Part 1

The Waking of the Wolf

There's nothing like a hunt.

Nothing matches the thrill. 

Nothing matches the intensity.

Nothing matches the satisfaction when it ends successfully… and nothing matches the disappointment when your prey slips right through your fingers.

Malicade just had to learn that the hard way.

"Damnit!" He shouted, exhausted and defeated.

Sweat beaded vigorously down his forehead, flowing down to the tip of his nose, and dripping off onto the ground as he stood there hunched over. He slid down the tree next to him onto the ground.

The soft moss covered everything in this section of the Western Woods. Thick trees and undergrowth as far as the eye could see in all directions, which admittedly wasn't very far. Anyone not familiar with the forest would get lost in a matter of minutes, appearing as though everything looked the same to the untrained eye. 

This however was an unfamiliar problem for Malicade, having lived in it his entire life. 

He was average build for his tribe, rather lean yet muscular. Short chestnut hair topped his clean shaven face, which just so happened to be a few shades lighter. The thick canopy shielded him from the most intense of the sun's rays, but not all. 

In most other regions of the world he’d be considered rather short, but here in the Northern section of the Western Woods he could stand even with his elders, if not slightly taller. At 18 years old he had yet to leave the outskirts of the forest.

It was home.

The early morning sun was poking its way through the dense canopy of trees, shining through in brilliant rays of light. Malicade had left the village early this morning for the weekly hunt, just like he had almost every week since he came of age three years ago. For three years all he'd known was success, always managing to catch his assigned prey on the first attempt. 

Until today.

Today he'd failed not just once, but three times.

He'd been assigned a large buck seen grazing in a clear field roughly an hour's walk from the village. It was rare someone so young got assigned such an important task, but up until now he'd proven himself a reliable and worthy hunter. 

Like all young men when they come of age, he had begun hunting with an older, more experienced hunter, typically someone around the age of fifty who was nearing retirement. At the beginning he'd only been assigned small squirrels, they were easier to catch so they made for good practice, and they weren't nearly as important or impactful to the village if you didn't meet your quota. Once you get comfortable with hunting squirrels, and your mentor feels you're ready, you move up to smaller game such as Hares or Gophers, maybe even ducks if you're good enough with a bow. Typically you're stuck with small game for five to seven years, then you get tasked with does, and one day eventually bucks.

By the time Malicade had been on his own for a single year he'd been tasked with hunting Doe, and today was his first buck hunt… and he failed.

"Damnit." He said again.

Rustling in the bushes came from his right.

His hunting partner Reculan burst out from the bushes, panting heavy.

"Did you get him?" Reculan asked breathlessly.

Malicade only shook his head in defeat.

"Damn!" Reculan managed out in between ragged breaths.

Reculan was an experienced hunter, nearly twice the age of Malicade and had plenty of experience going after bucks.

"I thought for sure when you took off after him you'd catch him."

Malicade jumped up defensively, "I almost did! I was this close!" He made a gesture with his hands, "And then I slipped." He finished.

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Reculan held up a hand. "Relax Malicade, I wasn't hazing you. I know you did all you could. It's alright." 

"No it's not." Malicade started, "I couldn't get the buck, even after multiple attempts! I've failed."

"No Malicade, we've failed. We were both tasked with this hunt. We both tried… and we both failed." Reculan said firmly.

"But…" Malicade began.

"But what?" 

"I don't know… I guess, I guess I just wanted to prove something."

Reculan sighed, youth he thought, "Prove what to whom Malicade? Everyone in the village knows you're a capable hunter, and warrior for that matter as well. You being on this hunt to begin with proves that. I wasn't even alive the last time someone your age got tasked with a buck. We're all very impressed with you."

The young boy's spirits seemed to lift now, he picked his head up and nodded once, outstretched his hand to the older man. Reculan grasped it firmly and smiled.

"I'm glad you've come back to your senses."

"All thanks to you." Malicade chuckled.

Taking a step back Reculan spoke again, "Now come on, pick up your things and let's head back. Hunting time is almost over." He paused, studying their surroundings, "And we're much too close to Bear territory for my liking."

Malicade nodded.

Bear

The word sent shivers down his spine.

