POLAR BEAR ARC CHAPTER 38

Day and night began to alternate, and spring had officially started. The once desolate land, previously ignored by polar bears, was now bustling with activity.

Bears were moving back and forth across the snowfields below, although that's an exaggeration—most of them were either courting or on their way up the mountain. Cases like Otis and Alexander, who had already secured a spot on a mountaintop, were still relatively rare.

Under the shadowy shelter of a windbreak formed by rocks, a massive male polar bear enveloped a white figure with his sturdy frame.

That figure was another polar bear, younger and plumper, with snow-white, fluffy fur—though it wasn't exactly accurate to call him a cub anymore.

In terms of age and size, Alexander had outgrown the nickname "little bear." At two and a half years old, he was at the age where he could leave his mother and live independently, just as Otis had done at that age. Back then, Otis was already self-sufficient.

Physically, Alexander had grown impressively large for his age, outstripping even some three-year-old male polar bears.

Yet, Otis, who had been caring for him, seemed unconcerned with these facts. He never treated their relationship according to the typical mother-cub dynamic.

Whether Alexander was two and a half or three and a half years old, it seemed that Otis never gave it much thought. Perhaps, in Otis's eyes, even if Alexander were ten, he would still be his "little bear"—one who needed feeding, cuddling, and constant companionship.

As time passed, a faint light gradually began to rise on the horizon, bringing a touch of brightness to a land that had been shrouded in darkness for months.

Of course, the sky didn't brighten all at once—it might take a bit more patience. And as they waited, snow began to fall again, darkening the sky once more.

Qiao Qixi yawned as he woke up, listening to the howling wind and snow outside. He immediately felt that the spot they had chosen was perfect—no wind or snow could get in. With Otis as his warm shelter, he didn't feel cold at all.

He turned his head to look at Otis, who had been resting with his eyes closed. The moment Otis sensed his gaze, he opened his eyes and looked back at him. Their eyes met—one pair was sleepy and irresistibly cute, while the other was deep and focused, with hidden currents beneath the calm surface.

It seemed as if something was deeply concealed there.

Qiao Qixi blinked his round eyes in amazement. He nuzzled Otis's face and thought to himself, if he hadn't known Otis, he might never have realized that polar bears could have such a mysterious side.

There was nothing clumsy or naive about Otis.

As the little bear rubbed against Otis's chin, Otis's gaze immediately heated up, and he looked very pleased.

Otis had many ways of expressing his happiness—usually through actions, but sometimes with a brief sound, like today.

Comparing Otis's current sound with the one he made when driving off intruders or courting rivals, Qiao Qixi couldn't help but smile knowingly.

But as he smiled, his smile faded.

He hadn't forgotten the purpose of their climb—Otis wanted to mate with him because he loved him.

Though Qiao Qixi had come to terms with the fact that Otis's feelings for him were romantic and sexual, and he didn't plan to reject this astonishing love, it wasn't because he was particularly accepting or felt obligated.

It was simply because Qiao Qixi had fully embraced his new identity. After all, if one polar bear loved another, what was wrong with that?

Moreover, Otis was exceptional—he could communicate mentally, was great to live with, and was kinder and stronger than many humans Qiao Qixi had encountered. A life with him... should be a happy one.

Qiao Qixi thought about it and realized that even if he insisted on leaving and refused Otis's affection, would Otis really let him go?

The answer was obvious.

"..."

After all, he had tried to run before, but hadn't even made it ten kilometers before Otis caught up with him.

Qiao Qixi sighed inwardly. The issue wasn't whether he accepted Otis's feelings but whether he could withstand Otis's mating urges.

They had already reached the mountaintop, made their nest, and even the little yellow bucket knew they weren't just here to enjoy the view and then leave.

The real issue now was that Qiao Qixi's size was too mismatched with Otis's. If they truly went all the way, the little bear would undoubtedly get hurt.

Although Otis cherished the little bear, perhaps more than his own life, Qiao Qixi believed that Otis hadn't even considered actually going all the way. He trusted Otis was smart enough to know what could and couldn't be done. Otis certainly wouldn't let him get hurt.

