Following Instinct, Not Logic

Hana trailed the bear through quiet hospital halls, its pace steady and sure like it had done this before. The usual noise was gone, replaced by the soft pad of paws and her own nervous breath. When they stepped outside, the air felt heavier.

Trees surrounded them, the woods closing in, every leaf and twig crackling underfoot. She pulled out her phone with shaky hands and called Peter, someone who actually understood animals. As soon as he picked up, she tried to explain. Her words came fast, tangled with adrenaline. The bear had led her here, and she couldn’t just walk away. The silence on the other end said everything.