POLAR BEAR ARC CHAPTER 36

After zoning out for who knows how long, Qiao Qixi finally snapped back to reality. He had been so absorbed in the shocking realization that Otis might have romantic feelings for him that he had tuned out everything else.

As he returned to the present, he caught a faint whiff of something in the air-a subtle, fishy scent. Despite Otis's thorough cleaning, Qiao Qixi's incredibly sharp polar bear nose still picked up on it.

His thoughts, which had just started to calm down, became tangled again. He didn't know what to say. It wasn't the first time Otis had left him covered in that kind of scent, so Qiao Qixi knew exactly what it was.

Embarrassment welled up inside him, making his toes curl. He mentally told himself to hold his breath and not focus on that indescribable scent lingering in the air. But sometimes, the more you try to avoid something, the harder it is to resist.

In the end, Qiao Qixi couldn't help but sniff the air to discern the scent. When he did, he was startled to detect something else-a familiar smell of coffee.

He was astonished...

How could there be the scent of coffee in the Arctic snow?

Suddenly intrigued, the little bear scrambled out of Otis's embrace, resting his chin on the big bear's back as he gazed in the direction the smell was coming from, blinking his round eyes.

It smelled so good.

The first thought that popped into his head was how much he missed drinking coffee. It had been a long time since he last had some. Then he realized something crucial: where there's coffee, there must be humans nearby.

But who could they be? A research team or an animal observation crew, maybe?

Qiao Qixi suddenly froze as it dawned on him that 'he' was now an animal.

Dang it, could it be a documentary filming crew?

He recalled the hidden cameras disguised as rocks and the GPS tracker that the rescue station had on them, and it seemed highly likely that he and Otis were the stars of a documentary.

Qiao Qixi was petrified at the thought, his mind racing with one idea: 'It absolutely cannot be a documentary crew! If it is, I might have to... well, eliminate them, or this will never be settled peacefully!'

Of course, he was joking, exaggerating his feelings to express how horrified he was. But first, he needed to confirm if those people were indeed filming a documentary. It wouldn't be too hard-he just needed to get closer and take a look.

He briefly considered the possibility that they might be bad guys, but his instincts told him they weren't dangerous. They didn't seem like poachers; if they were, they would have made a move already. Besides, Otis had been burned by poachers before, so his sense of danger should be even sharper now.

In any case, Qiao Qixi was very concerned about whether these people were filming him and Otis. He decided to find out.

As the little bear tried to make his way toward the humans, Otis immediately followed, gently biting the back of his neck to stop him from going any further. Otis even let out a low, warning growl.

Qiao Qixi translated that as: 'Don't go; it's dangerous.'

To his surprise, Qiao Qixi realized that Otis could lie.

First, if there was any real danger, Otis wouldn't have been so absorbed in rubbing against him earlier; he would have led them away immediately. Second, if there was danger, Otis had plenty of chances to leave afterward, but he had stayed put in the spot he had carefully chosen for them to sleep, seemingly unbothered by the humans' presence.

"Whimper whimper..." Qiao Qixi wasn't going to let Otis have all the tricks; if Otis could lie, then he could fake cry too.

"..." Otis looked down at the little bear who had flipped onto his back, thrashing about in a tantrum, looking both puzzled and helpless.

As a young polar bear, Otis hadn't yet learned about drama queens.

The humans weren't malicious; Otis had only warned Qiao Qixi of danger because he didn't want him interacting with them. Otis had experienced harm at the hands of humans but had also been helped by them. He didn't hold a grudge, but he didn't want to befriend them either.

Seeing the little bear throwing a fit in the snow, Otis couldn't resist. He would normally comfort him right away or find food to offer him, especially after the tender moment they had just shared in the snow.

Right now, even if the little bear bit Otis hard enough to draw blood, Otis probably wouldn't even flinch.

Qiao Qixi could feel Otis gently nudging his belly while making a low sound that seemed to say, 'You're impossible.' Immediately, Qiao Qixi stopped crying. Not only did he stop, but he also rolled back onto his feet with a sudden burst of energy.

The chubby little bear then followed the coffee scent with a mixture of curiosity and caution, taking tiny steps forward. Otis, who could cover three or four of Qiao Qixi's steps in just one of his own, patiently followed as a protective bodyguard.

Meanwhile, the filming crew had been in a daze ever since witnessing what had just unfolded.

From the moment they saw Otis "rubbing" the little bear's back to the end of the act, about half an hour had passed, and they were still struggling to process what they had seen.

