Chapter 339: Chapter 214: A Warm and Cozy Afternoon with the Bear (Part 3)

Rubbing its little head against his trouser leg, it made a "hmm hmm" sound, afraid that this giant "meal ticket" would leave it behind.

"I know, I know, I won’t leave you." Lin Yu’an said with a smile, picking it up.

"But outside is much colder than here, and the snow is very deep. Your little short legs can’t walk through it; I need to find you a ’ride’."

The so-called ride was that enormous mountaineering backpack. He carefully placed December inside, adjusting the opening so it could poke its little head out, allowing it to observe the outside world without easily falling out.

He hoisted the heavy backpack, then adjusted the shoulder strap, moving it to his chest. This way, with it on his front, he could observe December’s condition at all times.

December seemed very curious and satisfied with this brand-new "mobile castle." Its little head poked out from the backpack’s opening; this view was broader and felt safer than ever before.

"Hold on tight, little guy, here we go!"

Lin Yu’an picked up his spear and strode out of the shelter. The brilliant afternoon sun shone on the boundless snowy plains, reflecting dazzling light.

December widened its eyes in curiosity, its little head looking left and right. From this elevated perspective, the distant snow-capped mountains, the ravens circling in the sky, and even the "crunch" of Lin Yu’an’s footsteps on the snow were all new experiences for it.

Soon, they arrived at the ice-sealed lake. Lin Yu’an gently set down the backpack in a flat snowy spot.

He unzipped the backpack and smiled at the furry little head inside, "Alright, little guy, we’ve arrived. I’ll let you air out for a bit, but don’t run off, okay?"

He took December out of the backpack and placed it on the soft snow.

At first, it was a bit unaccustomed. The thick snow almost covered half its body. It tentatively lifted a front paw, then put it down, its little feet pressing into the snow, seemingly full of curiosity about this cold yet soft sensation.

It lowered its head to sniff the snow and even stuck out its tongue to lick it. After confirming the snow was safe, it immediately unleashed its instincts. Like a puppy just learning to walk, it wobbled around in the small area by Lin Yu’an’s feet.

December would suddenly bury its entire head in the snow, then lift it sharply, sending snowflakes flying, or awkwardly dig holes with both front paws, playing joyfully, its fluffy body covered with sparkling snow grains.

Lin Yu’an didn’t bother it, only watched its position from the corner of his eye, ensuring it didn’t run too far.

Then, he focused on his task, chipping open the re-frozen hole in the ice.

As the ice was chipped away, a puff of cold vapor emerged. December, playing in the snow, instantly twitched its nose furiously, recognizing the scent!

It immediately abandoned the digging game, trotting over to the ice hole with its little legs, stretching its neck to curiously peer into the dark opening.

Lin Yu’an began to slowly pull up the net, with increasingly fierce struggling coming from underwater as the net tightened.

"Oh, oh! The big ones are back again!" Lin Yu’an exclaimed excitedly.

Sure enough, as the net was pulled from the water, a dozen plump fish flopped vigorously inside, splashing ice crystals and water everywhere.

Today’s catch, even richer than the first net! Seeing the fish before it, December went completely wild!

It was its first time seeing these lively toys up close, excitedly running around the pile of fish constantly flopping in the snow, making "woo woo" cries filled with primal hunting desire.

A slightly smaller Red Spot Salmon happened to flip out of the pile, rolling across the snow.

December immediately locked onto this target, hunching its body, lowering its center of gravity, and clumsily mimicking its mother’s moves from its bloodline memory to make a pouncing motion at the fish!

It leapt forward sharply but, losing its balance, tumbled head over heels in the snow, rolling into a snowball. When it got up, snow-covered and all, the fish had already flopped to the other side.

This seemed to thoroughly provoke it, relentlessly giving chase, slapping and batting at the slippery fish. Its movements were disorganized; it was more like playing with a new toy it couldn’t catch rather than hunting.

The slippery fish slipped away from its paws several times, splashing snow all over its face. It chased the fish across the snow, getting soaked but enjoying itself immensely.

Lin Yu’an’s mood soared; he wasn’t in a hurry to handle the catch, just watched with keen interest as his bear cub clashed with the fish, while the GoPro on his chest faithfully recorded the heartwarming yet comical, lively scene.

After playing for about ten minutes, December seemed worn out, panting while lying on the snow, as the poor fish finally stopped moving.

December, like a victorious general, slowly moved over, pawing its trophy to its front, then sticking out its tongue to lick it contentedly.

"Alright, little hero, time to head home." Lin Yu’an said with a smile, walking over to rub its damp little head.

He strung up all the fish with a rope, placed them on the sled, then picked up December, who was already tired and covered in snow grains, putting it back into the chest-mounted backpack.

The afternoon sun stretched their shadows long across the snow, man and bear forming a scene in the wilderness that seemed somewhat unbelievable yet incredibly harmonious.

Back at the shelter, Lin Yu’an immediately began processing the bountiful catch.

Just then, the sharp ring of the satellite phone pierced the shelter’s tranquility for the third time.

————

(The Little Polar Bear is truly adorable.)