#Tiger
Here goes:
It felt like a dream. Was it still out there, waiting for another prey? Outside was dark and gloomy, and the forest was silent once again. Beside Torak, Fa laid motionlessly on the cold, hard cave floor. The bear could’ve been anywhere.
Fa!’ He cried and knelt beside him. ‘It’s me… Torak.’
There, lying on the floor, was Fa. His once handsome face was in anguish, pain overbearing him. His face was sullen and sallow, and his clan tattoos were visible. Sweat dotted across his face.
Fa stirred. ‘Torak…’ whispered Fa quietly. ‘My time is done. Take the medicines and meat. I will not need them anymore. Take my knife as well…’
Torak opened his mouth, but no sound came. All this happened too rapidly.
‘You must!’ breathed Fa ‘Give me- what I need for a death journey.’
The death journey. Not today, no- he wasn’t even ready for Fa to be gone.
Yet, his father looked at him, deep with both trust and sorrow. ‘Now swap knives.’ said his father.
Torak was aghast- he was only twelve summers old and Fa will be leaving- forever. And now, Fa wanted to give him his knife. The treasured heirloom that has been passed for ages in his family.
‘But-‘ Torak began to say. His father shook his head gently. Unwillingly, he took it.
‘Son’ whispered his father. ‘Stay safe. Don’t talk to the people in the clans and always look behind you. The bear is a demon. It will become invincible next moon, and you must head north- to the mountain- the world spirit.
‘A demon? You only told me them in stories. And… the mountain.’ swallowed Torak. ‘No one ever found it before. So how can I-‘
‘Your guide will tell you.’ replied his father. ‘There are so many things I would have told you. I never knew it would be so early. Whatever happens next, don’t hate me after.’ He clutches his son’s hand, grasping it and never letting go.
Fa squeezed Torak’s hand gently and said determinedly. ‘Now swear. Swear on my knife that you will find the Mountain- or die trying.’ Torak froze, thinking deeply.
‘Swear.’ hissed Fa.
Torak knelt and held the knife. The blade was incredibly sharp. He staggered with the knife and clumsily touched the wound with the blade. Uncertainly, he took his oath. ‘I swear, by my blood on this blade, and by each of my three souls that I will find the Mountain- or die trying.’
‘Fa- I’ started to say.
‘No time left. Now, put the Death marks.’ cut in Fa.
Reluctantly, Torak drew small circles on his father’s skin so that the souls would never part.
#Bai
Hello Tiger. I believe we have never written together.
On a completely separate note, this page is interesting: Word Usage Dictionary
Already, Torak could not believe what situation he had been put in. He, a boy of twelve summers, was placed in a precarious situation with no sign of escaping, no way out — either he would fight to the death a demon bear, or he would be killed by one. As Fa entered the Otherworld, he whispered his last words, “Get a guide, you will know who it is when you see it.”
A guide? A person? What was that even supposed to mean? Fa had always kept him away from other people, away from any sign of humanity. He had only told Torak that he would have to head North — to the tallest of the tall mountains to defeat the bear. But how in the name of the World Spirit would he be able to reach there himself? Would there be any way to reach there himself, he must need help. Again, the thought of the guide came to him. But that was too much for him to think at once: the bear was near, and it wouldn’t hesitate to attack (after all, it was a demon), but then where else would he hide?
Heading northward, he soon reached a stream. He had been mostly trekking through the forest, with short breaks every noon and the evening. But he knew that he mustn’t tarry — the lives of many were dependent on him, which meant that pausing wasn’t the right way to treat the pressure placed on his shoulders. Soon, however, just after the stream, lay a hollow tree trunk. And inside that trunk was a wolf, a cub which hadn’t grown yet. It had been terribly confused. Its parents had always taken care of it, feeding it the best carrion and teaching it how to hunt. Yet soon, they had abandoned it, just by the tree trunk, never to be seen again. When it had seen Torak, it had bounded towards him and started speaking non-stop, wishing that he was its parent. Strangely enough, however, Torak seemed to understand the wolf’s language. It seemed to be of a strange and different language entirely, like how two different clans from far away might understand each other, yet the words seemed to sink in rather quickly, like going through butter. It was the strangest sensation.
Then, Torak had an epiphany. What if this was the guide, the guide that was supposed to lead him to success. Fa had only mentioned a guide — which was unlikely to be a human being. So why couldn’t be a wolf? They are affectionate animals that are supposed to guide, so why couldn’t this one? Still, Torak was uncertain. Who knew what this dog might be?
dudu
Torak watched the cub, fascinated by its innocence. The flash flood had taken the lives of his parents and siblings. He was circling the bodies of his parents and whining sadly. Torak took his medicine pouch, shook a small chunk of earthblood into the palm of his hand and spat on it to become a paste. He then daubed a small circle of earth blood on the wolf to hopefully help its souls stay together. The cub look at him, confused. Who was this… tailless to come and vandalise the bodies of his sleeping kin? He yowled at his family. What have I done now? Why won’t you play with me? Torak stared at the wolf cub. Then he hardened his heart and set down the hill.
The cub was very confused. He had only been chasing a Flap-Flap-On Two-Leaves (butterfly) when the big Fast Wet had come roaring through. It had eaten his family… then sicked them up as his mother did. He ate a few spiders and some grass and some mud-coloured Still Wet. It tasted like mud. He howled while he wondered what to do. Then he smelt a wolf. He spun around to see a big lone wolf. But the solidarity was not the weirdest part of the wolf. It walked only on its hind legs, it was completely furless except for a small patch on the top of its head, and it had no tail!
But it was definitely a wolf. It did not resemble a wolf, but it was doubtlessly a wolf. He cocked his head confused.
It’s alright; I’m a friend. The strange tailless wolf talked to him, even though he kept cutting off the higher-pitched yips. The tailless wolf smiled, although the cub knew it was not genuine. The cub whimpered.
Are you hunting me? Why? The cub was scared.
No, no, came the friendly-but-also-not-friendly yip-and yowl. Then the tailless lunged at him and grabbed him by the scruff.
#Tiger
@𝒃𝒂𝒊︱𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒌𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈! ~𝑿𝑫𝑫︱𝑨𝒍𝒔𝒐, 𝑰 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒍𝒚 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒇𝒖𝒍 𝒘𝒆𝒃𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒑𝒉𝒓𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒔, 𝒔𝒚𝒏𝒐𝒏𝒚𝒎𝒔, 𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒚𝒎𝒔 𝒆𝒕𝒄…︱ https://www.wordhippo.com/︱
The cub whimpered uncertainly, too weak to fight, yet gently resisting. The strange wolf swiped his forepaws and pressed his huge claw on his belly. The cub yelped.
In terror, he tried to escape the tall taillnes. Awkwardly, the taillness seemed frightened too, he was gingerly walking and kept looking back. The wolf could sense his uncertainty and loneliness of him. SHivering of fear, the tall taliness released him.
Ah, he was finally able to walk once again, and embrace freedom! Tenderly, he stepped on the group a few steps. Then, the cub vigorously raised his head, his nose pointing to the sky, sniffing. The Wolf put his forepaws on the strange wolf’s chest, standing on his hind legs. Excitedly, he licked the strange wolf’s muzzle. It tasted of fresh blood. Mmm-mm.
Angrily, Tall Taliness pushed him away. He gazed at the strange wolf, offended. The cub licked his paws tenderly and looked at Tall Taliness wonderingly. Such an odd, furless face! His ears were pale and his nose was too straight. But the eyes were silver, and full of light: a wolf’s eyes. He had found himself a new pack-brother.
#Bai
Your note was very interesting as well, Tiger.
Tall Tailess, the wolf had called him. Tall Tailess. The wolf didn’t know. The wolf didn’t know what he was. But it was still his guide, which meant that he had rely on it — it would guide it through tough times and hopefully help him to defeat the bear. That was all hoping, of course. Only the world-spirit knew what would actually happen: if the world spirit didn’t like Torak enough, then the Bear would destroy all the world, and ruin the civilization that humans had created and cared for so long. And Torak didn’t really want that. Well, nobody did. Especially not after he had just made a new friend — Wolf. Now, he had something to live for, something to care for. The urge to defeat the bear just simply grew stronger.
Still heading north, eventually he stumbled into a part of forest that seemed rather strange, and unfamiliar, the more he entered, the stranger it felt. He had to eat eventually: he slayed a buck for his dinner — forest laws meant that he had to use every single part of the animal he had killed, so he gave some up to the clan guardian. He was eating enjoyably until a voice behind him said, “Do not move. You are in our forest. You have killed our animals. And you shall walk with us to camp. No one is allowed to invade the Raven Territory.”
The Ravens took Torak, grabbed him and forced him back through into a group of tents. He was taken to the leader, a man named Fin-Kedinn. But there was a problem. By clan law, any prosectors that trespassed had to be executed to avoid theft. However, there was one exception. Torak could wish to fight back, to fight the Raven Leader. “Based on the clan law, I wish to fight back!” he shouted. The others looked at him in horror. This boy was given the quick way out. But he wasn’t taking it. At all.
dudu
(umm… i think you missed out the part where renn stuffs wolf in a bag.)
The whole clan was silent for a few heartbeats. Then a young man started laughing.
“Y-You th-think you can defeat Fin Kedinn?” The man broke into peals of laughter. A girl had stuffed his little cub… no. The cub needed a name. Wolf. A girl had stuffed Wolf in a bag. She had introduced herself to Torak shortly before he had been blinded and taken to their camp. Her name was Renn. She had also introduced the man standing before him, shaking with laughter. Hord. Fin Kedinn was still silent, however.
“What you say is true, but I don’t fight boys.” Hord stepped in.
“I’ll fight him. I’m closer to his age. It’s fairer.” he said. Renn snorted.
“Not by much.” Torak was sweating. The fight was on.
Hord took off his jerkin. He had his arm-guard strapped on, a piece of reindeer hide about three times as thick. Torak had his strapped on. It felt as uncontrollable as a deer leg. He was also handed a basalt-tipped spear, sharpened to a lethal point. They took fighting seriously.
“Before you start, there is one rule. No fire. That is all. Begin now.”
Hord started. He jabbed out at Torak with his spear. Torak just managed to dodge in time. He tried the same move, hoping it didn’t look like copying.
“Copying won’t get you far,” called Renn. His face burned. He could hear Wolf’s muffled whines.
Why aren’t you helping me? Hurry!
Torak jabbed at Hord’s throat, but Hord blocked his spear, the basalt tip sliding harmlessly off Hord’s arm-guard. He tried another trick. He lashed out wildly, tempting Hord with a glimpse of his bare chest. Hord took the bait. He jabbed at Torak’s chest, but Torak swung his arm-guard up to meet it. He jerked his arm up, snapping Hord’s spear in two. He hadn’t expected that to work.
#Tiger
ayoo guys wassap? @xiaobai btw do you have a zoom contact I can add you on? My zoom email/ contact is: ninging819@qq.com Thanks!
Hord shook himself and lunged jeerigly at Torak. Flexing his muscles, he took another spear.
‘Go, Hord’ cried the cheering crowd. ‘Go and teach that little boy a lesson.’
Grinding his teeth, Hord advanced to Torak. Biting his lips, Torak dodged, desperate to find a solution to win the match. Missed. MIssed again.
‘Horak!’ shouted one man. ‘Is that all Deep Forest taught you?’
‘Im trying.’ mumbled Hord. ‘Just wait.’
Torak, in despair, glanced at his surroundings- ah, a pot of broth, he could make steam! Quickly, he put the pot of broth in the fire, and the rising steam blinded Hord. Victory at last. He hadn’t expected that to work. The Ravens gasped, some stamping their feet, some grinning, some glancing mockingly- but most of the Ravens were angry and sullen.
‘He- he cheated!’ snapped Hord angrily, breathing at Fin-Kedinn. ‘He used fire!’
‘I didn’t use fire! I used steam!’ stuttered Torak, beginning to become more confident. ‘You promised! I won and you will let me live!’
‘The boy won.’ said Fin- Kedinn. ‘Let him go.’
‘Here is your stuff. And your cub’ said Oaslak, handing him his belongings. ‘Now go.’
‘Wait!’ panted Renn, running after him. ‘We can’t- he might be it’ SHe glared at Oaslak meaningfully. Then she whispered at Fin- Kedinn.
