Krypteia

the Nordland Saga

So is there a plan here or are we just going to let this sit around? Seems like Psychomachy might have vanished, but there's three of us still here, at least. Seems like we should either keep going, maybe try to hook in some new people, or reboot it? Make a new thread and interest check to draw in more people and try again?

I don't know, but it seems lame to just axe this already. I liked the idea.

the Nordland Saga

So who's posting next?

the Nordland Saga

Our group's going to need some time to recuperate after this, haha.

I suppose Aud and Erika will have to find some way to deal with this guy once and for all then? This might be the most respect a simple bear's been afforded in an RP for a while :P

the Nordland Saga

Erika slung her bow over her shoulders as she ran, certain that attempting to turn and land a perfect shot on the bear wasn’t a good idea. More than likely, she would either miss, or it wouldn’t do much to slow the thing down, and the time to aim would only let it close the distance to kill her. Thankfully, the bear wasn’t as fast as she was, thanks to its lumbering size and the density of the forest. Most bears would be able to outrun her, she knew, but maybe the injuries it had suffered were slowing it down somewhat. Regardless, she continued pulling it on, drawing it as far from the camp as she could.

Her legs burned from the exertion, the exhaustion building up from the past few days of hard travel and little rest, not to mention the fact that Erika was working on an empty stomach after a day and an evening of walking and hunting. The rain was getting heavier, but there were bigger threats than being soaked right now. Tired as she was, she noticed the uphill slope with annoyance more than anything resembling caution, and she pressed onward, blind to the approaching cliff, the lay of the land naturally working to trap her.

She skidded to a halt when she reached the edge of the cliff, peering wide-eyed over the edge at the bottom. It looked easy enough to jump in the river at its base, but the river looked too shallow to avoid a nasty landing. The moment of indecision was all it took for the bear to catch up with her, and Erika reacted just a moment too late in getting out of its way.

The huntress tried to sprint along the edge of the cliff, simply changing directions and running away from the bear some more, but one of his claws were able to reach her, raking across Erika’s back. She screamed out loudly from the pain, stumbling forward to her knees, but her adrenaline forced her back to her feet, and she ran towards the nearest climbable tree her watery eyes could identify. She scrambled up it quickly, narrowly avoiding a chomp of the bear’s teeth on her boot, and climbed the branches until she was safely out of its reach. It was a bit big to be climbing trees, and indeed, the bear waited for her at the bottom, staring up with hungry eyes.

Leaning against and hugging the trunk of the tree, Erika panted for breath, trying to think of what to do. Her back felt warm and wet, as blood undoubtedly leaked from the gashes, and her legs shook slightly from exhaustion. She supposed she would just have to wait it out, until the bear got bored and left, or until someone came to help.

Or until I collapse and give the bear his meal.

the Nordland Saga

I figured if it actually goes after Erika, she can lead it on a good long chase away from the others, and eventually make it give up. I could write a post for that, easy.

the Nordland Saga

Men.

Audrunar had charged the bear head on, and had gotten exactly what Erika had expected would happen: he was trapped under it, desperately trying not to die. That would have been Erika’s fate, no doubt, had she stayed put, and she had no shield to prevent the bear from clawing her guts out with. She felt a strong mix of emotions for Audrunar in that moment. Anger, for insulting her and calling her a coward; amusement, for his stupidity in taking on the bear in a straight up fight; and pity, for how terribly he was losing. She didn’t want him to die, of course, and it was this that spurred her into action, even as nervousness wormed its way around her empty belly.

Faen looked to be trying to do something with the deer, though she didn’t know what. Erika doubted Jonrik would leave his wife to drive the bear off, and she also doubted he’d let her be the one to try drawing it away; it was hard to run in a dress. That left just Erika, and she pulled her bow free, quickly launching an arrow into the bear’s neck, just above the shoulder.

“Hey, you! Yes you, you worthless, hairy piece of shit! Let’s go for a run. Come on, get off the idiot there and chase me!” Assuming the bear continued paying attention to noise and was drawn away by her shouting, in addition to the arrow she’d shot into him, Erika turned and headed quickly back into the forest. She had no intention of filling a bear’s belly tonight, but she couldn’t just let him claw Audrunar to death.

I wonder who the real idiot is here…

the Nordland Saga

I dunno if Erika hates him, but she definitely thinks he's a bit light on brains :)

Anyway, should I go next, or wait for Jonrik and Alva?

the Nordland Saga

Erika looked as though she’d been slapped, with a large dose of incredulity to go along with it. Audrunar was going to take a moment to insult her for cowardice, when she was faced with a massive bear? And she being the unarmed, fairly small girl that she was, what was she supposed to do? Fist fight it to protect her catch? There was bravery, and then there was stupidity. If Odin was angry with her for not pointlessly throwing her life away, then she didn’t know why she bothered offering prayers to him.

The others were doing what they could to either keep the bear distracted or drive it away, but they were having little success. Now Audrunar had his weapons drawn, and he was actually trying to draw the bear to himself. Erika subconsciously took a couple of steps away from him, though she did take her hatchet into hand. She didn’t intend on being entirely defenseless if it came after her again.

“Like I have any say in the matter?” she muttered, when Audrunar asked her if she were willing to give up the deer. “If it wants the deer, I can’t stop it. Let’s see your show of bravery, warrior. Give Odin something to laugh at.”

Erika was annoyed, obviously, mostly because she hadn’t expected Audrunar to say something so stinging to her, when she had seen no other sensible course of action, but if he wanted to fight the damn thing, she’d help how she could. She wasn’t a coward, even if Audrunar thought otherwise. She wasn’t a fool, either.

the Nordland Saga

And I made a short post for Erika. She might not be too useful here, sadly.

the Nordland Saga

No sooner had Erika set down the deer and began to survey the progress that had been made on their shelter than she heard a roar from behind her, and dread welled up in the pit of her stomach. She turned as the bear was charging at her, eyes widening. She instinctively backed up, and when the bear swiped for her, it was the deer that actually saved her, tripping her when she stumbled over it and sending her falling back onto her rear.

She’d wanted to get off her feet, but not like this. Erika lay directly on top of the deer, probably the worst position possible to be in, and for a moment she thought that surely the beast was going to descend on her and rend her to pieces. It didn’t though, turning sharply to charge off at Alva and Faen instead. She didn’t want to be callous, but in that moment, all she felt was relief that someone else was the subject of the bear’s wrath.

Not wanting to remain helpless on top of the bear’s meal any longer, Erika rolled over and scrambled to her feet, putting some distance between her and the carcass. The best she had for weapons at the moment was the hatchet hooked under her belt. She doubted she could do much to the bear besides get herself killed if she tried to fight it, but it was better than nothing. Her arrows probably wouldn’t slow it down, even if she shot all ten into it.

She’d encountered bears before, of course, but never in a situation where they threatened her entire livelihood. The answer before had always been to just run away. It didn’t seem like a bad idea at the moment, so long as it was gone when they came back. Erika would rather go hungry for a night than be dead for eternity.

“What do we do?” she asked, when she made it to Audrunar and Jonrik. Perhaps the young warrior and the smith had a good way of making their problem disappear.