POLAR BEAR ARC CHAPTER 10

After interacting with the young polar bear, Otis lowered his head to continue eating, his clean and efficient movements exuding a sense of security.

All in all, from hunting to eating, they had been there for several hours.

A male polar bear also foraging for food wandered over from a distance.

As mentioned before, they would avoid other polar bears whenever possible, but now the other bear was approaching them. With food still uneaten, Otis wasn't going to leave.

As summer approached and the glaciers melted, polar bears were forced inland and gathered along the coast, lingering at spots where they could find food.

This was a good spot for catching belugas, so it wasn't surprising that it attracted other polar bears.

This male polar bear peeked over, observing the pair on the shore. Perhaps he didn't plan to exert much effort today.

Given Otis's size and his unapproachable aura, the bear seemed hesitant.

Maybe he should try harder on his own.

Qiao Qixi curiously watched the newcomer, his eyes wide open like a child not focused on eating.

This was his first time seeing an unfamiliar polar bear, and he felt this one wasn't as tall or clean-furred as Otis.

The body lines didn't compare either. Otis was much more handsome and adorable.

Otis made a unique sound, learned from Qiao Qixi, who always communicated with various odd noises.

Otis, surprisingly quick to learn, sometimes used these familiar tones to urge Qiao Qixi to eat.

Seeing that Otis wasn't paying any attention to the other bear, Qiao Qixi shifted his gaze away, losing interest.

Fortunately, the other bear seemed sensible and decided to hunt for himself, diving into the sea to catch belugas.

Qiao Qixi hoped the bear would be successful from a polar bear's perspective.

Before long, Otis led him away.

Before leaving, Qiao Qixi cleaned his small bucket and wore it on his head.

Compared to other oceans, the Arctic had relatively less marine debris, but Qiao Qixi, who often roamed the shore, occasionally saw some.

There were bottles, cans, and even a bikini... One time, Otis brought him a colorful little ball.

Maybe Otis thought he'd like these things.

Even though Qiao Qixi had outgrown playing with small balls, receiving such a gift still surprised and delighted him.

He didn't expect Otis, a completely wild-born polar bear, to bring him toys.

Qiao Qixi thought this habit was exclusive to zoo-raised polar bears, given that wild ones didn't have the concept of toys.

Survival alone occupied most of their energy.

Of course, carrying toys around wasn't practical for their nomadic lifestyle.

Qiao Qixi had to abandon the little ball, throwing it back into the water so that a garbage-collecting boat could retrieve it from the ocean.

After eating, Otis led Qiao Qixi north along the coast.

The weather here warmed slower, and the ice and snow hadn't completely melted yet. Large areas of soft white snow still covered the ground, making it seem like winter, only without snowfall.

Mother bears that began breeding in early spring were now bringing their two-month-old cubs out for their first meals.

The young polar bears looked like lively little puppies, fluffy and white.

They played and wrestled beside their mother, occasionally pausing to survey their surroundings. This vigilance was a natural instinct for polar bears from birth.

The mother bear had already detected the scent of a strange male polar bear, making her wary and uneasy.

Until she saw that the adult male had a noticeably young bear with him.

A large bear and a small bear passing nearby looked like a mother and child, confusing the mother bear.

What was going on?

Did her sense of smell fail?

Mother bears encountering other mother bears generally had a low likelihood of conflict.

For them, nothing was more important than their own and their cubs' safety.

Upon realizing the other bear also had a cub, the mother bear's wariness significantly decreased.

Meanwhile, Qiao Qixi saw the mother bear with her cubs for the first time. The female polar bear was indeed smaller than the males and had a more delicate appearance, lacking the ruggedness of male bears.

No, Qiao Qixi suddenly realized, damn!

What's wrong with me?

Have I been a polar bear for too long?

Now I even find a female polar bear delicate and pretty.

But his attention quickly shifted to the adorable cubs.

So cute, so adorable.

If he himself was 90% new, then these two-month-old cubs were 100% new.

Their fur was as white as snow.

Hmm, but Qiao Qixi believed that after a summer with their mother, if they were lucky, they'd just be dirty. If unlucky...

Their survival chances were slim.

He sighed inwardly, shaking his head. Why think about such things?

He wondered, if he forcibly approached to touch the cubs, would the mother bear chase him off?

Definitely.

Even though he was also a cub...

"Woof woof woof..." Qiao Qixi followed Otis, making strange noises again, confusing Otis.

Other cubs didn't have these odd habits.