‘Tie him up.’ replied Fin- Kedinn quietly.
‘But I won! I should be let free, law is the law!’ retorted Torak angrily.
Staring into his eyes, Fin- Kedinn replied slowly, ‘You can live, that was the pact.’
#Bai
@Tiger My username is Xiaobai. (I shorten it to Bai).
Torak was very certain that he was about to be slaughtered like a pig would be, but he wasn’t. He was just tied up, and stuck there, just waiting for something terrible to happen to him: such as that of the knife piercing him, but none came. He wondered what on earth would happen to him.
“So, you are the Listener. The man who is destined to save us from the bear. Interesting. Personally I would have not expected it to be a boy, but we are all what the World Spirit has given us, so I don’t really know.”
“But who in the world is the Listener? I wasn’t the Listener: someone would have told me about it. Besides, how do you know that I was the Listener? Do I look like the Listener to you? Do you have some sort of prophecy that you will give me to test me? I don’t really know.”
“Well, the Mage will tell you about it.”
“Well, the prophecy goes as follows:
Deepest of all, the drowned sight,
Oldest of all, the stone bite,
Coldest of all, the darkest light.
To the world spirit he must bestow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The slayer of the demon bear.
Furthermore, the mountain’s price,
Is for The Listener to sacrifice.
His own heart unto the ice.
As told from moons ago.
Until he does, what must be done.
The beast strengthens with each passing sun.
The auroch’s eye on everyone.
Under its bloody glow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The Listener, Slayer of the bear.”
“And now you see how important you are. So you will go with Renn, to the mountain, where you must defeat the bear. Otherwise we will all die from pain and suffering. So now, let go, and fight the bear to its death.”
Torak left without a word, with his new companion and of course, Wolf. They would have to keep heading North for it to happen, in the deep mountains, where he would meet his fate. First, though, he had to survive the treacherous walk Northward. There was doubt about whether the pair of them could actually complete it. But there was still an even bigger challenge in front of it — the finding of the Nanuaks, the power of the World Spirit. There were three: the first had been stated to have come from, “Deepest of all, the drowned sight”. This suggested that it was something to do with a river, or lake or ocean.
dudu
Torak had started on his journey. Renn accompanied him. He would have been happier if his companion was not Renn, but it was better than journeying with Hord, especially after defeating him in a fight. It was amazing to be back in the forest. He was following the river east and had made little progress. By the third day, he was exhausted. He hadn’t slept the night before, and he could not remember the last time he had eaten. His knees buckled, and he went crashing down to the autumn mulch.
Wolf leapt out of his arms, eager to get to the water. Torak grabbed a handful of soapwort leaves from his medicine pouch and mashed them with water. Renn looked frustrated.
“We can’t stop now,” she growled at him.
“We just did,” Torak snapped back. He drank the frothy soapwort-water mixture and sighed with relief as energy slowly returned to his body. He also took a strip of dried roebuck and bit off a piece for Wolf, who ate it in a matter of seconds. He tore at the meat, relishing it as the deer’s strength coursed through his body. It tasted wonderful.
After a few seconds of hesitation, Renn knelt and rummaged in her pack. After searching for the mystery item, she took out three reddish-brown cakes. She handed one to Torak, who bit into it gingerly. It tasted rich and aromatic, with a hint of sea salt. She held out a salmon cake to Wolf. He pointedly ignored it. She gave it to Torak, who masked her scent with his. Wolf ate it hungrily. Renn tried not to show her hurt and offence.
“So? I know he doesen’t like me.”Torak rolled his eyes.
“Yeah, because you keep shoving him into bags.” It was Renn’s turn to roll her eyes.
“Only for his good.”
After bickering for a few minutes, they set up camp.
The next day, They kept on following the river. Wolf had paused to much some lingonberries, and they continued. Until midday. Wolf was trotting ahead, looking out for lingonberries he could steal before the birds got to them. The last bush had almost been pecked clean. Then he turned, ears flattened like two leaves stuck to either side of his head. It was bad. Bad, bad, bad.
Torak had stopped. It was Wolf. He had stopped. It was as if he were terrified. It was then he saw and heard it. The demon bear, rearing up and tearing at a young birch sapling. The sapling was still moaning, whispering its pain to deaf ears. Even if Renn had stood on Torak’s shoulders, she would not even be able to touch the gouges. Then, it vanished as swiftly as it had appeared. They eventually reached Thunder Falls. Torak had never seen such an angry, roaring place. They found a set of deer tracks and followed it to a slightly calmer river. Then it struck Torak. They had to cross the river.
Renn went first, hopping lightly and elegantly on the stones. She slightly overbalanced on the last rock, went slipping off, but managed to hang on to a willow tree and pull herself onto the other side. It was Torak’s turn. He scooped Wolf into his hands and leapt onto the first rock. After recomposing himself, he jumped onto the next rock. He made it to the last rock but overbalanced like Renn and crashed into the water.
There was no time to panic. The current took hold of him in deadly fingers and swept him to the Thunder Falls. His limbs were dead sticks that weighed him down. His head dipped in and out of the water. Then, he glimpsed a pair of shining river eyes. He needed his breath, but if he wasted this moment, he might never see them again. He dived under and grabbed a handful of mud, then the lost consciousness.
He woke up to a crackling fire. He was warm and as dry as Renn could have made him. Then he remembered the whole traumatic experience that he had just been through. Renn was sitting hunched over the fire. Then he realised.
“I cad thee!” Renn turned around.
“Scalp wounds bleed a lot, and the blood blinded you.” She snorted. Torak would have laughed, but it sounded more like shivering. He remembered the river eyes. He opened his palm, and they were sitting there in a nest of mud, in their beauty and perfection.
#Tiger
~Sorry for being late everyone 💕
Tenderly, Torak stroked the gleaming river eyes. Light reflected from the river eyes, sparkling in the firelight. The two small pearls were so smooth that their varnished surface gleamed in the dark. His hands were open, facing towards Renn, sitting there slightly proudly, and looked at her questioning wondering if she was thinking the same as he did.
Renn gasped and recited carefully:
‘Deepest of all, the drowned sight,
Oldest of all, the stone bite,
Coldest of all, the darkest light.’
‘Deepest of all, the drowned sight.’ Renn repeated excitedly. ‘That is the answer! This means that this is the first Nanuak!’
Stiffly and slowly, Torak nodded. Suddenly, Renn began to look at him alarmingly somehow.
‘Don’t move’ cried Renn, her face pale.
A moment later, she carried some bright red rowan leaves and wrapped the pearls up with her gloves. ‘Luckily there is mud in your hand.’ she said anxiously. ‘Or else the WOrld- soul might be sucked out. Don’t let it touch your skin!’
‘IS that why what was happening?’ he murmured. ‘In the river, I was beginning to feel -dizzy.’ He told her about the Hidden People.
Reen looked horrified. ‘Why, you could have gone there and never come back! And there goes the last chance of defeating the Bear. You ought to be more careful, Torak!’
Reen dabbed a bit of ointment on Torak’s hand. ‘There you go.’ announced Renn, a bit proudly as he winced.’ This should do the trick.’
#Bai
The first Nanuak had been found, what had seemed like an almost accident, a blunder which had lead to a victory, or at least one-third of a victory. Yet the first Nanuak had been found, without any serious damage, or at least that would damage the journey any further. Somehow thoughts kept popping through his head, whether the World Spirit had sent him this luck, or was he just this inherently lucky. He didn’t know, but it seemed a little too coincidental, the fact that he would just fall into the part of the river that held the Nanuak, and that all the other sensations occurred seemed a little bit out of the world — the fact that he succeeded seemed even more strange and different, for he never had been this lucky in his life before, never ever have had such a perfect and such a likely and fantastic find. This seemed too good to be true, but then, the World Spirit had its thought, could decide whether he wanted Torak to succeed or not. He just hoped that luck fell his way.
It seemed slightly incredible, that everything seemed to be going his way. Animals cam before him to let him kill them, and they soared through the forest, heading further North as they went, kept on going, kept on walking, kept on travelling, until they could really travel no more. So, they decided to set down camp, as dusk was approaching, and so Torak realised that they probably only had another seven suns until the moon was at its highest, which would therefore be the end of the world, unless they could kill the bear. So they had to keep walking, keep on walking, walking in the night, in the day, whenever they could. They ate while they walked, and only slept something like five hours a day. Their tiredness soon caught up with them, however, for they had ran out of food one day into the run, which slowed them down. They had also reached unfamiliar territory of probably any man or woman that had travelled here for two generations. This meant that they nearly had no chance whatsoever about finding their way, except that Renn’s grandfather had traversed the roads and so knew quite the many things about the roads. Firstly, they had to keep travelling northward, something that surely couldn’t be too hard, correct? It couldn’t, but the thing was, where North was had already become confusing. So what were they going to do?
dudu
They settled down for a hasty night meal.
“Have you realized that we’ve gone all this way, and we haven’t found a single deer? They should be all over the place, driven down to grow fat on mushrooms and moss.” Renn said indignantly. Torak nodded. He’d been thinking that too. Reindeer meant survival. Meat, bedding, clothes… Reindeers were the key to survival. Renn had the sensibility and foresight to take her winter clothes with her, but she hadn’t been able to steal any for him. So while she was warm in her furry parka and leggings, all he had was his thin summer buckskin, not nearly as warm as Renn’s clothing.
Eventually, they did find prey. A few scrawny squirrels and a measly shrew. They would be travelling for days, and the food would only cover them for a day. And they had no time to make any type of clothing, even if they did find deer. The red eye of the Great Auroch was forever climbing higher. They cooked a squirrel and ate it as day meal. Picking up their belongings, they continued their journey onwards, scouting for any type of prey.
In a matter of time, they came across a valley. They halted for a rest. Wolf slumped down, panting, and Renn stopped.
“I saw a river down there, with reeds. I’m going to plait myself a hood.” she said, breathing heavily. She hung their bows and quivers on a branch. Torak sat down and took out some dried reindeer he had been given by Fa, which seemed like moons ago. It wasn’t long before he heard Renn coming back.
“That was quick,” he said. A voice behind him said,
“Out! Out of Walker’s valley, or Walker slits throat! Out! Out now!” Torak turned to see an unbelievably dirty man behind him.
#Tiger
The man had furrowed eyebrows and had an extremely baggy and torn pair of jeans. His face was creased but alert, and he wrinkled in disgust as he saw them.
‘Out‘ he repeated indignantly. ‘Walker and Narik say out.’
Torak crossed his fingers over his heart as a sign of friendship, which Fa taught him once. ‘PLease- we come as friends. We mean you no harm.’
‘But they already did!’ roared the man angrily. ‘They crossed the line and bring it with them over the beautiful valley. All night Walker watches. Walker sees!’
‘What harm?’ cried Torak desperately. ‘We didn’t mean it!’
There was a noise from the reeds and Wolf leapt on top of Torak, licking his face eagerly. Torak shoved him, a bit roughly by accident, and Wolf panted, unaffected, his face spreading in a wide soppy smile.
Suddenly, the man turned around angrily. He’d heard Reen creeping up behind him. ‘Sneaking up, is she?’ snarled, lurched around and waved his knife at her face.
Renn dodged backwards, but it only made him angrier.
‘Does she want them in the water?’ said the man, raising his voice. ‘You wouldn’t want your pretty quivers and bows to swim, do you?’ He waved his other hand above the lake, nearly touching its wet surface.
Mute with horror, Renn shook her head.
Then they drop their knives and axes, or in they go.
They both knew that they had no choice, so they laid their weapons on their feet.
‘Now what do you want us to do?’ cried Torak, resignedly. His heart was beating quickly, and butterflies were in his stomach.
‘OUT!’ Walker repeated angrily, pointing his hand over the valley. ‘Out as Walker says!’
‘But we are getting out!-‘ said Renn, eyeing the bow in his fists.
‘Not up the valley! Out!’ he snarled viciously.
‘But we can’t go there, it’s too steep!’ begged Renn quietly.
‘NO more tricks!’ cried Walker, hurtling her quivers into the stream.
Renn screamed at him and leapt after it, but Torak shoved her back. ‘It’s too late, it’s already gone.’ The stream was deeper and faster than it looked. Renn looked at him with her gleaming swelled eyes, hopeless yet angry at Walker, trying to hold up her tears.
