Star waded through the grass just inside the tree line. He had been wandering further and further afield lately. His Master, Zero, had been resting when he left. She may be awake by now, but she knew he liked to wander. What she didn’t know about was his secret project. He was hunting.
When he had eaten the elk, he had noticed that the magical power inside him had increased pretty substantially. It had been a magical creature, and he found himself wondering if he could get further increases in power from consuming more magical creatures. It had also had a strange spherical organ inside of it with a particularly large concentration. His Master may be curious about her own workings, but this was his project.
In addition to his project, he was on patrol. This morning he was more on patrol than he was hunting. Because he had picked up the scent of a bear. He didn’t think it was a magical bear, because he could usually sniff out a magical creature. Mana had its own scent, although his Master insisted she couldn’t smell anything. It must be so stifling living that way, blind to the smells around her.
Protecting her was his job, and so he would protect her from this bear. He was undecided on if he would run it off or kill it. He may be able to get away with simply chasing it away. Although, if he had bear meat he would have more meat to practice cooking. He wondered if bears tasted good.
A voice broke him out of his thoughts.
“So, what does the human like?”
“I do not know what is available to you. But, if you are looking to do something kind, I recommend something that does not take her to strange people.”
He sniffed at a track left in a particularly soft patch of soil. This wasn’t that old. The track had been made maybe thirty minutes ago. Depending on the bear’s pace, it may still take some time to catch up though, and that’s assuming he didn’t lose the scent.
“Yeah, I got that much. But like, is food a good idea? Everyone likes food right? Humans celebrate with food too, yeah?”
“I do not think I have ever seen her celebrate. But, during her leisure time she likes to eat junk food and watch shows.”
“Uh, junk food? Like garbage? Humans do that?”
“It just means food that is not good for you. Sweets, for example.”
“Oh! Yeah, okay. I get that. Damn, she some kinda rich girl?”
The trees were thick, and casting enough shade into this part of the forest that it was notably cooler and darker beneath the canopy. The smell of moss and loam was nearly overpowering, but the smell of beast hung on the wind just enough to follow. Star proceeded along the trail carefully.
“Rich? I do not understand.”
“You don’t know about money?”
“What is money?”
“Huh. You really are a dog then? I was starting to think this was some kind of human slang.”
“I am a dog. Why is that surprising?”
“Well– Ah nevermind. Okay, so sweets. That might be hard to come by. Anything else?”
“She likes simplistic non-fancy foods. The fancy stuff makes her feel like she doesn’t deserve it.”
“That’s– uh. Huh. Lemme guess, you’ve only ever really talked to her?”
“How could you tell?”
“You gotta develop a filter, man.”
“A filter?”
“Nevermind. We’ll talk about it later. Okay, simple foods. I can do that.”
“She also likes puzzles. Anything she can figure out and learn.”
“Puzzles, huh? That might be a little out of budget. But I’ll keep an eye open.”
The smell was growing stronger. This was further into the forest than Star had traveled before, but the bear couldn’t be that much further. The battle might be difficult, but he didn’t anticipate a bear being more difficult to face down than the demon with blue eyes had been, and he had grown stronger since then.
“I would like your professional opinion, from one protector to another.”
“Uh, yeah? What’s up?”
“I am hunting a bear.”
“... right now?”
“Yes. Right now. I suspect I will come upon it in the next ten minutes.”
“What the fuck? Say something sooner, you idiot!”
“It was not relevant.”
“Okay, okay, what did you want to ask?”
“How would you go about this task?”
The man on the other end of the spell paused for a moment. To his credit, he did seem to be genuinely giving it some thought.
“Well, we have dangerous animals around here sometimes too. Including bears. Usually though, we go out and hunt them down in groups. At least pairs.”
“How would you do it if you were alone? I am alone. The bear will be bigger than me, and likely stronger. I am smarter, and more agile. I can jump higher than the bear can likely reach, and I will definitely be able to run faster. I judge that I have an advantage. Although, I have not yet faced a bear.”
