The rain hammered down outside as the clan huddled inside their cave. The fire crackled, casting warm orange shadows on the stone walls. It was late in the rainy season, and for the last few days, the elders had warned everyone to stay close. Cave bears were roaming the mountains again, searching for dry places to rest.
Taro, a curious boy of the clan, sat near the cave entrance. He loved watching the storm. Lightning flashed across the sky, lighting up the valley. Taro wasn’t afraid. He had grown up hearing stories of brave hunters and powerful animals. He believed he could face anything.
But tonight would test his courage.
Suddenly, a loud rumbling noise echoed from outside—not thunder. It was deeper, heavier. Taro leaned forward and looked into the darkness. Two glowing eyes stared back at him.
A cave bear.
It was enormous, larger than any animal he had seen before. Its fur was soaked, hanging heavily from its powerful frame. The bear grunted, sniffing the air. It had caught the scent of the clan’s food.
Taro quickly backed away and warned the others. The hunters grabbed their spears. The women and children moved to the back of the cave. But the bear was already pushing its way inside. The entrance was narrow, which helped the clan, but the great beast was determined.
The bear roared, shaking the cave walls. Taro trembled. He knew the hunters were brave, but the bear was strong—strong enough to kill with a single strike.
The hunters coordinated silently. One stood to the left of the entrance, another to the right, and a third waited with a burning torch. As the bear lumbered inside, the hunter with the torch stepped forward and thrust the flame toward its face. Firelight reflected off the bear’s wet eyes.
The animal roared and swiped with its massive paw. The torch flew from the hunter’s hands and landed on the ground. The cave darkened again.
The hunters moved quickly. One stabbed the bear’s side with a spear, but the beast turned and knocked him to the ground. The clan gasped.
Taro felt fear gripping him, but something inside him pushed him to act. He grabbed a long, sharpened bone from the pile of tools and lit its tip in the fire. His hands shook, but he held the burning weapon tightly.
As the bear charged toward another hunter, Taro ran forward, shouting to distract it. The bear turned its massive head toward him. Taro thrust the burning bone into its face. The bear roared in pain, shaking its head violently. The hunters quickly moved in, striking together until the beast finally fell.
When the cave fell silent again, the clan looked at Taro in amazement.
“You saved us,” the chief said. “Courage is not the absence of fear—it is doing what must be done.”
Taro felt warmth in his chest. He had faced the Night of the Cave Bear—and survived.
