As the final cord of the net slipped off, the bear stood there, now free yet unexpectedly still. My heart pounded, my breath shallow, as we locked eyes. In that weighty silence, a moment hung between us like fragile glass, begging not to be shattered by sudden movement.
Instead of bolting into the forest or turning aggressive, the bear did something utterly surprising. It nodded. A subtle, almost imperceptible gesture of gratitude, a dip of its massive head as if acknowledging my effort. My mind reeled, grappling with what I had just witnessed. Was this a figment of my imagination, or had the bear truly expressed thanks in a way that transcended the boundaries between man and beast?