“Shit, alone huh? … Shouldn’t I be tellin’ Miss Human about this instead of giving you advice?”
“No. I must protect this place. It is my job. Surely you understand that?”
“If I end up listening to you get torn apart by a bear through this stuffed toy she’s not gonna be happy…”
“Then give me advice to aid my battle.”
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“Fuck. Okay, fine. You don’t have a class or skills yeah?”
“No.”
“Of course, since you’re a dog. Fuck, fuck. Okay. I’m thinking. Normally, we have either a dog or someone with a Skill that aids in dodging keep the animal busy. Getting up in its face and dodging around. Then someone else comes in with a spear or something and takes it out from further away.”
“You are not being very helpful. I am alone.”
“I know! Okay, if you have to do it alone, and you have the upper hand in agility, you may be able to tire it out. Focus on dodging its blows until it becomes sluggish enough for you to strike safely. The main thing is, don’t get hit. You’re probably gonna die if a bear gets its claws on you, or bites you good enough. So the only way you’re going to win is by being careful and only landing hits when you can do it safely.”
“That is all you have? Hit it and do not get hit?”
“Well you didn’t exactly give me a lot of time! Give me a minute! I’m thinking!”
“Think faster. The conflict is beginning.”
Star had found his way to a clearing where the big black bear was sitting and resting. The bear saw him right away, so the element of surprise was already out. Instead, he approached slowly, growling. If the bear fled, there would be no fight. But, if the bear attacked him, he would fight to kill. That is what he had decided.
“What!? Shit shit! Uh, don’t forget to use the terrain to your advantage? Hide behind trees, duck into spaces it can’t fit, that sort of thing.”
“It is only a little bigger than I am.”
“The hell!? I thought you were a dog!”
“I am a dog.”
The bear charged Star. He ducked backwards and dodged around a tree. Sure enough it was significantly slower than him, and the time it took for it to get around a tree was enough for him to get some distance.
“Fuck! Alright, the claws are the number one thing to watch out for. Those bastards will absolutely tear you a new one. Do you have anything you can use to get some range, or is this only claws and teeth?”
“I only have my claws and teeth. Although, I can jump a significant height.”
“They can stand on their hind legs and reach up. Going over it isn’t safe, even if it looks like it can’t reach its back.”
Speed would have to be the answer. It’s the main advantage he had. How much faster was he than the bear? It was time to find out. Star snapped forwards, catching its arm just above the joint. It wasn’t a deep blow, but it wasn’t meant to be. It was a feint. By the time the bear was turning, he was gone. He dodged around the side and bit into the bear’s flank. His teeth didn’t do as much damage as he would have liked, and the bear swung around to take a swipe at him. He ducked backwards again. There was an uneasy standoff as they stared at each other.
“Got it. Don’t go over unless I am sure I can get away with it. I am having trouble piercing its hide. It is thick and tough.”
“Hell yeah it is. You really need a weapon for this, get out of there!”
“No. I will not lose. If a bear is in this area, it may attack the pack nearby, or my Master when she returns. I will win.”
“That’s crazy! Do this with help!”
The bear charged again. Star leapt back to keep distance. The beast plowed forward, tearing up the forest floor in its wake. Star very nearly caught a claw to his side as he evaded, but then he was behind the bear again and snapped at its flank one more time.
This time he wasn’t fast enough though. The bear turned in time, and a swipe caught him across the back leg. Pain blossomed across his thigh, and his fur turned from white to red. It was shallow, but bleeding.
“It got me across the leg. This will slow me down. It’s not bad though. If only I could move like she does.”
“She? Your Master?”
“No, the blue eyed demon. She is a blur. A whirling mass of teeth and death.”
“Get out of there! What are you doing?”
“There is no growth without trial.”
