Walking Zombie 2

Heart pounding, you fumble through your pack, fingers closing around a slightly squished energy bar—the last morsel of food you have. "Hey, big guy, look!" you shout, waving it frantically at the bear. The scent catches in its nose, momentarily distracting it from its rage.

"Are you insane?" Ace hisses, but you ignore him, focusing on the bear’s reaction. The bear pauses, nostrils flaring as it sniffs the air, its gaze shifting between you and the crumpled snack. Slowly, you toss the bar onto the ground, backing away with your hands raised in a gesture of peace.

The bear, curiosity piqued, approaches the food with cautious steps. It sniffs the bar, then with surprising gentleness, laps it up, teeth crunching through wrapper and all. For a moment, the tension lessens, the bear's attention absorbed in its unexpected treat.

But then, a crack from the burning forest sends a cascade of sparks into the air. The bear startles, its eyes darting back to you with renewed anger. The food didn’t buy much time. The flames inch closer, the heat now unbearable, forcing you and Ace to act quickly.

With the bear blocking the path and fire closing in, the desperate situation demands an immediate decision.