“Let’s end these fuckers.”

And then I fire, aiming for the eye of the closest bear. It hits its mark, and its head rears back as it lets out a roar and stumbles to the left, its legs tangling together. I don’t have time to savor the moment because the next bear is already charging, and I pull out another arrow, notching it and firing, somehow managing to keep my hands steady.

It goes wide and lodges into the side of its neck. The bear roars and tosses its head, but it continues running as I reach for another arrow. I fire, and this one hits its front shoulder, causing its leg to buckle. It all happens in an instant, and my head spins as I try to maintain my balance. It feels like it’s been days since we bonded inside the cavern, and it’s impossible to gauge the timeline. I wonder if the minutes pass like they did in the Evanescence.

Behind me, I see the flash of Lor’s sword as she uses two hands to slice a bear across the face. It roars and lurches away while another lunges from the other side. I call out to her as she pulls the blade from her thigh and arcs it overhead, plunging it into its muzzle. I note the surprise on her face as she stumbles into me. Catching her with my free arm, we both watch the injured bear bleat as blood sprays our clothing. It shakes its head and then swipes at her with a large paw.

I scuttle back, pulling her out of its reach before I set her back on her feet.

“You okay?” I ask, and she nods.

“I think so.”

The bears left standing close in, forming a half circle as they prowl closer on their massive paws. Going on the offensive, I swing and crack a bear across the face with the bow. It leaves a gash but does little to deter it. I try again and the bow nearly snaps in half, then I duck when it hooks a massive paw at my head. Catching me in the shoulder, it tears the leather of my jacket.

Lor slashes and hacks, and I watch the bear open its mouth and close it over her arm out of the corner of my eye. She screams, and her knees buckle just as she thrusts the sword upwards and pierces through the top of its skull. The bear pauses and then collapses in a heap. Lor releases the hilt of the sword now lodged in its skull and, without missing a beat, picks up a rock and hurls it at the next bear as it paces back and forth. It strikes the bear’s flank, earning us an ominous growl as it starts pacing faster.

Lor’s arm and hand are bleeding, and I can’t tell how badly injured she is, but at least she’s still standing.