For the first time in a long while I look at the map in my menu. Since I was always moving forward into the unknown, it never did me any good, but if I am going to survive the bear I need to know the lay of the land. The bear seems to have its nest up near the small waterfall along the same rocky cliff side. The lake is large, so I could always settle further away, but all the surrounding area is likely its hunting ground. The lack of any decent sized animal around here is probably due to the bear. The area is heaven for small animals that don't interest the bear but hell for any larger animal.

My level would likely also go up if I managed to kill it. I could dig a pit, which would be the surest way to kill it, but the idea of being surprised by it while effectively digging my own grave does not tempt me. To pierce its hide you would probably need its own weight or at least the force of a small car hitting it with a sharp object.

My first concern is keeping tabs on the bear. Looking at my skills menu the only thing that can help me seems to be the alert skill which is already at level 6. Not surprising consider how dependent I am on it. My analyze skill, which is my most actively used skill is at level 5. Analyze the alert skill, can it be more proactively used in combination with the map?

The answer comes up immediately; "Alert can be designated to an explored area on the map cloning your presence at the area, providing both an alert at approaching hostiles and limited hostile designation to be shown on the map." Well that was a mouthful. I look up map on the menu, and select the area explored closest to where I think the bear is located. A red point with a radar circle appears on the map. I can see a designated hostile with description horned beast bear outside my explored area at the edge of the radar area.

With my early alert set up, I start contemplating traps. Now I can safely dig a pit at my current location, but it would still be dangerous any closer to the bear. Earlier I found an animal trail close to the lake, I decide to start my pit a bit further into the forest on the trail. I spend the better part of two days digging the pit and erecting spears at the bottom. After covering it over, I am pleased that I at least got a backup plan. Can't hurt to have a pit trap.

If I get chased by the bear I might be able to lure it into the pit, but I would rather not be running ahead of that thing. It looks surprisingly fast. Despite my fears I scout the area nearer to the bear, and end up being chased out by the bear a couple of time, but it never follows me all the way to the pit. I have to think of another trap.

A few days later I sit in a tree near the bears nest looking down at my fish being cooked on a fire. This should be a workable bait. In front of the fire I have softened the ground with water stored in my soul storage from the lake and laid down some of my vine rope as part of a trap. I have no illusions about the rope being able to hold the bear. I just need it to get entangled. The hungry bear goes straight for the fish. At least it is not smart. As it steps onto my vines I set off the trap. The vines tighten using counter levers lifted up into nearby trees. The bear immediately pull at them, but the slack is too great for it to tear it clean off. Too bad, they were only the distraction!

Seconds after the trap is set off two massive spear tipped logs ram into either side of the bear piercing both its sides. All the work of creating those two rams and lifting them up into the trees with vines and counter weights using rocks from my storage pays off. The bear looks severely injured. Analyze tells me it is mortally wounded, but it is not dead yet. Climbing out on the limb of the branch I summon my largest rocks from storage. Each precisely hitting the bear on hit head until it lays still.

It is still not dead. Dying, unconscious, but I need to deliver the final blow. Even I feel guilty for letter it suffer this long. Climbing down from my tree I summon my longest strongest flint tipped spear. Moving closer to its head for a killing stroke I am not even sure I can deliver, I get a nasty surprise when the bear stands up roaring only feet away from me. Instinctively I jam the spear into its open mouth and summon the rest of my large stones in my storage.

Jumping back I dodge my own barrage of rocks. The spear is lodged in the upper half of the bears throat and jammed into the ground. Each rock hitting its head drives the spear tip deeper into its head. It dies within seconds. Looking at the conclusion of what was almost a disaster, I feel really lucky.