Most people don't kiss with their eyes open, considering how rude it is, but for some reason Ithacles opened his for a moment. Perhaps to get a look at the woman putting her warm nose in his ear. It sent a tingle down the entire left half of his body.
But for whatever reason he had them open, and one hand splayed up inside the suspiciously thin layers of clothing she wore, and he saw something move in the shadows. Ten yards out.
"Make noise," he said hesitantly.
"Really?" she said. And she gasped out a beautiful warm thing practically aching with everything goood about a woman. The she kissed him again.
"No," he insisted into her mouth. Then he tapped her roughly on the back and pointed.
Sure enough there was something. A bear. Just where it shouldn't have been; outside in the dead snap of winters. A huge black shape amongst all the other black. It huffed a breath out into the air and passed behind two trees.
Ithacles started clapping his hands together. Pat pat pat! behind her back.
"If a bear is startled it goes fucking berserk. You have to let them know you're near."