🐼🐻Hopeless Romantic (A Grizz x Panda)

Chapter 21

I don't even know where I am, Panda thought to himself.

He continued to push forward but all he saw around him was more of it. He had been pushing through a maze of bamboo. He couldn't see anything in front of him except the the thin, green and yellow stalks in front of him. He came across an open space. Surveying his surroundings, Panda looked around and realized that the maze must lead to here, seeing other pathways. The ground was littered with fallen red, yellow, and orange leaves. Strange, there's only bamboo here. Not a regular tree to be found. 

His ears perked as he heard a sound behind him. It sounded like someone breathing. He turned around just in time to see that the bamboo that blocked him off was literally now moving, revealing a hidden straight path. Seeing no other option, he slowly walked down the path.

Where am I? How did I get here? Where..?, Panda gasped in shock, Where is Grizz?!

Continuing forward that bamboo was thinning out, revealing hidden trees with fallen leaves, that explains where the leaves came from. Some trees where completely barren. The leaves crunched under his feet. They felt warm and when then crunched it felt soft. A slight wind picked up, ruffling his fur a bit. Panda shook it off and pressed forward. 

"It's you...", Panda froze as he heard a voice wisp past him as if it as literally carried by the breeze. He shook his fur and began to run forward.

"I'm so happy...", Panda tried to cover his ears, but the voice somehow pierced through. Scanning his surroundings, Panda noticed the trees where completely barren. The leaves under his feet were slowly turning white... He stopped, panting. As soon as he stopped the wind picked up, a cold chill making his shudder. 

What is going on?, Panda thought as just walked forward.

He couldn't believe his eyes as the trees around his slowly developed a white powder. Panda stopped and ran he paw against the closest tree. The tree felt warm, but the powder was cold, it was snow! None of this made sense anymore, but Panda had no choice to keep going. His feet were freezing and he started to shiver as the snow on the trees piled up alongside him. 

"Just a little farther...."

Instead of resisting or covering his ears, Panda simply nodded, hoping the voice could sense his agreement. It must have, as soon as Panda nodded, he was enveloped in a sudden warmth throughout his whole body. He sighed, feeling the cold being replaced with a comforting heat as he went further. The trees changed alongside him. Instead of snow or just fallen leaves, the trees around him were all different; some were covered in snow, a line of them was littered in fallen orange leaves, some were pink and white blossoms and up ahead he could see a few plain green summer trees. 

Could a place like this even exist? All these different season trees all in one place? Panda shook his head and reached the end of the forest. He reached another space. Trees surrounded in a small circle shapes in colors of white, yellow, green and pink. Panda looked around, not finding anything. 

"Is anyone here?", Panda called out. 

A sudden gust of frozen wind buffeted against him. It grew even stronger, quickly forming a blizzard that blocked all his senses. He couldn't see, he couldn't her and he could feel anything but snow striping away all the warmth from his body. He shut his eyes tight, hoping this would all end quickly. All he could hear was breathing. It was slow and gentle.

".... So happy to see you..."

"Who are you? And what do you want?", Panda yelled into the blizzard, still blinded.

"... I missed... you... Open your eyes"

Panda slowly did what he was told. He expected to be pelted by snow and ice but everything was still and warm, like the snow storm never happened.

He looked up and he breath caught in his throat. He could not believe what was in front of him. Was it really...?

"Ice Bear missed you..."

Panda wanted to say so much, but as he open his mouth nothing came out. He just gaped at his little brother staring back at him. This couldn't be real....

Ice Bear held out his paw for Panda to take. Panda slowly reached out to him, expecting his paw to go right through the polar bear. But Panda took his paw, felt it. It was warm. Ice Bear pulled Panda in for a hug. His fur felt warm and soft. Panda took a good look at him. All his cuts and gashes were gone. His fur was the pure white he knew, his scent was familiar and comforting. Panda felt his eyes pooling with tears. Ice Bear just clutched onto him harder. 

"Ice Bear missed you and Grizz. I'm sorry I left you guys. I really tried...", Ice Bear sniffed.

"No, don't blame yourself....We all miss you", Panda sighed. "What are you doing here? Is this, like, the afterlife? Did I die..."

"No, Ice Bear came here to help you", Ice Bear looked directly at Panda. "Ice Bear is very happy at what is to come, but..."

Ice Bear pulled Panda into a tighter hug.

"Ice Bear is so sorry. It's so unfair....Make sure you tell Grizz that you love him before you go..", Ice Bear advised.

"Before I go?", Panda repeated, not understanding. 

"Sorry, Ice Bear has to go now, but Ice Bear can help where he can", ice Bear said as he slowly started to fade.

"What...I still don't understand", Panda said as he felt himself slowly sinking into sleep.

Panda's eyes shot open. He gasped as checked his surroundings. He was in the bed next to Grizz, he was still asleep. It was still night. Panda still felt a slight chill down his spine. His mind swirled thinking about what Ice Bear said to him. What is going on?