POLAR BEAR ARC CHAPTER 18

In early July, with no clouds to block the sun, the temperature steadily rose. The warmth hatched various insect eggs, leading to a surge of mosquitoes and other pests on the shore. These insects became the most annoying issue for the polar bears, aside from hunger and the heat.

The sea breeze had dried the whale jerky enough to prevent it from harboring insect eggs for a while. However, it attracted various mosquitoes and flies, annoying the bears.

Not wanting to share his food with flies, Qiao Qixi quickly finished the jerky, leaving only a small bucket for the road. The coastal grass had grown knee-high, with various small animals like marmots, grey rabbits, and ducks laying eggs by the water. These could technically be food for polar bears, but they were too fast for the bears to catch on land. Moreover, in the summer, polar bears' metabolism slows significantly, making even walking a slow process.

Swarming mosquitoes would follow the bears, whose strong body odor attracted them, causing the bears to growl in frustration, shake their heads, and try to swat the pests away. Fortunately, Qiao Qixi and Otis were relatively clean, grooming each other daily, which minimized their body odor and helped avoid the worst of the bugs.

Qiao Qixi could tell that Otis hated being disturbed by flies, especially when they woke him up from sleep, making him visibly grumpy. To solve this problem, Qiao Qixi paid close attention to the surrounding grass as they walked, hoping to find plants with mosquito-repellent properties, like lemongrass, mint, or citronella.

Lemongrass, which grew abundantly like weeds in the wilds of the south, was harder to find on Greenland's coast. It would take some luck to locate any here. As mentioned, polar bears moved very slowly in the summer, covering only about ten kilometers a day, which barely made a dent in the vast coastline. This meant their surroundings would remain largely unchanged for days.

Jerky became a snack for Qiao Qixi, something he ate only when extremely hungry. Otis refused to accept any more jerky from him, leading to a back-and-forth of "I give it to you, you give it back to me." The drone captured this endearing scene, which made viewers smile and sigh at the same time.

Their bond was heartwarming, yet their situation was difficult.

As July progressed, other polar bears had started to lose weight and look disheveled. Despite also struggling to find food, Otis and Alexander remained clean and well-groomed. This was partly due to their hygiene habits, which played a role in their strong friendship.

"I love watching them. I always feel they will have a happy ending, while seeing other polar bears struggling through the summer makes my heart ache."

"Two refined polar bears. I hope they take care of themselves and avoid any accidents. Bless them."

Qiao Qixi had some luck in the grass, finding wild mint, a plant that could survive in temperatures as low as -15°C and had mosquito-repellent properties. The mint also had a cooling effect, and applying its juice around the eyes provided relief from insect bites, significantly improving Otis's mood.

Relieved from the pests, Otis affectionately nuzzled the little bear who had brought him such comfort, and he began to focus on where they could find food next to feed the cub. Their journey was long and filled with uncertainties.

The relentless sun, the no longer cool wind, and the sound of waves accompanied the slow steps of the two bears. No one knew what lay ahead. The only certainty was that they would stay by each other's side, enduring hunger and the search for food together.

With the jerky gone, Qiao Qixi filled his small bucket with mint leaves in case they didn't find more along the way. He had adapted to this life, knowing he wasn't in mortal danger. His body fat would sustain him until the ice returned.

Otis was in the same situation. They were fortunate polar bears. Each time Qiao Qixi thought about their meeting, he felt immense gratitude and luck. Before sleeping, he would sometimes kiss Otis impulsively, causing the drowsy bear to nuzzle him back instinctively and even play with him for a while before falling asleep again. Otis seemed to think the cub was bored and needed comforting.

In summer, only they could afford such leisurely moments. As for filling their bellies, that could wait until they had played and slept enough.

The next day, whether it was morning or afternoon, Qiao Qixi wasn't sure. He just felt too hungry to keep walking. He missed the taste of whale, seal, or even walrus meat—anything edible.

