The serpent energy dissipates and leaves Matt in his familiar human body, standing on the lagoon shore a long way off from her, wearing thick fur-lined boots and old bluejeans but stripped naked to the waist. Matt realizes that he must find shelter in the matter of minutes or freeze to death in the Arctic wind howling across the lagoon. He turns only to confront the alpha polar bear who has been stalking him all along. Ourschack rears back on his hind legs, towering four feet taller than Matt, who is not a small man. Ourschack , clearly enraged at Matt, swings a inevitable paw with long razor claws outstretched and tears through the flesh of Matt's chest deeply wounding him.
Matt begins to fall forward racked in pain, awash in shock.
Then the alpha bear tells Matt death's inner-most secret. Then, abruptly and with an unexpected and overwhelming spirit of protection and healing Ourschack lunges forward and catches Matt between both his furry front legs and wraps him up as in a living blanket of soft fur and warmth. Matt experiences an incredible wave of healing and strength. And with this sudden blessing the polar bear releases Matt, who is restored to normal, healed. Matt feels an force lift him high up over the icy landscape.