CHAPTER 14: The New Neighbour

It's been a peaceful few weeks out here. I have some new books from Willow's Edge, and they help me pass the time. I've also taken to building snares and traps. Somehow, my instincts take over, and whether this is from becoming a Ranger, or something else entirely, I don't really wonder or care. I understand how to do it. How to strip the green roots of a sapling and coil them to make twine. How to set a twine lasso low so that a rabbit or small game would wander through. These traps are not very good, but they work sometimes.

The bandits in the woods had a decent amount of rations on them, but I'd still like to stock up on meat before the crisp Autumn air turns frigid for winter. Already, I'm using several blankets and bedrolls at night. That's not all. One evening, even with the sun still out to warm and dry my body, I'm naked with teeth chattering as I try to bathe in the creek. I'm shivering so bad by the end of it that I swear it's my last bath until spring. The Autumn chill here and soon the snow is going to come.

It shouldn't surprise me to find out that I wasn't the only one with the notion that i should prepare for the changing weather. Some Ranger I am – I never sensed a single sign that there were bears in these woods until one day when, big as my head, there is a pawprint on the elk trail. I make my mind up then and there to find him. And where there's one track, there's more. What drove him into my territory, I don't know, but I can't ignore his presence. I can't hope to take out the bear on equal terms, I have to find a way to even the playing field. I've run into jackals again, here and there, but never enough to matter. They don't stand a chance now that I've surpassed them so far in strength. I'm better at tracking now, and can usually tell when jackals are around. They're simply no match for me. ...A bear is a different matter.

I've circled him for days by the time I have the courage to fight him. I learn his habits. I find his home. Though, strangely enough, he's not in the caves. There are caves only a mile or two from here – there have to be, with the foot of the mountains so close and fresh water to make so many different interesting rock formations. Back when I lived in the town of Mirtulfield, the folk said that there were goblins in some of those caves. It would take a lot more than a goblin to scare off a bear. So why isn't he bedding down somewhere more comfortable?

In any case, I spend a full day preparing. I'm working diligently, stripping roots, sharpening stakes, and planning my path. Finally. The bear is in place. The wind is right. My crude traps are set.

I have lines of braided homemade rope tied around trees to slow him down. With any luck, I'll be able to turn and fire into him a few times at that point. I also set sharpened wood pointing in between two trees. The final touch is a slim tree that won't be able to support hundreds of pounds of bear. I'm sure that I, a 19 year old girl, can climb it – and I've practiced to make sure. I have my little obstacle course set up and I've met him at the start. He's fishing in the stream as I slowly exhale, ready to release the arrow that I have nocked on my bow. My crossbow is loaded in my inventory, and all my blades are sharpened, but the longbow is what I want. I can't let him get close or the bear will literally tear my head off. So I'm more than a hundred feet away, with my mind made up.

*TWANG!*

Things went a little… 'downhill' from there. The first shot missed. I missed! But the bear didn't even seem to notice! The second shot i take quickly, and it finds his body – and it seems like it is doing EXACTLY enough damage to piss him off. For something so big, he is moving FAST. He's faster than I thought he'd be, that's for sure. I imagined this hulking beast lumbering through the woods, being whittled down by my arrows, and figured that I wouldn't even need my little traps. But he's actually faster than I am, and I've only taken two more shots before I know it is time to run. He's roaring, "GWAAAR!". I'm running for my life. I can't spare the time to turn and shoot – he'll be on me. I have to trust my traps. I duck under and jump over different tripwires that I have set up – but he just crashes straight through them! I run between trees that I have set up with narrow sharpened spikes set up to stab him. *CRASH!* I can hear his massive bulk slamming through them, uncomfortably close. He's so close! I should have set some sort of fire or something. Found something else to stop him. I didn't though, but I'm still far enough to make it up the tree! With any luck, I'll take a few shots at him from up here, and make short work of him.

Then my blood turns ice-cold in my veins. He's actually climbing up the tree! This big brown bear is clearly too much for it, but he's trying to climb the tree, and that's shaking it so much that I can barely hold on. Correction: I can no longer hold on. The pain of the fall is nothing compared to his giant paw. I raise my hand and the Warding Flare flashes out. His paw misses me, but before I can react, his other paw slams into me, and his great jaw bites down on my shoulder. "AAAAAGH!" I scream. I have to get out of here. NOW. I'm off like a shot as yet again one of his big paws swipes at the air. Thankfully, air is all that it finds. I might have one last chance: those caves! My ill-conceived 'obstacle course' has at least brought me closer to them. I know where the caves are, even if I haven't really explored them. Will I reach them in time?

