

Charlie smiled. “Carey, you know I love any time we're together. Maybe you could...?” He opened his pants, fishing out the semi he'd been sporting during Carey's descriptions of what he'd done.

Carey giggled, softly. “Wow, I guess you really do like those ideas.” He knelt down in front of his counselor, leaning in, inhaling the warm musk of his lap. Then he began to softly kiss around the tip.

The raccoon sighed, resting a big, arm hand on Carey's head. “That's right, baby bear. I've got your pacifier for you, right here.” He was rewarded with a dark blush on bear ears, and then the feeling of a warm, eager muzzle sliding over the first few inches of his increasingly erect cock, suckling and nursing tenderly. “Oh, honey...you're such a sweet boy.” Charlie was rewarded for his words by a soft whimper and a hungrier pulling on his cock.

Charlie looked down at the boy working on his shaft. He knew Carey was older than he looked, but he wasn't sure how much older. A few counselors has raised concerns once Carey's unique condition was made known to them. Was he taking advantage of other campers? But it was clear that he wasn't, and that he just wanted to be treated like another cub. Charlie had been one of the worriers in the beginning, and he had many sessions with Carey, feeling him out. In the end, he had come across as a fairly mature boy, but still very much a boy. It didn't matter what age he really was, Charlie had realized, because Carey presented as a boy of about 12, and he had similar hopes, dreams, and fears to a 12 year old. He wanted to have fun summers, to play soccer, and to swim in the Lake. He wanted to eat camp food and sing at the firepit. And yes, he wanted to have sex, though he very much gravitated to staff over campers. And Charlie knew he was hardly the only boy there that did that. He wanted to be happy, and he didn't want to be perceived as odd by his fellow campers. Didn't everyone deserve that, regardless of age?

Carey looked up with those warm, gold eyes, and Charlie smiled down, stroking his head. “You're doing so good, baby. You must be hungry, 'cause you're working hard on getting fed.” Carey whimpered! He began bobbing his head, sucking even harder. “Oh, baby bear. I love you so much. Here you go, honey.” Charlie hadn't realized how pent up he'd been, but it was clear now, as the boy already had him so close. And then he groaned, fingers digging into Carey's scalp a little, as his cock swelled slightly and then the dam burst. He heard Carey mmmph! and then watched the little bear swallowing, a slight trickle damp running down his chin. “Oh, honey...oh, Carey...” He held there, until he was finished, and Carey had swallowed it all. Then he pulled the boy up into his arms and lap, kissing his face all over. Carey panted and giggled under this affectionate onslaught.

“Well, that was quite a show,” Chief Burke chuckled from the doorway, making them both jump slightly. “Don't worry, it's just me. Gary was wanting to have you talk with him and Jimmy, Charlie, and he asked me to find you.” He smirked a little. “You know, Carey, your friends are looking for you, but if you wanted to stay behind with me for a few minutes, I'd say...we have time.”

Charlie paused, watching the bear boy follow Burke into his office. He smiled. The boy was special to many of them, and anything Charlie could do to make him happy and comfortable, he'd be happy to do. He chuckled, hearing the murmurs of low voices, followed by a low growl and a higher-pitched moan from the young bear. Charlie grinned, tip-toeing away. He knew Burke was much thicker than he was and suspected he was...giving Carey's jaw a little rest.

Back in the Mess Hall, Gary noticed Charlie and waved him over to where Jimmy was talking with some parents. “One sec, Charlie,” Gary whispered, then turned, murmuring in Jimmy's ear. The older deer smiled and excused himself from the parents, coming to speak to Charlie.

“Charlie Carter,” he said, softly. If Gary's face was made for smiled, Jimmy's voice was made for affection, and the raccoon heard it clearly. Jimmy hugged him, gently, and Charlie smiled, hugging back. “So happy to hear about how your mother's recovering.”

“Thank you, Mr. Swindon...Jimmy!” he corrected himself, seeing the deer about to comment. All three of them chuckled. “We're happy she's recovering, too.”

“We both wanted to thank you for all your wonderful work with the boys this summer. Your name comes up frequently in the letters of happy parents, and we think you're just wonderful.” Jimmy's soft brown eyes twinkled slightly. “In fact, we have nothing but the utmost trust in you, which is why we have a very special favor to ask you.” As Charlie's tail curled, curiously, Jimmy turned and called out, “Julie? Honey, could you come here?”

