Spring

He felt himself rising slowly up from darkness. The boughs of the pines, heavy laden with snow, still haunted his dreams with their scent barely evident in the cold breeze. He was a little aggravated, his dream of an arctic hare interrupted by his rising awareness. He slowly opened his eyes, letting them adjust to the light filtering in from the outside. He took a deep, slow breath. His eyes opened fully as he realized that this was the day, the very moment, he had been waiting for.

As he started to roll over, his back came to rest against a familiar lump, warm and soft. She shifted her weight as he sat up and stretched his arms and legs, revelling in the new day. He no longer cared about the abandoned dream, or even the warmth that surrounded him as he slept. Now was the time for adventure, as spring came here to the high country. He stood, unsteady for a moment, then slowly made his way towards the light, his eyes adjusting to the brightness as he walked towards the blue sky that awaited him.

As he stepped outside, his senses were assaulted by the great cycle of life. The boughs of the pines no longer wore their coats of white, and the rising sap brought the full aroma of their needles to his nose. The blue jays called in the trees overhead, and he could hear the rush of open water from the river just down the hill. His mouth began to water a little as his belly rumbled.

With the promise of fresh salmon replacing the dream of that scrawny rabbit, the bear began his trek down to the river for his first rite of spring.