If Qiao Qixi were a bit more selfish, he might have just offered his chubby back to get through this mating season without much involvement. But Qiao Qixi wasn't that selfish.

He might grumble, but when it came to real problems, he was someone who could step up.

'Sigh,' he thought, 'it's just mating season. Let me think back to those videos I've watched—there are other ways to handle this besides going all the way.'

Otis was just an inexperienced polar bear, only now stepping through the doorway of a new world. He'd only ever had two experiences with rubbing, which was nothing compared to the more advanced things that could be tried. Qiao Qixi pondered this while holding his head with his paw.

Maybe because the little bear had shown some reluctance to rub before, Otis hadn't immediately tried to do anything after they woke up. In fact, aside from the difference in temperature and breathing, Otis was no different from usual.

But Qiao Qixi knew that if he asked Otis to roll over now, he'd see the object of his unease.

Even so, Otis didn't seem to have any plans to do more than occasionally lick his fur.

Although Qiao Qixi didn't understand why Otis wasn't even interested in rubbing anymore, he knew it wasn't because Otis had lost interest.

Maybe Otis was just holding back because he knew Qiao Qixi didn't like it.

'Silly Otis,' Qiao Qixi thought, 'If you were going to be like this, why didn't you just accept the advances of those female polar bears? Now you're suffering through this because of me.'

The mischievous little bear couldn't help but feel both amused and sorry for Otis.

At first, he was too embarrassed to do anything, but as the snowstorm intensified and the surroundings grew darker, it gave him a sense of security.

Finally ready to accept this love, the little bear started to move. He turned around in Otis's embrace, shifting from facing upwards to burrowing downwards.

"..."

This movement startled Otis. The big bear, who couldn't handle any provocation, immediately lifted his head and arm, trying to keep the mischievous little bear in his embrace.

However, Otis froze as soon as the little bear took his next action, suddenly stopping in place.

Such a situation was rare for Otis. Even when he had been shot and wounded by poachers, bleeding profusely, he hadn't reacted this way.

But now, he didn't dare move a muscle, afraid of disturbing the little bear.

At that moment, the pampered little bear, much like Otis had done for him before, started cleaning Otis, unbothered by any distaste.

Now, the little bear didn't mind either... Well, he was still very uncomfortable at first.

So embarrassed.

But Qiao Qixi thought, 'I should have gotten used to this by now. If Otis hadn't been helping me clean up all this time, I'd be a filthy bear by now.'

But it wasn't quite the same—Otis was just helping with hygiene, while the little bear was taking on a bit more.

He wasn't even sure if what he was doing would work.

It did. The wide-eyed Otis slowly began to squint, leaving only a doting glimmer as he watched the little bear's movements.

He was clearly very focused.

All of Otis's body was still, except for his free front arm, which occasionally moved as if wanting to touch the little bear just out of reach but afraid of interrupting him.

So, the big bear's paw lightly swiped the air.

Time passed, and Otis became increasingly restless, his gaze no longer calm and focused but slightly dazed.

More time passed, and the big polar bear began to emit low growls from his throat, filling the small, cozy space.

Qiao Qixi, eager to finish as quickly as possible, temporarily forgot his embarrassment and boundaries—after all, he knew this would last all season.

Suddenly, the little bear froze and quickly crawled off Otis.

Otis immediately got up, lowering his head to clean himself.

"..."

The little bear's fur was snow-white, but luckily, his skin was black; otherwise, he might have turned red by now.

'Ahhhhhh!'

Qiao Qixi's embarrassment shot through the roof, and he quickly rushed outside, burying his head in the snow, hoping to cool down with the thick snowflakes.

In his head, he replayed that moment over and over, feeling like his world had exploded.

'Seriously! Couldn't Otis have given me a warning?!'

"Wuwuwu..." Qiao Qixi desperately wanted to be a dead bear right now, not wanting to deal with anything.

Whoever disturbed him was a dog!

