The Bear & The Wolf

In a land far away, there lived a bear and wolf. The bear lived a content life with the wolf for he thought it to be a dog…warm and caring as she was…and they were happy. At times they fought, for the wolf would bare her teeth on occasion when challenged. This infuriated the bear and afraid of his wrath, the wolf calmed down and kept her secrets to herself.

Several years passed. One day, while the bear was out hunting, the wolf heard an enemy approach their territory. Terrified of an attack on its home, the wolf bared all her teeth and got ready to fight. The row that ensued destroyed a large part of their home but the wolf was victorious and the enemy retreated. Just then she saw the bear return home with their food and she turned towards him with a look of triumph. What she saw drained her face — for the bear was furious — furious that the wolf had broken her promise and bared her teeth. The wolf left, dejected, heart broken.

Years passed. One day on his usual hunt, the bear roamed the forest when he heard a familiar scream. It was his wolf! And she seemed to be hurt. He ran towards her screams but he was too late. The moon shone bright over her dead body and illuminated the recent scars of a battle just fought. Though the beam highlighted something else — scars on her body, every part of it was filled with scars…old scars and the bear realised that the wolf had been hiding a terrible secret. For every night while the bear slept, he thrashed out as his night mares had plagued him. And the wolf had held him tight while he lashed out with his sharp claws, digging into her soft flesh…