The Far Away Bear (mxm)

Chapter 2- 'Bear' With It

Pov: Jaden

I was barely able to breath with the panic in my chest.

"Shit... shit...."

My heart was beating like a drum all night, the sounds of the forest had returned, but I didn't dare climb back down.

I clung to that tree until the sun came up, that was a fucking HUGE bear! There was no way I was going down to the forest floor with that thing just stalking around waiting for me to slip up!

But I would have to come down eventually.

Once the sun had risen enough to see well into the forest ahead and I was sure I couldn't hear it around I began to slowly ease my way back down the tree.

-careful...easy does it...-

My palms were ripped and bleeding from clinging so tightly, but I hardly noticed as I shimmied down the trunk.

Crack!

The branch I'd just lowered my socked foot onto snapped, and with a panicked scream my grip slipped and I came crashing down through them.

With every slam of a branch or crash I grunted in pain, my arms flailed and went up to protect my head but it wasn't much help. I landed hard onto the floor below the tree, looking up at the sky, my vision blurred and my head spinning.

-how did I...what..?-

I tried to lift my head and a searing pain shot through it, making me grit my teeth and stop. The last thing I remember before I blacked out was an approaching shadow that lingered over me, and the heat of a hot breath on my face.

Then it all went dark.
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"-keep...pressure...-"
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"..-He's lost...a-..blood..-"
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"..-get Arlow!...-"
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My fingers twitched, it felt like a sheet...I tried to open my eyes but they felt bruised, and the ringing in my ears added to my extreme headache.

I didn't know where I was, but it smelled like coffee and pine.

I tried to open my eyes again, and finally managed to squint them open, batting my eyelashes as my vision hazed and blurred around me.

"He's awake.." someone said to my left "thank the light.." he sighed.

"Give him some space..." Another voice muttered "he's still coming around, hey...can you hear me? Raise a finger if you can.."

I put all of my energy into raising my finger, and it felt like I barely moved an inch. But I managed to pull it off. There was another sigh of relief around me, but I couldn't make out from where.

"My name is Arlow, you're in my cabin...you had an accident, but you're going to be okay..."

My head was pounding, my skull felt ready to crack open at every word.

An accident?

What happened to me again? I'd been hiking...set up my tent...the last thing I remembered was going to bed...

I focused on the memory, my eyes closed shut too heavy to stay open.

Then it all hit me again and my eyes shot open in panic as I croaked out "b-bear!" My body jolted up and two pairs of hands caught me, helping me back down "easy does it! Easy now, you're alright now! You're safe here!" I saw the blurred shape of the man turn to look at the other, the two sharing a moment of silence as I calmed down with their help.

"Rest...you'll feel better soon..."

And with that sudden burst of fear came the crash, and I was out like a light again.