Wolf Blood Over Coca-Cola

Skaelingr frowned as the sun began to dip below the horizon, the soft pink glow quickly fading from the sky as streaks of rain clouds built up over the northern sea. There was a wind coming in from the north, bringing an unexpected chill with it that potentially threatened snow. This far north though he wouldn't have been surprised. Skae turned his face back to the marble river bed as he continued trekking south. He'd been separated from Lament and Ballad and the rest of the group. It was rather embarrassing but what else could he do but try and track them down.

Lightning sparked in the distance, lighting up the clouds for just a moment with its cold, unnatural light. He really needed to start looking for shelter. Thunder rolled across the sky overhead. While he didn't mind water so much when it was combined with the cold that could cause a lot of problems. He didn't want to freeze his first night in this strange new land and it wouldn't do to allow himself to be weakened if he could help it. Skaelingr was hungry. It had been some time since his last meal but so far the north had been keeping her bounty well concealed. Perhaps if he was lucky he could pick off a few more lemmings. Caribou had proven to difficult to hunt by himself.

As Skaelingr walked along thinking about his stomach the sweet aroma of fat and blood caught his attention. Something had made a kill. He hesitated but eventually curiosity gave in. It was possible that whatever it was had died from other causes and it was the ravens and carrion birds that had opened the flesh to the air. He could only be so lucky. Quickly moving along the coast he spied the cause of the smell, a dead seal. It's blood stained the rocks that formed the beach. A cluster of dark birds hovered around the kill but what most caught his eye was the massive white beast currently gorging itself. A polar bear. Its head appeared to be all the way in the belly fo the creature. Skae knew he should turn around at this point but felt a sense of daring. He felt a test to his bravery. The bear was clearly occupied with its kill. Perhaps he could grab a morsel before he was spotted.

Skaelingr slunk forward, his coat melting into the white and gray rocks that formed the opening of the river bed where it would have flowed into the sea had it not died long ago. He moved quickly and low. Soon his fangs were at the seal's back, he swiftly bit into flesh and began to wolf it down as quickly as he could, knowing that at any second the bear would notice his presence. He only hoped that with its muzzle shoved inside the seal carcass that it wouldn't smell him or see him right away.

Movement caught his attention and he looked up to see the bear staring him right in the face. Fog blew out its nostrils, along with blood. His ears went back. The bear lunged, leaping over the kill at him just as he managed to scramble out of the way. The bear turned to face him and he realized that on the other side of the kill there was a cub. Oh shit…an angry mother. She stood on her hind legs and roared and he knew there was no way he was going to win this fight. She charged again, her right claws just missing his head as he ducked. He could feel the breeze generated by her swipe and he found himself shocked at how quickly she could move. He needed to get out of here but he was suddenly unsure if he could outrun her. Surely she wouldn't go far from her cub?

Distracted he failed to see the bears paw and as he tried to dodge her forearm slammed into his side sending him flying across the beach and landing with a rough thud. He scrambled to his feet as she lunged again and this time he managed to dodge her claws and rip into the top of her muzzle and nose with his fangs. She cried out and stumbled back, swiping at her own face. He quickly let go then turned tail and ran, eager to get away while she was distracted by the pain. He didn't know if this was somehow dishonorable running from a fight in such a manner, especially when he sought to become a known warrior. Personally, though, he thought it smart. A large part of winning battles was knowing when it was really time to fight. He put a good distance between himself and the bear, running as far south as he felt was prudent before he turned around. There was nothing there but the lightning dancing on the horizon.