Relief collided with fear, leaving him shaky and breathless. Of course the bear wanted more food—it wasn’t after his flesh, at least not yet. Nolan fumbled for another piece, nearly dropping it as the cold numbed his fingertips. The tension crackled like static.
He extended the dried fish, nearly blacking out from the rush of sheer terror and wonder. The bear edged closer, steam pouring from its nostrils. Time became fluid once more, as though the Arctic night itself held its breath, watching man and beast merge in this strange dance.