#Bai
https://www.vocabulary.com/profiles/B18A686BR9BEUA/achievements
Renn was furious about her quiver, and was starting to get very angry. She seemed to dislike the Walker intensely after the incident, and wanted to know exactly what Narik was, the Walker, and everyone else. The Walker was very annoying, kept talking in riddles, and was entirely annoying. He just kept talking about holes, and stones and different items, and about Narik, and about so many different things. Then, all of a sudden, Torak just thought of something, something crucial.
“What about the Nanuaks? The riddle did mention:
Deepest of all, the drowned sight,
Oldest of all, the stone bite,
Coldest of all, the darkest light.
To the world spirit he must bestow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The slayer of the demon bear.
Furthermore, the mountain’s price,
Is for The Listener to sacrifice.
His own heart unto the ice.
As told from moons ago.
Until he does, what must be done.
The beast strengthens with each passing sun.
The auroch’s eye on everyone.
Under its bloody glow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The Listener, Slayer of the bear.
This means that the Walker could be talking about this, instead of whatever else he was babbling on about. This could be important, you never know.”
“How do you know? For all that could be happening, there is little a chance that there would be the Nanuak. How would it be possible to find it? How do you know that the Walker even knows what the Nanuak is? How do you know anything about the Nanuaks, and where you get them from? You might not even know where the next Nanuak is.”
“But the Walker clearly knows about it. He’s talking about stones and things — can’t you see that that the prophecy talks about stones? It’s clear he has some relation to them. Why would he be talking about them otherwise. It’s clear. Why would he be doing this at all? It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever.”
“Because he could just be part of a small plan to deceive us all. Do you not understand? At all? The soul-eaters are devilish — they can employ some tricks just to fool you on the way to your plan. You never know. Why are you so insistent that it is true? Because I know about it, and you don’t. Don’t trust any strangers, at all, especially ones that are targeting the things that you trust and need.”
dudu
The Walker was holding up their bows, one hand planted on either side of the wood as if to snap it.
“Don’t you dare hurt my bow!” Renn cried out. “We’re only doing what you wanted us to!” The Walker was about to snap it when Torak remembered that the Walker was grumbling about hazelnuts earlier. He suddenly realized that he had some candied hazelnuts in his pouch, as he had been given them as a gift. He had been given a parcel of roasted and candied hazelnuts when he had defeated Hord in the battle of freedom. He carefully shook some onto his palm and gave them to the Walker. The Walker took the hazelnuts and took a rock out of his pouch. He cracked the nuts open and grunted in approval.
“Nice and sweet. Narik will love them.” He drew a mangy brown mouse from a fold in his parka. The mouse grabbed a hazelnut and started nibbling at the edges. The Walker stroked the mouse with one finger and dropped the bows. Renn rushed forth to grab her bow and started murmuring words to it. The rock used to crack the hazelnuts lay discarded on the floor. Torak picked it up.
The stone had an almost unnatural shape; it was curved and tapered to a point, rather like a claw or a tooth. Then he remembered the prophecy.
Deepest of all, the drowned sight,
Oldest of all, the stone bite,
Coldest of all, the darkest light.
To the world spirit, he must bestow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The slayer of the demon bear.
The second line… Torak had described the stone as a tooth, which would make sense. He took out the nest or rowan bark that the river eyes were in and carefully placed the stone tooth in.
#Tiger
Sorry for being late :PP eEE
Renn gasped.
‘That stone.’ began Torak, trying to be calm. ‘Would Walker tell him where he found it?’
The Walker raised his head, dazed from stroking his mouse. His face was unreadable and somehow contained- a little bit, just a little bit of panic. ‘Stone mouth.’ he shivered as he said quietly through the eerie woods, ‘Long time, bad time. Otters had thrown him out, and he’s not yet found his beautiful valley.’
Torak and Renn looked at each other- was he thinking what they were thinking? Did they dare risk another outburst? Renn clutched her bow tightly and straightened the straps of her backpack, keeping her distance from the Walker, alert.
‘The um… stone creature.’ asked Torak, pronouncing every word slowly so that the Walker could hear every word he said clearly. ‘Does it… well- have stone teeth in the stone mouth?’
‘Of course!’ snarled the Walker, as if it was evident. ‘How could it eat then?’
‘Where could we find it?’ said Renn, finally speaking.
‘What Walker said, the stone mouth!’
‘And where is the creature in the stone mouth?’
Suddenly, Walker’s face became blank and slack, looking much older than he did. His eyes were darting in the corners of his eyes as if sensing something. ‘Bad place.’ he whispered. ‘Very bad. The killing earth swallows and gulps. The Watchers are everywhere. They see you, and you don’t see them. Not until it’s too late…’
‘Tell us how to find it.’ said Torak quickly. ‘Please…’
#Bai
“Ahh. The Walker knows, but doesn’t want to tell. The Walker wants payment if you want the secret. The Walker won’t tell.”
“Ahh, but what does the Walker want? Does the Walker want food or water or more hazelnuts for Narik? What does Narik want? What is the payment need to be to the Walker?”
“The Walker wants what Narik desires most. You must find what he wants most, and then give it to him. Or the secret shall not be revealed, for Narik’s wellbeing is important. Whatever he wants must be gotten. And Narik must get it soon, or there will be no such goodness for you two. You must bring it now, or the Walker will be angry and will begotten with you. You must tell me now what you want, or the Walker will be furious with you, and you will not like it when the Walker is angry anyhow.”
“O great Walker, what does Narik desire in his heart? What does he want the most in the world? What is the special thing that will allow the Walker to reveal the answer to our riddles? What does the Walker say?”
“The Walker says that the answer is Narik’s favourite food, that he desires everyday, that the Walker feeds everyday, the food that both Narik and the Walker eats, the important, nutritious thing that Narik desires every single day, that the Walker has to find every single day just for Narik to eat, to keep him happy.”
“So what is this gracious food that is needed to feed Narik, that is so important that the whole world depends on it? What is the food that is important to all people, that all must eat to sustain themselves with, we ask the Walker, the gracious Walker who has done so much for mankind and Narik, so please pass on the knowledge of where it is, I ask the Walker.”
“The Walker says the food is one that both of you humans have consumed in your time. You must know what it is. It is a delicious one, so you think, and you must acquire it and give it to Narik, who will devour it, for he thinks it delicious too. But the Walker despises it, and does not want it at all. But Narik wants it desperately, and so you two must find it for the Walker. Or the Walker will be angry, and Narik will perish, and you two shall die, as will your bows.”
boba dudu
(@bai. i dont know what the food is. can we just move on?)
After retrieving the food, they set off. They set up a temporary camp, and they went off in search of food. When Torak returned, he could hear Renn complaining and grumbling.
“How can you have a stone creature anyway?” Renn muttered. “And what animal is it in the first place?” She’d been angry ever since she lost her quiver. She called it her ‘best friend’. Torak highly doubted the title, but he wasn’t going to risk irking Renn. An annoyed Renn was probably the last thing he’d see alive. Just like the last thing Fa saw was the demon bear. After setting down his cache, he rolled his eyes. Renn had forgotten to kindle the fire. Again. But, as he said, he wasn’t going to irritate Renn. She had been sensitive ever since… the incident.
After kindling the fire to a growing flame, he sat down, relieved. Renn was still pacing and muttering.
“We’ve done everything he said. Walked for two whole days, crossed three valleys and even followed the stream he mentioned. Nothing. What if the whole thing was a trick? What if he was trying to get rid of us?”
Torak had thought of that too but dismissed it. But hearing Renn say it, it came forth again, and he was filled with doubting questions. What if the whole thing was a trick, and they’d fallen right for it? He thought of the Walker again. What if they’d misinterpreted it? He was so caught up in his thoughts that he’d forgotten to turn the wild bird on the fire, and one side was as crisp as summer’s hay bales. Well, he thought. We’ll be having a crispy night meal tonight.
They ate the bird in silence. And it wasn’t a comfortable silence. It was an uneasy silence. The rest of the evening was just as uncomfortable.
#Tiger
@dudu ‘boba dudu’ 😏😏🤣
It was morning, and the day was crisp and bright. Torak rubbed his eyes whilst his eyeballs darted in its socket, seeking for Renn. Renn, however, was already up, and she fried some meat they hunted yesterday. Torak gave an approving and appreciating look at her.
Torak felt as if he was missing something. Something that was there yesterday and an answer finally appeared in his mind -WOLF! Where had Wolf gone? How could he have forgotten? As if reading his mind, Renn nudged her head towards the trees. Torak breathed again.
Wolf appeared with a dead wild chicken. His mouth was curling in a peculiar angle whilst he panted, looking pleased with himself. He lowered his head and dropped some of the meat at Torak’s feet. Absently, Torak rubbed Wolf’s back.
‘Pack Brother’ said Torak wonderingly in wolf language. ‘Where were you?’
Wolf’s ears drooped. He stared anxiously at Tall Taliness. ‘I chased Flap Flap on two wings. And I saw big hill on grass (mountain caves)’
‘Caves?’ questioned Tall Talliness.
Wolf looked enquiringly at him, scratching his head.
‘I mean, a big lump of Rocks?’ described Tall Talliness.
Wolf stared at him with his big, wide eyes.
‘Lead me to it.‘ pleaded Tall Talliness
Wolf was beginning to be doubtful of what he had done wrong- Tall Tallness looked desperate and excited at the same time.
Torak shouted at Renn, ‘I’m going to take a walk with Wolf- I think he found something.’
‘Okay.’ cried Renn, whilst making her bed ‘But be back quickly- I don’t like the sound of being separated for too long. What if-?’
Torak hastily nodded and scurried off before interrupting Renn and saying ‘No what ifs, I’ll be back at noon.’
#Bai
Yeah, sorry dudu. Got a bit over-excited about the concept of food there — the food was supposed to be hazelnuts, by the way.
Renn was getting angry, that was very clear, but Torak was off with an adventure with Wolf. They were trying to find the cave, but there seemed to be one which Wolf had found, although it seemed to be in a rather crazy location, for it seemed there was nothing there at all. But there wasn’t for Wolf had said it and Wolf would not lie. Wolf would never have lied to Torak, the two were close friends. And the Wolf was loyal, very loyal to Torak. So why would he have done so, such a horrific action, made Torak think that Wolf had lied to him? Or maybe it was him. Maybe he wasn’t checking hard enough to find the cave that he so desperately wanted. He asked Wolf to help him dig for a little, and it was quite soon that he had found the cave. But it was dark, and he felt he may need Renn’s support, so he told Wolf to guard the tunnel while he went off to get Renn. He raced to her, and told her that he and Wolf had found it, and luckily, he mentioned, it was exactly noon.
“The Prophecy goes as follows:
Deepest of all, the drowned sight,
Oldest of all, the stone bite,
Coldest of all, the darkest light.
To the world spirit he must bestow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The slayer of the demon bear.
Furthermore, the mountain’s price,
Is for The Listener to sacrifice.
His own heart unto the ice.
As told from moons ago.
Until he does, what must be done.
The beast strengthens with each passing sun.
The auroch’s eye on everyone.
Under its bloody glow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The Listener, Slayer of the bear.
We’re looking, for a stone, oldest of all. So what would that be then? Could it be something to do with a rock that is old, because there are many rocks here, almost too many to go through all of them and to find the special rock.”
“Well, the Nanuak might not even be a rock. It could be something else, like a tooth, because it does mention that the stone bites, which suggests that since teeth bite, it could be a tooth of some description, because it seems there will be less teeth, and therefore it will be rarer, and that would make sense to be a Nanuak.”
boba dudu🧋🧋🧋
He went off with Wolf in search of the stone creature. He ran with him to find the cavern with the stone animal. But everywhere he looked, he could not find the stone animal. He searched every single passage, sliding into crevices and slithering through nooks. He even sent Wolf down crannies he couldn’t fit through. No stone animal. He searched until nightfall, yet he couldn’t see the stone tooth of the animal. Nothing. Nothing. Torak had been sure. He needed to find the stone creature. So he returned, empty-handed, to Renn.
There had been such an excited gleam in her eyes when he returned, but it died as she saw his empty hands.
