Jonrik arrived first, pushing his pretty bride away before also trying to distract the bears attention. The ursine monstrosity turned it’s shaggy head towards the blacksmith, giving the Lokison ample space to retreat, an opportunity he didn’t take advantage of. Contrary to popular opinion Faen was no coward. Sure he was more likely to run from a fight than to actually stand his ground, or to let an insult slide than to face the man who said it blade to blade. 

That didn’t make him a coward though, that made him a realist. His strength wasn’t in his body, it was in his mind. So what if he didn’t stand his ground, he’d just pick better ground that suited him more. So what if he didn’t avenge every slight blade to blade, a knife in the back works just as well as a sword in the front. 

That and he was stubborn. To stubborn to let the other exiles face this thing alone. No, he wouldn’t run, he just wouldn’t throw himself on the damn things claws either. 

Audrunar, Faen’s favourite meat shield, approached, clanging his axe upon his actual shield. [I]Very noble, planning on taking the bear face to face eh? Any other day that’s a fight I’d pay to see, but I’m afraid what our furry friend will do to us once it gets a taste for man flesh.[/I] Still, the beast swung again, this time to face the warrior. Strange, Jonrik was just as tasty a target, yet it began to ignore him. 

Erika came out of the bush then, hatchet in hand. Faen could help but think she would have been better of remaining in hiding. [I]This is man business after all fair huntress. Be a good girl and pay attention to gender divides, go hide in the bushes and watch us brave men get our faces torn off.[/I] She began to argue with Audrunar, terrific to see that someone else found him hard to stomach, but while they bickered the bear stood transfixed, swaying it’s head as each spoke, as if paying attention to the argument. No, not the words, it was the sounds. [I] That would explain why it ignored Alva in favour of me, or Jonrik in favour of Audrunar, it is attracted to sound. Now how to use that?[/I] 

“I, for one, am sick of providing amusement for the Gods. Why do they deserve all the fun? Why don’t we stop trying to get ourselves killed and wok together!” The Lokison shouted at the group, the bear once more turning in his direction, a snarl working its way past its yellow teeth as it ambled towards him. “It’s distracted by sound. Spread out and make noise, keep him confused and wrong footed.” 

Faen’s plan, such as it was, was to use his companions as decoys as he darted in to retrieve Erika’s buck. If they managed to keep the bear off him he would then drag the huntress’s trophy to the river, pushing it in to the torrents and hoping the current would drag the beast away, with the bear in hot pursuit of its free meal. Of course there was a lot to go wrong with that admittedly feeble idea, but it was all he had to work with. 

[I]Now just to hope they listen to me. Suppose there’s a first time for everything.[/I]