Your dream reminds me of the classic
Wizard of Oz. Remember the chant, "Lions and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!"?
In the classic, the characters are afraid in the witch's forrest. Lion's however, are the king of the forrest. In the story, the cowardly lion gains strength in defeating the witch. Then the Oz (not the fake one behind the curtain, but the real one) shows him that he had the courage all along. He just had a test and had to discover that for himself.
Beware of the "fake Oz." Just because someone puts on righteous airs, doesn't mean they are.
Bears are also a kingly animal. The female of the species is very protective of her cubs.
I think the dream is about finding the courage to face your fears. You mention that people look at you for guidence, so perhaps there is a fear of failing in that regard.
But keep in mind the image of the mamma bear and her cub. She takes her cub away from what may be potentially a dangerous scenario. If a situation comes up like this in reality, you will instinctively know what to do.
