Gripping the ice with numb fingertips, he watched the bear rummage through his sled. Each crunch and snap of shattering wood reverberated across the frozen expanse. Nolan’s mind reeled, torn between desperate gratitude for his life and a fresh wave of horror at the creature’s unpredictable might.
The bear devoured the fish in savage gulps, muscles rippling beneath its white fur. Between bites, it huffed and wheezed, as if exhausted. Nolan blinked, stunned by the realization that this colossal predator was anything but triumphant—it seemed desperate, even pitiful, in its frantic feeding.