Yorid

I meant to post a chapter on Friday but lost the chapter because I didn't save. To make up for that I re-wrote the chapter and made it longer than my usual

I was walking towards the source of water that I thought. No. Knew was there, but it was turning out to be a REALL pain in the ass. It was going so much slower than I thought it would, faster than if I was human, but still I couldn’t move at my maximum speed that my large gait allowed me to have. 

The reason it was so slow you ask? Because of the PLANTS. Everywhere they emerged from the soil just to get it my way and to cause my body to get filled with twigs and leaves.

I never realised how much I took paths for granted, and being small. You only realise what you had when it’s gone and gone it was. I was a large 14 foot bear walking through cramped clustered trees and bushes that had no clear way to go to reach my destination. As a human I could weave and bob through the openings between trees with ease but now I was a blubbering Toddler trying not to bump into everything.

I wasn’t bumbling around though, I was ripping and wrenching a path through the vegetation that got in my way… well only the stuff that looked the least important. Like new bushes and plants that were too low to the ground that would probably die or be eaten by herbivores, other plants were those that were dead or dying. I wasn’t Just leisurely destroying the ecosystem. I was careful with it, but it was a pain to make a straightish path.

Trees were also getting in my way and I had to destroy the branches of some of these trees. Don’t get me wrong, there was enough space between each tree trunk that I could fit through but the branches just wanted to give me a good ruff and tumble and my face felt the results. And I got sick of getting beat up so I started fighting back!

Swinging my arms around like I was fighting a powerful opponent I was cutting a path through the branches, bushes and grasses. I was enjoying myself just flinging my arms around and surprisingly, making whooshing noises like you would here if you swung a stick real fast. I Was Almighty!! Destroying all the heathens that stood in my path. With a slash there and a cut here I now had a path of my fallen enemies below me! Kicking my legs in a beautiful arc (in what I know looked hilarious from an observer's perspective) I managed to send an enemy (a dying sapling) flying into the nearby woods outside of the path I was creating. 

While I was daydreaming I accidentally raked my claws against a 30 foot tall Pine tree and created a massive gash in its trunk that practically went all the way through. Slowly it started to bend but it never fell just wasn’t pointing straight up anymore now at a 80 degree angle. The mark looked menacing along with the result and would surely scare off any intelligent humans that saw it, and cause the cripdid believers of the world to come hunting in this forest of mine.

Even though I managed to basically bisect that tree I was also writhing in pain, cause my claw was still made of keratin like any other animal on earth. While they can definitely cause damage there was a small problem with them being attached to my fingers. They can certainly disembowel every animal on earth, but hard trees were on another level. Newton's laws of motion states that “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction”. Basically I hit something hard and that meant I felt the power of me hitting that object hard throughout my claws / fingernails and into my flesh, and it hurt. Not a lot but like stubbing your toes hard level, or punching a wall by accident pain. 

Painful and enough to draw me out of my mind and back into reality and my body. Then into thinking and responding to the pain that equaled holding back some manly tears. JK it was more of a, Shit that was dumb and then move on while limply putting my hand on my side while it recovered. That was around a minute or two then it was fine.

Looking around the forest cleared out into a sweeping meadow of flowers and grass that was out of a fairy tale. There were purple clustered flowers that rose up from between tall wild grass, along with white and red flowers that simply weren’t as numerous as the purple flowers that looked like Lavender now that I think of it. Occasionally a single Pine stood solitary in the fields that stood out and really gave you the sense that everything was being engulfed by the ground foliage and flowers.

(*AN Couldn't add any pictures that I wanted here but I suggest looking up 'Mountain Flower Meadow' to get the feel I was trying to give*)

Taking a DEEEEP breath I could smell all the different pollens and aromas that the plants produced that screamed that it was spring. And I was wrong they were definitely not Lavender, which was apparent once I looked cause these flowers had broader petals and a slightly lighter purple (^AN Lupine^), another one that weaved between that species had more tear shaped bud that when bloomed the flowers spread and looked like it wanted to snap shut on victims (^AN Fireweed^). 