Perhaps Otis thought Qiao Qixi was afraid of the nearby mother bear, so he had him walk ahead and made low, comforting sounds.

For a large male polar bear, this low sound was quite gentle and accommodating.

Qiao Qixi nuzzled Otis, whimsically wondering if Otis knew he wanted to pet the mother bear's cubs, would he beat him up and kick him out?

No, Otis wouldn't understand such complex and instinct-defying thoughts, but he would comfort an emotionally unstable cub.

Unable to communicate his thoughts, Qiao Qixi couldn't express that he felt uncomfortable because he couldn't pet the cubs.

But this feeling passed quickly. After all, polar bears were scarce; one less bear was one less bear. Why risk it?

The thick snow and the rare evergreen forest made Qiao Qixi curious.

It looked like a winter wonderland, and if the trees were decorated with stars and gifts, it would be even more festive.

One by one, these trees dotted the snowy landscape, creating a romantic and beautiful scene for humans, but providing natural shelter for animals.

No wonder mother bears with cubs dug dens here.

The mother bear probably started digging a birthing den in early spring and only brought her cubs out for the first time in summer when they were healthy and lively.

Otis loved the snow. After filling their bellies, they lay down in a snowy area far from the mother bear.

It looked like he wanted a nap.

The cool weather didn't make Qiao Qixi sleepy. He put down his yellow bucket and explored the area but didn't dare wander far.

There were wolves in the forest. Even though his size made it impossible for seven wolves to carry him away, it was still scary.

He heard that beneath the snow-covered trees, there might be treasures. With nothing better to do, Qiao Qixi dug around the trees with his paws but found nothing.

His paws got dirty instead.

After cleaning his paws, Qiao Qixi ran back to Otis. Suddenly, he quickened his pace and pounced on Otis from a distance.

He hoped to wake Otis to practice hunting skills.

Otis didn't even open an eye, just stretched out a paw to pull the young bear into his embrace, pinning him down with his massive head.

His whole body seemed to say: Go to sleep, kid, or I'll smack you.

Qiao Qixi didn't want to sleep, but Otis's embrace was too warm, contrasting with the outside temperature.

This comfort and warmth were irresistible.

Just before falling asleep, Qiao Qixi thought of a question: Since Otis hated heat, wouldn't hugging him make him hotter?

So why still hug?

Hmm, humans don't understand the minds of bears.

Wait, could this be called sharing a bed but having different dreams?

Before he could figure it out, Qiao Qixi fell asleep.

There were indeed wolves in the snowy coniferous forest.

Distant howls occasionally echoed.

These were arctic wolves, hardy animals.

After enduring half a year of darkness, these few mammals capable of living in this desolate land frequently came out to hunt.

Unlike polar bears, they didn't possess the skills to traverse mountains and seas and lacked predators that threatened their lives.

Restricted to living on land, arctic wolves faced harsher survival conditions. They weren't particularly strong or fast.

Qiao Qixi slept uneasily amidst the wolf howls.

It sounded like a conflict nearby.

He wanted to peek, but Otis surrounded him, seemingly comforting him to continue sleeping.

But how could Qiao Qixi sleep when wolves were causing a ruckus? His boring bear life seldom had excitement, and he wanted to listen.

A small bear wriggling in his embrace disturbed Otis's sleep.

He opened one eye, a unique skill of polar bears, and guessed Qiao Qixi's thoughts.

Crazy?

Otis recently developed this awareness, encountering a young bear who didn't follow normal rules and made him guess habits.

Occasionally, Otis could guess what Qiao Qixi wanted, but whether he indulged him depended on his mood. He wouldn't always comply.

For instance, now, the wolf pack hunting in the forest disturbed his nap.

Other cubs would hide cautiously, but Otis's young bear was curious about the wolves.

Like his preference for oddly flavored oysters.

Qiao Qixi: ??

No, it's different!

Otis bit the young bear's scruff, pulling him back and walking the other way.

Qiao Qixi: My little yellow...

He grabbed his yellow bucket, and Otis followed.

The grumpy Otis, disturbed from his nap, exuded a low

-pressure aura.

If he didn't dislike eating wolves because they were tough and not tasty, Otis, known for holding grudges, might go and thrash the noisy arctic wolves.

Going to watch the commotion?

Qiao Qixi excitedly followed Otis, full of anticipation.

He later realized Otis wasn't taking him to watch the wolves but to hunt.

Damn, Qiao Qixi thought, life in the Arctic was all about eating or preparing to eat.

Revised ✔