Otis quickly finished cleaning his fur and immediately went to find Qiao Qixi. It didn't take long for him to spot a fluffy white rear in the snow.

Otis's eyes filled with warmth and affection, then returned to their usual lazy comfort as he stretched contentedly, his gaze still fixed on Qiao Qixi.

Though, occasionally, he'd glance away, as if he wasn't the only one feeling a bit shy.

Having been pleased for the first time, Otis might be experiencing some of the same emotions.

Who knew?

Otis lay at the entrance of their den, waiting for a while, but when the little bear still didn't come back, he had to go over and intervene.

When the fur on his back was nudged, the little bear quickly lifted his head out of the snow to see who had dared disturb him.

No surprise—it was Otis, the big dog. Wait, wouldn't that make him a bear-dog?

"..."

Whatever. He didn't want to play with Otis right now—it was too embarrassing!

Meanwhile, the filming crew, who had been closely watching this interaction, was thrilled that Otis and Alexander had finally come out.

After a while, one of the crew members asked, "Captain, did you see anything?"

The captain, with mixed emotions, replied, "I saw Alexander hitting Otis again."

Another crew member reminded him, "Captain, that's not hitting; that's him being affectionate."

Everyone agreed—what's a -5 damage score, anyway?

On this early spring morning, the two polar bears playfully scuffled in the snow outside their den. After about half an hour, they returned to their private spot.

When the weather improved slightly, the crew deployed an expensive drone, risking it crashing, to get a closer look at the mountaintop.

Fortunately, the drone successfully reached the summit and found a good vantage point where the bears were less likely to notice.

The footage that came back showed Otis and Alexander engaged in an intimate activity.

They could clearly see Otis's movements, but it wasn't clear whether he was just rubbing as before or if the arrival of spring had intensified his needs.

They wanted to see more clearly.

But frustratingly, Otis was too cautious and experienced, always using his massive body to shield Alexander. The crew could only occasionally catch glimpses of half of Alexander's face or one of his chubby legs.

Is that it??

They were getting increasingly frustrated after three days: 'Shit! Otis, we've been watching all this time, and this is all we get to see?!'

At the very least, they wanted to get a full-body shot of the little bear as part of their research documentation. But Otis, like a jealous, overprotective husband, wouldn't even allow that small request.

"Otis is so big. I'm worried the little bear might get hurt," one crew member said after reviewing the footage. "Hopefully, he's just rubbing."

"He probably won't," the captain reassured them. "We have to trust that Otis knows what he's doing. I feel like he's a reliable male."

The team collectively believed that this polar bear would rather hurt himself than the little bear—a truly unique experience.

Inside their den atop the snowy mountain, moments of intimacy played out intermittently over these three days.

It seemed as though Otis had condensed his entire year's worth of needs into this single spring season.

Unable to calm himself, he constantly wanted to be close to the little bear, though he didn't act on it. Otis was a rational bear.

This set him apart from other polar bears. Whether in everyday life or during the restless spring, Otis didn't have the trait of indulgence.

He was so restrained.

Even when he frequently sought out the little bear, it was because he genuinely couldn't hold back.

It was this intense drive that made male polar bears mate with multiple females throughout the spring season.

But Otis had only Qiao Qixi, and he didn't want to seek out anyone else. This inevitably put pressure on the little bear.

Luckily, this little bear had knowledge unknown to most bears; otherwise, this trip to the mountaintop might have ended disastrously.

And fortunately, Otis was steady and self-controlled. Even at his most desperate moments, when his frustration could have shattered the rocks around him with a single swipe, he never treated Qiao Qixi with more force than necessary. His licks were as gentle as ever.

The snow-covered den at the summit was filled with warmth and affection.

Slowly, Qiao Qixi began to understand—Otis wasn't just being clingy.

Otis understood everything and was very considerate...

Feeling sorry for Otis, Qiao Qixi obediently stayed with him through the increasingly intense ordeal.

Worried that the old tricks might be losing their appeal to Otis, making him harder to please, Qiao Qixi gritted his teeth and tried something different.

