Yellowstone: Wind in the Smoke

Dante returned to his hunting cabin, opened the curtains, and glanced at the weather.

The sky was slightly dark early in the morning, but there were no signs of gathering storm clouds.

The sun shone warmly through the mist, outlining the mountains and creating a peaceful scene.

It seemed unlikely to rain, and the work had to go on.

As he opened the window curtains, he looked toward the sofa. That was where Baloo, the albino bear who had this cabin all to himself, usually slept.

"This little animal woke up before me. Where did he go looking for food?" Dante murmured softly. He smirked, packed his belongings into a bag, and headed to the kitchen.

For today's breakfast, he planned to try the fish he caught yesterday, which he hadn't been able to share with the cowboys.

He took the cooler's drain plug off and poured the contents into a metal bucket.

Inside were smaller fish—though still impressively large and incredibly fresh.

Dante carefully cleaned the fish, scaled them, gutted them, and put the extracted organs and gills into a bag for later use.

After rinsing them again, he used paper towels to absorb the moisture on the fish's surface.

Naturally, the larger fish were reserved for more special occasions.

"Well, little brother, today you'll get to taste my special fish," Dante said, taking the cleaned fish outside to prepare the marinade.

The flavor Dante wanted wasn't anything extravagant—just a sprinkle of salt, black pepper, and chili powder over the fish, with a dash of lemon juice. Ideally, the fish would marinate for hours, but since time was short, twenty minutes would have to suffice.

Once the fish had marinated, he poured a generous amount of cornstarch onto a flat plate.

That morning, Dante had received a message from Susie, saying her brother had recovered and that she was close to catching a flight to Montana.

This was good news for Dante, who still felt there was so much to share with Susie. He hoped to get to know her even better.

For the safety of the ranch, he planned to have his staff install some surveillance cameras and sensors.

He trusted his team completely, but he didn't want anyone discovering the albino grizzly bear. Although the bear didn't spend most of its time on the ranch, Dante felt the little creature was destined to share moments with those living there.

If outsiders saw such a rare bear, they would likely assume it was being illegally kept and would alert animal protection services to seize it.

That's why Dante let Baloo live in this secluded cabin, far from disturbances.

As for the bags of fish entrails, Dante placed them conveniently near the sofa as a token of compensation to the little bear for not causing trouble.

After closing the fishing gear room door, he returned to the kitchen, washed his hands, lit the stove, and added oil to the hot pan.

As the oil heated, faint white smoke began to rise.

Dante lightly coated the marinated fish with cornstarch. Testing the oil's temperature, he dropped a bit of flour into it. Seeing the flour bubble and rise rapidly, he knew the oil was ready.

He placed the fish into the hot oil, and with a sizzle, the small cabin was suddenly filled with a pleasant aroma.

The batter on the fish's skin turned crispy in the hot oil. Once it turned golden, Dante used tongs to flip it, ensuring both sides fried evenly.

The enticing aroma filled the air as Dante patiently rotated the fish to cook it evenly on all sides.

He loved the sound of the fish sizzling in the oil, as if each crackle acknowledged his skill.

A few minutes later, the fish was perfectly crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Under the light, the fish appeared to glisten with a golden amber sheen.

Dante placed the fish on paper towels to absorb the excess oil.

While it cooled slightly, he prepared a simple sauce: a few drops of lemon juice, a pinch of salt and pepper, and some pico de gallo—a finely chopped vegetable salad mixed with mayonnaise.

Taking a knife, he carefully cut a piece of fish and tasted it, just as he placed another fish in the oil.

The golden, crispy skin cracked lightly between his teeth, producing a satisfying crunch.

The thin, crispy layer had just the right touch of salt, enhancing the fish's natural flavor.

The fish Dante had caught was of excellent quality—what fish wouldn't taste amazing, coming straight from his father's ranch river?

Setting the bones aside, Dante continued eating. He didn't like frying the bones to consume them, preferring to fill his stomach with the fish's meat.

"This tastes amazing," he murmured, licking his lips. "I think I'll have to make this dish for Susie. She'll love it."

After frying the rest of the fish, Dante took half to Kayce. Upon returning, he checked the time—it was time to head back to his father's house to help the cowboys move the cattle.

But before leaving, he walked through the forest path to the edge of his brother's ranch. He wasn't particularly athletic, but lately, he needed a stronger body to face potential dangers.

Along the way, he saw a long-tailed weasel, its fluffy tail wagging as it chased a squirrel panicked by its presence.

Later, when Dante returned to check on the ponies, he remembered his promise to Kayce to feed them that morning.

As he prepared the liquid feed for the livestock, he noticed the little bear had appeared silently outside the fence, watching him wistfully.

Dante had no choice but to feed him too, as there was no shortage of food.

The bear was unusually well-behaved today, staying away from the ponies as he ate.

Before leaving, Dante wanted to pet Baloo, who still wasn't accustomed to human contact.

But Dante wasn't one to give up.

He fetched a fried fish from the cabin, its aroma acting as an invisible lure.

Baloo's round eyes lit up, and his nose twitched, clearly drawn by the delicious scent.

"Hey, little guy, want a bite?" Dante leaned slightly, a mischievous smile on his face, waving the steaming fish in his hand.

The bear hesitated, unsure whether to trust the human.

Baloo licked his lips and cautiously stepped forward.

Dante chuckled at the bear's reluctance, as if he wanted the food but feared being tricked.

"Come on, I'll let you taste it, but you have to let me pet you." Dante hid the fish behind his back, negotiating with the white bear.

The little bear froze momentarily, then finally gave in to temptation, approaching cautiously.

Dante handed him the fish.

Baloo sniffed it, then took a bite. The crispy skin made a satisfying crunch as he chewed.

While the bear was distracted by the food, Dante slowly extended his hand and gently patted his head.

The soft fur felt rough in places but warm and plush, like a giant stuffed animal.

Baloo froze for a moment and glanced at Dante, but his mouth was too busy chewing to pull away.

"See? It's not so bad to hang out with me, right? If you behave, I might even let you eat my enemies," Dante joked, feeding him another fish—this time raw—and gently stroking the bear's neck.

After finishing a few more fish, Baloo turned abruptly, shook his head, and walked away with an air of arrogance.

Dante stood, clapped his hands, and smiled helplessly.

"Well, I guess it's time for me to head out too."