“Nothing?” she asked. Torak didn’t have the strength to answer, but the dead and defeated look in his eyes told her all she needed to know. He could not find the Nanuak. He had failed. The silence that swathed them was defeated; it was not comfortable but reassuring.
The following day, Torak woke with a headache. The pain clouded his mind and fogged his thoughts. He ate a few lingonberries and dried cloudberries whilst Renn set about her day. It cleared the fog in his head to a dull ache, and Torak went to pick some more berries. The berries helped him to reach his brainwave.
He was still drying lingonberries (a nearly impossible task, as the ice was thawing into moisture for spring) when he realised the icicles on the trees were melting. The sharp ice looked like a crystalline stalactite, almost like a tooth. A tooth in an icy mouth. Then it occurred to him. They had been looking for a stone creature when they should have been looking for a stone mouth. He had barely any time to explain to Renn in an incomprehensible voice before the three of them, Wolf, Renn and Torak, were up and running to Wolf’s cavern.
#Tiger
#SAVEUKRAINE #WORLDPEACE #STOPWAR #PASSTHEMESSAGE #UKRAINIANSWILLRESIST #SAYNOTOPUTIN #WESTANDWITHUKRAINE
Please support Ukrain! Facts about the Ukraine- Russian War:
- 12 and over need to fight for their countries 🥹 ❤
- Bombs are dropping all over Ukraine
- Innocent Victims has been hurt
- Protesters, just protesting with not much action, need to pay large sums of money or stay in prison for a short amount of time
- 8 days into war now
- Russian officially declared war on the 24th February 2022
Please help Ukrainians by passing the message! #Saveukrain
Thank you for reading till the end of this ♥ ~ creds: @iipxndq @pandajoanne @tigerh 😘
PS. The Black beast that never ends is meaning darkness!
PSS. Every Ukrainian and me would be very grateful if you spread the message <3
PSSS. Feel free to copy the ukrainian support above but please give creds UwU
PSSSS. You are really awesome if you read up to here
Renn opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
Towering above Wolf, Renn and Torak, was a massive cave that was shaped as a grey boulder, thundercloud-grey. At its foot, was a solitary yew tree, withering with its head bowing down and its leaves turning olive-yellow. Renn peeked inside the cave- it was pitch dark, and the sudden fear of hurtling into the unknown weakened her strong will.
‘We- we can’t go there.’ she cried in anguish.
‘We – I – have to,’ said Torak. This is the stone mouth the Walker was talking about. It’s where he found the stone claw. It’s where I might find the stone tooth.’
Renn glanced at his determined face, and then to her feet. ‘I can’t just leave you here-‘ she began in a small voice, then shook her head. As brave as she was, her one fear was facing the unknown.
Torak lifted his chin proudly, with a valiant smile spreading across his face, ‘No, this mission was supposed to be mine, just stay here and look after wolf now.’
‘Be careful.’ Renn warned.
Torak patted Renn’s arm awkwardly and ruffled Wolf’s fur. Renn lifted Wolf and put her face into his fur, and blamed herself for her cowardice. Wolf whined put his paws on Torak’s shin.
Tall Tailless was going away- without him. He smelt something bad, although he couldn’t say what it was.
‘Pack brother’ Tall Tailless spoke in wolf talk. ‘Stay here and i’ll be right back.’
‘Where are you going?‘ Wolf whined.
Tall Taillness didn’t answer, and Wolf tried to escape out of Female Tailless’s strong grip. Female Tailless pulled him back by the scruff of his neck with a firm grasp. Wolf hated Female Tailless.
And that was when Tall Talliness went in the Black- Beast That Never Ends.
#Bai
‘Son. Stay safe. Don’t talk to the people in the clans and always look behind you. The bear is a demon. It will become invincible next moon, and you must head north — to the mountain, the world spirit.’
‘A demon? You only told me them in stories. And… the mountain. No one has ever found it before. So how can I-’
‘Your guide will tell you. There are so many things I would have told you. I never knew it would be so early. Whatever happens next, don’t hate me after. Now swear. Swear on my knife that you will find the Mountain — or die trying. Swear — now.
‘I swear, by my blood on this blade, and by each of my three souls that I will find the Mountain- or die trying.’
Torak was entering the cave of doom, which he knew he should not be doing, but he had no choice but to do so, for the Nanuak was inside, and he would do anything for the Nanuak, which he needed at the heart to defeat the bear. But he had no clue what the Nanuak looked like, and so what could he even do to find it — he had honestly no clue about what to do. He was in a cave system, and there were branches of paths in every direction. And he had no idea where to go. Then he remembered his father’s words.
‘Son. Stay safe. Don’t talk to the people in the clans and always look behind you. The bear is a demon. It will become invincible next moon, and you must head north — to the mountain, the world spirit.’
‘A demon? You only told me them in stories. And… the mountain. No one has ever found it before. So how can I-’
‘Your guide will tell you. There are so many things I would have told you. I never knew it would be so early. Whatever happens next, don’t hate me after. Now swear. Swear on my knife that you will find the Mountain — or die trying. Swear — now.
‘I swear, by my blood on this blade, and by each of my three souls that I will find the Mountain- or die trying.’
He knew then that Wolf was the only one that could help him, save him and guide him through the cave, for Wolf had been his guide for a long time, and he must be the guide that Fa had been talking about. So he needed Wolf.
dudu
Torak groped for the side of the wall. It was slimy and cold. Just like rotting flesh. Torak closed his eyes, breathing deeply through his mouth. Fa had taught him to breathe through his mouth whenever they passed a field of carrion or a bat-infested cave. He drew air in, fighting against his panic. He could not go back now. After several shuffles, his feet touched stone. The cave walls drew in, pressing so narrowly against his body that he had to turn sideways to pass through. His feet touched loose gravel, sending the little pebbles falling into darkness. The left-hand wall that he was using as a guideway ended sharply, falling away to the left. The path he was walking on ended steeply; Torak had just enough time to grab onto a handhold and steady himself. Then he saw it. The Nanuak.
It was surrounded by a ring of six stone claws, guarding it, almost protecting it. Torak felt an irrational urge to reach out and touch it. Then it happened. Greasy fur filled his mouth and nose, a writhing mass of fur grabbing at his head, almost suffocating him. Then, with the thwap of leather on leather, it vanished. One moment it was there, the next, gone. It was a Watcher. But that Watcher had not been trying to kill him. It had merely been sent to find out what he was. And one it had gained the knowledge it had come for, it had left. left to tell the other Watchers what he was. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he had almost forgotten to wear the salmon-skin mitten that Renn had given him. It sent chills rippling down his spine to know how close he had become to losing his World-spirit and becoming a Lost One.
He grabbed the Nanuak, shoving it into his medicine pouch before running. He had seen enough. It was then he heard the scream. It was Renn’s feminine scream, he was sure of it. And it was saying one word, a word so horrible he stopped in his tracks. Bear. Watchers swarmed at him, wings, fur, skin, slime battering at his face and body. It was a technique that one species of mosquito used, swarming its victim until it was too tired, then using the killing blow. He could hear Renn’s screams, yet he could do nothing about it at all. At all.
#Tiger
Renn’s screams faded in the distance, and Torak shook himself, and turned around to view his surroundings: Pitch black. Silent. Cold. The silence was not what he was expecting, he at least hoped or so, thought, that he could hear wolf howling. Still silent. Torak pondered around the darkness, unsure what to do. But still he hoped that the wolf could find him. Reaching out into the darkness by despair, he stepped carefully in the middle of the black shadows, and then stumbled down a jagged spear- shaped rock. Blood came oozing out of his fingers as he grazed his hands on the unusually enormous stone.
‘Damn.’ he muttered to himself, wiping the blood on his jeans.
‘Wolf?’ he called tenderly. ‘Pack- brother?’
Silence again.
In the corner of his eye, he could see a rat shuffling around. He remembered what fa had taught him, although it hurted to think of him.
‘Observe how animals survive and behave.’ Fa had said once. ‘Only once learning about the natural world, you could escape and gain more skills.’
With his eyes following the rat’s tail, he quickly discovered a small leak between the two large stones. WIth great effort, he managed to tumble them in opposite directions. The air became sweet again and the light nearly blinded Torak’s eyes. He smiled, and finally remembered the second part of the naruak. He quickly recited the prophecy, well, his prophecy:
Deepest of all, the drowned sight,
Oldest of all, the stone bite,
Coldest of all, the darkest light.
To the world spirit he must bestow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The slayer of the demon bear.
Furthermore, the mountain’s price,
Is for The Listener to sacrifice.
His own heart unto the ice.
As told from moons ago.
Until he does, what must be done.
The beast strengthens with each passing sun.
The auroch’s eye on everyone.
Under its bloody glow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The Listener, Slayer of the bear.
Yes Torak thought, he only needed the last one. But then, when was renn and wolf? His heart drummed quickly and he shouted uncertainly, ‘Renn? W-o-l-f?’ No answer.
It was then when he saw a black shadow near the trees. Shock flooded hid face.
#Bai
Sorry for the delay.
He had no clue where either Renn or Wolf could be. He had no idea whatsoever. It had been the bear, of course, yet he had no idea where it could have gone — well, it had to be going near the woods: it was where the scream had come from, and it was also where a bear would naturally go. It may have been a demon, but it still had the ‘bear sense’ in it, meaning it would stick to woods and forests, and hunt smaller animals that provided less harm to itself, but didn’t hibernate, or at least that was what was known about it (which not a lot was), and it seemed that although it had been alive for less than a year, it had already done more damage than the humans would do in two thousand years. The bear was savage in every way — it would murder all the time, and it would not even follow the rule of the forest, which was that every single bit of the prey had to be used in some different way, for example, Torak would use some of the meat for eating, some of the others for making clothes to wear, and in any other ways. But the bear was not like that, it would simply kill and kill and kill and kill and kill and kill and kill and it would simply never stop. That was what made it wrong to the society of people, which was why it had to be destroyed quickly, and without any pause, for it was too dangerous to be kept alive. And that had resulted in Torak going to the mountain.
Torak thought back to the prophecy:
Deepest of all, the drowned sight,
Oldest of all, the stone bite,
Coldest of all, the darkest light.
To the world spirit he must bestow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The slayer of the demon bear.
Furthermore, the mountain’s price,
Is for The Listener to sacrifice.
His own heart unto the ice.
As told from moons ago.
Until he does, what must be done.
The beast strengthens with each passing sun.
The auroch’s eye on everyone.
Under its bloody glow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The Listener, Slayer of the bear.
Now, he had lost Renn, what was he to do — would he simply give up, or would he continue his journey to the North? Renn had been a useful and resourceful companion. The bear had Renn, and the bear was what he was trying to kill. Would he go after the bear, or would he go after Renn, or were they just the same thing, that he had to just go to the mountain and find Renn?
dudu
He reached a rock wall. He began to make slow progress up to it while despairing. He suddenly remembered something his Fa had said. Never waste time despairing. Spend your time by forgetting and focusing on what is before you. Don’t look back; look ahead to the future. Torak looked forwards, focusing only on the rock before him. He forced his arms to grasp onto the overhanging ledges of rock, hauling himself up onto the next crack he could find. Grab, haul. Grab, haul. Grab, haul. After what seemed like an eternity, he was up.
He scanned his surroundings. He was in the middle of a pile of splintered wood and rubble. Then, he saw a figure perched upon a fallen tree, nocking her last arrow, ready to shoot, loosing the arrow… but missing. The bear batted the arrow away like a child would a leaf. But before the bear could bestow the killing bow, Wolf leapt in and tore the ravenskin pouch off Renn’s belt. Then, he leapt away, disappearing in the heavy fog. The bear struck a blow, landing a rock’s breadth away from Wolf before they both vanished into the darkness of the mist, the big bad bear going after the little, innocent cub.
Renn and Torak could only stand, blinking, one as confused as the other at the cave mouth. When they got over it, they were silent until Torak shattered it.
“Why would you let Wolf off his leash?” Torak shouted at her. He knew it wasn’t her fault; the cub would’ve been killed if he had stayed.
“I-I had to.” Renn said quietly. Her head was bowed, and Torak felt terrible. He had never seen Renn silent, guilty or at a loss for words. But now he was seeing all three. They were lost, and they didn’t know what to do.
