As soon as Cogar had said that, he was thrown through the air with great force. I could see the skin of his breast splitting apart as if a giant claw had lashed out. Blood was spraying in a high arc, following the tumble Cogar made in the air and on the ground. It went over so quickly, he did not even get to scream. I did though. Startled and shocked I ran over to him, just to see that he was not wounded at all. And there was no blood. But his shirt was torn and there were three thick scar-like marks on his belly as if the wound, I had just seen him receive, had been there for years.

I spun around, looking for an attacker.

Something growled. So deep and guttural that my body started to tremble that very moment under the force of the sound. I tried to tumble backwards, but I was frozen in place. [Breaker of Chains] activated and I felt the pressure around me easing, so I made a few steps back, looking around in hectic angst. Another roar caught me and this time my Skill failed me. I stood still, completely bound in fear like a startled deer.

The very air grew heavy around me and cold enough to bite flesh. The light dimmed, I felt isolated, and as if my field of view was twisted and warped, as if I was pulled into another, more alien space. Even the sounds of nature around us died out until nothing was left than the blood rushing through my ears. I kind of felt similarly detached from reality as if I had entered my Demesne, only without any sense of calm, familiarity, or safety.

Heavy thuds and the rustling of the branches heralded the arrival of the beast, that heaved himself onto our small hilltop. It was a bear, larger than any I ever saw, larger than two horses on top of each other, that towered above me now. The bear was a brown, but there were specks of silver twinkling in his fur. He seemed to glow from within in vibrant colors, but so faintly I dared not trust my eyes. His eyes were clear and icy blue though and he stared at me with an angry and intelligent gaze that pierced my soul, unearthed all that I was in a single glance. Or so it felt. He huffed and a veritable wind of warm breath tussled my hair and carried a musky smell with him.

"The White Beast?“ I mumbled in fear, my body shook involuntarily, a power oppressing me, that I had never felt before, not with anger and hunger. Maybe the Queen of the Magmaworms or the creature of fog and darkness I had fled from in the deep layers of the silent city, but neither of those had directed their frightening powerful, and sheer presence directly at me.

"I once was. Now I am totem of the Bear Clan. What is left of it. But you...“ his fist-size nose came so close to my face that I could feel the cold moisture on it. "You smell like a harbinger of change.“ The words were spoken directly into my mind with a deep subdued voice, but there was strength there. The voice could shatter the earth if raised to a shout. "Trespasser in my territory. You walk the Line.“

He was now walking around me, tasting the air. Growling with growing annoyance. His voice rose to angry levels, ringing in my head.

"You failed me thrice. Failed to defeat the Snakelord in your little lair of stone. Failed to keep the shadows beneath the mountains behind their bars and led them to my clan. Failed to not lead a favorite child of mine astray and into danger and the territory of a White Beast. I declare you prey of the Bear Clan. Prey of the Bear.“

I struggled to bring the words out. I was still shocked: "Why did you kill him?“ I tried to scream, but much more mumbled it. The restriction I felt on my movement was strong.

"Not killed. Marked. Mark of the beast. Hunt or be hunted.“

"Why?“

"Our rules. Not yours. Knows nothing of fire laws. Knows nothing of territories. Knows nothing of the sacred hunt. He entered the territory of the White Beast. Only one can return. I had to answer the call or forfeit his life on the spot. There is not much left of the Bear Clan, there was no choice at all. Even if it will cost us everything.“

He fixated me with his eyes. And images poured through my mind, scenes of beast and men in struggle and fight. One hunting the other, killing and feeding. An endless cycle of blood and death. Claws and teeth. Did I scream again? Maybe.

The bear continued: "You know it. The struggle. You did it. There is a beast inside you still. But I smell another master. Not friend. Not foe.“

"The Wanderer?“ I croaked.

"That one bears many names. And knows how to treat carefully. And with respect.“

"So do I! I just did not know!“

"And suffer for it you shall. There are no second chances in the Wyld. Such is nature. “

"Can`t we strike a bargain? You have not killed me yet. Is there nothing you want? Surely I can be more useful to you alive?“ I pleaded desperately.

