Something beautiful had occurred that had granted the young bear with a gift he had never knew was possible. Sos had been touched with the blessing of sight, and though it was crude and difficult to make out distinct shapes, he had found a new fire within him at this wild discovery. Everything seemed to glitter with a peculiar new light. The large pup would waddle about on unsteady limbs and draw his frame as close to his surroundings as was possible. Often the young bear would find his dark nose had collided with the item he was hoping to inspect, but it was so new and beautiful to him that he did not seem to mind when his stubby limbs would falter, and he would smack himself against a stone or the limb of his family members.
 
With Tunerk having granted him very little fun, Sos had sought out to explore some on his own. His sister remained sleeping close to their mother’s side. If he had thought better, he would have joined the both of them for an afternoon nap that would have replenished much of his depleted energy. Instead, the unsteady little creature moved about on his weak limbs in search of something that he could latch his gums to. Sos had recently fed, and his round frame showed the mark of his mother’s milk. It caused him to wobble on his legs, fighting the force of gravity that threatened to yank him downward.
 
With a squeak, Sos toppled over to his side and kicked his limbs in a wild attempt to correct himself.

Excitement had coursed through the bear like a rushing river, lashing against his insides with a chilling bite. Goosebumps had risen along his pink flesh, forcing the young boy to shiver twice in all of the commotion that had surrounded his new discovery. Still young and unaware of the world and his own development, Sos could not hear much of anything. Sight was new to him, and still very foggy in its early stages. As he turtled on his back, fat from a full belly, the polar whelp felt his arms strike against empty air with a curious sensation. Once, he could see a flash of ivory against the darkness of the splotchy background. Not knowing it was his own outstretched limb, the bear squealed in delight and surprise just moments before Shivali had come to aid him in his fumbling. She nudged him over and he righted himself with a small squeak. Sos then moved his bobbing head to where she was positioned, and he saw a stunning and foggy shade of white against the dim lighting of their den.
 
This was almost like shamanistic magic to the bear cub. She faintly resembled the flashing color he had seen while prone, so he imagined it had come from her all along. When his mother caught sight of his newest growth, she showered him in excited kisses. Sos basked in the bathing of her tongue against his face, making soft peeping noises as she doted on his small frame. The little tail at his rear began to swing madly with the touch of her. All this while, her scent flooded through his system and reminded him that it was comfort he felt when near to her protective shape. When he grew older, Sos would return the protection over her; he would stand as a proud and looming figure against any who would seek to approach the woman.
 
Until then, he scrambled his little paws against the earth in an attempt to draw himself nearer to her frame. The faded shape of her was enough for him to get a good idea, but he stumbled several times in his waddle forward. The milky blue of his eyes searched repeatedly, drinking in the muddled colors that had been discovered by them. The sensation was still enough to cause shivers to trickle down his small frame and cause him to yip once with excitement.

An individual with full sight would have thought the young bear to be foolish in his eagerness. For all that he was witnessing, there was so much more for him to grasp. The dim lighting of their den did very little to allow him to see things beyond what was directly in front of him. In that moment, it was the gentle features of Shivali. Sos knew this to be his mother, though it was not by her messy shape. The bear knew her by the scent on her coat and the peculiar rumblings that she sent through his body when she spoke. The child knew nothing of words or what they meant, but he could feel when the woman opened her mouth and offered words. There were even moments in which he believed the rumbling was created just for him, and his heart felt a weak flutter pass through it. There was something so foreign about the feeling of a voice against him. While he did not realize it, the sensation would be lost on him when he gained the ability to listen with perked ears.
 
Had Sos known the thoughts that troubled his mother, he would have done his best to soothe her ruffled mind. Shivali had done well with what she was given, and the family that surrounded her was a monumental support in her time of need. The boy’s mother had pushed through a very trying portion of her life and had emerged on the other side with a stunning success. Sos and his siblings were well tended to, and they did not seem to want for anything at their age. Things could have certainly been worse off. Still, perhaps he would have encouraged to seek out a better home. The life and culture that surrounded their blood was something that was not as easily shared in the heart of the forest. As Sos was only a sweet child, he – of course – said nothing and continued to run his milky blue eyes over the length of his mother’s muzzle, not knowing what it was.
 
With a single stretch of his limb, the young bear aimed to press his paw pad against the darker portion of her features.

The woman loved him. It wasn't a stretch of the imagination to know it in his heart, but more of an instinctual understanding as she grazed her tongue across the pale hood of his crown. Of course, she understood the ways that emotions could change with time and age. Sos was still far too young to comprehend the feelings that pattered in his chest like beating butterflies. Time would be kind to him in this sense; he would be allowed to grow and thrive underneath the careful gaze of his family. He would be allowed to learn what it meant to find support from within those around him. It would shape him into a formidable creature, but one who was loyal through and through. As for whatever else time would grant him, it was not certain if the young bear would experience his own form of strife in the next year. Surely, he would know what it meant to be troubled by the same things that plagued his mother.

A quiet little yap escaped his mouth and his tail beat against whatever it was touching. Sos threw his head forward and parted his jaws in hopes that he might snap them down on the figure at his front and gnaw softly. His large puppy paws were pulled close to his body as he did this, keeping him safe from anything that might try a sneak attack while he was enjoying time with his mother. Though he had thoroughly enjoyed pressing the dark paw pad against her nose, he feared extending himself too far. Another yap and the young boy wiggled excitedly.

All good things came to an end eventually. Though the boy was pleased with his playtime and the joy of finding his mother's muddled features was enthralling to him, Sos could feel the waves washing over his youthful frame. It was as though he had found himself on the edge of an ocean that stretched into infinity. The sky seemed to fade away to the waves until they were only one. At the edge of the water was where he was; stretched out against the cool sand. Each lapping of water was another tug of his dreams, beckoning him to the world of sleep so that he might know them. The bear released a long-winded yawn and blinked his eyes heavily. With a sweet sigh, Sos climbed from where he was until he was closer to his mother and pressed his frame tightly to her chest. Once he had wrapped himself into a ball, the child allowed for the waves to take him into a world that only youthful imagination could conjure.