A soft grunt broke the tension. The polar bear accepted his offering, swallowing the morsel in one gulp. Nolan exhaled in a sudden rush, shocked at the realization that he was still alive. For a moment, predator and prey seemed locked in a fragile understanding.
In that instant, something shifted. Despite the bone-deep fear still gnawing at Nolan, another emotion crept in: a cautious empathy. The bear’s eyes darted around, then fixed on him again. It huffed, its gaze flitting to his pack, as though hoping for another morsel.