The fight had been short and violent. Bloodied and broken claws raking through fur and flesh, tearing off whole chunks. The White Beast had pinned Cogar to the ground, his massive fists smashing down on his breaking body when the fires had struck and the beacon arose in defiance. When the fire had died down again, the White Beast was white no more, but charred, black and red, burned and smoking. The beast that had been Cogar had used his chance, crunching up the throat of his enemy, clamping down on the windpipe with his jaws. Shaking. Tearing. Ravaging. It had just been a matter of time after that.

The man, not the beast, was laying there beside me on the edge of the marshes. I had dragged him away finally, away from the waters, where Thousand Teeth still lurked, albeit blinded and hurt. We were saying nothing. Just heavy breathing and a wince or hiss of pain here and there. Between us was a little fire Cogar had started with a flick of his wrist before he had collapsed on the ground.

"Part of me wants to take the opportunity and hunt that crocodile while it is weakened.“ I said, barely awake.

Cogar tried to stifle his amusement, but couldn‘t and grimaced in pain as his broken ribs moved with the snickering. His shapechanging did heal some of the damages, but I had found his Wyldling form broken and hurt anyway when the fight had been over. He was in way better shape than before he had changed, but he could not ignore the worst of what he had suffered.

"Let that ancient thing rule a little longer over this forsaken swamp. We owe him.“ he smiled.

I nodded. There was nothing in this world that could have convinced me to get up anyway.

"This went better than expected.“ I said finally after I had studied the tiny fire a little while.

"That is for damn sure.“ Silence. "I don‘t know what you did, but I have a pretty big notification here, that I will read when my eyes can focus again.“

"Tell me when its time. I need some shut-eye.“

Cogar groaned at the mentioning of sleep. "It is not done yet. The hunt I mean.“

I sat up. "What?“

"I have to devour its heart. Body warm. The hunter consumes the strength, and other favorable attributes, of its prey. And its spirit. Most importantly its spirit.“

"Oh gods.“

"Not looking forward to that part. But it is important. To honor my challenger and all he lived for. To honor the spirit totems. It is a rite of passage, a celebration of victory for the sacred hunters. And the finale.“

I thought for a moment, then just fell back closing my eyes. "You do you.“ I said.

He coughed. "I kind of can‘t walk. And it is not before next sunrise I can change again. I don’t know if the eclipse has influence on that or not.“

"I can’t feel my leg, Cogar.“ I tried. And it was true. The White Beast had gotten to me in the pursuit and it had not helped that I waded through mud and nasty water with a crippling, open wound on my leg.

"I can‘t feel any of them.“ He replied. And that was that.

"Give me an hour. Just an hour. Surely the heart is warm still. That thing is huge. Oh gods, that thing is huge, its heart must be enormous.“

Cogars head hit the ground with an audible thunk. "Fuck me.“

I waded to the Beast with a crutch under my armpit. It had been a pain in the ass to get there through the mud. But not nearly as much as the next task had been. Carving up the hide of the beast, which was an inch thick but dry and crisp because of the firestorm that had hit the beast. I had only a dagger with me and I was digging a tunnel through flesh and blood. The dagger felt as useful as a spoon. I had a little raft floating behind me, that Zero was dragging, and holding together, happily celebrating his own victories with emphatic bobbing of his head.

"Your good mood annoys me.“ I said when I came out of the carcass, catching a breath from breaking and ripping out the heavy ribs.

He deigned to regard me with a look, before taking up his dance again.

"Why are you so happy anyway?“ I asked. "I mean despite the obvious, of course.“ I slapped the flesh around me. I had climbed on the thing and stood up to my knees in the innards.

No reaction. I mean, he was a chain. What did I expect?

The heart was as big as a ripe watermelon. Knowing that Cogar had to eat that thing raw was payment enough for this shit. Having to see him doing it would ruin the moment of schadenfreude thoroughly, though.

Zero dragged the heart back on the raft, I limped behind them through mud and water, swearing up a storm.

I had taken a little distance, making my own fire a few steps away. His task was sacred to him and private, and I didn‘t want to see him eating a fucking heart raw, so I left.

"It has not only spiritual meaning but a real purpose.“ The dark, rumbling voice of Bear said, as he trundled around the tree I was at and sat down beside me, watching over to his follower at the other fire with pride.

"Can he see you?“ I asked.

"No.“

"Why do you come to me twice and to a follower of you and the Chosen of your clan not once?“

"Because to talk to mortals is to be done with a delicate touch. And much much harder. You are a godling. Twice-Born even.“

"Where is the difference?“

"Some people are born godlings. Others fight for it. You were chosen.“

"What is the purpose of eating the heart, then?“

He shook himself, the specks of silvery light he had in his fur dancing around us for a second. Then he laid down, still overshadowing me.

"To consume the spirit of a spirit beast has many uses. This was his first. It can change the path his classes take. Even grant new ones. It depends on the desires of him, his personality and the history of his hunt. And it will influence into what his [Prey] class will change. At the very least he will be able to change into the forms of spirit beasts, once he has consumed them.“

We said nothing for a while. He staring at the feast one fire over, I pointedly looking anywhere else but there.