Quickly, he picked up his sword from the tree he was sitting by and the two men began walking back.

"Who knows, maybe we'll run across a decent doe we could bag instead." Reculan said with a hearty chuckle

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They had strayed farther from the initial spot they found the buck than they thought. 

Their first attempt to kill him had been in a field he'd been spotted at previously. Malicade had laid scented bait in the center before moving to a position hidden by a tree, while Reculan had shrouded himself in a bush with an arrow nocked and ready. 

Malicade had never been much of an archer, taking to the sword and dagger since he was a young boy. So Reculan had offered to take the shot. 

There were two major game trails that lead into the field, Malicade had positioned himself next to one of them. When everything was set, Reculan had begun mimicking a deer call, and then they had waited.

They didn't have to wait long. 

Shortly after Reculan finished his last of the calls, the buck had strolled confidently into the meadow from the trail opposite of Malicade. 

Once it reached the bait, Reculan had pulled his bow back just like he did every week, and right before he released the shot, his bowstring snapped.

That was the first failure.

Having heard the foreign noise, the buck had darted off, straight down the trail Malicade was positioned at. He swung his razor sharp blade in the direction of the animal, but he'd mistimed his swing and the tip of his blade barely scraped the animal's body drawing little to no blood.

That was the second failure.

Quickly he darted after the animal, pulling his throwing dagger from his hip. He jumped through the brush and brought his arm back preparing to throw it at the animal. But as he landed, his foot slipped on the wet moss, sending his face down to meet it.

That was the third failure.

Face red with anger, he quickly got up and darted off after the buck, already knowing he wouldn’t catch it on foot, but trying was better than laying in embarrassment.

The event still burned bright in Malicade's memory as they continued marching back. They were just passing by the field now.

"Reculan…" Malicade said.

"Yes?" Reculan responded, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry for running off like that without you, I was embarrassed and should've just waited."

"Don't sweat it kid, all you did was give this old man some exercise. My wife would be thanking you." 

The two men laughed.

The sun was visible up in the sky now, still on it's climb to midday. Baby birds chirped angrily for their mothers, demanding their midday meal and becoming ever more restless the longer they had to wait.

Then everything went quiet.

Reculan held out his arm, a motion for the two to stop in place, before then moving his hand to first his mouth then ear.

Be quiet and listen

There was nothing… and that's what was unsettling. In the forest there was always something making noise, you just had to listen for it. 

The two men knew this, and knew what to listen for, but they heard nothing.

When there's nothing to be heard in the forest that can only mean one thing…

A predator is nearby.

As the two men realized it, a large brown bear burst forth from the shrubbery. Rearing onto its hind legs and letting out a bone chilling roar.

"Run Malicade!" Reculan screamed.

Not needing to hear a second invitation, Malicade took off running, the footsteps of Reculan coming behind him.

"Keep going! Don't stop!" Reculan shouted, but his voice and footsteps growing quieter as Malicade kept going.

He stopped and turned, seeing Reculan drawing his own sword and turning to the bear.

"What are you doing!?" Malicade shouted back at him.

Reculan turned towards him, "Do as I say Damnit! You and I both know we can't outrun that thing on foot! I'll turn and face it so you can escape."

"No!" 

"There's no point in us both staying here to die! One of us has to live and that's you!"

"But what about your wife and daughter!? Let me stay!"

Reculan's expression softened at the mention of his family, but his resolve held firm, "I trust that you and the village will look after them, now it's my duty to sacrifice myself so that the younger generation can live! So no more objections, take your ass and run to the village as fast as you can! And don't look back!"

Malicade didn't move.

The bear came charging out from around the corner they had just come around, it's momentum carrying it into a tree. Reculan looked at the bear, then back at Malicade.

"Get going! Now! Let me do this you hear, if I'm gonna go out, then I'm happy to do it if it means saving your life and taking down one of those bastards false God's in the process. So please… Run like hell!" Reculan finished before running straight at the bear.

Malicade knew it was too late.

He turned and started running, betraying everything about loyalty he'd ever been taught by the village by leaving a comrade behind.

He said a silent prayer as he ran, tears forming in his eyes.

Reculan said one as well, as he charged the beast head on. Knowing his fate, ready and prepared to meet it.