» Sat Feb 19, 2011 8:24 am
~Encounter with a Werebear~
Alerianna was being hunted. The Beast had killed most of her companions, and it's hunger was aimed at her.
What is it to really be hunted by another creature?Werewolves, as exemplary predators, they are secure in their skills and hunting ability. They are a race bred for the hunt, and their wolfhearts exalt in the success and harmony of the kill just as their human-minds rejoice in predator’s pride. Lycanthropes are masters of playing the hunter, stalking prey, and moving in for the kill with fangs and fury and claws. But one thing they do not have that Alerianna did--Self-control. The redguard werewolf hunter found herself running away from the creature that now chased her. It wasn’t a werewolf but a werebear. A type of man-beast that were native to Skyrim. Aside from losing her breath and losing all touch due to the cold. Holding her silver sword before her, she sprinted through the forest. Every sense was at a heightened state, alert to the slightest hint of an ambush. Falling behind her was Marlusiour, a fellow Breton hunter and a close friend. His once-red face now blue with the ice. Ahead was the opening leading out of the forest, nothing but mountains and glaciers were ahead. A desert of ice, a frozen sea of frigid ground. Alerianna could see almost nothing, the snowy wind clouded her vision, the layers of clothing making a futile attempt to warm her skin. The gaping flesh wound on her arm threatened to worsen, the blood oozing from it made trails of red liquid on the snow, making it all to easy for the werebear to follow.
“If we can lead it to the open. We can finish it off,” Alerianna called out to Marlusiour. He was also wounded, but his case was much worse. Flesh dangled from his left leg where he was bitten, he limped off in the snow, his mace at the ready. Despite his unfortunate predicament, he was still strong, his thick beard and brown wavy hair was testament to that--he was still young, only twenty-seven years old. He looked at Alerianna and laughed, ignoring the bite mark on his left leg.
“I think it gave up--” He chuckled loudly, and as if the Beast had heard him, the werebear emerged from the woods. Tackling him down with all of his weight and sheer strength. Alerianna gaped in horror as the brown beast raked Marlusiour’s back with it’s massive claws. And to finish it’s prey, it’s deadly jaws snapped the Breton’s neck instantly. Alerianna kept running, glancing over her shoulders to see the monstrous animal roar loudly, standing similar to what a man stood. It’s breath visible through the cold. It went back to all his four legs and galloped to Alerianna with intense hunger. She had the creature where she wanted it, all she needed was a few more steps.
As she climbed the snowy hill, the wind howled even more, almost causing her to lose her grip. But for the sake of her life, she held on and continued escalating upward. The werebear did the same, it’s heavy frontal paws striking the snow while its back legs pushed him forward. But regardless of his size and unnatural hunger, she still had the advantage over him. She pushed herself even more to the top, reaching the wall and finally climbing over, the werebear’s claws missing her by inches. It was faster than her, but definetly not smarter.
Alerianna heard a frustrated growl emerging from the beast’s throat. Ignoring the beast, she sprinted now, reaching a large icy cliff. The only thing between her and the other side was an enormous chasm below. To her advantage, there was a frozen bridge over the chasm and it was her key to victory. Alerianna ran forward, with the last ounce of breath, she forced herself a burst of speed and fled as fast as she could. The wooden bridge was rocking left and right, the way it cried and cracked made Alerianna a bit uneasy. And to make matter’s worse, the werebear was high on her tail. The powerful jaws opened and closed. The beast bellowed angrily. Then, it roared again, it was terrifying, a scream from some other world. Alerianna collapsed on the other side, watching as the werebear followed the drops of blood that dripped off the arm of his prey. It was eager to get a mouthful of flesh and blood, but she would not allow it. Not tonight, not ever.
The massive brown creature stood on his hind legs, as it began to walk in a menacing fashion, seeing his prey in a defeated posture, it rose high and mighty. It crossed the bridge, paying no heed to the danger in his surroundings. Alerianna smiled a wicked grin. One step…
The werebear growled, it’s foaming jaws and black eyes full of mindless violence and hunger--
Two steps…
The Beast continued on, the bridge giving off a noise of warning, that it could not hold for much longer.
Three steps…
Speeding up it’s pace, the accursed animal was now on all four. It’s hind paws accelerating it as it’s front paws tried to claw back extra spaces ahead to reach it’s food. But as he reached the middle of the bridge, the entire structure collapsed. The werebear’s heavy weight overpowered what the bridge could withstand. And with a last ear-deafening roar, the monstrosity fell along with the rope and pieces of broken wood. Disappearing deep down in the void of the dark chasm. The echo reaching her ears as it finally landed on the icy below with a thunderous crash.
She reached over the side of the cliff, peering over the edge. She couldn’t help but smile to herself. Another beast was no more. Not without sacrifice of course, but it was one less plague in the world. A pity she did not decapitate the animal, it’s head would of fetched her a nice sum of gold aside from it’s death.
Alerianna grabbed a healing potion from her pocket, bringing the pinkish bottle to her mouth, she gulped down the liquid with ease, immediately feeling the magical effects of replenished life. The wound felt much better, but it was still there. She kept her arm under her clothes, embracing the cold, she stomped off forward in the blizzard, heading back to Solitude in a much longer route, perhaps there she could find a new crew for her unending crusade.