"Well this is a minor inconvenience." Natsu had quietly stated the obvious.
"What do you mean by 'minor'? It is a bear! You know what those are right? They have huge teeth and sharp claws! Just like the one right in front of us!" Natsu's hiking partner and best friend, Lucy, is about to scream through her gritted teeth. Seeing the bear just fifteen feet away from them struck fear into Lucy's heart and her pulse began to rapidly rise.
Natsu noticed the heaving breaths Lucy was beginning to take and took on immediate action,
"Please stay calm, Luce. As you know, I was a boy scout. We can handle this and get out of these woods intact."
Instead of steadying Lucy with these words, they struck anger.
"You attended two meetings! You aren't even qualified to tie a knot!"
"Well I do know that if you don't calm down, it's definitely going to notice us! Now, count to eight while you inhale."
Lucy started to do as Natsu instructed, with only minor hesitation.
"Good," Natsu stated, "hold your breath for seven more seconds… Now, exhale for eight."
As Lucy repeated these steps a couple of more times, her heart started to even out back to normal. When her heartbeat was at rest, her demeanor was suddenly struck with determination.
"Alright, boy scout. How should we do this?"
"We move as quietly as possible. Then, when we are both out of ear and eye shot, we book it."
"...Really? That's your plan?
"Do you have a better one?"
"Yes, infact, I do. See that giant branch there?" Lucy then nodded to said branch just a few meters away from the duo, "Throw it across the path. Aim for that huge oak tree and the sound from the branch hitting the tree should draw the bear's attention. Then we sneak past it and 'book it'."
Before Lucy can respond with a scathing remark, Natsu already had the branch in his arms and took a quick aim. The gigantic branch soared through the air and struck a farther tree than what Lucy had recommended. The sickening sound of the branch splitting from the impact drew a great blare. The black bear's head swung up from where it was sniffing the ground. Natsu and Lucy took the slight distraction as their chance and started to quietly make their way down the path.
In a hushed whisper, Natsu said to Lucy "Speed-walk!"
As the pair's legs pumped down the path, Natsu turned his head to see that they had made a favorable distance between themselves and the bear. Lucy noticed this and began to watch as Natsu turned his head back around to look at her. They looked into each other's eyes and came to the same conclusion.
It was time to get the heck out of dodge.
"I'm never hiking with you ever again!" Lucy had yelled out to Natsu.
"Feeling's mutual!"