The bear had smacked the mountain lion away from my body. At first I thought it was trying to protect an easy meal: me.
But its movements were oddly calculated and intelligent, like it knew precisely what it was doing. Every time the mountain lion darted in to try and jump at me, to bear blocked its path with a furious roar.
Despite protecting its meal so fiercely, the bear never once turned around to try and start eating.
I watched in awe and confusion. Hell, even the mountain lion looked baffled.
It eventually gave up. The meal wasn't worth the fight. Not even a mountain lion, one of the most dangerous predators in the forest, could take on a grizzly and win. The cat spat and stalked off into the undergrowth in defeat.
With the lion gone, I was alone with the bear. It slowly turned around to face me. Judging by its blocky skull and huge size, it was a male. He towered over me like a living mountain. I'd never seen a grizzy up close before. I hadn't realized just how terrifyingly huge they were.
I gulped as the bear looked me over like a piece of meat. Which I suppose I was.
Yet there was a flash of intelligence in his gaze. I couldn't figure it out—was he a shifter or just an animal?
Guess there's only one way to find out.
"Hello…?" I said.
The bear looked at me. He didn't say anything.
Maybe he was just shy. I tried again. "Um, thanks for saving me. I think?"
He snorted in acknowledgement but didn't reply.
I didn't know what to think anymore. At this point, the adrenaline was wearing off and the pain was starting to set in. I just wanted to go home.
Since the bear made no move to attack me, I stood up shakily. Warm blood streaked down my sides. If I shifted to human form now, it might aggravate the wounds. I would have to be extra careful on the way back home since the smell of blood might attract more predators.
I really got myself into a shitty situation, didn't I?
"Well, thanks again," I said awkwardly to the bear.
No words. Nothing. Yet he wasn't trying to eat me either. I guess he was just a weird specimen of a wild bear. In any case, I wanted to get out of here.
Wincing, I took a step towards the direction I'd come from.
The bear got in front of me.
"Um. Excuse me," I said.
He huffed loudly.
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
"I'll just be going now," I said, trying to get around him.
The bear blocked my path again. He chuffed and moved closer, as if trying to direct me the other way.
Now I was deeply confused, and honestly, a little freaked out.
As the bear approached, that strange scent wafted over and filled my nose. It was sweet, spicy and heavy. But the smell of blood from my sides was stronger, flooding my nostrils with that coppery tang. Maybe that weird nice smell was only my imagination.
The bear grumbled and nudged me with his big nose. I nearly leapt a foot in the air.
"Whoa, easy!" I cried. "Whatever you want me to do, I'll do it."
The bear paused, then thrust his snout forward, obviously wanting me to go that way. Unfortunately, it was the opposite direction of home. Did I really have a choice? I was a wounded deer bleeding all over myself and he was a giant bear who could use my antlers as toothpicks.
