Stormrider

All right! So be it! Her finely conditioned body hummed with expectation as she rushed the bear's blind side, the wind carrying his noisome scent to her nostrils but not hers to his. Leverage, surprise and power. She had to use them all and use them fast. Despite years of training and the experience of having faced deadly adversaries, her belly churned and her mouth felt parched as she launched herself.

She went in swiftly from behind as Strongheart directed the diversion in front. She hit the massive bear with all her strength, clipping him just behind the knees, and slashed downward, tearing the hamstring of the leg nearest her with her digging knife. Blood spurted hot and sticky. The bear gave a thunderous roar and began a long, slow, collapse. Tanith's heart convulsed. It didn’t appear she was going to make it clear. She sent a brief prayer to the Goddess. If she died now she will have failed. Her quest to regain the amulet would be ended. Something flashed past her.

Strongheart plowed in. Everything started to come apart. Jaws agape, canines flashing wetly in the bright afternoon light, he dove for the bear’s throat, leaping over Tanith in a cannonball assault. She witnessed the rest in a blur. Wolf charging. Bear falling. Those terrible sickle-like bear claws swinging in a wide arch. She ached, her bones fairly shrieked with the knowledge it was going to be a close thing, a very close thing indeed.

The ground leapt up to slam into her shoulder and hip as Tanith pressed away. No good! Not fast enough! She flailed as an icy finger of near panic caressed the length of her spine and the bear's heavy paw passed so close claws caught her in a glancing swipe. Fired ice followed the course of the bear's claws running up her left breast and over her shoulder. A numbing shiver rippled through her body. Despite the muted power of the swipe of that great paw, it delivered hot agony. Tanith kept moving; tumbled, tumbled, chewed grass and rolled clear. She heard, more than saw, Strongheart take the bear's throat in a single savage pass.

Gurgling sounds bubbled from the bear's torn throat as he thrashed wildly, tearing up the fragrant grasses in his death throes, bringing Tanith's earlier meal to her throat in a much less pleasant form than the one it had been consumed in. His throat gone, the mortally wounded bear could not even roar his agony and anger. A ground-tremoring shudder, a deep wheeze and then silence. Profound and complete.

Tanith rolled slowly over onto her back, stared up into the incredible blue of the sky's vastness and in her heart asked the deities of this world for their forgiveness in the taking of this bear's life.

She gave a quick glance up at Strongheart who had come to plunk himself down at her side, panting heavily, reeking of bear and blood. He looked down at her sprawled in the grass from his elevated, sitting position and gave her a quizzical look, tongue lolling from his mouth.

His mind touched hers, telegraphing thoughts. Why do you feel you need forgiveness for making the only choice for a being of flesh...?

Tanith breathed heavily, willing the incredible tension of battle to drain away from her body into the cool earth beneath her back. It took a little time for the pounding roar of her blood to calm so she could consider Strongheart’s question.

"It was not by my choice, it was yours - and we destroyed a living thing by it. For what?"

In defense of another living thing - choices all choices. To live in the world of flesh choices must be made.

Tanith sighed. "Are you going to confuse my life further by becoming a philosopher as well as bond-mate?"