"Tree!"

"Ouch!"

"Branch!"

"Pfft!"

"Small Tree!"

"Damn."

"Bigger Tree!"

"Ow!"

The mama bear keeps ramming me onto every tree and bush that on her path, hoping that I would let go, but I'm too stupid to realize that I should have let go a while ago.

"Why in the hell am I still holding on?"

I look at the mama bear and it glares at me. With ease, I let go of her big snout, but the outcome isn't what I expected, as the mama bear bite onto my right arm, and keeping me close to her snout.

It keeps ramming to the incoming tree, breaking it apart, and making sure that every hit is painful as possible to me.

"Let me go!"

Now, I'm on the other side of the circumstances as the mama bear prevent me from escaping. Every tree we hit, another headache added to the already existing one, I really don't want to hurt this mama bear, but she gives me no choice.

I pull back my fist and slam on the side of its head, the force is strong enough to discombobulate a big animal, but not enough to crack its skull. The mama bear shakes off the first hit, but I didn't stop as I hit its head again, this time causing the mama bear to lean more to the other side, and giving me room to avoid the incoming tree.

My shoulders relax, and I let out a sigh. I turn my gaze on the mama bear, I notice that she is getting dizzy by the second, and I'm sure that this hit is going to stop her entirely and force her to let go of my arm.

However, before I could do anything, the mama bear's right front paw slip on a slippery root, causing her entire body to flip forward and tumble down a slope beside her path, along with me.

The mama bear did let go of my arm, but unfortunately, I am underneath her as she tumbled down the slope causing my entire body to be squeeze repeatedly. But on the plus side, I can feel her soft fur brushing against my skin, while her weight is trying to wring my soul out of me. At this point, I'm just trying to be optimistic here.

I separate myself from the mama bear by pushing myself away, we roll down the hill away from each other, the mama bear crash into a tree while I plunge into a thick bush, back first.

My eyes widen, as I let out a short sigh. The mama bear rises up again and shakes her head slowly to disperse the dizziness she obtained through the ordeal.

I lift myself off the bush and bring both of my fists up, ready to fight. The mama bear roar it loudest cry yet, and glare at me.

"I really don't want to hurt you, but if you insist, then who am I to back down from a fight," I said with a big smile on my face.

A rumble coming from one of the bushes, catching our attention, we turn to look and pop out a bear cub. A very cute cub, so cute, I might want to hug it, but I don't think that's a good idea. It happily chases a butterfly, then stops to turn its gazes at the mama bear. It excitedly goes back to it mama, and snuggle closer to her leg.

I don't really know what's going on, but it seems the mama bear was looking for its cub, I guess she suspected me of taking her child. The mama bear let out a growl and the small cub reply with an adorable roar. Then they both turn around and start walking away, just like that.

Fatigue wash over me, as I crash back into the bush with a loud sigh. My back is on fire, as the pain keeps throbbing and getting stronger. I grit my teeth and close my eyes, that's when I hear a voice.

"Miss Andre, are you okay?"

I shake my hand to dismiss her worries, "Never felt better."

"You're bleeding!"

"What?" I look down and on my waist, a gooey red liquid dripped down. "That can't be right," I swipe it with my finger and taste it, "Hmmm, raspberry..."

"Raspberry?"

I look behind me, and realize that I landed on a Raspberry bush, "Huh, we should get some for Agnes."

Lulu help me get up, then she tries to clean the tiny leaves off me, but I stop her, gesturing that I could do it myself.

"So did you get the shot?"

"Yes! I did!" Lulu nodded her head excitedly, then lower it for me to pat. With half smirk, I grant what she wanted, by softly brushing the top of her head.

After gathering some berries, we hike the damaged trail and make our way down to the crystal-horned stag. Upon arriving, we found out that the stag has let its last breath out and passed away.

"What do we next?" I turn my gaze on Lulu.

The wolf girl nonchalantly takes out the two arrows in the stag's body, and cut in a straight line, connecting two pierced hole that the arrows left. What she just did is in on swoop motions, it's like second nature to her.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

I keep watching as she takes out two bleeding heart, and much on one of them like its nothing. My eyebrow raise at the gruesome sight, with blood drip smile, she offers the other one to me.

I raise my hand, "No, thanks. So is this like normal to you?"

After she finished the first one, she munches on the other one like it's nothing, "Mhm!" She nods her head enthusiastically.

Maybe, this is like a tradition to her, it may seem out of place for me, but it must be normal for her people. Who am I to judge what they do. "Are you done?"

"Yes, I am now an adult." With a proud smile, she stands up and places both hands on her waist.

I clap, "let's go."

With my strength, I carry the stag over my shoulder with ease, then we make our way out of the jungle and toward my bike.

Agnes in bird form playfully rolls on the bike seat, while playing with a branch with her talons. There isn't a single shred of worries in her for me, as she continues playing with the tiny branch.

Without looking at me, Agnes ask me a question, "Squawk?"

"No, I didn't have fun, a mama bear attacks us, no, no, let me correct that, attack me!"

"It's not just a bear, Miss Andre, it is the guardian of the jungle." Lulu correct me.

"Sure, guardian whatever."

"Squawk?"

"Of course, it was big! You could at least show some concern to your lovely big sis over here."

"Squawk, squawk?"

"Berries, berries, berries! Is that all you care about? Here are your damn berries!" I throw the sack of berries into the river.

"Squawk?!" He rolled onto his talons and launch himself toward me.

I could see it in his glaring eyes, Agnes is going to peck my head again. So, before he could do that, I toss the stag onto the ground and take off into a run, away from him. Behind me, I can hear his angry squawks getting closer.

