The Spirit Bear

 

The woods surrounds me, everywhere I look the trees creep forward, choking out the comforting sunlight. Darkness prevails as the night emerges and the sounds of the dead pierce through the woods. I curl up at the base of an oak tree, shivering from the sudden drop in temperature, beginning to cry. Nobody knows that I am here alone, in the woods, by the body of my dead grandfather.

The blood on his face had dried; his pale blue eyes stared at me lifelessly. I reached across and gently closed them, pulling my hand back quickly from his cold skin. Early this morning he had taken me down the river and deep into the woods to show me the old Indian ruins that my ancestors built for a spirit bear who protected all in the woods, but he didn’t look where he was going. There was a bear trap that was placed there by hunters. His leg was caught in it, and he fell back, over a steep ridge. By the time I’d reached his body, he was dead.

I wiped from my cheeks my tears, and stood up, I could hear the wolves in the distance, calling to each other about the fresh smell of blood. I carved a cross into the hard surface of the oak tree and started to dig. The wolves were not going to feast tonight.

I patted the earth down firmly. Looking up I saw the hungry eyes of a white wolf, her teeth glistening in the slight moonlight; lips pursed back into an evil smile. From the darkness behind her, I could just make out the silhouettes of the rest of the pack. Panic raced through my veins to my entire body, I stood frozen in fear. Many had spoken about the pack led by the white wolf – they terrorised the entire woods with their cold blood and eagerness for blood. My mind searched for ways out, a path to safety as the bringers of my sure death urged forward. I let out a shrill scream as I felt the warm breath of an animal on my arm.

I slowly turned my head and realised it wasn’t a wolf, but a bear. The bear let out a deep growl, swiping at the air before him with his powerful claws. The wolves stood their ground, none faltered in their stance, their dark eyes bore into my own, their hunger driving them towards their meal, oblivious to the danger which stood in their path. One by one, they came down the steep embankment, forming a circle around the bear and myself. Closer, closer. My body trembled with every loss of safe ground, I glanced towards the bear, I never know that could have been such a mistake. I never saw the she wolf pounce on me from behind; I never expected the weight on my back to push me towards the cold ground.

The pain, which was inflicted on my body as her teeth engulfed the tender flesh on my neck, was tremendous. I couldn’t scream, nor could I move as my warm blood flowed from the deep gash left from my wound.

When all hope had left my soul, a powerful force catapulted the near bringer of my death several metres from where I lay. I looked up, and saw an engraving of cuts made by the claws of the bear. It had caused profuse bleeding from her body; she lay there stunned and weak. The pack looked eagerly from me to their leader, both were wounded beyond help, the stench of blood was obvious as an eerie silence enclosed around us. The white fur on the she wolf had turned a deep red and she tried to stand, to no avail. Her pack turned on her, ripping the flesh from her still living body, her howls of pain and betrayal rang through my mind as I got to my feet and stumbled from a scene of death and feasting.

I tried to run, run far from that place, but they saw me trying to leave and they came after me.  I stumbled and fell, I could feel them coming towards me.  I didn't even try to get away, I just lay there, all hope of survival had vanished, my tears began.  Not being able to live frightened me, but the thought of having my bones gnawed on while I still breathed frightened me even more.  They were just a few meters away now, my life started to flash before my eyes, their steps were strong and clear.  I closed my eyes tightly waiting for the excruitiating feeling of pain to befall me, but it never came.  Seconds past, then minutes.

I pushed my weak body up and turned slowly, expecting to find the pack, mouths covered in wet blood, just waiting for me to move, but instead there was only the bear, standing on two legs, encircled by bodies, bodies of wolves, mauled to death.  I could see their soft skin, and their recent meal...  The full moon shon brightly.

His paws were painted red, like a warrior going into battle.  He was there to protect me, he was the spirit bear, the one from the legend.  I smiled weakly, and collapsed to the ground.

 

The air around me was cold and damp, but my body was surrounded by warmth, like a heavy blanket supressing the cold into the corners of the cave.  I moved closer to the warmth, i felt like a nurtured child being carressed by the mother, instead i was being nurtured by the bear who saved me.  The steady breathing lulled me back to slumber. 

I awoke during the night, by the sound of the owls hooting and possums scurrying across the branches of the old trees.  I grabbed hold of the cave wall and pulled myself to my feet, a wave of discomfort surged through my neck.  My body trembled at the thought of those wolves, the blood and the night that nearly finished my life.  My grandfather....  my body crumbled to the floor as i sobbed with such raw emotion it felt like the whole cave shook with my body.