The Boy Who Saved a Bear by Nizrana Farook

Author:Nizrana Farook
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nosy Crow
Published: 2023-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

“Karadi!” Relief flooded through Nuwan. He got up and went over to the bear, who was standing on all fours on the stump of a tree.

She looked up at Nuwan. Her eyes bored deep into him as she saw his serious expression.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “There’s something I have to do.”

Karadi stared back at him, unblinking. Her eyes travelled to Sani, who was staying back and watching their conversation.

Nuwan came closer. “I have to say goodbye,” he said gently. “I think it’s time you went back to your home.”

He moved his hands towards Karadi’s neck. He’d never touched her before, and the thought made him nervous. The friendly happiness of earlier was gone from her eyes now. She looked at his hands coming towards her.

Karadi growled, making Nuwan jump back.

“Hey, Karadi, I’m not going to hurt you.” He kept his voice gentle and pointed to the key round her neck. “I’m just taking that off you. OK?”

She said nothing but gazed at him mutinously. “OK, here goes,” he whispered, and put his hands on the string.

Karadi lifted her head and roared, shocking Nuwan so much he fell back on to the ground.

“Nuwan!” cried Sani. “Get back here.”

Karadi looked down at the boy on the ground. He should have been scared of her but he wasn’t. He didn’t believe she was angry. He’d learnt to read her enough to know that she was just sad.

He stretched out a hand placatingly. But she was having none of it and smacked it away. Nuwan felt a sting of pain and a tiny line of blood bloomed on his skin where he’d been scratched.

“What are you doing! Get away from her!” Sani’s voice was high-pitched and panicked.

“No, hang on.” Nuwan stayed in position and held up a hand to Sani. “Don’t alarm her. She’s not going to hurt me.”

“She already has.” Sani was sounding desperate. “Get away before she does anything worse.”

Karadi looked down at him, and this time there was a look of pleading in her eyes. He turned back to Sani. “It’s not what you think. She’s not going to hurt me. I know what she’s trying to tell me.”

“Well, get away from her first, whatever it is!”

Nuwan stood up. Looking Karadi firmly in the eye he backed away from her until he was standing next to Sani.

Sani sighed audibly. Karadi sat down on the tree stump and swivelled around, turning her back to them.

“We have a problem,” said Nuwan.

“You don’t say!” Sani rolled her eyes. “It’s not safe for us to be here. She doesn’t consider us friends any more – she might attack at any time.”

“Sani, I told you, it’s not what you think.”

“Well, what is it then?”

Nuwan sighed, his eyes on Karadi’s back. “We’re still friends – that hasn’t changed. She’s just not willing to give up the key.”

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