B25C23 - Polar Bear Wrestle

The polar bear went down, tripping over Rachel to slam jaw-first into the ice.

<Hah!> Rachel yelled. <Now I don't want your help, Marco. I'm taking this guy down myself.>

I considered it for a split second. But I was pretty sure Jake would not approve. I leaped forward and grabbed the polar bear's right arm.

He shoved himself off Rachel and swung his arm to throw me off. He didn't throw me off. But he did fling me into a nearly flawless double axel.

I kept my grip, but let me tell you something: Polar bears are strong. Gorillas are so strong they can rip saplings out of the ground. And this guy was stronger.

I held his one arm and Rachel slammed directly into his belly, headfirst.

The polar bear went "wooof!" and froze for just a second while he sucked wind. The second was enough. I grabbed his other arm - well, leg actually - and pinned him in a sort of full nelson.

Rachel wrapped her own big paws around him and together we wrestled Hulk Frozen to the ice.

Tobias swooped down out of the sky, complaining about there being no lift at all in this cold air. Like that was the major drama.

He sank talons into Derek's friend Nanook and began to acquire him, while Rachel and I lay panting and counting our wounds. The bear went into the acquiring trance and a few minutes later we all had his DNA floating around inside us.

We let the bear go and ran like ninnies back to the water's edge.

"That was cool," Derek said. "This will make a great story for me to tell. No one will believe it, but it will be a great story."

Nanook the polar bear went lumbering off. No doubt to tell some stories of his own. I could hear it now: "No, seriously! A gorilla. I'm minding my own business, and suddenly there's this gorilla . . ."