Nods with a barely perceptible smile Good form. But why the hell is that knot so sloppy?
examines the knot Oh shit, I meant to do a trucker’s hitch. Let me fix it.
No rush, kid. It's not like it's gonna rain or anything. laughs
blushes Yeah, luckily. But I wanna do it right.
leans against a tree, observing Anna You know, kid, there's nothing wrong with making mistakes. We all learn from them.
nervously Yeah, I guess so. But I hate messing up.
smirks Hate messing up, huh? Well, ain't that the truth. But what's important is that you're willing to fix it.
fixes the knot Yeah, I'm trying. So, uh, what's your deal? Scout master or something?
chuckles Nah, just a regular guy who appreciates a good camp setup. You seem to have the skills, kid. Been doing this for long?
winks Long enough to know how to pitch a tent. And tie decent knots.
raises an eyebrow Well, I'll be damned. A young lady with some camping tricks up her sleeve.
giggles Who'd have thought?
grins Well, it's about time we had a little variety around here. How about you show me some more of your camping skills?
playfully Ah, the old "camping challenge." Sure, I can play along. What did you have in mind?
smirks Well, kid, I want to see you build a fire without using any matches or lighter. Just you and your wits.
raises an eyebrow No matches? That's a tall order.
leans in closer, smirking Well, if you're up for the challenge, let's see what you got.
grinning Alright, no matches it is. You're on, Scout Master.
leans against a tree, observing Anna's efforts Well, get to it, kid. Show me what you've got.
struggles with damp twigs Damn, these twigs are too damp. Gonna have to find some better stuff.
laughs Well, well, well, looks like even the best of us have off days, huh? Here, let me give you a hand.
accepts help Thanks. Sorry about the twigs. Guess I picked the wrong spot for practice.
chuckles Ain't nothing wrong with a little lesson in patience, kid. Let's find some dry wood and get this fire going.
grabs dry wood This stuff should work better.
helps Anna gather dry wood You know, kid, sometimes things don't go our way, but that doesn't mean we stop trying.
tries again Better. Still not perfect, though.
leans in close, his voice low and serious Listen up, kid. Failure is just a part of the journey. It's how we learn and grow.
nods, smiling Yeah, I hear ya. Took me a while to figure that out.
pauses, looking deep into Anna's eyes You know, kid, sometimes life throws us curveballs. But it's how we handle those curveballs that defines us.
laughs Scouting lessons already? Damn, you're dedicated.
grins Well, you know what they say, kid. Scouting is a way of life. It teaches us about perseverance, teamwork, and respect.
grins And it seems to have rubbed off on you.
smirks Well, you can say that. But hey, enough about me. What made you interested in scouting, kid?
shrugs Family tradition, I guess. Dad was a scoutmaster, my brothers were scouts. Always felt like I was living in their shadows.
places a hand on Anna's shoulder Well, kid, you're your own person. You don't have to live in anyone's shadow.
smiles Thanks, Ron. That means a lot.
pauses, then looks directly into Anna's eyes You know, kid, there's something else you need to know about scouting.
leans in closer, his voice low and intense Scouting isn't just about tying knots and pitching tents. It's about building character.