Ryan stood perfectly still. Every instinct screamed at him to run, but he knew that would be a mistake. The bear’s eyes glinted, dark and intelligent. It shifted its weight, sniffing the air between them. Ryan whispered, “Easy now.” His hand hovered near his backpack. The bear spray was inside, but he couldn’t reach it without drawing attention. The animal took one step closer, massive paws pressing silently into the wet soil. Ryan could see its breath drifting through the cold morning air. He tried not to blink. His body tensed, muscles locked, waiting for a reason to bolt. Then the bear tilted its head, almost curious, as if studying him.

Seconds dragged into minutes. The forest held its breath. Ryan could hear his heart pounding in his ears. Slowly, he took one cautious step backward. His boot cracked a stick, breaking the silence like a gunshot. The bear huffed loudly, puffing steam from its nostrils. Ryan flinched, expecting it to charge. But instead, something strange happened. The bear turned its head toward the woods behind it and grunted softly, almost like a mother calling to her cubs. Ryan frowned, frozen in confusion. Then, from somewhere deep in the trees, came a faint rustling sound.

The bear’s ears twitched. It looked back at Ryan once, then started walking slowly away, dragging something heavy in its jaws. His fear began to fade, replaced by curiosity. It wasn’t attacking him. It was carrying something. Ryan took a step forward, straining to see what it was.