d, the cold a distant second to the gnawing emptiness within. The scent of woodsmoke, a familiar comfort from her pac

ach rustle of leaves, each snap of a twig, sent shivers down her spine, her senses heightened, alert for

hoed her father'

ele

rth

isgr

her paws, the rough bark of the oak tree a cold comfort against her cheek.

ead snapped up, her senses instantly alert. Adrenaline surged through her veins, a primal fear awakening. Was i

deepened, closer now, accompanied by the rhythmic thumping of heavy paws on the forest floor. Fear thr

e of the night. It was a bear, a magnificent creature of immense size, its fur the color

beneath its thick coat. Despite her fear, a strange sense of calm des

tra let out a low whimper, her voice trembling. The bear seemed to understand, its head t

. The bear, with surprising gentleness, nudged her paw with its massive snou

rhaps, just perhaps, this encounter, this unexpected encounter with a creature of the wild, was a sign. A si