It's a mad dash, and I can hear the great beast's body thumping against the ground as he chases me. The caves! There they are ahead! I can see plenty of entrances there, and I thank my lucky stars that there's one that is big enough for me – and too small for the bear! I dive in to that cave like a squirrel takes to a tree. *SLAM!* "GWAAAR!" the bear isn't just trapped outside. He's stuck in the cave mouth! I can tell by the sound. That's a lucky thing, since he's blocking off most of the natural light. I cast Light on my bow itself, and see that one great big furry arm of his is pinned and one arm is trapped inside. I can't help but smile as I raise the longbow. *TWANG!* a clear careful shot hits right his chest, and sinks into the heart of the mighty forest predator. Even taking into account the bear being immobilized, it is probably my greatest shot by the longbow so far – a smooth release of the tension of the bowstring sends the arrow directly into the critical parts of my quarry's body.

*ting!* "Level 2 titles are now available. Level 2 quests are now available. Congratulations on earning a new title! Congratulations on earning a new title! Quest complete! Quest update!"

I'm so relieved and elated that I actually laugh as I sit on the ground. It echoes through the cave as I sort through the magnificent rewards – starting with a quick look at the new titles available.

TITLES

Bandit Captain. Thug Title, have 4 or more criminals under your command or in your employ.

Bard. Proficiency with an instrument, spellcasting.

Berserker. Go berserk, Survive a battle using a heavy weapon and no armor.

Druid. Hermit Background.

There, mixed in are the two titles that I've achieved, and I immediately accept their rewards.

Cult Fanatic. Cultist Title,

REWARDS; One Cleric spell, 1st level (1/day), One Cleric spell, 2nd level (1/day)

Priest. Acolyte title, Cleric Class

REWARDS; Potion of Lesser Regeneration

I'm still smiling from relief as I sit on the ground. I take a short rest and cast Cure Wounds. I'm still pretty torn up, but at least I'm not bleeding, and I feel better. I'm thrilled by the Potion of Lesser Regeneration, and one sniff of it is enough to decide that I had better save it for an emergency. Essentially, it enhances a creature's natural healing to a RIDICULOUS degree.

POTION OF LESSER REGENERATION

Potion, Uncommon.

You regain 2d4+2 hit points when you drink this potion. For thirty minutes, the target regains 1 hit point every six seconds. In addition, any severed limbs regenerate after 2 minutes.

*ting!* "Quest complete."

"Objects of Power: Aqcuire an Uncommon magic item"

REWARDS; 1 Attribute point

*ting!* "Quest update."

"Objects of Power: Aqcuire an Uncommon magic item"

I immediately put the Attribute point into strength, for what I have planned after I finish leveling up. The System shows me the spells I may choose from, and the second level spell is easiest to decide upon. Of all the choices, I think it's the only one that suits my immediate needs. There is a narrow passage behind me in the dark, but I am in no mood or condition to go exploring. That's why I choose 'Enhance Ability'. It can raise one of my Statistics (CHARISMA, CONSTITUTION, DEXTERITY, INTELLIGENCE, STRENGTH, OR WISDOM) for up to an hour. AN HOUR! That's fifty-nine more minutes than I'll need to move this bear from my path. I have another spell to pick, and I choose 'Guiding Bolt'. It's an offensive Cleric spell that launches a damaging divine light. Not only does this radiant light damage an enemy, it also lights them up to make them easier to see.

Without any further waiting, I use the power of 'Enhance Ability' on my strength. I feel the sinew of my arms rippling. Suddenly, full of confidence and vigor, I place my hands against the body of the bear and I push! And I … push! PUSH!

…but nothing good is happening. I can feel the body of the bear, and it shouldn't be a problem for my temporarily massive strength. Behind the bear, though, I'm noticing that there is rubble – when the beast slammed into the cave mouth, he must have caused a landslide. I'm trapped! It'll take forever to dig out of here. It only gets better as I'm looking around. Noticing something strange, I examine my tracks. I've been using my magical shoes, the Boots of False Tracks, to leave a certain misleading type of footprints where I walk. But there's no way I've already left this many prints here…. It dawns on me as I notice the bones of who-knows-what animals in here amongst the too-great number of tracks: I'm not alone.

I probably should have saved some spells today… and I DEFINITELY shouldn't have sent my laugh echoing through the caves as soon as I became trapped in here ...

...with goblins.