"You are meager prey. But nourishment nonetheless. I eat, grow, get stronger. Even you count. You are nothing to me.“ His head swiveled over to where Cogar was laying unconsciously. "He is everything.“

"What of him?“ I got him talking. If I could keep him talking, he would not eat me, giving me time to think of something. Maybe.

"He can be Chosen. He knows the ways, old and new. He is strong, and yet no predator still. He can grow. He can bring change and wisdom and strength. He keeps the fire of his tribe. He can keep the fire of all clans burning through the darkness you unleashed under the mountains. If he is quick enough to rise to his task in time. Time is short for every beating heart in the Wyld.“

For a few moments, he said nothing and let a silence full of implied consequences hang between us. Then he focussed back on me, having made a decision.

"You are dead now. Mine.“ He said. "To live you will repay your debt.“

I sighed deeply. I had a chance. "What it is you want?“

"He is not ready. Not Chosen yet. Not hunter. But marked by the beast. You have a beast inside you. You know. Let him hunt his prey. If he dies, you die. If his quest fails, you die. If he survives his hunt and becomes what he can be, you live with my blessing.“

There was no room for debate because as soon as I took the breath to speak, his claw shot out and hit me as well. All went dark really quickly after that.

I came to me first, shuffling over to the fallen form of Cogar. Blue text blinked in the corner of my vision, but I ignored it for the time being. I shook him, looking him all over for any new wounds or opened old ones. I only released my breath when I found him unhurt. Well, not more hurt than expected. My life tied to his, I suddenly took his recovery efforts really seriously. He mumbled and moaned in a daze, but came to it under my constant shaking.

"Are you all right, big guy?“ I asked with worry in my voice. "You were thrown by something really hard. I have no idea what happened.“ I was blabbering now, as my mind was racing trying to decide what to reveal of my scary encounter.

Cogar patted himself groggily, noticing the tears in his shirt, then staring for a couple of moments at the white scars on his torso. He gulped and started to speak, but fell silent again, overwhelmed by the severity of his situation.

"This is bad.“ He finally got out. "Really bad.“

"Why? What happened?“

"A sacred hunt. The White Beast has marked me as its prey. And if my eyes don’t deceive me, the totem beast of my clan has answered the call. That means I cannot run, I cannot hide. I cannot evade the beast. I have to hunt it as it hunts me.“ His words grew heavy with worry.

"I have a clan to look after. I...left so much unfinished.“ he whispered, wrestling with his fate. He had obviously decided that a death sentence had been laid upon him.

"Then the choice is easy, is it not? Kill the beast and return.“

He laughed a barking and bitter laugh.

"I could not dream of such a feat, even if my arm had not been taken from me.“ He shook his stump at me. "I am a cook, as you said, and keep the fire. I have not even earned a warrior class or one of wyldshaper Skills in that battle in the woods. I fell in my first real fight. Quests such as these are for warriors of legend and the best hunters of the clans. Those that go on to write history with blade and bow. No, human, I am marked to feed the beast. I do not know how I angered the Bear, but he wants me dead. A snack to let the White Beast grow so that the next legend can face worthier a foe.“

"Bullshit!“ I yelled at him. "I saw you consume the fire, I saw you growing your arm out, changing your body mass. I have seen the raw strength of you. You are like no cook I ever heard of. Regrow your arm! We both know that you can do it. Regain your strength! And didn`t you tell me that all your warriors joined the Snakelord? There is no one left in this Bear Clan of yours to answer the call of your totem but you!“

He was stumped a second because of my outburst but soon started to count them down. "Well, there is Bagga, maybe Gront. Both better hunters. Regar is a better Axeman, he is level 17 and a [Lumberjack]...“

"And yet they fight a different foe, while you walk a path of chance and destiny. It falls to you, Cogar, to step up for your clan. I will help you. I fear no beast, white and sacred or not. It will walk into our traps either way.“

"You would help me? Why?“ He asked with suspicion.