Lulu steps off to the side, giggling at the whole situation.

****

Time passed, as time does.

"We are nearing my village, Miss Andre, I think we should slow down." The dead stag on my gas tank trembles as the engine roar.

Lulu loosens her arms around my waist as she gazed down at the jungle, I join her gaze, but couldn't find any sign of a village anywhere, only overgrown trees.

"Are you sure? There's nothing here."

"My village is hidden, there, right there, head toward that oversized large tree." Lulu points toward a single slightly oversized tree among other normal sized trees.

"Let's go, Agnes!"

"Squawk!"

I take quickly stop myself at what I was about to do and take a second look at Agnes, surprised at what he said. "What do you mean, you want to stay behind?"

"Squawk... squawk."

"You acting strange, Anges... are you sure you don't want to go?"

Agnes nodded his beak and spread his wings so he may slow down. What is up with Agnes, he's been acting all weird since we met Lulu.

"Miss Andre?"

I glance at Lulu, and shake the thought away, "Nothing, let's go."

The bike tilts forward, heading straight to the oversized tree, I pull the throttle down, and the blood on my gas tank begin to drip closer to my pants. As we get closer, only then I could spot what seems to be a large circular tree-house built around the tree body. Somehow the structure itself looks harmonize as it is built by following the curve and bumps of the tree body, rather than destroying the natural form to make room for a building.

The people with a similar appearance as Lulu move away from the wooden pathway to make room for me. The back wheel touches the floor, and I immediately switch off the flight mode. The front wheel drop and the back wheel leave a trail as I step on the brakes. As the smoke cleared, I noticed the stares from the people around me. When my gazes meet with them, they immediately drop to one knee and lowering their heads in respect.

I let out a sigh, "Why does this always happen?," I muttered to myself.

Lulu gets off the back seat and joins her people, by dropping to one knee. I let out another sigh, "Not you too, Lulu."

"My name is Dorian The Third, I am the chief of this humble village. We welcome you with an open heart." One of the older male wolves with an air of authority spoke up.

Dorian takes a few glances at Lulu while still keeping his gaze on me. There's a slight resemblance in their looks, I think this wolf-man is her father or brother, but I remember that Lulu doesn't have any siblings, so he must be her father.

"You have a wonderful village here, Chief Dorian."

"Excuse my forwardness, great candidate, but may I ask for your name?"

"Oh, hehe. Sorry, forgot to introduce myself. My name is Andre of Adrestia. At...Hmm, my service, I guess." All of the people gasped at the same time, shocked by what I said.

The fear in their eyes is clear as day, just before they dropped to both knees and pressed their foreheads against the wooden floor.

"W-what?" I muttered, then I rest my gaze on Lulu. Even her cowered in fear at what I said.

Chief Dorian lifted his head with pleading eyes. "Please forgive my daughter of her actions. I take full responsibility for anything that happened. Let my people go, and take me instead. Please... I beg of you."

"Woah, calm down... what's with the fear? She did nothing wrong, I'm only here to drop off the Stag, not to punish people."

"It's your goddess, Adrestia. We fear her, she punished those who are insolence toward the gods."

"That makes sense, I guess, but I'm not her, there's no need to fear me. Still... you should fear her, of course...you know what, just act natural around me." Lulu lifts her head up and seems to understand what I was saying. As for the others, I simply let out a sigh.

Chief Dorian raised his voice toward his daughter, "Lulu! Show your respect... but great candidate we couldn't possibly grant that request."

Lulu lower her head down again, and for some reason, her dad kinda start to piss me off, so I rolled my eyes and said, "If you don't, I will burn this entire village and kill every single living thing here." Of Course, I was lying, I'm not going to kill everyone here, that would be crazy.

"Please spare us, I will grant your request. Everyone please stand up and move along like normal." Chief Dorian stands up and implored his people to follow their daily routine.

Lulu walks up to me, "I didn't know that you were Adrestia candidate, I thought you were Artemis candidate because other candidates rarely interact with us."

"Why is there so much fear toward my goddess?"

Lulu gazes past by me, and carefully choose her words, "In our children rhymes, if you do bad stuff, Adrestia will come and punish you. So I guess, the fear is ingrained in us as we grow up. But! I know for certain that you aren't scary like in those rhymes."

"I am scary! Just look at me," I raise both hands like a claw and make a silly monster noise.

"Waaa!"

Lulu let out a giggle as she looked at my silly face. I get off the bike and tickle her sides causing her to laugh aloud. Her happy smile is so precious, that I couldn't help myself, but to hug her, and lift her off the ground. I notice her father walking toward us with wary eyes.

Chief Dorian let out a cough, interrupting us, and causing me to drop Lulu. She turned to face her father then tilted her chin down to show her respect.

He let out the fakest smile I have ever seen, and says, "Miss Andre, will you take my humble offer of giving you a tour of our simple village?"

I raised my right eyebrow and stared at him, "Yikes...Maybe some other time, but for now, I remember Lulu said that she has a mother, I would like to visit this wonderful woman."

Lulu's face lit up with joy, but her father frown at the suggestion, "I mean no disrespect Miss Andre, my wife would love to meet you, but she is sick right now. I don't want a great being such as yourself, be bothered by a common mortal ailment."

"It's fine..."

"But, Miss Andre."

"Chief Dorian calms down... it's fine." I look at Lulu, "Can you show me the way?"

Lulu nods her head excitedly and turns then stride forward. I let out a smile and follow her while Chief Dorian walks beside me with restless hands.