Evan nodded weakly. “He didn’t let Daddy come back. Saved me,” Clara pressed a hand to her mouth, tears breaking free. Through the glass wall, she glimpsed the brown bulk inside the trailer. “That’s him?” “Yes,” Anika said quietly. “Rangers will move him to the reserve here.”
For a long time, mother and doctor stood side by side, watching rain slide down the metal trailer walls. Inside, the bear shifted once, exhaled, then settled again. “He knows it’s her,” Anika murmured. “He can smell she’s family.” Clara wiped her eyes. “Then he’ll understand when we say goodbye.”