---

The sandy-haired youth called out from the hill, He was cut off by the well aimed stone that smacked into his hand. Al cried out in shock and stared at the tree where it had come from.

Nothing but silence answered his call.

He yelled again, watching for any movement. After a second he turned around to head back to town.

Another rock, a larger one, struck home on his back, and he tumble down the hill. He stopped himself by slamming his arms out to his sides.

Furious he stood up, only to come face to face with the girl he was yelling at.

No question, only a command. The boy paused, unsure about himself when facing her.

None of the kids really knew how to talk to her, though they tried. Everyone tried to get to know the daughter of the greatest Warrior on the island. It was only to learn the secret to becoming a Warrior.

Plenty of the adults in the town had enough to form the Heart, and would probably get the remaining Wyrd needed to start it. They were just missing the knowledge on how to start. That was always the problem in the villages and towns.

No matter where they went. It was always the same for her.

---

Candles had past while she waited, and the Fates were kind that only a few animals showed up. Who were on the other side of the rapids. Which was good news for her traps and plan, but bad news for her stomach.

It was always the first couple days that was the worst for a fast. Ingrid wanted her whole body to be as empty as possible for this fight. She couldn't have a call of nature bothering her in a critical moment.

If only she was a Thrall Warrior. Then she could go a whole day without water with no issue. Yet, she wouldn't be there until after her Heart and it's first beats.

Half of that she could do here. If a Beast would show up at some point. Though, Ingrid was starting to worry about it.

She went around the trapped area, and placed some debris to form an easier path to the water. Without making it too complex, so that a Beast would be more likely to avoid the traps completely to go drink. If it came from her side at all.

Nervous energy was flowing inside her, and she found it hard to sit still. This wasn't like the practice in the trees. This wasn't a controlled test of her fathers before he left for a Hunt.

This was her first Hunt. Something that would be a major celebration to all Warriors, and the town or village that hosted them. A lot of Warriors on this island, Liga, would travel around to different places like a migration.

Each Beltane they would travel to a new village right before the end of the spring festival of Eostra. Often the new Warrior would meet an unmarried or widowed lady to settle down with for the year. Though, it might be for much longer if the lady wished to travel.

Sometimes the Warrior would choose to stay, and abandon the migration. Much like her father had with her mother.

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She slapped herself, hard, to refocus on the forest around her. For a moment her attention had narrowed, and the smell of burning hay and spilled blood had consumed her. Her rage rekindled in response to her pain.

With a flicker of the eyes, she caught the movement of a black haired Beast. Seeing it stopped her breathing as it's aura pulsed in waves. Dread filled her, as all would be upon seeing such a creature.

Its black fur was sleek and patterned with red stars and lines. Which only highlighted the golden eyes and pure white claws. Broad of shoulder and bulk this was not something she could face with her simple traps and poisons.

Every animal could become a Beast. If it managed to gather the Wyrd, and some esoteric spark. Though some were far more likely to become one than others. Bears, bears were one such animal.

They ate everything and were top on the list of creatures to avoid as over half were Beasts. This one was clearly young, but not wounded or weakened to a point that she would dare fight.

New Warriors and trainees often tried to fight and hunt things beyond them. In an attempt to tempt the Valkyries to find them worthy. Such old legends never saw new stories, and Ingrid wasn't willing to be another failed story.

She watched the Beast move along the path she had created and begin to drink. It would be a risk to try and run or move in such a situation. Megin enhanced all natural talents and abilities by stages, and while the Beast wasn't a Drang, or the Beast equivalent. It was still a Beast.

Pushing her body deeper into the mud pit. She began to meditate to calm her mind and order her thoughts. It wouldn't do her any good to panic no matter how the situation turned. Fate couldn't be denied it's due.

The bear sniffed the air a few times between long drinks. Yet, it never looked towards her hiding place, and the waning light of the day would actually help her.

Bears were most active during the dawn and dusk, but it was also the time that shadows would often hide smaller movements. Due to how the sun moved near the beginning and end of a day. It was a trick her father taught her just in case.

A case that was very important right now. As the bear kept moving it's head around to stare at random things. It was clear it's sensitive eyes were picking up a lot of false trails.

She slowly moved her body forward through the mud, and to the soft loam of the forest. A stone's throw away was the emergency rope she could use to get into the trees. A dozen feet or so of slow crawling should be masked by the shifting lights of dusk.

Growl

It was almost a feeling in addition to the sound, and she didn't bother to look around or up. She kicked her feet into the ground to tumble forward toward the tree.

Roarrrr

Her hands reached for the rope as she jumped into the air. The sound and feeling of the Beast running towards her clear in her mind's eye. One foot planted on the trunk as the other lunged for a position higher as the Beast crashed into it.

The impact rattled her, but she continued to rapidly climb. The soles of her feet protected from years of similar punishment.

Reaching the crude walkway she placed, no pauses were given as she jumped from branch and board to the next. A Warrior on the run should never look back, a rule she agreed with wholeheartedly.

Roarrr

Crash

Thwack

The sounds and impacts from below tried to conjure fear in her mind, but she fed it to the overwhelming rage and panic. Both would do here to keep her mind focused. If it happened to trip a few traps. Then, maybe, just maybe, it would decide she was too much trouble a leave her alone.

Crash

Whine

The last bit made her pause. Not just because it sounded like true pain, but it was the sound she had heard wolves make when her father had them trapped. It was the sound of crippling wounds.

Turning about and looking down at the path she had been following. The bear was missing from her vision. Until she saw it's flailing legs and she blinked.

Of all the traps to cause problems, it had been the pitfall trap. This bear was just the right size to have fallen into it, but be unable to get out of it. She imagined that it's legs had been pierced by the stake, and it had no leverage.

The most dangerous time of a Hunt was when the Beast wasn't able to move or fight. All animals would fight or flee, and if they couldn't do either. They would fight like every moment was death.

A bear would be twice as bad, but she was still shaken by how easy it had gone down. Megin improved the body even in the earliest stages. A bears body was naturally strong and durable.

The answer to her thoughts came as the last light faded, and the bear began to glow a soft blue.

Ingrid cursed.