The bear that just attacked me is coming in for another round, and I duck again, dropping to the ground and rolling under the beast as I snatch a fallen arrow. It roars and shakes its head as it spins around, trying to dislodge me. Icy rage billows through my limbs, fury curdling in my chest. I’m so fucking pissed that Lor was dragged here by my father and that instead of saving herself, she’s forced to protect me.

With a cry born of three centuries of anger, I thrust the arrow up, piercing the soft skin of the animal’s belly. It slides into the flesh like a knife through butter before warm, thick blood coats my hands. The bear roars, lifting up on two legs, and I waste no time leaping up and driving my shoulder into its ruined stomach, tipping it off balance.

Lying on its back, it pedals in the air, screaming and roaring. This poor thing didn’t deserve this either, I’m sure. That doesn’t stop me from picking a large rock and smashing it into its face. The bear whimpers and then rolls onto its paws before it starts to drag itself away.

I watch it heave itself across the ground as ragged breaths saw out of my chest.

Only one animal is left, and Lor and I spin around to face it as it charges, swiping a paw as she cries out and jogs back, lunging for her dagger where she dropped it. I pick up the bow and another arrow and fire at close range. The shot lands right between its eyes, and the bear roars, a paw swinging again and catching Lor across the stomach.

She screams as she goes flying, landing in the grass with a thud. I want to go to her, but the bear drops back onto all fours, its head swaying side to side as blood drips down its face. Again it charges for Lor, who’s hunched over, clutching her stomach, but instinct takes over, and I throw myself on its back.

It swerves with the weight of my body, and we both careen to the side, back and forth, before it loses its footing and crashes to the ground. We both go rolling, and it feels like my organs are going to squeeze out of my body as it tumbles over me.

Somehow, we get turned around, and now the bear is on top, blood dripping down its face. I try to scramble away, but it pins me to the ground, and it opens its jaws wide as it dives.

A moment later, the bear jerks, and Lor appears on top of the beast, both hands clutched around the hilt of her dagger, the blade wedged into its skull.

After several heartbeats of silence, the bear starts to collapse. I scramble out, and Lor tips off its back as we stumble towards one another. She leans against me, breathing heavily.