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~The Bear~

Winter was near and the bear needed a den. He walked and sniffed the forest until he found an opening at the base of large boulders just big enough for him to crawl through and enter a small cave. When he got inside and his eyes adjusted to the darkness he saw that three other bears, all males like himself, were sound asleep on the solid floor. A long sleep being the bear's priority this time of year, territorial challenges were temporarily set aside by the males. Things worth fighting for, like she-bears and berries, were far from their minds for now. The bear settled down close to the others, and let the warmth of fat, well-fed bodies of temporary comrades blanket over him and was soon in deep hibernation.

Thirty days passed, and as the bears slept soundly, a bodacious storm roared into the forest, and for three days and nights rain rushed down through the trees and thoroughly drenched the forest floor. On the third day some of the rain managed to seep through the roof of the cave and steadily drip water onto the face of the last bear to enter the cave. The bear awoke in a state of confusion and anger. He looked around and when he saw the other bears sleeping soundly the thought of chewing open their throats crossed his mind, but the temptation was immediately replaced by a strong desire to leave the cave and go out into open air. He crawled through the opening, stood on his hind legs, rubbed his eyes, then settled down on all fours and began to walk and sniff his surroundings. He had wandered a mile or so, when he found the opening of another cave. He crawled into it to find a lone she-bear sound asleep inside. He sniffed her, and knew immediately that she was the bear he mated with early last summer. He also found that she was pregnant. 

The bear's paternal instincts had fully kicked in as he left the cave and headed back to the cave where the other males slept. Once back inside the cave it wasn't long before he was sound asleep, again. 

Two more months passed before the bear awoke for the spring. He was jubilant as he left the cave and made his way to his mate's location. He never approached her, and never got closer than several yards from her and her two cubs. This is the way of the bears. The bear was content with the knowledge that his new family was safe. When he left the den he was not followed.