An anguished sound came from the other end of the spell. Star felt a little bad for stressing him out. This was turning into a trickier situation than he had anticipated. The massive creature was charging again. Star went to sidestep again, but it read his movement and swerved at the last second. Star’s eyes went wide. He leapt straight up as a last ditch effort, and the bear’s head collided with him in the air hard. He was sent flying and hit the dirt like a doll, skidding to a stop in the loamy soil. The dog rose to his feet as quickly as he could.
This wasn’t good. He had to be faster. Faster. Faster like her. He knew it was possible. He’d seen her during the fight, and several times hunting since then. It was a blend of magic and technique, and he had both. He just had to use it. He didn’t know how. It was no use.
“Are you okay? What’s happening?”
“I am fine. I got caught out again. Blunt injury. Non-fatal.”
“Fucking hells! Run away! Listen to me!”
“I will not. Balto would not run away.”
“Who the fuck is Balto?”
The bear approached slowly. Star slunk away, keeping the distance, ready for it to charge again. He was still faster, but running around it was always going to be slower than it could turn in place. He had to be faster. He had to be stronger. He had to win.
The bear charged. Star dashed away, towards the nearest tree. As he approached it with the bear close on his tail he leapt upwards, using his momentum to carry him a little way up the tree. He hit a low and thick branch, and pivoted using the momentum to propel himself down straight at the bear. As he passed by the bear he lashed out, catching the bear’s eye. The beast roared, and flailed, throwing Star off of it. He hit the tree hard, and crumpled onto the forest floor.
The monster was screaming and pawing at its eye, but Star had the wind knocked out of him. He couldn’t move. He was struggling to even rise to his feet. Move. Move. Move. He had to move. The beast flailed wildly. Star barely rolled out of the way. It turned towards him, catching sight of him with its good eye. He had to move NOW.
The bear swiped at him. He threw himself to the side and barely evaded it once again. His breath was coming back. But he still felt winded and so terribly slow. He stalked to the left, trying to keep on the side of the bad eye. The bear tried to keep its sight on him.
Just a little bit of distance, and he would recover far faster than the bear’s eye. The next time the bear lunged, Star dove behind the tree. The bear slammed into the tree and let out a pained cry from the impact. Oh. It couldn’t see the terrain as well either.
As the brute moved around the tree to get a better reach, Star again fled to the left into its poor vision. It snarled and followed in a blind rush. Star dipped behind another tree. Another crash, another howl. Yes, this is how he would win.
“You were correct. Terrain is an advantage.”
“Hells yeah! I mean– You should still be running you idiot!”
“I am running. Just not to get away.”
“You know what I mean!”
Star’s strength was returning quickly, and he used his speed to stay in the bear’s blind spot. He raced to stay ahead of the monster, barking to pull its attention. Just a little further, and he knew the geography in this area. It was his domain after all. Just a little further to pull it into a trap.
The bear charged. Star sidestepped to its blind side, dancing away and keeping up the barking. Yes, yes! Follow, follow! The claws grazed his fur again. This was dangerous, but he knew what he was doing now. He couldn’t be stopped. Just out of range, use his speed, use his intelligence, use the terrain!
After what felt like an eternity, he was there. He got tantalizingly close. Nipping at the bear’s arm on its blind side. It lunged. He threw himself out of the way, and the bear toppled off the side of the cliff and onto the rocks and sand below.
Star looked over the side, staring down at his opponent. The bear was still alive, but moving weakly. It seemed to have broken its back in the fall, as its lower half was no longer moving.
“I have won. All that is left is to descend and end the bear’s pain.”
“Y-you won!?”
“I won.”
----------------------------------------
“FUCK YEAH! YOU WON!”
Avea held the stuffed doll over his head, yelling and dancing with joy. He tossed it in the air and caught it, spun around a few times, and settled. That was an amazing battle, even if he could only hear it!
“You are the fucking coolest! Holy shit!”
A voice interrupted him.
“Are you… okay?”
He looked around. Oh. Oh yeah. He was in the middle of the street. People stared at him, wide eyed. He felt blood rushing to his face.
“Oh. Shit. Right. Uh. Official guard business! Everything is fine!”