Chapter 124 - What Are You?
Chapter 124 – What Are You?
When I returned to where I left the mother bear and its cub, my heart sank. Unlike previously, the former looked weaker. So, I didn't idle and tried to stop its bleeding first so I could ask for help in a hurry.
"It's alright, it's alright." I smiled at the cub that was looking up at me worriedly. "Your mother is a fighter. Right? We'll stop this bleeding, then I will call for help."
I already figured the mother bear was just forcing itself earlier. But that somehow strained his body even more. I was panicking and shaking. I knew patching up its wounds with some small rocks over the leaves wouldn't help much. But I was desperate. I didn't want this cub to lose its mother.
"Stay here, alright? I will call for help. My friends are just around and…" I trailed off when the bear nuzzled its nose to my hand, heart sinking deeper. "What?"
'Take care of my child.'
"No!" I glared at it angrily, grinding my teeth. "How can you say that in front of your child? How can you entrust your child to a stranger? Just rest here and conserve your energy."
I sported a smile at the cub as I stood up. "I will call my friends over, alright?" I said, turning around to jog away.
'Please.' I stopped and looked back, balling my hand into a fist. 'The wolves won't help and even if they do, I've lost too much blood already. I'd rather have company during my last moments.'
The space between my brows wrinkled as I held my breath. "They can help." It didn't respond, but looked me sincerely in the eye.
The cub was looking at its mother worriedly and licked its face. I wanted to refuse her request, but deep down, I knew she wouldn't last long. I've seen her wounds. The claw marks were one thing, but it also had other, deeper wounds that went through its flesh and limbs. I was simply trying to deny the fact that it was dying, but I was aware it wouldn't last long.
With pressed lips, I walked back and knelt beside it. Eyes sweltering while stroking its black fur.
"You had so many scars on top of your fresh wound." I pointed out softly. "You survived even when you lost an eye. How can you…" I choked before I could finish my sentence.
'This world is dangerous.' the mother bear chuckled bitterly.
"Did you fight someone?" I asked while staring at it gently, still stroking it. "Is it a werewolf?"
'Wolves won't leave me alive.'
"Then, who?"
The mother bear didn't answer anymore, licking its cub gently. It then nuzzled its nose against the back of my hand.
'Take care of my child. It's young and without guidance, he will die just like me. Protect it and it will protect you.' Its eyes softened and nuzzled the cub away. 'Werewolves were loyal creatures, but so are we.'
I frowned and looked at it bitterly. "Did you forget you were planning to crush me with your paw? How can you entrust your child to me? Aren't you afraid I will hold a grudge and abuse your child?"
'Your touch…' she rested her head on top of her paws. '… is different. It's soothing. Also, you can hear our voice when no one else could. What are you?' My brows rose, watching her eyelids drop weakly while looking at me. 'Ah… you also don't know? That's a shame then.'
And slowly, she closed her eyes. The cub whimpered, nuzzling his mother to wake her up. But… she was gone. I didn't know her, nor did I have any attachment to her. But somehow, the pain in my heart was something I couldn't describe. It wasn't pity — it was more than that. I just couldn't pinpoint the emotions swelling up in my chest.
All I knew were tears rolling down my cheek, collapsing over its huge body to hug it. "I'm so sorry…" I whispered in between my hiccups, sharing the same pain with the cub as it also whimpered.
"I'm really, really sorry."
*****
Meanwhile, Ivo, Kieran, and Cyran panted for air as they stopped. Their complexion was pale because they rushed to Rinnie's faint scent when they couldn't find her within the safe zone. But now that they found her, their eyes went wide. She was sitting beside a bear, bawling her eyes while hugging it.
"Lu —" Kieran stopped when Ivo suddenly slapped the back of his hand against his chest. He looked at Ivo, brows arched. "Ivo, why are you stopping me? She's in danger."
"It's dead," Ivo remarked, eyes on Rinnie and the black bear. What Rinnie didn't notice was the silver spot on top of the bear's head because it was tainted with blood.
A silver spot meant the bear was one of the guardians of the forest; one who was capable of fighting an Alpha of the pack on equal ground. They hadn't encountered one before, but the tales of werewolves and bears stemmed from centuries ago. To make the story short, werewolves and bears always go head to head. The rivalry of vampires and werewolves was a different case, but it was similar in a way.
Why have bears always attacked werewolves? No one knew. Actually, they didn't even know the reason the bears from beyond the northern border always tried to cross the wall aggressively. But they had been defending it against them and could even consider this war had been going on for so long.
"Didn't you tell her not to cross the white marks?" Cyran inquired under his breath, glancing at Ivo. "Is it normal for her to cross the safe zone in that short period?"
"I… don't know." Ivo breathed out as there were just so many questions in his head as well. "For now, Cyran, check the surroundings and see if there were more of those bears lurking. Let's give our luna some space since…. it seems she lost a dear friend."