In the beginning, we didn't know why he stared up into the sky.
It was just something he did a lot. More than one would imagine, anyway. Whether the sky was a sea of blue, orange, or even black, he would look up. Higher than himself or anything he'd ever climbed.
[[Rain]]
<<if $SeenRain is "Yes">>
[[Heat]]
<<else>>
<</if>>
<<if $SeenHeat is "Yes">>
[[Wind]]
<<else>>
<</if>>
<<if $SeenWind is "Yes">>
[[Cold]]
<<else>>
<</if>>
The constant chill in the air forced the other animals to their winter homes.
Not him though. Winter came sooner than expected, yet as the snow days came, he stayed to watch in a sort of wonderment. Frost would be shaken off his matted fur when he decided he was done for the day, only to repeat the process the following days.
Only when January was about to come did he finally begin his slumber.
Even now, some years later, I can still recall the sight of him: how he seemed to drag himself away to his den. It was not as if he wouldn't take peeks outside from time to time, as I would be told he did on rare occasions. Yet there was a hint of melancholy as if missing even another moment would hurt.
...I would, personally, never see him again after that day, as I had other obligations back then. But, every now and then, when I think of him, beneath the roots of a tree or in some cave, I know that [[somewhere in the snow…->THE END]]
<img src="img/A Bear Dreams of Clouds - title.png" width="90%" height="90%">\Rain came like a holiday of sorts.
Water droplets would fling about as he shook himself, having gotten too wet while looking up. Some of us had thought of the answer then, while others had thought it the rain. A few other animals had reacted similarly to it, so it was perhaps a thought.
But he'd sit for hours, staring upwards as the rain pelted him. Not moving even as other animals passed his clearing.
We all wondered what was up there that was so alluring.
[[← ->Beginning]]
<<set $SeenRain to "Yes">><<set $SeenRain to "No">>
<<set $SeenHeat to "No">>
<<set $SeenWind to "No">>
<img src="img/A Bear Dreams of Clouds - cover 3.gif" width="50%" height="50%">
[[→->Beginning]]When the heat settled in and the sun shone unobstructed, he would huff and stomp as if upset. When he didn't find what he was looking for, he'd claw at the grass, leaving upturned dirt in his wake.
Often he'd be found wandering about, occasionally looking up before huffing and going about his business.
Though when he found it, he'd lay in the sunlight, wherever he was, and stare up.
[[← ->Beginning]]
<<set $SeenHeat to "Yes">>As the wind came and blew through his fur, the days got shorter and so too did his staring. Though he still managed to find time to, between bouts of gorging himself on other animals and such. There were times he'd get distracted and let his food fall from his mouth as his head turned upwards.
It was a tad concerning, some admitted.
Despite the tantalizing sights above, he did manage to make up for said instances of absent-mindedness.
[[← ->Beginning]]
<<set $SeenWind to "Yes">>A Bear Dreams of Clouds.
<span class='fadeIn'><img src="img/Bear White Outline 4.png" width="50%" height="50%"></span>