The Forbidden Zone

Chapter Six - A Realm of Unknowns

Breathing heavy I hurried up the last part of the way into the tree where Shakaza was already perched on a large branch.

Together we looked down to see Mel slowly backing his way up to the base of the tree.

Tensely we watched as he half turned and began to slowly climb up towards us.

The huge bear growled and raised a paw, but overall wasn't showing a lot of aggression towards us.

The thing was absolutely massive and yet thankfully it wasn't seeming to view us as dinner, at least not yet.

"Easy, big boy. We don't mean any harm, just passing through."

The bear growled again and then proceeded to sit down ponderously.

We heard Mel sigh loudly and say, "Oh that's just great! Haven't you got anywhere else to be?"

He reached the spot where we were and in the gloom just before nightfall we saw his teeth in a brief flash of a smile as he said, "Sorry, ladies. Looks like the wedding night will need to be postponed."

Wanly, I smiled, as I nestled in against him with relief as he found a spot between us on the wide branch of the tree.

Shakaza spoke up worriedly, "I thought bears could climb trees?"

"Most can, but not this kind, at least not one that fat. It's a cave bear if I'm not mistaken."

"Where do they normally come from?" I asked tiredly, as I snuggled in against him in order to steal more of his heat.

Shakaza was doing the same on her side.

"Not anywhere for the last several thousand years. They've been extinct for quite a while. Apparently not here though. I don't think we have much to worry about from him. They have a different kind of tooth then most modern bears. Their teeth are more suited for eating plants, it's doubtful they even hunt prey. They probably just eat carrion when they find it."

Smiling, I said, "You know a lot about these things."

"The natural world has always fascinated me."

"I like that you're smart." I whispered.

"Are you saying you wouldn't like me if I was less brainy?" He quizzed.

"No, but I like you the way you are."

"Well, back at you and you too." He said squeezing his arms around the two of us.

His arm about my back was like a veritable heat blanket. How did he make so much heat?

Dryly, he said then, "On second thought, I don't like the way you two are right now, at all."

Each of us inclined our head in a way so that we could stare at his face but with the coming of night we could hardly see it in the darkness.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"You no like us now, Master?" Shakaza asked, at virtually the same moment.

"Oh no, I like you both personally a lot, it's just I'd much rather be in a big bed with the two of you right now. I would most definitely also prefer the two of you to be wearing absolutely nothing, but other than that I'm perfectly happy with you both."

Smiling, I nestled back in against him.

I would much rather prefer that reality to sitting precari-ously high up in a tree as well.

"What exactly is it that the two of you are wearing by the way?"

I groaned in mortification at his question.

In a completely deadpan voice Shakaza said, "The Titanic."

Mel laughed deeply at that, and the sound of it was nice, actually the sound of it was perfect.

"I've been wanting to ask, but well....I didn't."

Silence dragged on for a while and I was almost asleep when I heard Shakaza ask sleepily, "If this place has extinct species like cave bears do you think it might also have other prehistoric monsters, even maybe something like dinosaurs?"

My eyes widened, but Mel's response was simply to say, "Shhhhh..... you're going to give me nightmares."

I found myself smiling again. I liked his roundabout answer, but in a way we all knew that the answer to her question was probably a resounding 'yes'.

I did not want to die, but if it was my fate to do so soon I reflected on the reality that I had never in my life been more prepared to die.

That said I very much did not want to die!

Silently, I prayed to Mel's God, who was now my God, "I really don't know You very well yet, but I want to know all that I can about You. I also want to keep on living...... is that wrong of me to ask? I want Shakaza and Mel to live too. I don't want to die tomorrow or even the next day, but if I do...... I really want to be completely right with You before I go."

Sleep overwhelmed me then and as awkward as the positioning in the tree was I felt like I had the best of everything somehow and in a way I dreamed just that.