POLAR BEAR ARC CHAPTER 18

                                    

                                          

In early July, with no clouds to block the sun, the temperature steadily rose. The warmth hatched various insect eggs, leading to a surge of mosquitoes and other pests on the shore. These insects became the most annoying issue for the polar bears, aside from hunger and the heat.
The sea breeze had dried the whale jerky enough to prevent it from harboring insect eggs for a while. However, it attracted various mosquitoes and flies, annoying the bears.
Not wanting to share his food with flies, Qiao Qixi quickly finished the jerky, leaving only a small bucket for the road. The coastal grass had grown knee-high, with various small animals like marmots, grey rabbits, and ducks laying eggs by the water. These could technically be food for polar bears, but they were too fast for the bears to catch on land. Moreover, in the summer, polar bears' metabolism slows significantly, making even walking a slow process.
Swarming mosquitoes would follow the bears, whose strong body odor attracted them, causing the bears to growl in frustration, shake their heads, and try to swat the pests away. Fortunately, Qiao Qixi and Otis were relatively clean, grooming each other daily, which minimized their body odor and helped avoid the worst of the bugs.
Qiao Qixi could tell that Otis hated being disturbed by flies, especially when they woke him up from sleep, making him visibly grumpy. To solve this problem, Qiao Qixi paid close attention to the surrounding grass as they walked, hoping to find plants with mosquito-repellent properties, like lemongrass, mint, or citronella.
Lemongrass, which grew abundantly like weeds in the wilds of the south, was harder to find on Greenland's coast. It would take some luck to locate any here. As mentioned, polar bears moved very slowly in the summer, covering only about ten kilometers a day, which barely made a dent in the vast coastline. This meant their surroundings would remain largely unchanged for days.
Jerky became a snack for Qiao Qixi, something he ate only when extremely hungry. Otis refused to accept any more jerky from him, leading to a back-and-forth of "I give it to you, you give it back to me." The drone captured this endearing scene, which made viewers smile and sigh at the same time.
Their bond was heartwarming, yet their situation was difficult.
As July progressed, other polar bears had started to lose weight and look disheveled. Despite also struggling to find food, Otis and Alexander remained clean and well-groomed. This was partly due to their hygiene habits, which played a role in their strong friendship.
"I love watching them. I always feel they will have a happy ending, while seeing other polar bears struggling through the summer makes my heart ache."
"Two refined polar bears. I hope they take care of themselves and avoid any accidents. Bless them."
Qiao Qixi had some luck in the grass, finding wild mint, a plant that could survive in temperatures as low as -15°C and had mosquito-repellent properties. The mint also had a cooling effect, and applying its juice around the eyes provided relief from insect bites, significantly improving Otis's mood.
Relieved from the pests, Otis affectionately nuzzled the little bear who had brought him such comfort, and he began to focus on where they could find food next to feed the cub. Their journey was long and filled with uncertainties.
The relentless sun, the no longer cool wind, and the sound of waves accompanied the slow steps of the two bears. No one knew what lay ahead. The only certainty was that they would stay by each other's side, enduring hunger and the search for food together.
With the jerky gone, Qiao Qixi filled his small bucket with mint leaves in case they didn't find more along the way. He had adapted to this life, knowing he wasn't in mortal danger. His body fat would sustain him until the ice returned.