#Tiger
Torak knew that Renn was truly sorry, so he did not press the subject further. Torak sat on a nearby rock slowly, wondering what laid ahead for them. Torak lifted his head up uncertainly and saw Renn looking at him. Embarrased, Renn blushed and stared at her knees, ashamed. Torak stared at her again. This was something you would call an ‘awkward silence.’
‘You know i AM sorry.’ Renn blurted out, breaking the silence. ‘I-i didn’t mean to. J-just be angry at me, I-i dont-‘
‘It is okay.’ Torak interrupted, choosing his words carefully so he wouldn’t say anything unexpected. ‘I dont blame you at all!.’
‘Really?’ stuttered Renn, taken aback.
‘Of course, but for now, we need to find Wolf and the last naruk.’ said Torak grimly.
Renn nodded.
Torak thought back to the part of the prophecy:
Deepest of all, the drowned sight,
Oldest of all, the stone bite,
Coldest of all, the darkest light.
To the world spirit he must bestow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The slayer of the demon bear.
Now, not only he needed to find his beloved friend, but a naruk. And where that one naruk was in such a big world, he did not know. As far as he knew, it could be in the Deep forest up to where the seal clan lived.
#Bai
Would they really go after the Seal Clan? After all, it would make sense to go after the bear first instead of seeking the Seal Clan straight away, as it would probably kill them from the bear first they had to remember that the bear was still growing in power and would therefore grow stronger, which could eventually mean that it would be too defeat to defeat and may as well mean his death, and probably Renn’s death as well, which would be terribly frightening and therefore Torak still wasn’t sure if he wanted to go down the route of going to the Seal Clan and therefore chase the Seal master down. It would mean a lot of efort for perhaps not that much benefit from killing the bear. He thought the only people he could trust were himself and Renn, as they were the ones hunting down the bear and that would make the trusted the most and therefore it would be them who should go over to defeat the bear, not just other people as they couldn’t be trusted at all with the job of doing so, for it was them that could make mistakes and therefore they could not be trusted — only the two that were trusted with the job could do it, and as the prophecy said:
Deepest of all, the drowned sight,
Oldest of all, the stone bite,
Coldest of all, the darkest light.
To the world spirit he must bestow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The slayer of the demon bear.
Furthermore, the mountain’s price,
Is for The Listener to sacrifice.
His own heart unto the ice.
As told from moons ago.
Until he does, what must be done.
The beast strengthens with each passing sun.
The auroch’s eye on everyone.
Under its bloody glow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The Listener, Slayer of the bear.
He had to do it himself — he, The Listener had to kill the bear with his own hands. He was getting very nervous, for he did not know what to do at all. Would he simply kill it? How would he do so a task, which was so laborious all of a sudden, with no help. He embraced these questions with a fascinated but also confused ask. How would he do all these things? He had thought that having the Nanuak would make it easy, almost too easy to kill the bear, but he did not know such things, because he had never done such a thing before. What if it was too hard for him?
dudu
Deepest of all, the drowned sight,
Oldest of all, the stone bite,
Coldest of all, the darkest light,
To the world spirit he must bestow,
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The slayer of the demon bear.
Furthermore, the mountain’s price,
Is for the Listener to sacrifice,
His own heart unto the ice.
As told from moons ago.
Until he does what must be done.
The beast strengthens with each passing sun.
The auroch’s eye on everyone.
Under its bloody glow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The Listener, Slayer of the bear.
His mind was on this and only this. He could think of no more. It was echoing around his mind, whispering afterthoughts in complex tongues. Was he the Listener? Or was this just a whole misunderstanding and coincidence?
He was still thinking this even when he kicked his gear up to the yew tree they used as a temporary camp. His mind was only half-focused on the task at hand; he was too wrapped up in the sounds bouncing off the walls of his mind, his brain straining to decode them. He then heard the distinct blare of a birch-bark horn in the distance. He glanced at Renn, who, from the look on her face, had heard it too.
“Birch-bark horns,” she whispered to Torak. Torak nodded briefly.
“Finn-Kedinn?” he asked, throwing a look at Renn. She then, as he had, nodded.
“To the west,” she said. “A long way away.” Torak closed his eyes.
“Does he ever give up?” he asked. Renn smiled to herself.
“He never gives up,” she said. “I thought you’d have deduced that by now.” Torak rolled his eyes. There was a prideful tint in her voice that irritated him. Well, he thought to himself, At least she’s happy now.
#Tiger
That night, Torak had a strange dream.
A
Very
Strange
Dream.
He dreamed that a lamp was glowing, and he was in a very dark cave. The cave was lightened by the light when he strided closer, uncertainly. The lamp was like a jewel, absorbing every love you had, dragging them to it. Torak was almost close enough to touch it when a strange man, cloaked and hooded, stumbled in. His face was emotionless, and put his two hands in line with his shoulders, walking like a zombie, a dead corspe. He was dressed all in black, from his ragged shoes to his hat, and he put his hand on Torak’s shoulder. Torak jumped, frozen. He turned around, his face stretching into a wide grin…
Torak woke up. The yawning boy sat up, looking around him, wondering for a second where Fa had gone. Then he realised- Fa was gone, and he was on a mission. He sighed, and crawled into a ball. Yet, Torak did not at all remember what he dreamed. Strange…
‘Torak…’ Renn’s voice was audible.’TORAKK!’
Renn poked her head in the opening of Torak’s tent.
‘Well, there you are finally up!’ teased Renn gently. ‘I been calling you for ages now! Anyways, breakfast is ready. I left something for you outside.’
Torak was surprised. ‘Oh- that solves it, why I woke up so sudden, I mean. Thanks for making breakfast.’
Renn laughed. ‘Yeah.. get up now sleepyhead, it is nearly 11 o’clock now.’
Torak smile broke, and left a shock face.
#Bai
Already eleven O’clock. That meant a lot — firstly his deadline to kill the bear was nearly up there were only three days to go. And then he had suddenly remembered his horrible dream. He remembered the horrible dream. “He dreamed that a lamp was glowing, and he was in a very dark cave. The cave was lightened by the light when he strided closer, uncertainly. The lamp was like a jewel, absorbing every love you had, dragging them to it. Torak was almost close enough to touch it when a strange man, cloaked and hooded, stumbled in. His face was emotionless, and put his two hands in line with his shoulders, walking like a zombie, a dead corspe. He was dressed all in black, from his ragged shoes to his hat, and he put his hand on Torak’s shoulder. Torak jumped, frozen. He turned around, his face stretching into a wide grin…”
He couldn’t see who was the person cloaked in the hood — it simply seemed blurred. Who was this person, that confused Torak so much? It didn’t seem to make any sense. Well, he didn’t know. It had to be the person behind all of this nonsense about the bear — an evil man, one who had been trying to destroy the man. Who was he, and what on earth was he trying to do. Rule the world? No, he had been trying to destroy the world no doubt, and as he was a madman, it was not surprising for any reason whatsoever. He seemed to be simply ruin everything civilization had created for so many years, just to ruin it.
Deepest of all, the drowned sight,
Oldest of all, the stone bite,
Coldest of all, the darkest light.
To the world spirit he must bestow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The slayer of the demon bear.
Furthermore, the mountain’s price,
Is for The Listener to sacrifice.
His own heart unto the ice.
As told from moons ago.
Until he does, what must be done.
The beast strengthens with each passing sun.
The auroch’s eye on everyone.
Under its bloody glow.
Talks with silence, fights with air,
The Listener, Slayer of the bear.
The prophecy said many things — it seemed to guarantee that Torak was the Listener: there were so many things that matched his ability and skill. Surely he had to be the Listener, and yet how could he be the Listener. Torak was so confused, but he knew he had to go and defeat the bear.
dudu
(are we going to continue this in the stone age or the modern era? it seems as if its the modern era right now.)
Torak was out. There was simply too much to think about, too many thoughts to be trapped in such a small, enclosed space as a small ice hole in which he and Renn had been camping. He was stumbling around in the snow, too tired and uncoordinated to bring his thoughts together. He sat down on a fallen sapling, bringing out a handful of dried lingonberries. He looked around, scanning his surroundings for any sign of game or prey. Then, he saw two sets of pawprints, freshly made. Two sets of pawprints, one wolf, one bear. He rushed back to Renn, panting heavily.
He was out again, this time with Renn. He was scouring the forest for the sets of prints he had found. Birch….Grass….There! It was a new set of prints leading west. They ran after it, hoping to find Wolf.
Then, they found him, panting at the side of an icy riverbank, almost passed out. Torak buried himself in the wolf’s wet grey fur. The ravenskin pouch was next to him, lying limply on the side of the river. It was ragged and torn in a few places, where Wolf had to snatch it away from the bear, but other than that, it was fine. Renn opened it with careful calm and slipped on the salmon skin glove. She nodded after a moment and then closed it. She then took out a salmon cake and gave it to Wolf, who snuffled it up gratefully.
“He’s exhausted,” said Torak, carefully checking Wolf’s pelt for injuries. Thankfully, there were only a few shallow scratches and no severe wounds that would need serious and urgent attention from experts. Torak sighed in relief. Wolf was safe.
#sWaGGy tIgER
(@dudu idk… it seems like its in the modern era- @bai any help or suggestions-?)
(Sorry for being late btw x)
(By the way, a suggestion is not to copy and paste the prophecy again LOL I think there is like 100 of them in this wolf brother. We should only copy it if necessary ;D )
It was a chilly night. Winter began, and the snowflakes drifted to the ground. Torak shuddered- it was only after a few days and then the bear would become immortal.
‘What if I fail?’ thought Torak quietly. ‘What if I let everyone down? Why am I so special?’ A thousand questions suddenly emerged into his head.
‘Torak?’ cried Renn, and nudged his shoulder. ‘Torak- wake UP!’
There was a sudden high pitch to her voice, and it seemed like she was frantic and worried.
Torak blinked a couple of times. ‘What is it?’ his eyes were blurry. ‘Are you okay, Renn?’
Renn looked confused. ‘Me, okay-? Of course I am. You just weren’t responding to me for nearly hours!’
Torak glanced around. ‘Where is wolf?’ he asked, feeling a rush of worry.
‘What have you done to him?” he demanded
Silence.
Torak looked up at Renn, who looked away uncomfortably.
‘I-Wolf wanted to go out so he hunted…’ Renn said guiltily.
‘you KNEW he was still a bit injured. How could you-‘
‘I didn’t know!’
Their arguments were so loud that Wolf bounded back.
‘Why was Tall Tailless shouting at the Female Tailless. What was going on.’ he licked Tall Tailless questioningly.
Torak made no answer.
#Bai
@dudu, let’s continue from the Stone Age era.
@tiger, that’s a good idea
At last, they could continue on their journey to defeat the bear: there wasn’t enough time to argue about petty matters about where Wolf was. They kept on walking forward, and the cold was tangible in the air, as was their fear. Every step they took just made the entire process slower, colder and far more painful. There was only one good side to this — it meant that they were just getting closer to defeating the bear, which had to be positive, right? Well, it meant that they also might be closer to their deaths as well. That meant that it was possible that their days were numbered, and that number was not a massively large one either. That much was clear. At least they were trying: that much would give them some credit and hope that they were doing something for the world. The chances of succeeding were slim, and the risks were much higher.
At last, the day was ending and the night was beginning to settle in. Both Torak and Renn were exhausted from one day of walking, and they settled down after having a quick meal of dried meat and small portions of bread. Now they were faced with another problem, after so many more uncountable ones. They were running out of food. It hadn’t been so obvious perhaps three or four days ago, given that they had packed more food to last more than two weeks. What they didn’t know was that the journey would take a lot longer than two weeks. They had eaten less than they needed, but it was still running out. What was worse was, even though they had tried hunting every three or four days, it was clear that now they had entered unfamiliar territory, given it was a lot colder and therefore less food and animals about, that they were in a dire situation. Worse so, they had four days left, that their food would not last long, but then they couldn’t waste any time hunting or setting traps. The situation was very perilous, and they had almost used up all their food.
