Mama Bear

Finding Solace

It's just barely sunrise when Yoongi and Namjoon wake up.

Opening their eyes, they hold as still as possible at the sight in front of them.

'Pinch me.' Yoongi mutters quietly.

Joon makes a fist and punches him instead.

Turning to glare at his friend Yoongi growls 'I said pinch, not punch!'

Namjoon doesn't even look back as he apologizes, frozen in his seat.

Yoongi turns back to look out the windshield again as Jin wakes up from their noisy back and forth, blearily blinking.

'What's up?' Jin asks of them.

Joon replies 'How did Tae know we were being watched?'

****

The three men ignore the snoring of their group mates behind them for the bear sitting in front of the vehicle staring them down.

'It's wild, right? I don't know of anyone who raises and trains bears around here.' Jin asks, unblinking.

'Korea doesn't even allow that. They barely allow zoos to take in wounded and abandoned ones.' Joon replies.

When the bear waves a paw in the air Yoongi hesitantly waves back getting a smack from Jin for responding.

It's when the paw changes to a come hither motion that they all shout, waking up the rest.

****

'I hate bears!' Hobi whines as they discuss going to meet the seemingly friendly ursine.

'Well I think it's cute!' Jimin replies, pouting. 'How can you not love the moon shaped marking on their chest?'

The other two maknaes nod in agreement with their eldest.

'I'm just concerned that if it decides to attack we won't have any way of surviving.' Joon says, looking over his shoulder at the bear patiently waiting for them.

'If it's friendly then we have a protector on our side. And it waved at us, not attack the vehicle.' Yoongi pointed out.

'But if it's just being sneaky, luring us out to eat us without having to claw it's way through metal, then we're screwed.' Jin said, eyes wide in fear.

Unfortunately they don't notice until they hear the click of machinery that Tae opened the side door to get out.

****

The grumbles of the bear are lost to the noise of the six men shrieking as one of the youngest climbs out, blithely unconcerned, hauling his oldest hyung out unwillingly by the hand.

Quickly they all follow, needing to protect each other from the dangers of the wild.

Except for Taehyung, they all wind up in protective poses, and when the one who started this turns around and looks at them he starts cackling,  collapsing to the ground in laughter.

'It's Anpanman all over again!' He gasps, trying to catch his breath.

Not that any of the guys are even looking at him.

Instead their focus is on the bear ambling towards them, the grumbles of the bear getting louder as it approaches.

As it sits down, a couple of body lengths away from the group, their forms relax some, watching.

Taehyung finally gets up, turns to face the bear, and bows lowly, sweeping his arm elegantly across his torso as he introduces himself. 'I'm Taehyung. These guys are with me.' 

The bear nods, seeming to understand.

'Did you need us for something? We seem to be lost.' He continues.

The bear grumbles in reply.

Scratching his head, Taehyung considers.

'I don't speak bear, so I'm not sure what you just said. Do you know any dog-speak?' He asks. The scoff from the men behind him gets an eye roll from him. 'I'm sorry about them, they don't believe.'

The bear nods and turns to go to the other side of the vehicle, disappearing from view.

Moments later an older, mature woman in furs returns.

'Is this better? Sorry, I don't know any dog-speak.' She says as she approaches the seven men.