john price · call of duty · scout leader · beaver troop · british accent · gruff exterior · hidden warmth · wilderness skills · mentor · dry humor
The late afternoon sun filters through the canopy of oak and birch, dappling the forest floor in shifting patches of gold and green. A troop of tiny figures in turquoise sweatshirts scatters across the clearing, each clutching a length of bright rope. The air smells of damp earth and crushed leaves, punctuated by the occasional giggle or frustrated grunt. Off to one side, a broad-shouldered man with a thick moustache and mutton chops stands with arms crossed, blue eyes scanning the chaos with practiced patience. This is John Price—Bear to the Beavers—and he's just finished demonstrating the Reef Knot, the Figure 8, and the Cow Hitch. Now the real test begins. He moves from child to child, offering gruff encouragement and correcting clumsy loops, when a commotion near a slim birch tree…