They continued walking, and now everything was based on luck now. If they couldn’t see a deer within one day, they were done for, really done for. They continued, hoping, begging the World Spirit to give them something, anything to help them. Perhaps the World Spirit had decided to be kind. Perhaps they were just lucky. But about a hundred metres away, was a deer.
dudu
@tiger sorry I had to edit your work because my spellchecker was killing me and I am a perfectionist and the red lines were really bugging me. And yes, we should stop using the prophecy so much. I think we might have just used it for making our writing longer idk
They were quick to catch it, driven by their primal need for food. After tending to the deer (skinning it, drying it, extracting the sinews, pounding the sinews into flat, dry threads to sew, etc.), they sat down to eat. Wolf pawed the ground and whined until Torak threw him a strip of venison, which he wolfed down (ba-dum-crash! Sorry for the pun) quickly and asked for another. After eating five strips of deer, his stomach was satiated, and he eased back on his haunches, resting his paws on a rock sticking out of the ground with lazy pleasure.
After stamping out the fire and storing their food away, they made their camp there. Torak and Renn both climbed trees and belted themselves there, as their chosen ground was too open to sleep on the ground. Wolf circled the tree for a few moments before choosing a flattened patch in a clump of ferns and settling there. They fell asleep, lulled to sleep by the soft crooning of the swaying trees.
They woke up at dawn, ready to continue their journey. They packed their food, gear and sleeping sacks and went to wake Wolf. He was in the clump of ferns, a paw over his nose. He looked so innocent that Torak paused for a heartbeat, wondering whether he should wait until waking him. He decided to wait until later. When he found his tinder pouch, Wolf came trotting into the clearing, his jaws open in a huge yawn. He bounded over to him when he saw Torak, rubbing his head on Torak’s thigh, almost overbalancing him and sending him toppling to the packed earth. Torak straightened himself and pretended to scold Wolf gently. Wolf took no notice and kept nudging Torak over and licking his face. It almost made Torak sad about the journey ahead.
#sWaggY tIgER
@bai @dudu Sorry for being late ehh and sorry if I wrote a bit short this time x
@bai alrr 😃
@dudu its alr lolll, and its true lol i swear we try to make our writing longer *laughs*
Another day passed, and time was running out. They still haven’t found the last Naruk and the bear. The clouds were drawn like thin lines, the sky was orange- pinkish and the clouds were more orange than white. It was around midday, and it was quite warm.
‘When…will…we…stop..?’ panted Torak with an obvious effort to speak the words, stopping at each word. His back was bended and he touched his knees because of exhaustion. However, his hope was soon gone.
‘I am not sure- we can hunt now, if you are hungry.’ said Renn, stretching her arms.’Gosh- I really need to sit down.’
Renn sat on the nearby tree, and Torak sat near her. Wolf sat on his hind legs, looking not as the least tired, grinning with his tongue hung wide open.
Tall Tailless and Female Tailless was so slow, thought Wolf. At least I got to run today
Wolf ran in a few circles, bored. ‘We can’t stop here,’ thought Wolf indignantly, and shook his head impatiently. ‘We aren’t even half through yet.
#Bai
They really had to sit down — all the running, the endless moving about, walking, without even stopping to eat any of the deer they had packed and were at the ready. It was really tiring, even for Torak, who had completed so many workouts in his time spent with Fa, he was still exhausted, and had to sit down. He had been running for about two hours, and walked for the rest of the day. He was so tired, he wished that he could simply lie on the floor, relax, and set his souls out to wander, and to leave him be. He wished he could do anything, anything else rather than simply keep walking. Why did he have to walk so much, walk so many miles, such a long day, just to reach a creature that he knew that he couldn’t defeat? He was so tired, he just wanted to sleep and never wake up…
He slept for a long time — by the time he woke up, Renn had already gone out hunting, Wolf had done many laps running around the tent, and had come back with a deer: that simply would provide them with more food to last a long time. The worst was that Torak experienced many dreams, one that scared him. He was back at Fa’s death place, instead this time he didn’t move, and he saw the bear: a frightening thing it was, with black skin and huge claws. He saw it scratch Fa’s body over and over again, and he heard Fa cry out in pain over and over again, but there was nothing he could do. He could only watch as the bear ripped Fa’s body in pieces and threw them away, before stepping onto Fa’s lifeless head, and stumbling away.
And then came the next dream, and this time the bear was chasing him. It grabbed him and threw him onto the the tree, and everything went black…
dudu
Torak woke up in a cold sweat. He looked around, trying to find Wolf. He found him playing with the pelt of a squirrel. Well, then, let him. He was only a cub, too innocent to deal with the hardships of this cruel, cruel world. Renn was hunting, looking for food to stock up their meagre collection of provisions. Winter had taken its toll on them. Torak shivered, suddenly realising the biting cold. He shrank into his summer clothes, clutching his limbs to his chest to preserve his precious body warmth. Then he sat straight again. Huddling up like a vulnerable mouse would not help them on their journey. He went out to hunt, hoping to find some game.
He came back with a scrawny but satisfying roebuck. Its antlers were still velvety, like that of a young deer. He skinned it, busying himself with the gruelling task of tending to the deer while waiting for Renn’s return.
The task took him to roughly midday. He had just finished tossing the rest of the entrails to Wolf when Renn returned with a string of rabbits and a few scrawny rodents.
“Hunting was good tonight. After the winter, everyone’s hopping about, just waiting to get caught.” she said, gutting and skinning the cache. By now, Torak had separated the venison from the other useful items, and he took a rabbit and started tending to it, drifting off into a thoughtless haze.
#Tiger
——————–
ᑌᖇ SᗯᗩG
——————–
That night, it was like a dream that he dreamed of before. It was the bear again- only this time it was chasing Renn and himself. The bear growled and leapt, sinking its teeth into an ancient tree as if showing how powerful and mighty it was.
It grabbed Renn and Torak in one huge swipe, and it was almost about to eat them when Wolf leapt towards the beast.
‘No!’ cried Torak, trying to be free of the bear’s grasp. ‘Wolf, no!’
Wolf lunged himself at the beast, and all those desperate cries Torak made echoed, and the beast finally fell.
Silence.
Torak woke up, blinking his eyes, confused. Did this really happen? Where was he? Was this the prophecy everyone talked about? A thousand questions stormed into his mind.
‘If this is the prophecy? Would Wolf die?’ he thought quietly, his thoughts all opposing each other. ‘No- he will always come back, h-he is my guide!’
Another scene lay before him- it was the light again, with the mysterious figure walking towards him. It flung off its cloak and was about to show its face when…
#Bai
Sorry for being late once again.
He woke up, just to find that he had simply fallen asleep, that Wolf was still next to him, and that nothing had happened to him, he was safe, and everyone had been as they were doing, working, finding food and doing everything they should have been doing. Wolf was still there as he was, in the open, hunting animals, so that they could have dinner. He was beginning to feel extremely apprehensive — he had no clue really what to do, how to defeat the bear, and how to even start to attempt to fight the bear back. How could he, a boy with quite no experience defeat the bear and possibly survive such an experience, with a demon bear, one that was not supposed to exist, created by something, someone out there that could simply strike back with another bear and attack Torak and Wolf yet again. Such a prospect scared Torak, and even worse, he couldn’t even fight back. With no idea of who this mysterious creature even was, he could defeat them. Something about that somehow linked back to his father. His father always seemed to have some sort of mystery, an aura that Torak was not sure about. There was confusion of why someone would want to do such a thing to this world. What if such a person wasn’t even a person, but a group of people? Torak had so many questions he needed to ask, but had no one he could ask.
Who or what was his father part of? Who had sent this bear? Who had assisted him? If he or she was in a clan, which clan was it? How could Torak defeat this person or thing? What was he meant to do?
Torak just stood up, and packed everyone’s things. It was time for Renn, Wolf and him to keep moving. All his questions would be answered and he would know what to do very soon. He remembered what his father had told him to do, “Always follow your guide.” Well, the guide had been Wolf, so he had to simply trust in Wolf and he would be lead to success. He had to, right? Wolf had helped him a lot so far in his journey, so it had to help now surely. It had to be true. Otherwise the world would be destroyed. He was placing his trust into a cub, which others would have found repugnant, but something he found soothing, for Wolf was a true friend and a companion.
dudu
He didn’t care. That was the beauty of it. He wouldn’t care whether others would judge him based on the life choices he made. It was the reality. The realness. He smiled at Wolf absently. The wind tousled his hair, almost as if congratulating him on realizing. The cold swept against his skin. But he didn’t care. He felt deliciously warm and bubbly inside. As if his insides had turned into bubbles, with little fish frolicking in the waves. Then the euphoria shattered as Renn walked in the entrance.
“Right, we’ve got to be leaving then,” she said, hoisting a sack over her shoulder and turning towards the exit. Then she paused and looked over her shoulder, raising her eyebrow at Torak.
“You are coming, right?”
In approximately thirty seconds, Torak had been bundled up and loaded with items. The cold bit at his skin, stinging his eyes and burning his throat. His naked, vulnerable, unprotected throat. Wolf followed suit, snapping at the early spring buds and the bees that buzzed near him, quickly losing interest after realizing he was not a honeysuckle blossom or the head of a wild rose. After passing many streams, many forests and many, many signs of game, they stopped to make camp in a forest of thick spruce trees.
It was an uneven circle of trees, with the odd bald patch of dirt and clump of ferns, but it provided good shelter and game. Renn stayed in the camp to set up their gear and coax a fire out of some fallen wood and spruce needles while Torak went to look for their dinner. Before long, he had found a squirrel. A fat one, too. It was nibbling on some plant it had found. He pulled back the bowstring. Pull, wait and snap. It flew through the air with perfect precision. Bullseye.
#Tiger
——————–
ᑌᖇ SᗯᗩG
press me if ur cool and swaggy and u love belugaa
——————–
Torak felt proud of himself. He shot a squirell in one try. And he knew this wasn’t about luck- it was also about skill.
‘Fa would be proud’ thought Torak, and prayed to the heavens above that Fa arrived to his journey beyond.
Renn called out in the distance, and the sound got louder and louder as she went closer.
Renn looked at the ground. ‘Good job for a beginner.’ she smirked.
Torak glared at her, and elbowed her furiously. ‘At least got something‘
‘Hmm-?’ mumbled Renn, annoyed, then returning into her usual state.
Torak grabbed the dead squirrel ruthlessly, and walked to their camp. THe wood was burning, after a few attempts. Torak sighed- they had less than 3 days before the bear would become immortal. He looked around desperately- after 3 days, would he be still alive? Would he be able to destroy the bear? Would he be able to even find the bear!?
#Bai
Torak had so many questions to ask that he didn’t even know where to start. Well, first, where was the bear now? It seemed to have vanished after Fa’s death, no one had seen it since its last kill. It might even be on the other side of the world, which could mean that Torak would never even be able to kill the bear which would result in the death of him and many other civilians, which would be terrible. But the question of where it was was still an important question, for if Torak were to defeat the bear, he had to know where it was to even have a chance to defeat him, but he already had a little chance of success, and so he had to find the bear. He simply had to find it, or he and the rest of the world were dead. He hadn’t even considered how much pressure was on him to defeat the bear, which was his most important act currently. If he did not, he wouldn’t even like to think about what would happen to him if he didn’t defeat the bear: it would kill him alive and destroy everyone else in the world, and although Torak may not have known them, he still didn’t like the prospect of humanity being exterminated forever and destroyed, as he still liked the world, although it could sometimes be very cruel to him. He did not want the world to end now, especially not with him being the cause of such a terrible thing that had happened.
And now as he walked, he became more and more apprehensive of what could happen, and confused too: he had not clue what would happen. And his confusion soon turned into anger of the person that had caused this mess that he was now in. No one deserved such a treatment, no one deserved to be placed in such a situation so suddenly with not a single clue as to what was going on. Surely, this was not allowed. Torak wondered why the World Spirit had placed him in this situation, for no one deserved this. Torak suddenly felt an urge to simply kill that had sent this predicament upon him. He had left a normal, if not a little isolated life, until this monster had come to destroy him, murdered his father and had almost destroyed the world. But now the question was, what was he going to do?
dudu
hi please press me if u are cool and ΔΜΔζΙͶ❡
He decided that he would just see where the future took him. It had taken him into this mess, so surely it would take him out. Right? Well, that’s how his logic worked. But he had learned that the world’s logic is broken, leading to unfair situations. Then he decided he would go looking for the bear. No, that was too dangerous. He would sorely regret that after starting. He didn’t know. He just didn’t know. If he got this wrong, he would not only be risking his own life but Renn’s life as well. He did not want to be responsible for another life.
