Minutes stretched, feeling like hours, until the trees thinned and Jacob spotted the giant rock’s silhouette—jagged, partially shrouded by thick foliage. His breath caught.
The bear halted at the clearing’s edge, sniffing the air again. Jacob hesitated, eyes scanning for traps—signs of disturbed earth or metal. The faint scent of something sharp and metallic drifted to him—bait. The traps were close.
Adrenaline surged as he crept forward, every nerve alert. Danger pressed close, but stopping now was unthinkable.
Approaching the rock, Jacob cautiously prodded the ground with his branch before each step. His eyes darted across the soil for traps. Step by careful step, he fought to steady his breath.
Near the rock’s base, his stomach twisted at the sight: a white bear cub trapped inside a cage at the bottom of a pitfall. The tiny creature curled in on itself, whimpering softly, fur stained with dirt and blood.
Nearby, other bears lay caught in traps—some in steel jaws, others confined in cages. Their wounds were raw, their struggles desperate but futile. Nausea overwhelmed Jacob as the cruelty crashed over him like a wave.
Dropping to his knees, he reached for the nearest trap. Trembling hands tried to pry it open, but the mechanism was heavy and tightly secured—designed to withstand even the might of these powerful animals. Frustration mounted with each failed attempt.
Just then, a noise shattered the stillness—a distant murmur of voices and the crunch of boots pressing through leaves. Jacob froze, his head snapping toward the sound. The traveler was coming, and he wasn’t alone. Urgency warred with a paralyzing fear inside him.
Jacob ducked quickly into a thick patch of bushes, but the muddy ground betrayed him. His foot slipped, and he fell with a loud, squelching thud that pierced the silence like a flare. When he looked up, the traveler’s head turned sharply in his direction.