The Far Away Bear (mxm)

chapter 4 'Bear Necessities'

Pov: Jaden

"There, now put your arm over my shoulder.."

Arlow had sat me up and told me it was time to stretch my legs and get some fresh air. Which sounded, honestly, fucking amazing.

The problem was I hadn't been up and around since I climbed the tree, and let's just say bathroom breaks were not the easiest either. But now I was sitting up and setting my arm around this hulk of a man's shoulders as he hoisted me up to stand.

It was tricky for me to move at first, like my body had forgotten how to move. But my legs quickly began to get used to the sensation of the floor again under me.

"That's it, now we go for a walk." Arlow encouraged, guiding me to the front door and gently opening it. The direct sunlight blinded me at first but my eyes adjusted. I held onto Arlow as we stepped out onto a deck, and I have to say I was stunned by the view.

All this time I had no idea.

We were on the edge of a high cliff side overlooking a vast wilderness, forest on both sides of us locked the cabin into this secluded little hide away, and the fresh hair on my face and in my lungs smelled sweet.

"Wow.." I awed.

Arlow laughed beside me and lead me to an old wooden chair by the window, sitting me down on it. He brought out a thin blanket and draped it over me "you like the view?" He asked seemingly pleased as he leaned against the side of his cabin, looking out over the wilderness.

I eagerly nodded, my head hurting a lot less than it had before "I love it, it's beautiful here. Did you build this place by yourselves?" Arlow shook his head looking out "no, it's been in my family for generations. We added to it, sure, or done some maintenance...but it's been here for a long, long time." He smiled, seemingly proud of his families work.

I couldn't help but be impressed, this was a wonder, a really beautiful place "it's so high up, and right at the edge of a sheer drop too. Does that ever scare you?" I asked. Honestly I was just so curious about them, living here for who knows how long. Did they grow up here? Was Peat a friend or a brother?

Arlow chuckled "it's never scared me, it's always been this way I guess. The placement was ironically for safety." He smiled looking down at me. I tilted my head a little, not understanding and he continued.

"Sometimes it's better to have your back up against a wall, that way if anything comes at you, you know what direction it will be coming from." His smile fell a little and he broke his gaze from mine, looking back out at the view.

"Plus, it's beautiful. Now that you can move around a little again you can see the sunset."

I smiled softly and stared back out at the world, it felt like we were at the top of a huge temple, or flying. There were even some small clouds or misting shielding the canopy below.

"Jaden..." He half whispered.

I looked back up at him "why are you out here? Why'd you come to this Mountain?"

My throat closed in and I froze up.

Why was I here?

I felt the world tighten around me and grow a shade darker, looking down at my fingers I knitted them together. They were suddenly very interesting. I was quiet for a moment before he spoke again.

"You don't have to tell me right now, I just...noticed you didn't seem like a holiday hiker..."

"I'm not." I frowned, the wind picked up a little and blew by us causing the wooden chimes hanging from the porch canopy to jingle, i shivered.