From out of nowhere, the mother black bear appeared. She rose on her back legs, raised her front legs, and roared. Instinct screamed at him to run, but something more ancient than instinct, a memory of a time before fear, held Rafe in place. He raised his arms over his head, made himself large, and roared even louder. A primal cry meant to save them both. A bear that mauled a human would be hunted down and killed, and her cubs would be left motherless before winter. She went quiet and dropped down onto four paws again. He waited for her to turn, to run away, but she remained. She stared at him
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