CHPT 21: Hero...or Hunter?

"Fenrir?" Claude thought the name over trying to figure out why it sounded so familiar.

"Fenrir as in g-god of wolves?" Ursula asked, now looking less humorous.

"You must've done quite well to meet him, Claude." Prof. Callista said through a shocked smile.

Claudes head was spinning and he felt queasy. "I met the god of wolves?" He thought to himself.

"Yea, I did alright." He responded curtly as he tried to rush out of the hospital. He winced and groaned from the pain and stiffness of his muscles and joints as he put on his leather reinforced armor.

"Now hold on Claude, you shouldn't be moving yet...and there's still some things I should tell you about your...uhm...appearance." Prof. Callista said nervously while Ursula began to look incredibly angry and sad.

"Yea I know, I got roughed up pretty bad but it's not that serious, tell me tommorow after classes. O-"

He was cut off as Ursula shot off the bed and yelled, "Sit down and let her tell you what happened...NOW!"

Claude was startled by her angry tone causing him to jump a little. Then he turned around and went back to his bed to sit down facing Ursula who was still standing with her fisted hands shaking in anger. Prof. Callista stood off to the side in between the beds the two students occupied.

Prof. Callista looked between the two students multiple times before saying, "Hmmm, maybe Ursula can tell you. You guys look like you have some catching up to do." She walked out of the spacious white room after giving Claude a light pat on the back and congratulating him on his rebirth.

"So Ursula, what's up?" He said while adjusting his chest piece.

"What do you remember about the redwoods?" She said while her eyes kept wandering his face.

"Uhm...well we triggered a snake ambush then I found the cave in the clearing that the giant snake came from which we killed...thanks for the help by the way." He said nervously while trying to avoid eye contact.

"Ok..what do you remember about the fight?"

Claude thought over the grisly fight before answering. "Well, I sent Warren to get Prof. Raizen and then we stayed and fought...oh! How's your leg?" Claude asked, remembering she was hit in the battle.

Ursula began to shake with anger and her lips quivered faintly as her head hung slightly. "Stop."

Claude looked at her with an expression of confusion. "Stop? You mean stop telling you what I remember or..?"

"I mean STOP acting like it's not a big deal....like what YOU did IS NOT A BIG DEAL. How could you ask about my leg after what you went through? Next time don't put yourself at risk for me like that, I'm NOT A FUCKING DAMSEL IN DISTRESS do you hear me!"

Claude was surprised by her outburst, but after thinking it over and seeing how enraged she was, he understood. As screwed up as it is, being saved can make you feel incredibly weak depending on the type of person you are, and watching someone get injured on your behalf can be difficult to watch..demoralizing even.

Claudes face turned stern as he locked eyes with Ursula. "I'm sorry, I didn't think about how you felt. But if you think even for a second that I won't save you or anyone, your out of your mind...I mean what are we training for?"

Ursula was stunned, none of the "heroes" she's met have ever spoken of actually being a hero, of actually saving anyone. Instead they talk like...hunters, bragging about their conquests and how they've brutally killed high ranked monsters with ease. "He probably doesn't even feel good about killing that snake, it probably won't affect him when he realizes he's the talk of the town either." She thought in amazement.

"Erhm..erhm.. I've been told I'm not very good with people, so if what I just said pissed you off even more and you'd no longer like to talk to me, I understand." Claude said as he quit fiddling with his armor and got up to leave.

"No."

Ursula spoke, stopping Claude right at the door. He turned around waiting for her to say something else.

"It didn't piss me off, I'll just have to return the favor." She said as she stood up and wiped her teary eyes, letting a smile show on her previously angered face.

"Fair enough. See you tommorow, Ursula."

***

Claude was walking through the city of SkyHaven at around noon since he woke up on a Saturday. The city was bustling with activity since students didn't have school and some adults weren't working, Claude could hear the noise emanating from the bar near his favorite weapon smith, Bergrins Blades.

He briskly walked through the city eager to return home, he kept noticing during his trek through the city that people were looking at him as if something was on his face.

Claudes never been one to care about his looks but the walk through SkyHaven had him eager to check his appearance.

Claude noticed an unnatural amount of people at the newspaper stand all chatting excitedly while they read whatever the headline was. Claude was intrigued and decided to see what they were all so excited about as he made his way to the stand.

He began to read the headline in surprise and confusion.

"Mysterious young student of the C.S Academy slays a giant snake monster in the previously snake infested redwoods with ease!!!!."

Claude read the headline again only able to think one thing.

"So who the fuck said it was easy?"