CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FOUR - SURVIVAL TACTICS

Arryk clapped her on the shoulder, a rare smile breaking through his stoic demeanor. "Quick thinking, young one. You may have saved us all from a nasty fight." Freya nodded approvingly. "I underestimated you, Anna. You've got more fight in you than I gave you credit for." As the adrenaline began to fade, Anna leaned into Erik's embrace, her body trembling slightly. "I don't know what came over me," she admitted. "I just... reacted." Erik pressed a kiss to her temple. "You were brave. And brilliant." Their moment of relief was short-lived, however. A deep, rumbling growl froze them all in place. Slowly, they turned to face a new threat - a massive polar bear, standing just yards away from their camp. "Nobody move," Arryk whispered, his hand inching towards his rifle. "Polar bears are curious, but they're also apex predators. We need to be very, very careful." The bear rose up on its hind legs, towering over them. Its black eyes seemed to study each member of the group in turn. Ann