"Where are my shoes?”

  “What shoes?”

  “My fishing shoes!”

  "They're in the car!"

  "No, they're not in the car- and if they are, I can't see them!"

  “Of course they are, I put them there!”

  “Love, they’re not there! I checked- maybe they're in the green box with all my fishing gear!”

  "Those are in the car too! With the shoes!"

  The polar bear (no, not a polar bear- a water bear, which isn't a thing, but in the dream it was) crossed his arms. He was big, old and snow white. His scruffy white beard was strong and full.

  He wore a grey layered outfit that protected his entire body, and stood proud and angry in front of a small white table floating on half an ice cube (just go with it). His voice wasn't angry at all.

  “Are you sure!? I don't remember putting them in there.”

  She was called a sun bear, but just had bright yellow fur and a more oval-ish head. She was covered head to two, but her thin clothes were orange and brown.

  Her side of the table is a thin brown wooden piece balancing on a broken tree stump.

  Like him, her face was angry but her voice sounded like she was calling across the room.

  “That's because I did that! You were sleeping! Remember!?”

  “Oh, hun. You could've asked for help!” The water bear frowned a deeper frown.

  “I didn't need help, Love. I needed something to do.” She roared, teeth baring. This time, I could hear a smile through that angered expression. Intriguing; maybe the other bear was screaming but deep down was excited, but for what?

  It's not like I could leave. Waking up was hardly an option. But even if I could, I was too focused nonetheless.

  What were they angry about? Did they need something, or did one of them take something?

  The dialogue wasn't much of a desperate argument either. It was just two Elder bears going over something trivial.

  The atmosphere and the expression, however, made it seem so much more serious. They weren't talking about lost shoes, but the shoes could mean something.

  Shoes help people go down the right path. No, not the right path. The path they think is right. Makes them feel safe enough to go down, even if it's wrong. Why? They protect their feet, regardless of where they go. Protection? Maybe something that protects them is lost. At least, to one side. The other knows where it is, but the first side won't understand because they lost theirs.

  If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  The environment was wild too. On one side, one frustrated bear is surrounded by sand, heat, and healthy desert plants. The angry water bear was on the other side, sitting on top of a table made from ice and snow, surrounded with ice and a pool of water. Two completely different sides both needing protection from…something. Something bigger than them- maybe?

  As time went by in dream time, the conversation descended to its usual softness.

  The two started laughing and even hugged; the water side having the reminiscent laughter of Pa, and the desert side having the boisterous shouting of Ma.

  Their hands met, and their dance began to mix together the elements of their homes.

  The water came in slowly and carefully. It drowned the plants completely, melted all the ice, and even made the sand turn into an awful mud.

  It was all a swirl of mud and water and dirty plants as the happy couple danced into a strange oblivion that could only make sense in a dream.

  As if, even though they started working together, something wasn't right. The story wasn't completed yet.

  My eyes shot open, excited. My heart was racing through my ears. I was so crazed about this story.

  It got me thinking. The ending might have been a bit messed up. but- but THAT is what makes the characters and the worlds and the history and everything!

  That is what makes the story!

  2 worlds; dying from the space above, which is always my favorite kind of idea. Togetherness. Friendship amongst sudden tragedy and destruction.

  Rather than fighting it out and ruining everyone's life for personal reputation, the bearfolk would START with a simple get-together and talk it out against the bigger enemy, which could range from ignorance to a whole other species.

  Of course, the action would have to become a good part of the story- an important part of the story. How would that work? Rebels? Wars from invaders maybe? Would these two get into a war? Well, yeah, but is that the main war and should we wait, or maybe there are other tiny wars to worry about? It would probably be many little ones, since that would be the main conversation between the worlds, at least in the beginning.

  Damn, I'm horrible with action. Why can’t my mind be just a little easier?

  Of course, thanks to the environment, the worlds were already in progress.

  Water and Fire. Simple.

  Fire? Lava. That sounds cooler. I don't know, a lava world seems implausible, unless I make their bodies made out of lava or somethin. I mean, it doesn't have to be plausible. It’s a fiction story. Still, there's only so much one can do. Logic still has to survive, you know.

  Desert? Desert works, but it would have to be really alien and cool, which is a test I can pass with ease.

  I don't know if I would give them any clothing at all - I get that you have to cover up in the desert but unless that shit cools me down, I couldn't see myself being covered in the heat. Maybe have cooling jets in the outfits? Maybe the fur automatically cools them down because they’re so used to the heat.

  They're so used to it, they could wear sweaters in the summer- Ha! That would at least be funny.

  And what would the water tribe be? Ice tribe (obviously). They would probably have the same situation; they either wear a lot of clothes to protect from the cold or they walk out like it's summer every day.

  Technically, it could work- giving them the same outfits we wear. Outfits that cover the body from cold and wearing almost nothing in the heat. It could show that both aren't just born on that world, but were cut from the same cloth; Us! Years ago. No- a millennia ago! [That's so much cooler.]

  The troubling and mysterious third species that comes to take away their resources would make both sides see the uselessness in their ego.

  The only thing that could save them is working together.

  But the fights can't last long; with encroaching beings comes the dwindling resources and the starving people, begging for help and revenge. Worst off, neither side had the power to protect themselves from such a great danger.

  It didn't matter the reputation; they were both running out of time.

  Wait, time.

  Time.

  Time…

  “Shit!”