The few English words they knew to express their surprise had been repeated endlessly in whispers among the crew.

Over and over, they exchanged incredulous glances.

And now, the two polar bears, fresh from their intimate moment, were approaching the equipment.

"Oh no, they've spotted us." The entire crew clamped their hands over their mouths, realizing they must have been too loud in their excitement, alerting the bears to their presence.

"Captain, should we leave?" one crew member asked nervously, keeping his voice low.

"It's a tough call..." The captain, who hadn't taken his eyes off the camera, shook his head. He couldn't bring himself to leave because Alexander was just too adorable. From the moment Alexander had peeked over Otis's back to look in their direction, he had hogged the camera.

They had the chance to leave, at least to retreat to their off-road vehicle. But the captain couldn't tear his eyes away from Alexander's cautious, curious little steps and the way he moved like a hunting cat.

"Hunting?" the crew member asked in horror. "Captain, you can stay here if you want, but we're heading back."

"Coward. I heard Alexander is very friendly toward humans," the captain replied.

"Sure, Alexander might be friendly, but Otis is the real concern. Don't forget he's in his rutting season, and probably not in the best mood," the crew member warned.

"But he just had a good time," the captain shot back, leaving the others with no rebuttal.

Perhaps this was the adventurous spirit that made the captain the leader of the top filming crew.

He wasn't being reckless, though. He took a good look at Otis and saw that the big bear, who had just been thoroughly satisfied, was now gazing gently at Alexander, seemingly too preoccupied to bother with the humans.

As Qiao Qixi got closer, he used his good eyesight to spot the camera equipment.

Unbelievable-was it really a documentary crew?

This was nothing short of a disaster.

Besides feeling embarrassed, Qiao Qixi also felt a bit guilty. 'Sorry,' he thought. 'I ended up giving you some unreliable data.'

'Oh no, the real issue is whether they can delete it or not!'

'Please go document some serious polar bears instead, I beg you!'

Qiao Qixi couldn't help but think that neither he nor Otis had been behaving seriously at all.

The filming crew watched as the little bear suddenly flopped onto the ground, throwing a tantrum at Otis and refusing to move forward. The massive bear beside him stood calmly in the snow, patiently enduring the little bear's paws smacking against his side and even turning to lick his nose.

The captain excitedly called out, "Come quick, look! Alexander's hitting Otis!"

The crew members who had been ready to leave immediately gathered around with renewed interest.

"Otis doesn't seem to be in any pain at all."

"Is this domestic violence?"

"No, it's just playfulness."

For a moment, the crew, who had been puzzled by the shift in Otis and Alexander's relationship, now found themselves thinking that maybe, just maybe, it wasn't such a big deal if Otis really did love Alexander.

Even though Alexander was only two and a half years old, and even though they were both male polar bears, if they truly had feelings for each other, then it was a relationship worth celebrating.

"Homosexuality" isn't uncommon in the animal kingdom. Currently, more than 1,500 species are known to exhibit such behavior.

The only surprising thing about Otis and Alexander was that Otis had initially treated Alexander as a child, nurturing him like a father. No one could have predicted their relationship would evolve in this way.

The thought of the "rubbing" scene being broadcast on TV nearly made Qiao Qixi faint. He was so overwhelmed that he almost collapsed in the snow. In his frustration, he couldn't help but take out his anger on Otis with a few smacks, blaming him for everything.

All he wanted was to get out of the camera's view as soon as possible. He turned and began walking away.

It was clear that they couldn't stay here any longer. He grabbed his little yellow bucket, which was almost buried in the snow, and prepared to leave immediately.

Otis didn't mind the little bear's temper. He followed closely, ready to go wherever the sulking little bear wanted.

The two polar bears gradually faded from the camera's view.

After following them for ten hours, the filming crew decided to set up camp, get some rest, and continue tracking them the next day. They also planned to report the surprising events to the research station.

'Did Otis rub against Alexander during his rutting season?'

'Yes, it was surprising, but it's too early to draw any conclusions. Let's keep following them and see what happens.'

The research station's response mirrored Qiao Qixi's own thoughts. He also felt that one or two incidents didn't necessarily mean anything. Perhaps in a few days, Otis would find a female polar bear he liked, and his earlier suspicions would seem silly.

After all, it was such a rare occurrence that it was hard to believe.

So Qiao Qixi decided to wait and see how things developed. There was no need to rush into drastic decisions like running away. Instead, he should focus on helping Otis find a mate.

If possible, he didn't want Otis to be in love with him.

