For that brief moment, the world was silent. My thoughts weren’t focused on my surroundings, my dad, or even myself. I was focused on the bear. I was looking down a tunnel and the bear was at the other end. His eyes flashed white, and the world came back.

My dad, seeing the sudden stillness of his son, shifted closer. He looked at me, then the bear. When the bear eyes flashed, he grabbed my arm.

“Son, we might need to run again…when we do, get behind me. I can’t move very well, so don’t expect me to be right behind you”

“Dad, it’s ok.” I turned and looked at my dad. At the sight of my eyes, my dad released my arm. He face morphed from fear, to confusion, to awe, and then back confusion.

“Harry…Harry…why is it ok?” There was a stutter in his voice. Not a fear stutter, but one that is born from having a hundred questions, but only being able to ask one.

“The bear and I…the bear and I are connected. We are one.” I tried to come up with something more descriptive. To put voice to all the feelings and senses that were flowing between our connection, but I couldn’t. It just was. We were connected.

“Harry, what do you mean ‘connected’?” My previous statement had increased the rate at which my dad was looking between the bear and I. His head bouncing from one shoulder to the next. His expression showing just how much this was not common.

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“Dad, calm down. The bear can talk to me. I think…I think he is a companion animal…you know, like the stories. Dad, I can see all the light in the air, I can see our connection.” I look back from the bear to my dad. I am not sure what my expression was like, but if it matched the adrenaline fueled joy I had right now, I must have the biggest smile of my life. My father, after hearing my words, looked between us again and sighed.

“I should have known you would be different.” My dad coughs after the statement, a small bit of blood seeping from his hand afterwards.

“Dad, are you ok? What’s with the blood? Do we need to get you something? “ My words stream out of me, the thoughts of the connection disappear like a candle being blown out. The bear, sensing my change of mood, quickly looks up and around, trying to find a threat.

Again the voice enters my head, “What is wrong young one, what is the problem?”

Out loud, I state, “I don’t know, but my dad is bleeding. I am not sure how serious it is.”

The bear slowly raises up on all four paws and walks over to my dad. My dad, seeing this begins to back up…but I stop him with a quick shake of my hand. When the bear finally reaches my dad, he stops and pushes his forehead against my dads head.

“Ummm, your father has some internal injuries. I am not skilled. They are minor, we have time. Ideas?” His statement, slow and deep, settles my brain. We just need to get him to a healer.

“Dad, the bear says it’s minor, but we need to get you to a healer. I guess that means we need to get to the village.”

“I am not sure how. I think my ribs are broken, and my left leg either has a slight break or is sprained. I tried earlier, but I can’t put much weight on it…and its not like you are in better shape, you have a knot on your head that could be second nose.”

With the last statement, I reach up and feel the bump. It’s not small. I also feel a little nausea upon touching it.

“I am sorry. I was trying to keep you close. I didn’t realize humans were so fragile.” The mountain in my head rumbles off again.