He glimpsed the silhouettes of men hunched over a makeshift table, their rifles laid within easy reach. Nearby, an entire stack of illegal pelts bore silent witness to past kills. Nolan’s pulse pounded, imagining what fate might await the polar bear mother if he failed tonight.
Between crates and the edge of a tent, he caught sight of the caged cub. His heart clenched at the sight of its tiny form, shivering against iron bars. He told himself to stay focused, to ignore the numbing fear and trust his instincts to remain unseen.