Falreath watched his friend slide over the trunk of the Audi determined to do what he could. His own eyes darted, on the lookout for anything that might give him an edge. Something to allow him to help his friend at that moment. His gaze locked onto the open driver’s door and in a bout of desperation, he tried to rip the open car door off its hinges. Instead his hands wrapped around the sheet metal and ripped off the edge of the door. He looked at the odd shaped bar and figured it was better than nothing.

A noise from the trunk drew his attention and he looked up from the bar just in time to catch a twelve-gauge semi auto shotgun from the air.

The next moment Hinklebottom closed the trunk and shouted, “We’re good.”

Falreath turned towards his friend and was momentarily stunned as Eldridge flew into the air from a backhand. He could see blood and bits of cloth flung into the air as his friend screamed out. Rage filled his mind as he leveled his shotgun and fired as quickly as the gun would allow. He knew he needed to hurry, from the angle of his flight, his friend would end up in the river, possibly unconscious or unable to swim. After a dry click he tossed the gun and the bar to the side and pivoted. His aim the river.

“Retreat!” He yelled as he tore off for the river down below. His eye caught movement from his left, but he couldn’t think on that at the moment, his friend would need him. He reached the cliff’s edge and jumped into the air, his legs and arms flailing as he hung suspended for a second or so. An instant before he hit the water his legs locked out and he smoothly broke the surface.

Jostled from the current, he bobbed under the water as he took an instant orient himself. The next thing he knew, he fought to reach the surface. He broke free and took a deep breath of fresh air and his body fought hard against the rushing rapids. His head tilted up in an effort to locate his friend. Instead of a human uncontrollably falling, he saw a monstrous bear in free fall, heading straight for him. In desperation he swam down river with the current, hoping it would be enough.

The beast hit the water; the current broke the wave feet from the impact. Falreath heard the roar echo behind him as the head broke from under the water. He continued to swim, his heart rapidly beating, unable to look behind him for fear of losing his lead.

** ** **

Byung’s pistol clicked as he fired the last of the bullets, his target still charged towards him. He looked towards the right in hopes to find some help as the word retreat echoed around him. What he saw confused and terrified him. The man he just met, Falreath if he remembered correctly, was charging towards the water in an all-out sprint. A massive bear, one that dwarfed all the others, exploded out of the forest right at Falreath.

Near the detective, a silky black cat unlike any he’s seen before, is atop the third bear claws and teeth embedded in its back. The second bear appears to be down blood pooling all around, though a distance behind those bears a few more bears are emerging from the forest. Before he allowed the hopelessness of the situation to register, he resolved to act.

The driver was aiming a rifle at his earlier target, so he would leave that to him. The leopard or whatever it was, was attacking the other bear. That left him Falreath and whatever he had chasing him. “How?” he mumbled to himself as he looked around for a weapon or something that might give him a path forward.

His gaze fell onto a shotgun and one of the oddest shaped bars he’s ever seen. With that small plan in mind, he resolved to act. He bolted to help Falreath, his hand reaching down to grab the shotgun on the way. It missed the gun, though it did manage to grab the bar. Not wanting to be too late he kept the bar and continued his run.

As he neared the edge, he saw the bear swimming after Falreath. A quick bit of mental math and Byung was in the air, his hands gripped around the pole. The moment he was suspended felt like hours as he watched the water and bear move, his target slowly left his planned area. In fear of a lost chance, he thrust out with the pole just before he was consumed by the water below.

The odd javelin managed to collide with the bear, though Byung was unable to see if it caused any damage as his body was dragged under the water. He was flung about in an uncontrolled and disorienting manner as the current rushed around him. He managed to break free to the surface a few times and catch a lung full of air before the rapids took him under once again.

Exhaustion and aching muscles were starting to permeate his body as that hopelessness from earlier clashed against his mind. Suddenly, he felt a vice grip onto his wrist, his body jerked from the sudden stop. The water pulled him on, but the grip refused to lessen. As it was, he was lucky his head was able to stay above the torrent, his lungs desperate for the air. He looked towards the grip and saw Falreath outstretched towards him, his body wrapped around the body of a pine tree.

“I gotcha,” Falreath said as he began to pull Byung’s body back towards the heart of the tree. As soon as he was able, Byung took a hold of one of the thicker branches and pulled himself up. The pine was one of the younger ones and it was clear that their weight was straining the plant. It would be best if they found a way to shore sooner than later.

Around him Byung saw the cliff walls had tapered off, the ground more of a gentle rocky slope. Though the rushing water would still fight to keep the pair in its grip. “Any Ideas?” he finally asked.

“A few,” Falreath said as he looked towards the nearest shore. It was at worst ten feet from their current location but if Byung had to place it was closer to eight. “I will swim to the shore; I am confident I can make it. After that you toss my jacket and I will try to catch one end of it. With that secure, I can drag you to shore.”

Byung looked at the man, his height, his jacket, and the distance to the shore. “I feel like your jacket is just a bit short.” He finally said.

“It is, but we should be able to stretch out our arms.” Falreath replied. “I want to get back to Eldridge as soon as I can, so unless you have a better idea, that is what I’m going with.”

Byung wanted to argue, to say it wouldn’t work, but he didn’t have any better ideas. The detective was out there fighting against bears and leopards, possibly already dead. He understood this man’s worry so he simply shook his head and held out his hand.

Falreath handed over his fur jacket and dove back into the water. Byung watched as the man miraculously swam against the current and reached the shore in a matter of seconds. It was clear this man was far more athletic than the average man, far more athletic than Byung could ever hope to be. Falreath stood and walked to the patch of land closest to the tree.

“Alright toss it over, I’ll try to catch it.” Falreath shouted towards Byung.

Byung sighed and tossed out the jacked holding onto one of the arms. He watched the jacket flutter slightly in the air, the weight of the water giving it much more of a straight trajectory. Just as he thought his throw was a bit off, he saw the jacket stretch towards Falreath’s hand. He blinked as he tried to figure out what it was he saw.

“Good now jump in and hold on,” Falreath shouted.

Byung gripped tight with his outstretched arm and gently lowered himself into the rapids, determined to hold onto the jacket at all costs. A final kick of with his legs and he was in the water, his offhand quickly reached out to meet with the jacket. The current dragged Byung as he clung for his life, his breath held as his head was sucked under. The water whipped at him as he slowly began to move against the current. Soon he found his footing and was able to walk up to the rock covered shore.

Falreath took his jacket and oddly put it back on. Byung wanted to question the act of putting such a waterlogged piece of clothing back on but he didn’t have the time. The ground shook as a low rumble was felt. The two of them quickly looked towards each other and darted into the trees.