10 Minute Tales, Part 2

Sep 12 - Winter's Beast

He had heard the roar only once before. He stood straight, a primal fear gripping his soul.

"What's wrong?" his partner asked, looking over. "Spooked by the wind?"

"That wasn't the wind..." he mumbled, gripping his dagger nervously. "We need to get into the shelter, now."

"What? We're barely ten minutes out." the partner grumbled. "Come on, I'm sure we can bag a bear if we get going."

"You don't understand." the first replied, looking to the edges of the mountain. The snow was starting to come down, blurring their edges. "There's a manhunter out there. We aren't safe today!"

"Oh, you and your superstitions." he huffed, rolling his eyes. "There's nothing but wind and snow out there. Well, that and the bear we're meant to be hunting. Now come on."

"This isn't going to end well...!" he grumbled, nearly turning back there and then. The only thing stopping him was the fact his family needed the food.

"We'll be fine. You've got your harpoon, I've got the gun, what could go wrong?"

"If there's nothing that can resist the metal, nothing." he conceded. "But I'm sure there's something out there."

"Alright, we get it..." the second sighed quietly. "Come on, let's go."

"Alright, alright..." he sighed, but the two made tracks through the snow.

-----

I watch them. They trespass on my home. I have warned them. This is my hunting ground. I will follow them. If they are wise, they will leave soon. If they are not, I will eat richly. I have not tasted their flesh for many years. I hope to.

-----

They had travelled for a couple of miles. The snowstorm had only grown stronger and now obscured sight for anything more than a handful of metres. They had both put their goggles on, but there was little they could do to counter the sheer power of the cold that now cut through them. All they could do was endure, power through it with all the might they could.

"We've got to be close." the second yelled over the storm. "The tracks are getting more frequent."

"In this weather?" the first frowned. "Why would the bear be moving like this in this weather? It should be staying in its lair."

"I guess so." he shrugged. "Just focus on finding the freshest, okay?"

"These look pretty good." he mumbled, glancing around. The beast couldn't be too far. The second hunter came over, looking at the prints himself. "Yes, you're right. Let's follow these." The two followed the new trail, crawling along the edges of the mountains. The bear had seemed to try and stay out of the worst of the winds, but the mountain offered little shelter. The first hunter suddenly heard that distant roar again. It was much closer. "We're too deep." he muttered, looking up. "We need to get out of here, now!"

"What are you talking about?" the second commented, looking around. "There's nothing else out here."

"You didn't hear that damned roar?"

"I heard the wind." the second shrugged. The beast roared, loud enough for them both to hear. The wind was the last thing they heard.