When the morsel was taken, Nolan let his arm drop, relief flooding his veins. The bear sniffed at his boots, brushing them with its damp muzzle. His every instinct screamed at him to flinch away, but he somehow remained still, eyes pinned on the animal’s massive face.
A rumbling grunt signaled the end of this fragile moment. The bear turned again, trudging deeper into the night. Nolan stood there, breath ragged, wondering if he was mad to follow. But a tug in his chest—part dread, part compassion—compelled him onward.