Day 24: (How to catch) Pöppö
Sometimes one must stand up for the dirty work even when no one else dares to. I only claimed this last prompt, but a mysterious hunter had a more stressful issue with the same beast. I'm posting early since I have to go to sleep, and it seems the new chapter has just started too, yay! Thank you all who organized the break and contributed. It's been a lot of fun!
"Come over here!" The mage shouted as she took cover in the gap under a large rock. "No point of running, that bear is fast!"
It sure was. They hid in the gap, trying to steady their breath. They both had thought this to be an easy kill. But Pöppö was ferocious. Even with those jiggly meat sacks it had instead of any sensory organs, it was perfectly aware of everything. And it was so angry. Maybe at that last party who left it to rot instead of releasing its spirit? The hunter didn't care at this point, she only knew that she had to get both of them out of this alive. She peeked at her companion, hastily trying to draw a protection rune with shaking hands. They could hear the beast running. It was making disgusting, wet sounds that would make anyone feel sick in their stomachs. It ran straight past their rock and the hunter relaxed a little, but soon it stopped and ran back. It went back and forth around the rock. Searching. Not long after, the sound became terribly close. Pöppö made a growling, wheezing sound.
My gods, the hunter thought in terror,
it is standing on the rock, isn't it? "I'll do plan B" the hunter whispered.
"Wha...?! N--no!" the mage whispered back, horrified. "You know how inhumane that plan is..."
"There's nothing else left to do."
"No, you-- we can't! This is not the way we were taught. And what if it doesn't work? It will get you right away. No... I can get us out-- I can-"
The hunter shushed the mage. Even if it didn't work, and gods knew that she even kind of wish it didn't, she could distract the beast. She could save the mage.
"Stay here." was her last words to her, she tried to look strong and held her breath. It was a horrible plan. Even if it worked, she knew the mage would not look her the same way again. She would have become a ruthless, remorseless killer. And the mage too would leave her, realizing there is no good in her.
She hopped onto the rock and stood up, face to face with the bear. The bear stood up, ugly and ready to attack. The hunter gathered all her determination and shouted her heart out.
"Noone wanted you for the chapter break filler!"
The bear froze for a second. A loud noise followed. That dry, unmistakable CRACK. The bear loosely raised its paw towards its chest. Whining, the heavy body fell down the rock, dead of a broken heart.
The hunter stood on the top of the rock, gazing at the lifeless body. She couldn't gather the courage to face the mage. What could she have said to her? What words would a monster speak?
Before she could continue, she felt the touch of the mage surrounding her. "I am so proud of you" the soft voice spoke. Shyly, the hunter hugged her back. They both cried a little, but it was okay, for they were the tears of joy.
And they lived happily ever after.