It was a bit risky—one wrong move, and things might go too far. If not for his complete trust in Otis, he wouldn't have dared attempt it.

As it turned out, even the honest Otis appreciated novelty—he clearly enjoyed it...

The atmosphere inside the den was thick with emotion, the scents and warmth of spring mixing in the air, as though it were a different world from the icy landscape outside.

Qiao Qixi was utterly exhausted, while Otis continued to hold him close, occasionally nuzzling his nose as if to apologize: 'I didn't mean to. I love you.'

The little bear thought he might be so sleepy that he was imagining things, but then again, maybe not. It made perfect sense—of course, Otis would want to express his love. It wasn't him overthinking it.

After a while, the little bear couldn't stay awake and fell asleep.

Otis, who hadn't slept properly for days, couldn't enter a normal sleep cycle even when he closed his eyes to rest.

While the little bear slept, Otis would either quietly hold him or gently groom his fur, which had been getting dirty more frequently these days.

Whenever Otis reached a part of the little bear that hadn't yet fully developed, he would pause, using his sense of smell to check. Unfortunately, the little bear hadn't matured yet, so Otis would have to keep waiting.

This was something Qiao Qixi didn't know—Otis's standard for what was acceptable depended on whether the little bear had matured.

But it was clear that the little bear still had a long way to go before he matured, so Otis could only wait patiently.

For him, that might not be difficult.

The prolonged closeness made both polar bears desperately thirsty, so when the little bear woke up, they went outside to eat some fresh snow.

Qiao Qixi cherished this rare moment of freedom, and fortunately, they were treated to a sunrise on the mountaintop.

Without the wind and snow, the polar sky finally brightened, and the warm sunlight felt incredibly soothing on their bodies.

Even Otis, who hadn't seen the sun for a long time, seemed to enjoy the weather.

In the bright sunlight, Qiao Qixi accidentally noticed that Otis's eyes were bloodshot. In the light, as Otis leaned his face against a rock and squinted, he looked exhausted.

In the rare sunlight, the big polar bear gently scratched himself against the rock, trying to relieve an itch.

Qiao Qixi didn't want to disturb him. He hoped Otis could get some sleep.

As he wished, in this comfortable environment, Otis, who had just had a round of intimacy, slowly closed his eyes.

For the first time since spring began, Otis fell into a deep sleep for four or five hours. Though it wasn't a long time, it was enough to restore his body and mind.

When Otis finally woke up, still looking drowsy, the little bear naively thought the springtime restlessness had passed.

He was so excited that he grabbed his little bucket, roaring to convey a message: 'Otis, shall we go down the mountain?'

Otis looked at the little bear, blinking twice, but didn't respond.

Playing dead, not answering? What did that mean?

Even at two and a half years old, Alexander knew it meant Otis didn't want to go down the mountain.

"Wuwu...'" Alexander dropped his bucket and pounced on Otis, fake crying and whining: 'I'm hungry. Let's go down and eat some seals.'

'Otis, can't you tell I've lost weight? Is it still comfortable to cuddle me like this?'

Pounced on by his beloved little bear, Otis's mood visibly improved. This time, he expressed his happiness by dragging the little bear back to the den.

He had just woken up from a nap and was full of energy.

Since the little bear had initiated it, why should he hold back?

In the distance, the cameras clearly captured the video of Otis herding the little bear back to the den.

These two male polar bears were practically flirting and teasing each other all the way back, the air thick with the sweet smell of love.

"Otis is so bossy. The little bear clearly didn't want to go back..."

"Haha, that's because the little bear isn't in heat yet," one crew member, unintentionally revealing his naughty side, remarked. "I can't wait to see what happens in two and a half years when they're both in heat. Will they start fighting?"

When Alexander matures, he'll also be a giant polar bear. By then, will he still willingly let Otis boss him around?

One crew member said, "They won't fight. Personality decides the dynamic. The calm and wise Otis will always be the dominant one."

The little bear is soft and fluffy—he'll probably still be a bit pampered even after he grows up.

Unless Otis decides to let him go.