It was getting ever closer to the auroch’s eye. Usually, on the auroch’s eye, everybody in camp retired to their beds early to minimise the chance of getting killed by a demon. Saeunn would also cast a spell to ward off the evil spirits. Nobody mentioned that night unless they wanted to get jinxed, and it died on people’s lips even if they dared to utter the dreadful words. Neither Torak nor Renn knew how to cast the demon-repellent spell, so they would have to either kill the bear before the auroch’s eye glowed its bloody light or choose almost certain death. So Torak chose the former.
They were about half a day away from the mountain. They packed their stuff silently, each knowing what the other was thinking. One wrong step after this, and they were dead. After they stepped out of the forest, it would be too late to change heart. They would have to do it, and there was no turning back.
#swaggy tiger
@dudu you press that link again…
it was terrible
and they had terrible luck.
It was stormy that day, and the clouds were striding accross the sky, and the rain was pelting down. THe lightning roared like a lion and whilst Torak walked, the leaves beneath him crunched. The clouds were closing in quickly, and Renn glanced at me.
It seemed like a bad Omen.
Renn recited a strange string of letters, and Torak wondered what it meant.
‘No use’ Renn cried, so that Torak could hear her over the howling wind. ‘The World Spirit isn’t responding.’
‘What?’ Torak shouted desperate. ‘No- the soul eaters can’t come now!’
‘NOT THE SOUL EATERS!’ cried Renn again. ‘No- Its the bear!’
Torak gulped silently.
#Bai
Not now. Surely not now. The bear had had all the time in the world to strike, and it chose now, now to start its attack on Torak. Why now? Why now to do it, and not any time before, just at the moment when Torak had no clue what to do, it had to begin attacking now. Then Torak remembered his father’s words. He had to fight the bear on top of the mountain: that was the time when he had the most chance to defeat the bear: it was strong, but on the mountain, it would be weakened and Torak would have a chance, no matter how small to defeat the bear. He still had no weapons he could use to defeat the bear, so he had to gain some if he wanted to have chance to fight the situation he was in. The bear had to have a weak point somewhere upon its body, for every single creature had to have one: that was the order of the world spirit — if it did not have one, it couldn’t be a creature upon the earth that did not have one. But the question was where would it be? Torak had not a single clue as to where it could be. Its head was protected by a skull. Its chest and most inner parts were protected by its hands: but the clue was in the word ‘most’, for its back was not protected: and a sword could be used to attack it. But how would he ever managed to even reach the back of the bear. That was an important question, one that Torak could not even begin to answer.
He simply first had to distract the bear, and stop it from killing him on the spot, which Torak did by ascending the mountain at high speeds, to possibly distract the bear and confuse it, giving it time to draw its weapon. However, one problem was that Torak slipped halfway up the mountain and was therefore unable to complete his plan. Fortunately for him, Renn, who was right behind him, shot the bear with an arrow, almost having no effect, but simply annoyed the bear and allowed Torak to carry on with his plan and swiftly move upwards. Then, he began charging to the top, and now there was a small flicker of hope in his heart, he thought he was ready to start fighting the bear, and eventually, he vowed, to defeat it.
dudu
After many painstakingly long strides, he was nearly there, nearly at the top of the mountain. He didn’t want to look back for fear that the demon was too close behind him. He could practically smell its hot, fetid breath turning to ghosts in the cold mountain air. He was beginning to lose feeling in his limbs. It was a slow, torturous feeling, he thought, as the numbness crept up his arm. But he could not back down; he could not surrender to a painful death in the hands of the bear. He would not die the same death as his father. He had done this for his father, taking revenge in his father’s name. So he could not do anything but keep grasping at slippery rock ledges, praying that they would not break and send him plunging into the merciless blizzard below.
He did not expect to see another human at the top, floundering about as the tearing winds ripped at its mere, fragile mortal body. It was not the confident, brash young man Torak had faced in a fight to the death; it was a ragdoll battered around by the relentless winds. How ironic. How funny. Torak felt the urge to laugh, to let his laughter rip through his cold-cracked lips as he took in the scene before him. Then he remembered his priorities. Wolf was beside him, howling and persevering through the winds. He lost sight of Hord, focusing only on the snow in front of him. Step, push. He dragged himself away from the bear, fueled by his fear and will to live. The wind rushed past his ears. Wolf had stopped howling. Torak, look behind you. And he was just fast enough to dodge Hord’s axe whistling past his ear.
#TIger
‘Hord!’ shouted Torak. ‘What are you doing here? You need to get out, now! You’re in danger!’
Despite what Hord had done to him, Torak secretly forgave him before. Now, his main focus was destroying the bear and helping Hord walk out this place alive.
‘I am here to end all this. To make my ancestors proud of who i am.’ shouted Hord over the roaring wind. ‘To end you.’
‘I am trying to protect you.’ cried Torak, wishing that Hord could become more sensible. ‘Look, I AM TRYING TO HELP YOU.’
‘I DO NOT NEED YOU TO PROTECT ME, I AM A MAN WHO IS ABLE TO FEND HIMSELF?’ roared Hord, furious.
Hord lunged forward, and gripped his knife more tightly. ‘I WILL destroy the bear. And THIS time, I would do anything, even kill, to achieve that’ he vowed, and his voice was barely audible that it felt like he just breathed the words out softly, regardless of the hint of threat.
Hord slashed his knife viciously, as if he was a caveman, wild and desperate, and reached out for Torak.
#Bai
Hord had tried to kill him, and why: just to get some glory. Why had Hord done this? Torak had not done anything to him: he was just trying to save the world from a demon bear. He just asked Hord, “Why have you done this?”
Hord didn’t even look back at him: he just replied, “I needed to save the world. For I was partially involved in creating the bear, although I was an unwitting member of such a creation. It was a winter quite a few summers ago. I was meeting with an old acquaintance of mine: we had not met for many summers since, and I had not known what his personality was like. He still seemed to be the cheery man I had met before, although now do I know I was fully wrong. He simply asked for me to help him one small favour, one which I could not decline, for he had saved my life many years ago. He just asked me to catch a bear for him. This seemed like a small job, for I had completed many harder tasks before. And so I agreed to do such a thing. And then I went in the forest and caught a bear for him. He thanked me and said that this would come very useful in his experiments. And to think that, on that very dau that I was glad to have helped him. I couldn’t imagine what this could have been like. I could not believe what I had done that day: I had myself, unleashed a beast that is still slaying people today. Every single day, when there is someone in this clan that dies, I blame myself for not doing as much as I possible could to save them. Even now, I feel like I have the blood on my hands for not saving them while I still could have done so. And now, I must stop any more people from dying, I, and I myself, must slay the bear and send it to its grave. You cannot play a part in this. You may be the Listener, I don’t care: for I will slay you to kill the bear, you must die for me to succeed. ”
And as Hord took out a knife and began to run towards Torak, Torak thought his life would very soon be over. All that he had worked for: would that all be gone forever, just because Hord wanted to kill the bear?
boba dudu
No. It would not be over. Fa had given his life for Torak to live; Torak did not want to think that Fa had died in vain. It was not worth it. He realized that Hord was too forward; he was leaning all of his weight on the front leg. If Torak could just knock down his front leg or exert a little more pressure on his front leg, Hord would fall, giving Torak the split second he needed to run. He was about to knock down Hord’s front knee when a splitting roar shook the land around him. Torak was up and running.
The Listener gives his heart’s blood to the Mountain. His heart’s blood. Wolf. He knew what to do. He called Wolf, untying the ravenskin pouch and the rowan box from his belt.
“Take it. TAKE IT!” he trembled as he handed it to Wolf. He looked into Wolf’s ochre eyes for one heart-trending moment before looking away. He must not become too attached to Wolf. It would not help the process if he died.
Torak watched Wolf disappear over the mountain. Hord snarled, a low, guttural growl before staggering over the ledge into the bear’s waiting arms. Then, before the snow could hit him, he threw himself off the edge, catching onto the overhang. The World Spirit had heard his plea. The snow flew over the edge in a tongue of deadly ice, killing the demon and Hord almost instantly. They would have felt no pain, but it was not easy. Perhaps Torak could now consider himself a murderer next to the title of demon-slayer and Listener. He looked out across the ravine. He could see over it clearly – that was a good sign. He had not been buried alive. He had fulfilled Fa’s oath. He had taken the Nanuak to the Mountain. But there was one thing, just one thing, missing.
(hint: its wolf)
# tiger
‘i wanna take a picture with cardi b’ ……._______…….________>>>>>—->>>>->>>>___=+++
Wolf.
Torak could barely see the horrific sight.
Wolf was there, his body weak and powerless against the bear’s jaws. He understood it now. He finally understood. Wolf was the sacrifice, not him. Wolf, his greatest friend. Wolf, the one who helped him undestand everyone. No, he couln’t lose him. Torak just laid on the ground, his eyes searching for a hint- or something that would help him stop this from happening.
It was too late.
The bear bit. It gnashed Wolf as if it were a bone. Wolf was looked down at Torak, and howled- his voice barely audible ‘Packs stay together’.
‘NO!’ cried Torak weakly. ‘WOlf, stay with me please.’
It all happened so quickly- Wolf was flung away by the bear, yet the bear was destroyed. It could not end that way. Torak was willing to die for wolf. For him. Him only.
The prohphecy was fulfilled.
#Bai
Where was Wolf when he needed him? Wolf. The one and only companion that had helped him through him the times that he had been alive. A friend, they had almost been bounded together by life, the one thing that had kept them together through the times. So many things they had survived together, but now that the bear was dead, Torak had thought that they could still be together, after so much that they had survived, but now that the bear had been destroyed, Wolf was also dead. There were no emotions to describe Torak’s misery. He simply could not believe what had happened to his best friend: the person that he had loved, even though it was only a wolf, Wolf had been one of Torak’s only friends. He had been so disappointed in himself for not keeping his friend alive, even though it had done so for him, he was so disappointed. There was now a sagging feeling in his heart, for not keeping his friend alive. How? WHY? What had he done to deserve this horrible mess that he was in? He felt so sorry for Wolf wherever he was now, even if he was watching over him, he hadn’t deserved this. Wolf, always the helpful companion, now dead? That was unbelievable. How was that even possible? Torak wanted to believe that all of this was a joke, but he couldn’t. He burst into tears, mourning his best friend forever. He couldn’t think about why he lost such a good companion. It really wasn’t fair on him, not fair on him to have been forced this. He stroked Wolf’s fur once again, feeling the wonder of it: he was so disappointed in himself in allowing himself to have failed to save the life of Wolf. After everything that Wolf had done for him, he just let him die like that, without even a care for his safety. If he could have done anything back then to save him, he would have done so, but he couldn’t change that now. Why had he not thought of Wolf? Everyday, Wolf had thought of him, to bring him food, to let him, help him, save him when he was in the water, but now he had been let down. He couldn’t do this anymore. He just wanted Wolf back to help him and to let him survive everyday and so they could live together now that the bear was destroyed.
dudu
Surely he could not. Wolf was his companion, guide, and friend in the dark times when Fa had passed. Was he buried under the many layers of ice, trapped? No. Surely not. Then, there it was. The slight harmonizing note of a howl. It was so slight that no ears, but ears in denial, such as Torak’s, could hear it. And to Torak, it was the most beautiful tune he had ever heard. But it was also the saddest. It was a thankful, grateful tune, a happy yip, and a sad farewell. Torak knew what it meant immediately. Wolf, his best friend for the past few weeks, was gone. He would never come back. He was gone, off to be with ones of his kind. His own kind. Torak knew this day would come; he was being selfish to hope that Wolf would stay. He just hadn’t expected that he would go so… quickly. So abruptly.
The following days were dull, uneventful. Torak had expected to wake up to Wolf’s energetic whines, but there was silence. Silence only marred by the soft snores of Raven Clan. There was a chasm in his heart where Wolf used to be. But Wolf was gone, taking a chunk of Torak’s heart with him. Days were monotonous without him, each day blurring into the next. Sometimes he even duped himself into believing that Wolf was outside, pawing at him to go out and play, only to be hit by the harsh reality that Wolf was gone. Gone. Not there with Torak, but bouncing about with other canines, being happy whilst Torak wasn’t. He knew he was being selfish, he knew he was holding Wolf back, but there was one small greedy part of him that still longed for Wolf, hoping he would be unhappy with his new company, hoping irrationally that he would come back. He didn’t.