Trotting over to them was a little white-tailed deer fawn. He was dressed in thick khaki pants with a Rudolph-themed sweater. He looked slight of build, so that the sweater hung on him loosely. He had, Charlie thought, the most lovely eyes he'd ever seen. They were large, deep, a liquid brown, and they looked up at Charlie like an owl's eyes. He looked around six or seven, without even the nubs of antlers.

“Charlie, this is my nephew Julius, but we all call him Julie. Julie, this is Charlie Carter, one of our absolutely best staff at the camp.”

“Hello, Mister Charlie,” the little fellow said, lifting a hand to shake.

Charlie smiled warmly at the lovely lad. “Hello, Julie. It's so nice to meet you.”

Julie smiled at him radiantly, and then, to his surprised, stepped in and hugged him tightly. Charlie blinked, smiled, then leaned down, hugging back.

Jimmy and Gary had nothing but smiles for both of them. “Julie is seven, but he'll be turning eight a few days before camp this year.”

Charlie grinned. “Oh wow! Are you going to come to camp with us, Julie?”

Julie's eyes got big. “I...maybe...I'm a little scared.”

“Oh, gosh! You don't have to be scared! Camp is super fun! We do games and swim and sing songs and stuff. And Cookie makes really good food! And you don't have to be afraid of anything, because all the staff and counselors are there to keep you safe and happy.”

Julie considered this. “Are you going to be there?” he asked, softly.

“Yup! I'm there every day, and I play guitar and help people learn all the fun songs!”

Julie still seemed to be considering, but then he said, “Okay!” He hugged tighter, and Charlie felt his heart absolutely melt.

He felt Jimmy's hand on his shoulder. “Here's the thing, Charlie...Julie is...precocious.” He gave a light squeeze. “But he can be timid about some things, like sleeping away from family. He needs someone gentle to help him feel comfortable.”

Charlie smiled. “Oh, that's no worry. I'm sure we'll get him settled in fine.”

Jimmy chuckled. “Well, there's a bit more than just that.” He patted Julie's shoulder. “Julie, honey, go see if they have any more of those excellent frosted lemon cookies.” As the boy sprinted off, Jimmy leaned in. “There are a couple of...small concerns we have.”

Gary leaned in, too. “He already knows about the kind of...special things that happen at camp.”

“Oh?” Charlie blinked. “Oh!”

Gary grinned. “Right. And we want to make sure that he'll have someone around...someone gentle...to help him explore those interests...but only if you wanted to.”

Charlie's jaw dropped. “Oh, that's...oh my. I mean...if we hit it off, of course, I'd love to...um...help him explore.”

Gary chuckled. “Told you he'd be amenable.”

Jimmy nodded. “I had no doubts you were the right person to speak to. And don't worry. You won't be his first.”

“Or second,” Gary snickered softly. “Little tyke's a bit insatiable.”

Charlie swallowed, feeling his pants tighten a bit. For one brief moment, he felt a pang that he wouldn't be giving Carey his full attention after the intimate talk they'd had. But then he remembered that, right now, Carey was likely on all fours on Chief Burke's desk. Carey had never been a boy to be terribly monogamous, and he never seemed to be jealous of those he cared about. “Honestly, Jimmy, I'd be more than honored. Assuming he likes me, of course.”

“Oh, he likes you,” Gary chuckled. “He doesn't go in for the hug on just anyone he meets. I pointed you out to him earlier, and he thinks your handsome.”

Charlie blushed deeply. “Well, I think he's beautiful. It means a lot to me that you both trust me so much.”

Jimmy squeezed his arm, lightly. “No one I would trust more.”

Julie came running back. “I got four lemon cookies!” He handed one each to his Uncles, then shyly smiled and offered one to Charlie, even as he put his own cookie in his mouth.

Charlie smiled, crouched down, and took the cookie. “Thank you, Julie,” he said, softly.

The little fawn hugged him again, this time around the neck. “I can't wait for summer!” he whispered in the raccoon's ear.

“Same here, buddy!” Charlie whispered back.

Burke and Carey reappeared a short while later, both looking in good moods. Julie stayed glued to Charlie for a lot of the evening, and Charlie introduced him around, including to Carey. Carey shook hands and promised to help show Julie around the camp in the summer. He saw the little bear eyeing them both and grinning. When Julie was over with his uncles, getting introduced to other campers, Carey murmured to Charlie, “He's so cute! You two are so cute together!”