"You did what I hoped for, and more.“ Bear finally said. "Your quest is complete.“

I received a notification about the successful quest and the 100 EPs and 5 Shards I had gained. I was tempted to try and heal my body immediately with that amount, but greed won out, as so often. I kept it.

"What you have done is not unheard of. Gods granting levels to their followers. You are no god, but you wield the same power. What is unheard of is a godling doing it for followers of other divine beings. For a mortal enemy of your people, even. And you had souls with you that trusted you enough, and sacrificed themselves out of their own volition, to rescue a member of the people who murdered them.“

"Huh. Yeah. That sounds like what happened. I am not so sure myself. Did you watch the whole thing?“

"I did. It was a miracle.“ He said mirthfully with a twinkle in his eye. Had it been a miracle, a true one? "Do you know what happens when a god grants a level to a mortal?“ He asked.

Oh oh. I was very awake now. "No, I do not.“

"They are bound. There are many names for it. Chosen. Companions. Acolytes. Apostles. Call it what you will.“

"But but...“I stammered. "Wasn‘t he supposed to be chosen by you?“

"Yes. And he is.“ He threw a look of fatherly love to Cogar. "He is the only chance the clans have now. But we have a puzzle here now, do we not?“

"No. No, we do not. Listen, Bear. I have given the level freely and without any ulterior motives. I am not buying companions with Essence.“

"I thought as much. And I am glad there is no strife between us about this. But you are bound to him nonetheless, by fate if nothing else. But I give my blessing. You deserve it, to be called friend of the Chosen. To choose Cogar for the sacred hunt was taking a big chance. His victory was in no small part yours. You may live.“

"Uhh. Thanks.“

He nodded gravely. "Now, we both know that you unleashed a danger unto my lands that is killing my clan.“

I went still. Very, very still.

"Eagle is dead. Lion as well. Their clans were decimated too much. The others wane. Snake has consumed them, corrupted by the darkness as he is and with the power of countless sacrifices. I will be next because my clan is hunted through the night as we speak, but I have a handful of followers still and a Chosen to lead them.“ He looked at me very seriously now. „I will cease to be what I am, my clan is dying and my power with it. If Snake finds me, Bear will die.“ He repeated.

"I...I am sorry.“

"Don‘t be. It is survival of the strongest, in the Wyld as well as everywhere. I may not have the intelligence of Owl or the cunning of Snake, but wisdom is mine. I have another quest to give you if you will hear me.“

"Of course I will.“ I tried sitting up but only managed to shuffle my back a bit higher.

"While the darkness of the deep mountains devours the lands and the darkness of the corrupted Snake Clan devours the rest of the clans, there are followers of the true path of the Wyld still. Like Cogar here. But they are few and they are hunted. The Chosen will seek them and bring them to safety. But there is no safety where once the spirit totems and their people ruled. I know that you travel dangerous paths and new ones, and I see hope in the path you may carve through the Wyld where it is strongest, with the sheer power of your will. I task you with finding a safe place for the true Wyldlings of the old ways and to find a way the Chosen can walk to bring his people to safety.“

This was a moment heavy with the weight of history. It was a crossroad in the fate of the Wyld. And I at its very center. I read the text of the quest carefully. And once more.

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

Find a safe path through the heart of the Wyld and the Broken Lands and find a safe place for the Wyldlings of the old ways. A place to shelter from the corruption and the destruction of their people, lands, and ways and a place to rebuild their strength and fight for their future.

Reward: Unknown]

"Is there something you know about the way I am traveling, that I do not?“ I asked him. It was strange to me that he seemed to know so much about where I was heading. And that my journey coincided with his needs.

"I do not. I know what my people know. But your patron knew more.“

"Ah.“ Of course. The Wanderer had visited me in the territory of the Bear. Of course, they have met. "And did he specify what he has planned for me?“

"He did not. Nor do I believe that he plans much. Decisions are yours to make, not his or mine.“

"Well, he clearly thinks that there is something there and that I can get there. He has not led me wrong thus far. I will find a way. For Cogar, if not for anyone else. But the quest did not offer a reward. Why is that?“

"Because I will cease to be. I can only promise you all I can give if fate wills it. My chosen will carry my will with him, while I sleep in hibernation. It is in his hands if he can revive the clans and wake me again. If not, I will get swept away by the darkness as all the others, and be forgotten in time.“

I nodded. It was a grave situation, and yet I was detached from it. I felt no real sadness, just a hint of melancholy. I felt no special sympathy for Bear other than the companionship I felt towards his Chosen. He had extorted me for my support of his cause with death as punishment for failure, which had cost him a lot of sympathies. But I took him and his plea seriously. That much I owed a being of his power.

"Excuse me then, and farewell. I have to speak to my Chosen.“ Bear said with finality and got up, walking over to his follower.

And soon enough he was no more.