Too hungry to move, Qiao Qixi threw a tantrum, rolling on the ground and refusing to take another step. Hearing the commotion, Otis immediately stopped and looked back, his deep, dark eyes filled with endless affection and concern. He walked back to Qiao Qixi and nudged him gently with his nose, clearly indicating they needed to keep moving to find food.

Qiao Qixi just wanted to vent his frustration. He felt that always being optimistic could lead to mental issues. No one could face days of hunger with a smile. At least he needed to curse a bit to relieve stress.

Worried about Otis's psychological burden, Qiao Qixi thought a true polar bear wouldn't be affected by another bear's complaints. Usually, only environmental changes and blood relations impacted animals psychologically. This was his own conclusion without strict scientific evidence.

Observing Otis's reaction, Qiao Qixi wondered if he would get a scolding. But Otis remained calm, his emotions hidden beneath his furry face. Qiao Qixi had learned to judge Otis's mood by the subtle changes in his eyes. Faced with the tantrum, Otis seemed a bit helpless but also concerned.

Besides gently nudging and comforting him, Otis nudged his butt with his nose, hoping he would continue walking. Only by moving forward could they find food. Staying here would only make them hungrier.

For a bear with such strength, Otis's gentle nudge was filled with tenderness and love, even more so than a mother bear's. Some mother bears with short tempers had limited patience, and by the time a cub reached two years old, they might have already broken its leg.

After a symbolic tantrum, Qiao Qixi rolled to his feet, shook off the dust, and continued walking. After some time, they reached a rocky beach where the receding tide had left shallow pools. These pools, though muddy, contained fish.

Experienced, Otis knew these pools held fish, and Qiao Qixi was equally aware, eagerly awaiting this geographical feature. He stepped into the mud to hunt, while Otis moved to the more turbulent waters between rocks, waiting patiently.

His large silhouette reflected on the water, his serious expression shimmering with the waves. As a fish darted by, Otis swiftly bit down, catching his prey efficiently.

At almost the same time, Qiao Qixi caught a fish in a shallow pool. He didn't bite it to death immediately, so the fish flailed wildly in his mouth, spraying mud everywhere, covering him in an instant.

Dazed, Qiao Qixi closed his eyes, cursing internally. "Damn it, my handsome, clean image!"

Otis, having caught his fish, turned to find Qiao Qixi and saw a mud-covered bear. Otis was stunned, nearly dropping his fish, never having seen Qiao Qixi so dirty.

The mud was unbearable. Qiao Qixi rushed to the water, diving in to wash off the grime. The fish died in the process, ready to eat. Starving for days, Qiao Qixi happily enjoyed his catch.

He didn't expect Otis to still have his fish after he finished eating. Otis offered it to him immediately.

Qiao Qixi couldn't accept it. Touched, he shook his head, indicating Otis should eat it.

Confused, Otis, who believed the cub was still hungry, quickly ate the fish and went to catch another.

Watching Otis fish, Qiao Qixi felt a smile coming on. Otis was so easy to fool.

In the next five minutes, Otis caught another, larger fish. He deftly brought it to Qiao Qixi, who didn't refuse this time, knowing Otis would worry if he did.

Otis paused, licked his lips, then ate the smaller fish he caught. He only fed the big ones to Qiao Qixi.

That afternoon, they caught and ate dozens of fish until they were full. Qiao Qixi, wet and exhausted, found a flat rock to lie on and dry his fur. Otis, also wet, looked powerful with his fur clinging to his muscular body, contrasting with Qiao Qixi's chubby frame.

Sitting next to Qiao Qixi, Otis licked his own paws, then started grooming the cub. He decided to dry the cub first before taking care of himself.

Qiao Qixi, tired and full, spread out his limbs, exposing his vulnerable belly for Otis to lick clean. Under the drone's camera, the little bear lay with his paws up, looking adorable, while Otis gently cleaned him without any disdain.

Alexander was truly a pampered and adored little bear, envied by other polar bear cubs.

Revised ✔