Jubal is a story of bears, forest fires, romance... and one man’s survival.

The big, red horse happily stepped from the dense forest into the clearing which had once been an old logging road. It was still early morning and a slight mist hung close to the ground.

Jubal sat astride, studying both directions. He guessed he should head home and help Rowe in the shop, but he and Darling loved their early morning rides that helped keep his headaches from becoming debilitating.

He reached in his knapsack for a sandwich to breakfast on as they rode back down the hillside toward home.

Suddenly, the horse shivered, her ears laid back, her eyes wide. She did a frightened dance as Jubal dropped the sandwich and grabbed the reins to gain control.

“Whoa, girl.”

Darling danced sideways as a bear appeared out of the forest, just yards up the trail.

Jubal only had seconds to decide: Can I reach my gun? Can the horse outrun the bear?