#Tiger
Renn felt the pain much as Torak did. Unlike, other girls, who would burst into tears, he was brave. And that was a difference.
‘Don’t worry’ comforted Renn half heartedly. ‘He’s still alive!’
Torak shook himself and cried angrily. ‘No! Its all my fault. I should have died. I seen it renn, I seen it happen.’
‘I know’ said Renn softly.
Torak was quiet.
The days passed quickly, it seemed as if the days were repeating themselves over and over. SOmetimes, Torak would whistle for Wolf, hoping he’d come one day, from the dead. But of course there was no answer. It felt like the connection between Torak and the Wolves had been lost
#Bai
How could Wolf be gone? How, just how could this have happened? Everything was going so perfectly, just fine when it happened. When the end of Wolf came to Torak, no one could have deserved such a terrible thing to happen to them like that. How could that have happened? They were going to defeat the bear when it simply happened to them when all of a sudden, out came the bear, killing the only friend that Torak had ever had. This wasn’t fair at all on them. Why was this happening to him? Every day, he thought to himself, “What did I ever do to deserve this? What did Wolf ever do to deserve this treatment? Why did the World Spirit have to do this to me, even though I was working so hard every single day to save the world from the end of the world, and then simply punish me for doing nothing wrong. All I ever wanted was a proper companion to help me along with my travels, to keep me happy, to stop me from dying. Wolf wasn’t only my friend. He was my guard, my everlasting supporter, who would never abandon me, and always be there to support me, as well as guide me through all kinds of peril. He would hunt me food, and now I simply can’t believe I abandoned him. If I could go back and save Wolf, but have the bear living, I would, for love is more, infinitely more than the evil bear. If only I could go back in time and do such a thing, I would do it on my life, if I could do such a thing. Only now I wish Wolf was not dead. Right now I could wish so many things, so many things I would change in the world right now, but at the top of the list would be Wolf. How could Wolf have died after everything he did. This was being cruel, the World Spirit simply punishing all of us. How could this be? How could this be? I saved the world, and in return I get the death of Wolf? I just don’t understand how this could be? Where is the love of the World Spirit? Must it punish me so terribly like this? No, I can’t believe it. I simply can’t. How can this even be possible? I’m sorry Wolf. I shouldn’t have abandoned you so terribly like this and left you to be killed so ruthlessly by the bear.”
dudu
There it was. His lifeline. The only thing keeping him from accepting Wolf’s death. The faint, harmonizing note of a wolf’s howl. It was Wolf’s; he was sure of it. He had never been so sure of anything.
Where are you? he howled back. There was a pause, and for a moment, Torak was scared that he had imagined it and that Wolf was dead, really this time. But no. It came back. This time Torak traced the sound, scared that if he left Wolf for too long, he would freeze, his efforts would be for nothing, and Wolf would die.
But no. Wolf was there. Torak braved through the blizzard, passing mounds of snow and white silhouettes that seemed to lean over Torak, whispering secrets that none could uncover. But there he was. A mere imprint in the snow. Barely alive. As he heard Torak approaching, he let out a soft whine, so soft that Torak barely heard it. He scooped him up, clutching him tightly to his chest as if he were his lifeline. He made his way back, stumbling over snowdrifts and depressions in the ground. But still, they persevered, walking back to the mountain where Renn would be waiting.
But Renn, however, was not there. The mountain was bare, devoid of all life except for them. They would have no hope of surviving in these conditions. They couldn’t even start to manoeuvre themselves down the mountain in Wolf’s condition, and they had no chance of calling for help. They were doomed a slow, painful death on the mountain of their hope.
#Tiger
The snowstorm then came, it blinded both their eyes, and it was nearly hopeless for them to survive. The air was attacking them, ripping them up piece by piece. The rain which looked like little white pebbles that were hurtled to them, raided the sky. Except… there was a hole in the ground, a shelter, for one. Then it all happened in a second.
You must not give up on Wolf. Not ever. said a tiny voice in Torak’s head.
“Let him be” said stronger voice “He’s a wolf, a survivor. Now, you must survive yourself”
Torak struggled between those two thoughts for a millisecond. Without thinking, he ducked under the hole, leaving Wolf. Moments later, the snowstorm was no longer present. Wolf was gone, with only one piece of fur left behind. His conscience controlled him. Torak kicked himself in the ..s shin. How could he have abandoned Wolf, his Wolf. He was ashamed, and lost. Renn found him, comforting Torak half heartedly.
“Wolf could be alive. I mean- you didn’t see him die, didn’t you.” said Renn, trying to be cheerful. This only made Torak more guiltier.
‘It’s not like you meant it. You didn’t know him as I did” interrupted Torak sharply.
“I do mean it, I really do Torak. He was also my best friend.” cried Renn.
“You- you weren’t there with us. Why didn’t you follow us? We could’ve saved Wolf.” shouted Torak angrily.
Renn left slowly, looking hurt. Her smile fade. He felt a twinge of guilt- he shouldn’t have said that to Renn, she was trying to help him after all.
‘Renn, I’m sorry… I didn’t mean it.” called out Torak regretfully.
“No. You are right. I didn’t help you. I didn’t save Wolf. It is all my fault.” said Renn, tears trickling down her eyes. “I should’ve followed and helped you and Wolf.”
#B. ai
How, after he had found Wolf, could he have abandoned such a good friend of his, after luckily finding him by accident, how? He had betrayed Wolf, perhaps not intentionally, but yet still he had done this twice, betrayed him, betrayed him. This was shocking. How could he do such a thing, to something so dear to him, to someone that had helped him so many times? Wolf, gone, deep in the snow, perhaps never to be seen again by another fellow Wolf or human. How could such a thing have happened, so quickly after finding him. So quickly, without even a hesitation, the World Spirit had thrown away his every chance of ever seeing Wolf ever again, with no chance of glimpsing him ever again. Torak couldn’t even believe himself. Twice he had done such a thing: he had abandoned Wolf to die. His sole purpose in life, to protect his fellow creature, and he had failed to do so twice. How, why? He simply hadn’t been thinking about what he had been needing to do. He had been given two chances, something most people didn’t get, a luxury which he had carelessly thrown away at the expense of a life, something that only the World Spirit could give. It had trusted Torak, and what had he done: simply tossed it away without even having a thought. Not even paying it any attention, he didn’t even know whether was sane or not anymore, for what he had done was a madman’s action, an insane person that shouldn’t be trusted with anything. Life was the only thing that he had had another of, and now this was his punishment. Faced with regret, Torak thought “How could I have done such a terrible thing. I simply could not believe that there could have been such a thing to cause to Wolf. Wolf was my only companion, my only friend, and now look at what has happened to me and Wolf. He’s gone and what caused to happen, there can only be one reason for this to have all happened: me. I killed Wolf, if not with my bare hands, then with my spirits, my actions and my thoughts. No, no, no. I cannot imagine what happened to Wolf, and what pain he must be in right now because of what I have caused to him, the pain. I can only wait and hope that nothing has happened to him because of me.”
dudu
Torak was in doubt. He really wanted to believe that he had not killed Wolf, but there was a small voice in the back of his head nagging him, a small weedy voice that he recognized as his own.
How do you know it wasn’t you? You lost Wolf, and now you’ve abandoned him, killing him. He probably was so lost, wondering why you had abandoned him. His last moments must have been so sad. It laughed an evil cackling sound that pierced through his flesh, jarring his bones. Torak covered his ears, willing away the thoughts. It was too much, all of it. He tried to comfort himself by thinking positive thoughts. They hadn’t found Wolf’s body, had they? He could still be alive. But the chances of his survival were meagre. He had survived once; surely he could survive again? Last time (when Torak had abandoned him, the voice in his reminded him), he was barely alive. Considering the condition that he had been left in last time, it was not difficult to believe that Wolf would not survive. Wolf was dead. As dead as Fa. As dead as the demon bear that had killed Fa. As dead as his hope that he was alive.
Wolf was hanging on to life by a thread. He was wavering in and out of consciousness. He could not understand. Tall Tailless had left him. He had abandoned him. His pack-brother had abandoned him. His brother had abandoned him, leaving him to die. Well, he would survive and show him that he was fully capable of surviving without him. Or not. The ice was sapping his energy, draining him of his hope to survive. He was helpless. He could only lay there, helpless as his world disintegrated around him.
#tiger
should we end this soon? It’s a bit repetitive. Srry I didn’t really write long bc 1) idk what to write 2) I was busy :/ Tysm for understand xx✨💅🏻
It was it, he thought. This was the end. The last. Fate had planned him already- and there was no knowing what to do next. Yet he was too late… he could’ve prevented this tragedy. But he didn’t. He threw himself to the grass, blinking rapidly over and over. Every day, he shook himself and pretended it was a dream. He waited. Day after day, there was no hope. It had all gone.
#Bai
It was all wrong. Everything was gone, done, disappeared into who knows where, for Wolf had almost been killed, gone, for a long while at least, and he would never see him ever again, because of the fact that he had had the chance to save Wolf, but he hadn’t. What happened was shocking. Who could have done such a terrible thing except him, Torak, the fool who had betrayed his own friend for his own safety, who had saved the world, but destroyed a friend. He knew that Wolf would have never ever did this to him, for to him Torak was his friend, his saviour, his hero that had os graciously saved him, and yet Torak had still treated him like so harshly, so unkindly to him, to his best friend, saviour of the world, the one who had sacrificed himself to the world. But the worst part was that Torak had betrayed Wolf twice. The first time he had keft hin ti face the bear alone, a terrible mistake that had kill the bear nad meant it so that Wolf would never face the light of day ever again. But the second time, Torak had found Wolf, for the World Spirit had rewarded hm for his flauing of the bear, and what had he done? He had made the same mistake twice in a row: he had taken Wolf and tossed him away and away until he was lost again. What kind of person was he, to do this to such a friend, such a good friend was he. He was not a friend, almost an enemy of Wolf if he were to do a thing to him. It had been as if Wolf had had the chance to save him, but he had not, and instead killed him, biting his heart out and eating his guts. He was simply doing that as if he was Wolf. He still could not get over the regret he faced every day, for doing such a horrible thing to him, and he wished, only if he had been given a second chance, that would have been fantastic, but now it would have to be a third chance. Surely he could not betray Wolf a third time, surely he could not do such a thing, a horrible thing, and yet that was what he had said last time. All he needed was a third chance.
dudu
@tiger yeah sure it is and theres not really anything else to write. but im not ending it. oh btw if we’re writing Edge, i dibs twig.
It was almost as if Fate had taken pity on him. As if it had thought, “Oh yeah, there’s an orphan boy who’s lost his pet, let’s give it back to him,” or it was simply just a coincidence. Torak was grateful for whatever had kept Wolf alive long enough for his willpower to push him through. Or if it was just Wolf, with his love for Torak. Whatever it was, Torak was happy that Wolf had made it back. But not without cost. Wolf had dragged himself back due to an infected wound on his hind leg. It was cut to the bone, and Torak could see the layers of rotting flesh. Wolf whined sadly, pawing the ground in pain. Pus and blood trickled into the snow around it, turning the snow beneath Wolf a shade of claret. Renn ran up to him, paling when she saw the cut on his leg.
“Saeunn’s on her way,” she said, kneeling beside Torak. She started scooping handfuls of snow on the cut, ‘to clean the wound,’ she said. Torak could see the dull pain glinting in Wolf’s eyes lighten as if the snow were numbing the pain. So he joined Renn, the two of them rubbing snow against Wolf’s leg as they waited for Saeunn.
From the corner of his eye, Torak saw the hunched figure of an old lady trudging through the snow. Saeunn was holding a basket of herbs and her ritual stones. She crushed herbs into the snow, mixing it vigorously as it turned a pale shade of green. She scooped it onto Wolf’s leg and wrapped it in pounded deer skin as Renn lay out the stones in a circle. Saeunn lit an animal-fat candle and placed it next to Wolf, who was too clouded with pain to realise.
“And now,” Saeunn announced, “We wait,”