Meeting a female polar bear once a year was the proper path for male polar bears.

Being attracted to the same sex had no future, and it wouldn't result in any offspring.

'Otis, you silly bear,' Qiao Qixi thought. 'There's no such thing as love in the Arctic. Being a polar bear Casanova sounds much more appealing, doesn't it?'

After leaving the camera's range, they found a new place to sleep.

They slept peacefully.

When they woke up, the two polar bears continued their journey toward the snowy mountains.

Polar bears rely on scent to find their ideal mates. This scent isn't just from not bathing for years; it's a unique hormonal smell that every polar bear has.

A female polar bear looking for a mate can tell just by the scent whether a male is strong and suitable as a mate.

Otis, having recently matured and experienced two releases, had undergone some changes in his scent.

If before, females might not have noticed him, now that he was capable of reproduction, he had become a desirable target for them.

A female polar bear, nearing her rutting season, caught a whiff of Otis's scent from afar. She liked this strong-smelling male and, abandoning all modesty, sought him out.

When the three polar bears met in the snow, the female, having found her ideal mate, was slightly confused by the presence of an adolescent bear.

Qiao Qixi sniffed the air, quickly identifying the female polar bear. Judging by her smaller size, this was a good thing-a positive development.

The little bear caught up with Otis, bumping into him with his behind: 'Ruff ruff!'

'Your girlfriend is here, why are you still marching on? Go on, charm her!'

Otis didn't react at all, seemingly uninterested in the female polar bear.

Male polar bears have their own standards when it comes to choosing a mate. If the female doesn't meet those standards, they won't approach.

Qiao Qixi looked at Otis's cold indifference and then at the female polar bear who had come all this way to meet him, thinking she just wasn't his type.

Well, there wasn't much he could do.

It seemed the animal kingdom didn't subscribe to the "easy catch" theory.

The female polar bear didn't linger either. Seeing that Otis wasn't interested, she turned and left.

Soon after, they encountered another female polar bear, taller and seemingly in better condition than the previous one.

Qiao Qixi, after a quick comparison, found that this female polar bear was indeed better than the last. Not only was her fur white and her features cute, but she also had a bolder personality.

Seeing Otis, she confidently walked over.

Ah, this...

Little Qiao felt a bit nervous, wondering if he should hide somewhere first!

He glanced around but found nothing to hide behind. Reluctantly, he adjusted his little yellow bucket, leaving just a small slit to peek through, curious to see how polar bears court each other.

The female polar bear stopped about three meters away from them, lying down with a charming display, showing her belly to Otis.

Qiao Qixi was stunned. 'This girl has some serious skills!'

'I've learned something new today.'

'How could anyone resist that?'

His gaze immediately shifted to Otis, wondering if Otis was holding out for something even better.

Just how high were Otis's standards?

Besides, male polar bears weren't limited to just one mate. If Otis wanted, he could meet with this one and the previous one as well.

The filming crew, just as eager as Qiao Qixi, were also waiting to see if Otis would accept the female's advances.

By now, it had become clear that if Otis accepted this cute female polar bear, the theory that he was gay would be disproven.

On the other hand, if he rejected her...

Then things would get complicated.

Qiao Qixi held his breath, not praying for any particular outcome. After all, whatever Otis chose was beyond his control.

"Roar..." Otis let out a low growl at the little bear trailing behind him, urging him to keep up. Other than that, he didn't give the female polar bear lying in the snow a second glance.

The filming crew was dead silent, all of them equally shocked.

Typically, male polar bears aren't this picky. Even if they're not interested, they'll usually sniff around to make sure before deciding.

But Otis didn't even seem curious about the female's scent. He was acting like a complete gay bear.

Meanwhile, Qiao Qixi, in a bit of a daze, followed Otis. If Otis wasn't interested in such a well-qualified female, what exactly was he looking for?

His mind whirled with questions, which eventually boiled down to one core issue: Was Otis really in love with a fellow male polar bear who was still underage?

As the saying goes, 'action speaks louder than words.'

If you want to know the truth, just ask, right?

Polar bears might not communicate with words, but they can use body language.

Little Qiao had already come up with a way to seek the truth-no, a method. But as he walked behind Otis's massive figure, he hesitated. Did he really want to go through with this?

What if the cameras caught it?

Qiao Qixi glanced around. He didn't believe there would be cameras filming them the entire way.

Besides, the lighting wasn't ideal for filming, so the footage wouldn't be very clear.

If he could just muster up the courage...

The problem was that the uncertainty gnawing at him was unbearable without answers.

