TBF 14

Chapter 14

Nabom finally made it across the massive stream of snow and reached a relatively flat snowfield.

The blizzard still hadn’t stopped. White clouds of snow swirled through the air as the avalanche thundered onward with terrifying force.

“I… crossed that?”

Only moments ago she had been surfing joyfully along the wave of snow, but now the realization struck her with full force.

Is this… the true power of an Arctic rabbit?

Simply by letting go of her human mindset and accepting herself as a rabbit, she had gained strength like this.

The feeling was so overwhelming that it seemed as though she had suddenly evolved from a small prey animal into a predator.

Nabom’s shoulders lifted with confidence.

For some reason, it felt as though she could accomplish anything.

Following the sound of footsteps, she raced forward.

But soon she came to an abrupt stop.

The path ahead was blocked.

If what she had crossed earlier could be called a river, this was an ocean.

Below the hill roared a waterfall of snow.

It was a colossal avalanche—far too large for Nabom to cross. No, perhaps even Baekrang or a brown bear would struggle to get through it.

The strength drained from her legs.

So much for being a predator.

An Arctic rabbit was still nothing more than a tiny, fragile creature.

“What do I do?”

Nabom narrowed her eyes and stared beyond the avalanche.

Over the deafening roar of the rushing snow, she could clearly hear dozens of approaching footsteps.

If only she could get across, she would be able to meet them immediately.

As she took an unconscious step forward—

RUMBLE!

The ground beneath her shook violently.

“…!”

Startled, Nabom jumped backward.

The moment she moved away, the section of ground she had been standing on collapsed and crumbled into the avalanche below.

The hill itself was breaking apart from the avalanche’s impact.

I need to find another route—!

Just as she turned to retreat down the slope, something entered her broad field of vision.

A sled pulled by dozens of sled dogs.

People riding on top of it.

And among them was a face she had become quite familiar with.

“Theodore…!”

The head of the Grizzly family had come all the way here with the sled-dog knights.

To find Louis.

“Thank goodness. The footsteps belonged to allies!”

Louis’s father.

The most dependable ally she could ask for.

Relief washed over her.

Then Nabom began hopping in place, waving her forepaws frantically.

Over here! Over here! This way! The cave is this way! Look up here!

Hop! Hop! Hop!

She jumped with all her strength.

But Theodore and the knights showed no reaction.

In fact, they didn’t even seem aware that she was standing on the hill.

Nabom slowly sank down into the snow.

Her ears drooped.

Of course they couldn’t see her.

A small white rabbit jumping around in a snowstorm would blend right into the landscape.

And besides—

“My voice…”

It wouldn’t reach them.

Not the parents of this world.

Not Anna.

Not Louis.

Not Ferdi.

Not the malamute.

Not Theodore.

No one could hear her voice.

She had always known that.

Yet somehow it hurt more than ever.

“How about it? Don’t you wish you could speak with everyone in human form?”

Perhaps it was because of that dream she’d had not long ago.

The realization that her words couldn’t reach anyone suddenly felt unbearably frustrating.

If she could speak, her voice would reach them even from this distance.

Crunch.

Nabom stomped the snow beneath her paw.

At that moment, Theodore began issuing orders.

Because of the avalanche, he was probably planning to take a detour.

If she lost them now, she would have to chase after them again.

And even if she did, they might pass by without ever noticing her.

There wasn’t much time left.

When Nabom glanced toward the distant mountain range, barking erupted and Theodore’s group began changing direction.

“No.”

Without thinking, she ran toward the edge of the hill.

“You can’t go that way!”

She jumped desperately.

“This way! Please look over here!”

No matter how much she leaped, waved, and screamed with all her heart, no one looked back.

“Please…”

Standing on her hind legs, Nabom clasped her forepaws against her chest as though praying.

Her eyes closed on their own.

And because her eyes were closed, she failed to notice it.

Her tiny body had begun to shine.

“Please help us.”

Again and again she repeated the plea in her heart.

And at last—

Her voice reached them.

Theodore and every member of the sled-dog knights came to an immediate halt.

“Please save Louis…”

A desperate voice echoed clearly within their minds.

They all heard it.

Theodore raised his head toward the hill beside the rushing avalanche.

Within a brilliant light stood a small white rabbit.

*

“Please help us.”

The unfamiliar voice that suddenly entered Theodore’s mind made him frown.

A young girl’s voice.

High and clear.

What is this?

It felt similar to the way beastkin communicated while in animal form.

Yet something was different.

The voice was unnaturally distinct.

So distinct that he couldn’t even tell from which direction it was coming.

Just as Theodore was about to blow his whistle and halt the unit, he noticed that everyone had already stopped.

The sled dogs’ ears were standing straight up.

Don’t tell me…

They can hear it too?

“Please save Louis…”

The voice rang out once more.

At the same time, a bright light appeared in the corner of Theodore’s vision.

He whipped his head around.

A dazzling glow was pouring from the hill beyond the avalanche.

And within that light stood a tiny creature.

A rabbit.

Its eyes were tightly shut, forepaws clasped before its chest.

“…”

Theodore stepped down from the sled.

Without taking his eyes off the rabbit, he gave a short command.

“Cover your eyes.”

“…What?”

The knights were too stunned by the voice inside their heads to understand.

Then Theodore’s body shifted.

His human form collapsed away as an enormous bear burst through his clothing.

CRASH!

With one massive paw, he ripped an enormous tree out by its roots and hurled it into the river of snow.

Then he began throwing snow-covered boulders after it.

The sight jolted the others into action.

“S-Stop the avalanche!”

“Use the terrain!”

The sled dogs scattered to search for anything useful.

Several retainers who had been riding in human form transformed into bears and joined the effort.

Soon trees and rocks were piling up near the upper flow of the avalanche.

The current would change before long.

Meanwhile, Theodore stepped directly into the river of snow.

The avalanche was overwhelming.

Even for Theodore—far larger than any ordinary brown bear—the torrent reached nearly to his chin.

Yet he never lost his footing.

He simply kept moving forward, staring at the rabbit atop the hill.

Perhaps she felt his gaze.

Nabom’s tightly shut eyes slowly opened.

When she saw Theodore advancing through the avalanche, her round black eyes widened.

Relief flooded through her.

The tension that had filled her body drained away.

And in that instant—

The light surrounding her body suddenly collapsed inward, rushing into her heart.

“Ah…”

The sharp gasp echoed directly inside Theodore’s mind.

The light was gone.

And for the first time, he had heard the rabbit’s voice.

Something had clearly happened to her.

Theodore broke into a run through the weakening current.

Then something collapsed on the hill.

Not a rabbit.

Not something that small.

Something larger.

About the size of a human child.

…!

There was no time to think.

The edge of the hill where the rabbit had stood gave way.

Snow cascaded downward.

Theodore sprinted desperately through it.

Something was falling.

A small figure.

White hair fluttering in the wind.

He rose onto two legs and stretched his forepaws toward the sky.

Standing on tiptoe, he caught the falling figure in his arms.

What fell into his embrace was—

A human.

A young girl.

A small body.

Slender limbs.

Cheeks reddened by the cold.

Pale white skin.

Long silver-white hair flowing all the way to her waist.

Could it be…

As Theodore stared in shock, the girl’s shoulders trembled.

Immediately he looked down at himself.

Then he tore off the cloak hanging around his neck and wrapped it around her body.

“Ah…”

The girl slowly opened her eyes.

She looked up at Theodore.

There was no fear in those black eyes.

As if she already knew exactly who the enormous bear holding her was.