"Because I have a quest to do so.“ I said honestly. "Your victory will be mine as well.“

He was shaking his head now. "You have to face the White Beast alone if you are marked by the totem beast. It is sacred. The sacred hunt does not test your ability to work together. It is simply the survival of the stronger beast. It is the test of the Chosen. Not the test of the abilities of a pack of hunters.“

"Then I will help you face it alone. I will deliver you the beast, so you can fight it head-on and win in honor and honesty. I will not leave you here wallowing in your dismay while there is still a chance for you. What is your plan, then? Lay yourself down to die? Or do you have enough fire in you to at least try and show your totem beast the best you can offer? And it might just be enough at the end, who knows?“

"You just don`t know what you are talking about.“ He shook his head. "The White Beast is a mighty foe.“

"Well. Then fight him on your terms. It is no duel, it is a hunt. And only fools would face an animal on equal footing. What are the exact rules of a sacred hunt?“

"I have never once seen it happen. But I know of them. You are right.“ he sat up, more steel in his eyes and his voice now. A hopeful ember of resolution. "I was marked. I have to give it my best shot. I owe Bear to at least die in the glory of his name.” He gestured to the hilltop. “Can you get me firewood and tinder? I need a fire now.“

We got busy immediately. I went around, collecting what fallen branches I could find. There were still plenty of trees around, so it was not too hard. Looking over the marches though, we had days ahead, where the fire would not burn as easily. I made sure to collect extra, maybe we could carry one or two bundles of firewood to our next resting spot.

Cogar had positioned himself already and carefully built an intricate pattern of wood with the branches I gave him. The result was a woven tower of wood, that burned high and hot, the air rushing upwards through the wooden chimney.

I heard him mumble a few words, he said them with a look at me and in my language for my benefit. “[All Fires are One]“

The rushing flames flared up even more, even higher, until the fire turned blue. Cogar leaned forward, studying the chaos with effort and concentration. Then, as quick as it had begun, the fire fell, the stack crumbled and all that was left behind was a handful of ash, blown away by the wind.

He spoke with a distant voice, and clearly a more intricate understanding of my language as if someone else was talking to me through the lips of Cogar:

"These are the rules of the sacred hunt, as remembered by the fires of the Wyld. A game of fate commences when a white beast marks his prey, while a totem marks its challenger. Only the fiercest predators become White Beasts, for they feast on the Wyld itself. If a White Beast catches his prey before the moon has completed a full cycle, he makes one more step on his way to become a spirit totem. If the challenger rises to the occasion and feasts on the flesh of their prey before the moon completed her journey, he becomes a predator and devourer of spirits, chosen by some totems. The hunt is a fight of dominance by apex predators. They hunt alone, they do not share the kill. They are cunning and fierce. They will not allow any challenger in their territories to live. It is sacred to the totems of the Wyld, for they won their challenges and issue new ones. Betray their wishes at your own peril.“

Then, as if the force had left the fire, the breath and the strange voice left Cogar and he collapsed a bit but caught himself with his good arm. "Apex predator?“ He chuckled that bitter laugh of his. "No one ever was farther away from deserving such a title.“

"But there is hope now, I feel. You must hunt alone. But I can help you along the way, we can prepare the battlefield, lay traps. I can provide while you get your strength back. Maybe I can even divert or fight the beast off if it comes for you before you are ready. Man can hunt beasts, Cogar. No matter the size. You just need the tools to do it. Men do not fight with ferocity or power alone, that is the way of the beasts. Men use their cunning as well.“

There was the fire in his eyes again, the glimmer of hope. Whatever he had seen in that fire had done more than my continued pep-talking, of that I was sure. We had a lot of work ahead of us.

I finally looked at the box of notifications that Lily had sent me.

[The totem beast Bear of the Bear Clan has issued you a divine quest!

Repay your debt to Bear of the Bear Clan by protecting the Wyldling Cogar on his sacred hunt and ensure his victory over the White Beast without violating the conditions of his success.

Reward: Bear will allow you to live. 100 Ep, 5 Shards]

"Lily!“ I spoke to the wind, "if you have any ideas, please share them with the rest of us.“

[I would advise you to not piss off divine bears in the near future. And other divine beings. Why don‘t you stop pissing off anyone for some time? That would be good. And try to come by soon, some gates are available. -Lily]