Still I enjoyed the smells and was enjoying basking in the falling sun, that once again helped me slightly know how long I took to reach the brook that I could see flowing in the centre of the meadow. That was approximately an hour, if the change in light indicated correctly. And I could deduce time properly from the sun. 

That was a long time to walk to reach a stream but I took that long due to my enemies (The plants) that stood in my way, and the fact I was trying to move quietly and look out for any signs of human activity (There were none). It will probably take 20 minutes to get home or less if I try running or galloping back along the path I just created.  

Turning around to look at the desecration of the forest that I had done, I could see the outline of a blossoming path that was around the size and shape of my body. I would definitely be able to trace my steps back to my cave without the chance of getting lost.

“A few more journeys from A to B and it’ll be a proper road.” I said to outloud.

Looking closer I could see that my prints were large and very prevalent on the road I forged. And God did they look suspicious. Literally anything could follow my tracks, no hunting experience needed. They were deep, real deep, 6 ish inches maybe in some places and 10 ish in others? I couldn’t really measure but they were deeper than an elephants. I knew from experience, I grew up in Tanzania and Kenya afterall. 

They are probably that deep because I wasn’t spreading my weight on four padded feet, but on two slightly larger feet.

Spinning around on one leg and doing a 360 degree turn, I was once again looking at the path I made but I had now successfully drilled a small hole where my foot was. Confirming for a fact that I was a PHAT BOY and would probably forever be tracked by all due to my footprints.

Doing a 180 I was once again facing the meadow and the stream that flowed through it like a meandering serpent., glittering in the evening light with CRISSP clean glacier water uncontaminated by mankind (Sorta). It cascaded down rocks to make small waterfalls that coalesced into small shallow puddles, the crystal clear water let all light through and showed the pebbly bottom of the masses of water. It was seducing me into drinking from it and Hell Yea I’m Going To!!

Sauntering over I again carved a path towards the stream, this time it took me 2 minutes to reach my destination. Once I reached it I didn’t follow any formalities and ducked over and dunked my head into the cold depths of the stream and took in large deep gulps. Surprisingly no water went into my nose, Bear Facts: Adult Bears are good swimmers and can close their nostrils.

After I was satisfied and got the System ping that I could redeem my mission if I so pleased.  Launching my head out, water clung to my luxurious fur, small drops fell like rain onto the bank leaving marks wherever they fell. Standing all the way at my full height I whipped back my head and flung water all over the field behind me, I looked like a model from beach or pool commercials. OR a Bear that failed to catch salmon in Natgeo Geographic documentaries. 

Still feeling water in my hair I started to shake all it of like a wet dog, much like I used to do with my afro as a human. Gazing up into the setting sun, honestly it was a beautiful sight with its oranges and pinks, I said gently to myself.

“I could really get used to this, maybe dieing wasn’t as bad as I originally thought. ”

Seeing that nothing around could take my DUMP TRUCK ASS I sat on some soft looking grass moundsI it was a good choice if I said so myself. 

I just sat there, pausing for a minute and just enjoying the world for its beauty… I decided to start singing. It started slow at first and slowly I got into the zone and picked up my tempo. The song that came to mind was; Here Comes The Sun - By The Beatles, that soon stretched onto more until the sun fully set with different songs making their entrance and exit along the way.

Left alone under the cosmos enjoying the stars that twinkled and shone from millions of lightyears away, I stood up and walked home after drinking some more water for my parched throat.

Following my amazing path, reminded again that I was not a human by how well I could see at night I returned home to my cave and crawled inside.

Like I thought it took substantially less time to return from the stream than it took to reach it.

Leaning against the back of my cave I finicked around until I found a good position to fall asleep. After finding that spot I just turned off my body and went into my dreams.

With a slight smile I couldn’t help but think about what I would explore and find tomorrow.