Mysterious Woman and Cubs

The night grew late, and everyone lay down to sleep.

It didn't take long for them to fall asleep—except for Kai, who sat by the bonfire, lost in thought.

He got up and sat back down by the fire, his heart heavy with an inexplicable sadness. It felt like there was a missing piece in his heart, something he couldn't quite place.

He looked at the World Tree, and a faint memory flashed in his mind—a couple sitting together, leaning on each other. The image was blurry, and he couldn't see it clearly, but it stirred something deep within him.

"Who were they?" he whispered to himself, staring into the flames.

The memory felt familiar yet distant, like a dream he couldn't fully grasp. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, and decided to let it go for now.

"Maybe it's just my imagination," he muttered, lying back down beside the others.

As he closed his eyes, Kai felt as if someone was touching his face. He tried to open his eyes, but no one was there. 

From a distance, he saw a woman standing, her gaze fixed on him. 

Kai turned to look at her, and step by step, she approached him as he sat by the bonfire. 

This time, her face came into clear view. She looked happy, but there was a deep sadness in her expression that couldn't be put into words. 

"Who are you?" Kai asked, feeling a strange connection between them, as if something was missing. 

But the woman remained silent and walked toward the river. Kai, curious, followed her from behind. 

Throughout the walk, neither of them spoke a word. When they reached the river, the woman sat down and dipped her feet into the water. 

Kai sat beside her, unsure why his heart compelled him to follow her actions, as if he were being controlled. 

The woman then removed her clothes and stepped into the river, bathing quietly. 

Her body was beautiful, but Kai felt as if he had seen this scene before—perhaps in a dream from his time on Earth. 

The woman looked back at Kai, this time with a hint of happiness, as if she was no longer alone. She continued her bath, then extended her hand, inviting Kai to join her in the water. 

But Kai shook his head. "Nope. As a normal human, I'd think you're a beautiful ghost. So I'll just keep you company here." 

Surprised by his reasoning, the woman laughed softly.

She continued her bath, and after finishing, she stepped out of the water, this time completely unclothed.

Kai quickly averted his gaze, out of respect, not wanting to intrude on her privacy despite her beauty.

She looked at him and let out a soft laugh. Then, she put her clothes back on and extended her hand to help Kai stand up.

Kai took her hand and stood, following her back to the bonfire.

When they arrived, the woman sat by the fire and tapped the ground, hinting for Kai to sit beside her.

Kai obliged without question. She then laid her head on his lap, resting comfortably.

She remained silent, doing as she pleased, while Kai sat quietly, admiring her beauty from such a close distance.

She closed her eyes and fell asleep on his lap.

After a while, she turned her head and looked up at Kai's face from below, smiling sweetly. She gazed at him for a long time.

Kai, growing increasingly shy, tried to maintain an innocent expression.

"Erghh, can you stop staring at me like that? I'm a bit shy," he said, his voice soft.

But she ignored his words. This time, she reached up and gently touched his face.

"See you soon..." she whispered, her voice fading as she slowly disappeared, vanishing completely.

"How did she just disappear?"

Tears began to stream down his cheeks without warning, a deep, unexplainable sadness washing over him.

Kai wiped away his tears. Deep in his heart, he whispered, "If I ever hurt you, I'm sorry." 

Then, he lay down beside Rose and fell asleep. 

The Next Morning

"GUARRRRHHHHHH!!!" 

A loud roar jolted everyone awake, sending birds flying and shaking the trees. 

Vix, who recognized the sound, quickly grabbed his daughters. 

Kai and Rose, still groggy, sat up in confusion. 

"What the hell was that? That was so loud!" Rose exclaimed, her voice trembling. 

Kai shook his head, indicating he had no idea. 

Vix, who knew what it was, explained urgently. 

"That was a bear. But it's much bigger than the ones you know from our world. When a bear roars like that, it's either defending itself or marking its territory. 

This area has a river and plenty of food sources, so it's possible the bear has given birth and is protecting its cubs. This would be the perfect spot for them." 

"So, what do we do now?" Rose asked, her voice filled with concern. 

Before they could even think, the bear emerged from the bushes near the river. It was accompanied by three cubs, but the mother bear was covered in deep wounds. 

The bear collapsed to the ground, unconscious. 

Vix rushed over to check on the bear. 

He first checked for any movement—dead bears wouldn't move. Then, he placed his hand on the bear's chest to see if there was any sign of breathing. 

But there was no movement. Finally, he checked the bear's eyes—they were dull and glassy, confirming that the bear was 100% dead. 

The three cubs sat by their mother's side, unaware that she was gone. 

Kai and Rose, carrying Kit and Kat, approached Vix to see what had happened. 

"It's already dead. The wounds are very deep. Maybe she brought her cubs here because it's an easier place for them to survive,"

He then tried to comfort the cubs by offering them apples. 

"Luckily, they're black bears. They eat fruits, honey, and insects. But they can't survive without their mother. Bear cubs rely heavily on their mother for protection and food until they're mature enough to live on their own. 

Mostly, they'll die if their mother dies because it takes time for them to learn how to survive on their own." 

Kai and Rose looked at the cubs, their hearts heavy with sadness. 

"What do we do now?" Rose asked, her voice filled with concern. 

Vix sighed. "We can't just leave them here. They'll die without their mother. Maybe... we can take care of them until they're old enough to survive on their own." 

Kai nodded. " we can't just abandon them. Let's do what we can." 

The group carefully approached the cubs, offering them food and comfort. The cubs, though wary at first, eventually accepted the apples, their small bodies trembling with fear and confusion.