It clumsily climbed onto the sleeping bag Lin Yu’an laid on the ground, which to it seemed like a soft and elastic big toy.

First, it tentatively patted the nylon fabric of the sleeping bag with its paw. Discovering that the big fellow wouldn’t resist, its courage immediately grew.

Then, it dived into the folds of the sleeping bag, playing hide and seek, only leaving a fluffy little butt sticking out.

After a while, it suddenly poked its little head out, letting out a howl towards Lin Yu’an devoid of any intimidation, as if issuing a challenge.

Lin Yu’an was infected by its innocence too, and he reached out, gently scratching December’s little belly hidden inside the sleeping bag.

The little one was immediately tickled by this unexpected "attack," wriggling around inside the sleeping bag, legs up, making a series of giggly snorting sounds.

Lin Yu’an simply lay down as well, and played a game of "whack-a-mole" with December through the thin layer of the sleeping bag.

He pressed here, the little one pushed there, he poked there, the little one stretched out its paw to scratch.

The shelter was filled with the joyous cries of December and the hearty laughter of Lin Yu’an.

At this moment, he wasn’t merely the Challenger striving to survive in dire straits; all loneliness and stress were momentarily tossed away in this pure play.

After about a dozen minutes of frolic, both man and bear seemed exhausted.

Lin Yu’an unzipped the sleeping bag, and December immediately slipped in as if it was familiar territory, expertly finding its reserved "pillow spot" in the crook of his arm.

He cradled this little "hot-water bottle" in his arms and zipped the sleeping bag back up.

December seemed truly exhausted, even though it had just woken up in the afternoon, its energy now appeared to be completely spent.

Without adjusting its position much, with its little head resting on his arm, it started to breathe evenly and soon fell asleep.

Lin Yu’an didn’t fall asleep immediately, quietly watching this little life, the firelight in the fireplace softly illuminating December’s white fur, making it look like a little glowing angel.

He could clearly feel its steady heartbeat, forming a miraculous resonance with the rise and fall of his own chest.

Outside, there was the fiercest blizzard within the Arctic Circle, where any exposed life could be frozen into an ice sculpture.

Yet inside, just beyond these thin wooden walls and snowdrifts, was a completely different world.

The flames in the fireplace burned steadily and persistently, staining every inch of space with a warm orange-yellow hue.

The flickering shadows outlined the coarse wooden walls, the stacked supplies, and the man and bear bundled in the sleeping bag with soft contours.

Here, there was no howling of the cold wind, only the "crackling" sound of the flames and the even breathing of the little bear.

Violence and tranquility, cold and warmth, chaos and order, were merely a door apart. Creating an extreme contrast.

Lin Yu’an reached out with another hand and gently placed it on December’s small body.

The shelter he built was now not only protecting himself, but also defending against the world’s malice for this fragile new life.

This feeling of being utterly relied upon and utterly trusted filled him with an unprecedented sense of fulfillment.

He watched December’s slightly twitching nose in its sleep, a thought suddenly intruding his mind:

"Will you remember?" he silently asked in his heart.

"When you grow up to be a half-ton King of the Icefield, chasing seals, patrolling your territory, or curling up in an ice cave on a similarly snowy night..."

"Will a faint fragment of memory flash through your deepest thoughts? That there was once a strange two-legged creature accompanying you through difficult childhood times."

"Will you remember this little wooden house with the smell of smoke? Remember this flickering orange-yellow flame? And remember me, your first most peculiar family member in your bear life?"

Lin Yu’an knew this might just be wishful thinking on his part. Animal memories, especially those from a young age, are mostly vague and based on scent and instinct.

Perhaps future December will have no impression of any of this. But what does it matter?

"Even if you don’t remember, I’ll remember." Lin Yu’an told himself in his heart.

I’ll remember that in this desolate and lonely Land of the Far North, I once lived not just for myself,

but also guarded a miracle.

——

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