The forests surrounding the fortress was dark, both because of the huge trees that blocked the sunlight, as well as because of the leaves that were a much duller color than normal. Even the damp earth had an unbelievably black hue. Ezer was prowling these places looking for supplies and things that would help him in his next confrontation.

“Finally! It's too slippery.” Ezer's face and body were completely stained with mud while in his hand was a small bright blue frog locked between his fingers as if it were a prison.

Takes a leaf and wraps it around the frog, leaving its upper part exposed, very carefully take his arrow and gently rub the tip until it begins to take on a slight bluish hue.

He does the exact same thing for a couple more arrows until the frog's color dulls and stops staining the arrowheads. Noticing this, Ezer gently releases her into the nearby puddle and she disappears from his sight within seconds.

"I guess I have to find some more." He goes back to the tedious task of looking for them.

Why he was doing it was clear, any tool that would help him against the bear is welcome and especially if it is a powerful poison like that of these frogs.

“The blue ones… make you lose control of your body, while the red ones are known as blood frogs, the bleeding doesn't stop.” Ezer closes the book " What a hunter should know " that helped him on a couple of occasions.

Now the book had more pages than before, Ezer was surprised to find them with a new type of writing, it was Rel's. He doesn't know when they were written, but they contained an infinity of information about plants and animals found in the mountains. Like the frogs he was looking for at the time.

"There are a few hours left before nightfall and I haven't seen a single blood frog... I just have to keep looking." Unfortunately, in this case, the book did not specify the preferences or behaviors of these amphibians, making Ezer search until he cannot see in the dark.

Resigned, Ezer makes his way back, but is stopped by a magnificent sight. Small blue and red spots emerge from the grass and puddles, approaching each other forming a cluster of both colors.

Dozens of blue and red frogs rub against each other in a rite of love, slowly turning their skins purple, which, depending on the light and position of gaze, became darker or lighter.

"So... red and blue frogs are actually the same species." Ezer quickly opens the book and writes his discovery with a piece of charcoal. When he finishes doing it, an idea comes to mind.

Takes an arrow and a purple frog to rub them together and repeat the procedure with the remaining arrows. As expected, the tip takes on the same shade as the animal's skin.

He also tries grabbing a red and blue frog to gently rub them against each other, but what happens is the complete opposite of what he expected. Instead of mixing and forming a uniform color, the poisons repel each other like oil and water no matter how many times he tries it.

“It is something that cannot be forced.”

Ezer backs and watches the show for a few more minutes before leaving, after washing his hands, making sure that every corner is perfectly clean. According to Rel's writings, poison only took effect if it entered the body, either through injury or ingestion.

“Now I have to test this new poison and if it is effective.” He decides to do it the next morning. But Ezer does not know that he had just discovered one of the deadliest poisons in the world.

“Are you all set boy?” The next morning, Tern sees Ezer sitting on the ground working with a stick.

“Yes, I just need to finish my spear.” Tries attaching a pointed carved deer antler to the end of the pole, but without the right tools it's not easy.

Ezer had already tried the poison, but not finding an animal of a good size that did not die from the simple fact of the impact of the arrow, he was not entirely sure of its effectiveness.

“Good luck boy.” Tern extends his hand

“Eh? Does your kind also have this custom?” The handshake is characteristic of people or that's what Ezer thought.

“No, this was taught to me by a human. Don't ask who it was because I don't remember.” He continues with his hand outstretched as he tries to search his memories to no avail.

“Intriguing... I wasn't the first in this place, that's for sure.” Drop the subject knowing he wouldn't find out anything.

“Take care, that beast is one of the fiercest, at least in these places. But believe me, there are much worse.”

"I'll have it, thanks for everything. If I ever get any information on your species I'll let you know.” Ezer completes his preparations, lift himself off the ground and shakes the stone giant's massive hand.

"I hope by then you won't need a cane to walk."

Ezer smiles uncomfortably inside himself, Tern said it so simply making it clear that the passing of the years means nothing to him.

Ezer and Tern could not call themselves friends, neither of them would give their lives for the other. It was more of a relationship of goodwill constrained by the difference in species.

Ezer begins to walk away from the valley by another way than the one he came, heading for the western sea. The white beast watches him from afar and bides his time, being wary of the eternal rock watcher who controlled the valley.

One day passes with no sign of the bear, as well as the second and third.

"Are you confident enough now?" On the fourth day, Ezer can feel the pressure and uncontrollable killing intent of the beast .

"Three days... three whole days to make sure Tern didn't protect me from the shadows." Ezer knows the intelligence that the bear possesses, but he is still surprised and wonders what his limit is. Does he have the same intelligence as a human or maybe higher?

Ezer walks away from the river bank where he camped for the whole day, he didn't want to escape, but he recognized it as a possibility and that's what the river was for, it once served him, so he expects the same thing to happen.

The bear sees him from a distance, his teeth can be seen when he opens his mouth and roars expressing all his hatred and thirst for revenge. That child, that simple prey that ended up taking the sight of his eye and as a result, he chased for weeks only managing to taste a few drops of blood. That was over now, he was determined to do so, even if it cost him the sight in his other eye.

Ezer sees how the beast stands on its two hind legs and how the air is compressed between its teeth, forming a ball so dense that it was even visible. With relaxed and rehearsed movements, Ezer holds his bow with an arrow ready.