As Qiao Qixi continued walking, lost in thought, a third female polar bear appeared, seeking out Otis. He didn't even notice and bumped right into Otis.

Huh? What? There's a third one?

"..." Should he say Otis had endless charm?

He managed to attract three female polar bears in such a short time.

Hidden behind a nearby snow ridge, the filming crew was thinking the same thing. No wonder Otis had garnered such a global fanbase. This polar bear was clearly a hit among the ladies during the breeding season.

Now they eagerly awaited Otis's reaction to this third admirer.

Qiao Qixi felt the same way, though with more complicated emotions. He moved behind Otis, hoping to give him a better view of the female polar bear.

But Otis, the dense straight bear, thought Qiao Qixi was scared, intimidated by the female bear.

This immediately put Otis in a bad mood.

No one saw Otis's fierce gaze in the snowy night, but everyone and every animal heard his angry roar.

It was directed at the female polar bear.

Everyone was stunned, and the first to react was the female bear, who sensed the danger of staying any longer and quickly left.

The nearby filming crew, even though they weren't experts in polar bear behavior, could clearly sense Otis's anger.

"..."

Otis truly was a cold, unromantic boy, turning down three females in a row who had shown interest in him.

If they hadn't witnessed him rubbing against Alexander the night before, they might have assumed he was... lacking in that department.

But now it seemed he wasn't lacking; it was just that his interest wasn't in female polar bears. It was in a cute, male cub.

With this realization, the filming crew thought Otis's taste wasn't so bad after all. Alexander was, without a doubt, the most adorable.

Qiao Qixi was equally dumbfounded. Why chase her off again?

If it had been just the first two, he could have consoled himself by saying it was a matter of taste. Finding a mate involves comparison, after all.

But Otis didn't even give her a chance. It just didn't make sense.

The thought of testing Otis resurfaced in Qiao Qixi's mind.

Screw it, just do it.

Little Qiao took off his little bucket, thinking that wearing it might affect his performance.

He recalled the moves the second female polar bear had used, moves that had even made his heart skip a beat.

Uh, no, not really. He was still young.

The little bear ran up to Otis, tossing the bucket aside, then flopped onto the ground, exposing his belly and tilting his head to look at Otis.

"..." Otis was stunned for a moment.

Otis wasn't the only one stunned-the entire filming crew was too.

'Oh my god, oh my god!'

The scene was completely out of control.

The crew members were silently shouting in their minds: 'Wow, it turns out that Alexander and Otis are mutually in love. This is amazing; their love is beautiful!'

Even though they were both male polar bears, they had found love in each other after meeting.

This was nothing short of a miracle.

It transcended gender and age.

Alexander might not even be fully grown yet, but he already knew how to use the courting moves of an adult female polar bear to flirt with Otis.

'Who could resist that?'

The crew imagined that Otis, receiving such a passionate and sincere confession from the little bear, must be over the moon with happiness.

They were even more eager to see how Otis would react now than they had been with the female polar bears earlier.

Qiao Qixi and the filming crew were all thinking the same thing.

Under the intense scrutiny, Otis hesitated for a few seconds, then let out a low, delighted growl, the kind of growl that signaled he was very happy.

Then he walked over to the little bear, his massive body lowering to embrace him, and they began to roll around in the snow.

Qiao Qixi's face and nose were showered with Otis's affectionate licks.

At first, Qiao Qixi tried to convince himself that they were just playing, that Otis was just playing with him as he often did.

But after rolling around a few times, his chubby leg brushed against something unexpectedly solid-something that had clearly made its presence known.

This not only made him mentally collapse, but he also panicked, afraid he might have hurt Otis.

But Otis didn't seem to mind. He could handle the weight of the little bear's chubby leg.

It was obvious that he was genuinely happy, a stark contrast to the angry bear who had roared at the female polar bear just moments ago.

Qiao Qixi didn't realize that his gesture wasn't just a friendly one. It was a clear request for intimacy.

If the male polar bear reciprocated, they could go find a place to have some private time right away.

Obviously, this wasn't the best spot for intimacy.

Otis wanted to get up and take the little bear to the top of the mountain, but he couldn't bring himself to stop their cuddling session, so they rolled around affectionately in the snow for a long time.

His burning proof of love remained proudly on display in the wind and snow, all for the little bear he adored.

The undeniable truth was right in front of him, and Little Qiao finally had to admit that Otis had clear romantic feelings for him.

First update since a long time. Here on out, I will try to maintain a schedule. 😅

Hope you enjoy reading 💖