When Life Becomes Un-Bear-Able [Alarik]
The young man still couldn't quite believe that the seasons could be so entirely opposite between the two continents. He looked at Pyralis and nodded when she said how confusing it could get when traveling between lands a lot. "No kidding," he chuckled. The two of them walked along a little longer, heading south and making their way around the falls. Pyralis took a moment to appreciate the lovely sound of the water falling over the rocks, and Alarik smiled softly at her. Maybe the woman had a soft side after all. But he didn't dare say that and spoil the moment.
He patiently waited, watching Pyralis as she moved in for a closer look. But then she froze, her eyes on the mud below, and her words made his soft smile fade instantly. "Fresh bear tracks?" he asked, coming up beside her and taking a look himself. Sure enough, that was the track of a bear. He leaned in to sniff at it, and it certainly smelled recent. Maybe a few hours old. Which meant the bear hadn't been far from where they'd been sleeping. That was a worrisome thought.
"Where do you think it was headed? South, like us?" The smart thing to do would be to avoid the bear, if possible. But if it was headed in the same direction as he and Pyralis were, well. What could they do then? "Maybe we keep going, and keep a sharp eye out for more signs of the bear," he said. "I really think it'd be smart to avoid it if we can," he said, trying to laugh a bit. But this was serious. He didn't know how close they were to where Pyralis had left her pups, but he knew some bears got desperate in a pinch just like wolves did. He wanted to make sure her pups didn't turn into a snack for the huge beast. And so, while he knew Pyralis could handle herself and her pups, he still felt the need to say it. "Are your pups a safe distance away? And are they protected?" "Talk" "You" Think |