“It won't change anything between us, Carey,” Charlie said, seriously. “I promise. You don't have to be jealous of him.”

“Course it will!” Carey said, chuckling. “And that's okay. He's crushing on you hard, and I think you're gonna have a little shadow next summer. I just hope *he* won't be jealous of *me*. I know you, and I know you'll have time for me, too.”

Charlie gave the little bear an affectionate hug. “You're really an amazing kid. You know that, right.”

“Yup, I know,” the bear said, with a playful grin. “I'm just glad you know it, too.”

A lot of the younger campers and their parents were gone well before midnight, but a number, including Carey, Perry, and Manny and Perry's folks, who had driven them, were still there, as were most of the staff. Jimmy and Gary stuck around, too, and Charlie watched as Julie, who was up way past his bedtime, was dozing against Jimmy's side. He came over and touched Jimmy's arm. “Want me to find him a place to sleep?” he asked.

“I think that's a wonderful idea,” Jimmy said.

“Cozy Cove is open, Charlie,” Carey said helpfully. “It should be pretty quiet and dark in there, and it's warm, and there are blankets and pillows.”

“Thanks, bud,” Charlie said, lifting the boy, carrying him towards the dark area adjourning the mess hall.

“Is it midnight?” Julie said sleepily.

“Not quite, buddy. We're just going to find you someplace to sleep. We'll wake you up when the big moment comes.”

“Okay,” Julie said, head on the raccoon's chest. Charlie laid him on one of the well-worn couches, covering him with an afghan quilt. “Charlie, will you stay with me a little.”

“Sure, buddy,” Charlie said, softly, sitting on the couch, stroking the little fawn's back, softly. Julie sighed, and he was very quiet. Charlie, thinking he had drifted off, began to stand.

“Charlie,” said the plaintive little voice from the couch.

“Yeah, buddy? You need a drink or anything?”

“Can I see your thingie?” the little voice said.

Charlie flushed, his “thingie” answering “YES!” in a surge of hardness. “Well, it's pretty dark, buddy, but...um...” He grinned. “You can feel it if you want?”

“Yeah, I want that,” Julie said, sleepily. Charlie sat back down, opening his pants, fishing himself back out. He guided the little questing hand to it, and Julie sighed. “It's nice. Warm...big.”

“Aw, it's probably not as big as your Uncles',” Charlie chuckled. “But thanks.”

“In the summer, I can suck it?” Julie asked.

“Yeah, honey, if you want,” Charlie agreed.

“Will you put it under my tail?” Julie said, curiously.

Charlie wondered how far Jimmy and Gary had gone with him. “Did your Uncles show you that?” he asked.

“Uh huh,” he replied, yawning. “Unca Gary likes doing it a lot, but Unca Jimmy likes my muzzle better.”

“Which do you like better?” Charlie wondered aloud, feeling the boy feeling along his shaft. He was rock hard now.

“I like both,” Julie said, sweetly. “Do you wanna put it under my tail?”

“Yeah, I do,” Charlie admitted, softly.

“Now?” Julie asked, sounding like he might be on the verge of dozing back off.

“No, honey,” Charlie chuckled. “In the summer. When we can be all alone. Too many people around.”

“Awww,” the boy protested, but he didn't go further. “Okay. In the summer.”

Charlie leaned over and kissed the boy's cheek. “You're a sweetheart, Julie. Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year, Unca Charlie,” the little voice said, trailing off into slumber. The little addition to his name melted his heart even further. He carefully tucked himself back into his pants, zipping back up, then went out to rejoin the group, hearing the countdown starting. He positioned himself near Carey, and, when the clock hit midnight, he kissed the boy, happily. Happy New Year, boys, he thought to himself. I really can't wait until camp's back in session!", "pools_count": 2, "title": "At the Closing of the Year", "deleted": "f", "public": "t", "mimetype": "text/rtf", "pagecount": "1", "rating_id": "2", "rating_name": "Adult", "ratings": [ { "content_tag_id": "4", "name": "Sexual Themes", "description": "Erotic imagery, sexual activity or arousal", "rating_id": "2" } ], "submission_type_id": "12", "type_name": "Writing - Document", "guest_block": "t", "friends_only": "f", "comments_count": "7", "views": "1418" }