Denis and Katya fell asleep wondering about the old man. “Who is he? What is his name?”

They woke suddenly, to six blood-red eyes. “Shhh,” Denis warned. Katya couldn’t breathe. The wolves were poised to spring.

Then something huge and shaggy reared up, silhouetted by firelight. A fearsome growl shook the forest. The wolves scattered, terrified.

The creature re-entered its human form; the eyes gentled, the fierce mouth softened. The old man, the shape-shifter, looked down at his paws and laughed as they changed from wildly different to reassuringly normal.

“My name is Bear.”

Katya smiled, drifting back to sleep.

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    Lotchie Carmelo
    Lotchie Carmelo(@lotchie-carmelo)
    2 years ago

    Wow  ?  This gets more interesting. The old man in Katya’s dream turns into a hero. Great story, Juma. I am excited for the continuation of your story, I can’t wait to read more.

    Lotchie Carmelo
    Lotchie Carmelo(@lotchie-carmelo)
    Reply to  Juma
    2 years ago

    You’re welcome, Juma. I am sure that I will enjoy it. Thank you always for giving us a nice read.

    Last edited 2 years ago by Lotchie Carmelo
    Carrie OLeary
    Carrie OLeary(@carrie-oleary)
    2 years ago

    And the story continues. Really interested to see where you’re going with this Juma; the introduction of a man who shape shifts into a bear is a very interesting turn of events.

    Carrie OLeary
    Carrie OLeary(@carrie-oleary)
    Reply to  Juma
    2 years ago

    Ooh, the intrigue. You have the art of teasing your readers ?

    Linda Rock
    Linda Rock(@linda-rock)
    2 years ago

    Your story just gets more intriguing with every segment Juma. And that is quite a skill so well done. I’m really enjoying reading it.

    Eric Radcliffe
    Eric Radcliffe(@eric-radcliffe)
    2 years ago

    An Interesting story Juma, you have your work cut out there, so many possibilities.

    Julie Harris
    Julie Harris(@julie-harris)
    2 years ago

    Wow, Juma. I wasn’t sure until now whether the old man was friend or foe, but seems that he is their protector as well as some sort of guide. I always did like the idea of shape shifters. Can’t wait to see what happens next!

    Daisy Blacklock
    Daisy Blacklock(@daisy-blacklock)
    2 years ago

    Great writing. It is a very mysterious piece.

    Christer Norrlof
    Christer Norrlof(@christer-norrlof)
    2 years ago

    A great and different idea with these intriguing mini-chapters. Did you know that in Scandinavian languages, we have the male name for bear? It’s Björn (ö pronounced like the indefinite article “a”).

    Christer Norrlof
    Christer Norrlof(@christer-norrlof)
    Reply to  Juma
    2 years ago

    I think the reason it became used as a man’s name was its strength and the fear it provoked. It was very popular during the Viking era, as well as the name Ulf (linguistically connected to wolf) and both are still common today. Probably, the native Americans put a much deeper and richer significance to the name.

    Carrie OLeary
    Carrie OLeary(@carrie-oleary)
    Reply to  Christer Norrlof
    2 years ago

    My son’s cat is Bjørn. The Norse spelling I believe. He’s a big cream ginger Maine Coon.

    Christer Norrlof
    Christer Norrlof(@christer-norrlof)
    Reply to  Carrie OLeary
    2 years ago

    How nice that you have a bear cat! I hope he wears the name with dignity. Explanation: In Denmark and Norway, the o with umlaut is written ø. In Sweden it’s written ö. Historically, there was a small e, written above or next to the o to indicate that the letter was different from the o. This little e developed in two different directions. Same thing happened to Swedish ä and Danish-Norwegian… Read more »

    Carrie OLeary
    Carrie OLeary(@carrie-oleary)
    Reply to  Christer Norrlof
    2 years ago

    Their other cat is Loki, so they were continuing the Norse theme. It’s always interesting to see the differences in languages.

    Christer Norrlof
    Christer Norrlof(@christer-norrlof)
    Reply to  Carrie OLeary
    2 years ago

    So now, I guess, you are awaiting for Odin or Thor to appear…

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