As an introvert, Daniel would have said he was quite comfortable being on his own. There is a difference, however, between independence and true isolation, and the sign of habitation filled the traveler with unexpected joy at the indication there were people in this world. While waiting for his clothes to dry, Daniel scouted the riverbank for a way to cross. The water burbled happily over rounded stones of different sizes, ranging from marble to refrigerator. The largest of these broke the surface but were sparse enough that he didn't think it wise to use them as stepping stones. They did, however, provide some disruption to the river's current, breaking up the fast-flowing water with calmer eddies. If he was careful, he could probably wade through the slower sections.
His jacket, damp but no longer dripping, formed a bundle for his socks, shoes, and other items Daniel wanted to keep dry as he began to ford the river. The water was chilly, but not freezing, and barely reached above his knees for the most part. The current tugged at his legs, threatening to dislodge his feet from the smooth stones. When he had crossed two-thirds of the distance, Daniel reached the main channel, where the river ran deeper and more swiftly and there were no handy boulders to hold. Lifting his belongings to his chest, the young man peered down through the clear water to find the safest footing and gingerly stepped deeper into the channel. Waist-deep, the stronger current forced him to shuffle slowly, as any distance between the sole of his foot and the river bottom would throw off his already delicate balance.
So focused, he didn't register the sound of splashing steps approach until the spray of water against his cheek drew his gaze forward. Only a couple of feet away, river swirling around four powerful limbs and soaking the rust-brown fur, staring at him with beady black eyes, stood what was unmistakably, this time, a bear. Daniel stared back for a moment, frozen in shock by its size and close proximity. The bear huffed, as if disgruntled to find a manling in its favorite fishing spot. Rearing back, its jaws opened and gave Daniel an excellent view of a mouth full of very large teeth as it roared a challenge. Several things happened simultaneously in response.
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Daniel raised his arms and yelled loudly, remembering his bear-prevention strategy.
The bear, startled but already in motion, continued to swing its claws towards Daniel's head.
A gray-fletched arrow sprouted from the bear's right eye, fired from the forest's edge.
Daniel, unbalanced by his sudden motion, lost his footing and was swiftly pulled underwater by the unforgiving current.
The bear, unbalanced by its sudden demise, tumbled forward into the deeper channel and followed Daniel downriver.
A third figure, unnoticed by either of them, cast aside their bow and dove willingly into the river, with purposeful strokes quickly catching up to Daniel.
The river filled his eyes, ears, and mouth. Water, sky, stone, and bear kaleidoscoped through his vision. His head bashed against something hard, the flash of pain and stars bursting across his eyes added to his confusion. He lost hold of the bundle, arms flailing towards the surface, but he couldn't tell which way it was. A powerful grip latched onto one wrist, pulling upwards, and Daniel gasped a breath, half of it air, and choked on the rest. His head dunked below the surface again as his wrist was released, but only a moment passed before the force returned, this time on both shoulders, pulling him on his back, head above water and feet floating downstream as he was towed towards shore.
Daniel's back scraped against stone as they reached the shore, and his head splashed back into a puddle as he was unceremoniously released by his rescuer. Sitting up, he coughed furiously to clear his lungs, took a deep breath, and lifted his eyes. A tall figure, dressed in green and brown and dripping wet, hauled the bear's body into the shallows with visible effort, its weight requiring a series of short tugs interspersed with every breath. The figure bent over the corpse, removed the arrow from its eye socket, and briefly inspected it before tossing away the ruined shaft. Turning towards Daniel, he could see now that the green he had originally taken for clothing was actually skin, revealed beneath the brown tunic and trousers and showing on the otherwise-human face. It had golden eyes, slightly pointed ears, and as its mouth widened in a grin, Daniel could see a pair of elongated lower canines that protruded noticeably above the healthy row of teeth. It spoke in a rich alto voice, colored by a touch of humor, the words clear but unintelligible.
"Ei, eluragh henor seil."
[Diplomacy] activated. [Middle Elidran] language added.
"Ah, the mighty hunter lives."