OUTCAST : THE PATH OF A WARRIOR

1. NORAK the TAVRONIAN

CHAPTER

Stepping from the cave, early sunlight warmed my skin just as an icy wind brushed my face. Nearby, a lone pine tree stood like a giant sentinel, fiercely guarding the lush valley below.

A nearby spring trickled gently toward the woods—a sound that should have meant home. But something felt terribly off. No, this wasn't home at all.

Dazed, I stumbled down the slope. I squinted through dry, puffy eyes, scouring the vast valley below.

The ground baked beneath my bare feet, unnaturally hot. All around me, a massive sea of dandelions felt entirely surreal.

A deep rumble in my stomach delivered a blunt reminder: it was time to hunt. Mother had sewn a small pouch into my loincloth—the exact spot where I kept my flint for tracking game with Father and making camp. Relief washed over me as my fingers brushed the hard lump of stone hidden beneath the thick fur.

A sharp noise behind me spun me around. A massive beast stared straight back. Shock shot through me, sending me stumbling and crashing backward onto the hot ground.

Barely ten yards away, a brown bear reared on its hind legs. It growled fiercely, puffing its chest as I braced for the onslaught

I scrambled backward on my hands and backside, desperate to escape. No use. The bear dropped to all fours and charged, skidding to a halt just feet away and raining dust over me.
​Bluffing? My heart pounded.
​I whipped out my knife. Bright sunlight gleamed off the blade as my trembling hand tried to hold it steady.

Fear gripped me, numbing my muscles. Yet, deep inside, raw animal instinct took over. Opening my mouth, I let out a thunderous bellow that echoed across the valley.

The bear slammed its heavy front paws onto the earth, snorting hot air from its snout. Suddenly, it snapped its head toward the cave mouth. My eyes darted to the dark entrance, waiting for a second beast to rush out.

Was I its next meal, or had I just ruined its hibernation?
​I rose slowly, desperate not to trigger an attack. Lowering my head, nostrils flaring, I pointed my sharp horns directly at the beast. Digging my heels into the earth, I locked into a rigid stance—knees bent, muscles coiled, ready to fight... or sprint.

I snorted hard and let out a deep, hollow bellow—a roar that would have made my father proud. The message landed. To my absolute relief, the bear backed down, retreating slowly into the cave's shadows.
​I stood frozen until the beast vanished into the dark. Only then did I turn and head down into the valley.

​A chaotic commotion erupted behind me. Two sets of frantic paws charging, teeth clacking as they rushed me. I spun like lightning, only to find two bear cubs lunging forward—with a furious Mama Bear right on their heels.

The cubs mirrored Mama Bear’s terrifying display. They slammed tiny front paws against the earth, bluffing a fierce charge before skidding to a halt just four yards away.

Mama Bear acted on pure instinct. She charged between us, slamming her heavy paws into the dirt and clacking her teeth. She huffed with rage, blowing hot air from her snout.
​As I backed away slowly, she did the same, nudging her cubs backward. Then, a blur of motion caught my eye to the right. My heart stopped. A massive male—even bigger than the mother—charged from the treeline straight toward us.

She faced a whole new danger—this time, to her cubs. The number of foes had doubled. The massive grizzly reared on its hind legs, dwarfing even my towering height, its jaws popping with a terrifying click.

Having witnessed the terrifying speed of bears back home, I knew running was a death sentence. Beside me, the mother’s fear hardened into pure rage. She reared, puffing herself up to summon every ounce of courage, and unleashed a bone-chilling growl. For a split second, her eyes glinted a fiery yellow in the morning sun as she flashed a glance at me. Seeing no immediate threat from my side, she locked her gaze entirely onto the giant newcomer.