Instead, it let out a low groan, turning toward Nolan’s sled. With a single swipe of its claws, the creature tore into the wooden frame, splintering it in its search for more fish. Nolan’s stomach twisted at the crack of breaking wood—without that sled, there’d be no quick escape if the beast turned hostile.
He stood on unsteady legs, knees threatening to buckle under the weight of adrenaline. A voice within shouted at him to bolt across the tundra and never look back. But something about the bear’s urgency tugged at him, forcing curiosity to override caution.