Chapter 5: Continuation and Decision

As I readied myself, facing an almost impossible enemy for me and thinking that I have a death wish, oh well, I’ll just prepare myself and be done with it. I let go of the cat, urging it to go back to its parent, the cat made a few step then looked back at me for a moment, its eyes has a glint of gratitude as it looks at me, then it bounded off towards the big cat. I looked back to face off my very first opponent in this world, I had a more than a hundred fights won in my record in the previous world, all fist fights and street fights, but this time, I won’t be facing a human being, but an 8 meter bear with a large sharp claws, tough hard muscles, and a mouth full of dagger like teeth, I don’t have much chances of winning, but the bear is already tired from its previous fight, all I need to do is to stay away from it and shot it from a distance. If I can’t do that, one swipe from the bear, and I will surely die.

The bear didn’t move from its position since it glared and growled at me, as if it didn’t know what was happening. As the bear was bewilder, I took this chance to calm my mind and body, and put myself into focus, it was hard calming and putting myself into focus, my heart was beating rapidly, but I manage it after a few tries. When all is calm and into a focus state, I stared at him with determination, then smile, I slowly grab my bow with my right hand from the quiver behind my back, and grip it hard, then suddenly I jumped back with all my might, draw an arrow as I jump, nock it when I landed then aim and then shot. First moves win, that’s how I mostly won my fight. That was how the theory supposed to work, but as my arrow takes its destined flight toward the bear, the bear reacted to it by instinct, but it was a bit too late, the arrow only graze the bear on the side of its neck, it was not my intended target, the arrow greatly missed.

There are many factors that I forgot to account that’s why it missed, first, since this was not a fist fight I am accustomed with, second I’m using a bow into the fight and not fist which is quite impossible with that kind of opponent, third, I don’t know how to shoot an arrow while moving, and most of all, I don’t know how to shoot a target that moves. At least it was not a waste shot, it still graze the bear which turns out very bad for me, the bear at first was shocked at what happened, then it was angered, the anger was clearly directed at me, the bear made a powerful roar that almost petrified me where I stand, but since I’m already in a calm state, it didn’t affect me that much. After the bear roar, it readied itself to lunge at me, but I didn’t waited for it, I’m already taking my next action, I move myself into the direction where the bear can’t see me, I must always place myself to the bear’s right side, for the bear’s right eye was already useless, it is the bear’s blind spot. I run sideways, always keeping myself to the bear’s right side, I draw an arrow while I was running and nocked it to the bow, when it was nocked and ready I stopped to aim, then pulled the bow string while securing my aim, but that move was another one of my mistake, I took too long to aim, as I do that, the bear had already turned and was facing at me, as it saw me with its good left eye, it started to run immediately heading towards me, I was shocked for a moment on how quickly it reacted, I didn’t expected it, I thought earlier that it was already on the verge of its last stamina, but where does its strength coming from?

Then I realized that it’s not the time for some idle thought, I need to expect the unexpected so I can keep myself alive, I released the tension of my bow and started moving again, running circle to my left, and onto the blind spot of the bear, as I circle around the bear, I tried shooting it, once, twice, I shot many times but to no avail, its hard shooting while moving, what’s doubly hard is, the target was also moving, almost all my shot went wide, I got a few lucky shot but it didn’t even put a scratch on the bear’s fur, all I did was to anger it more, I need a plan or I will lose more of my arrows before I have a decent shot. I need to hit the bear on its soft spot, while running circle and playing a deadly game of tag with the bear, I’m thinking of where I can hit the bear and how will I do it. But this running and thinking is so hard, that the bear almost had me a couple of times, I need to think fast, the bear is getting smarter by the second, instead of just turning around, the bear was swiping its claw into the ground while it turns, causing some snows and stone flying around like projectiles, it’s not accurate but still quite dangerous, I need to make a wide berth first.

As I ordered myself to keep moving or else I’m going to die, I thought some kind of a plan, but the plan is risky as hell, the chances of me dying is 90%, oh hell with chances, I’m going to die anyway if I don’t do anything, first part of the plan is, I need to enrage it much further than this. I started to act the first part of my plan, which the risk percentage is 50%, first I count my arrows while moving forward, that’s right, moving forward, I need to get closer to the bear but farther from its reach, a distance of about two arm’s length of the bear, since I missed a lot when I shot it while moving, being much closer and being the bear so huge, it would be hard to miss when I shot it in that distance. 15 arrows left, 7 in my back and 8 in my waist, as I got closer I shot my first arrow from my waist quiver towards the bear, it missed, the bear who was momentarily shocked by the move that I made of instead of running circles I was headed towards him, was stopped for a moment, a moment which gain me the enough time to travel the distance that I need, I quickly draw an arrow from my back, nock, aim, pull then shot it, at that moment the bear that was already released from its momentarily shock, was already at mid lunge towards me, but what he met was not me but an arrow that luckily hit the bear onto the snout and stunning the bear for a bit, I dodge to my left since the bear was already at mid lunge, if I stay there, it would surely catch me, after my dodge, I draw another arrow from my waist then nock, aim, pull then shot it, this time hitting the bear who was stun into the tip of its ear, the bear roar angrily releasing him from being stun, then the bear turn with a swipe towards the place where I’m supposed to be at, but I was not there anymore from the bears vision, for I must always be at the bears right side, when the bear turn to face where I’m supposed to be at after I shot him, I must already be at his right side and shooting him. One wrong move and I will die, I repeat this process, always dodging to my left then take a shot, always moving towards my left then take a shot, and to circle always to my left then take a shot, I shot the bear to its right eye socket hoping it would pierced thru its brain, but that would be a bit impossible if you’re taking the shot when the target was sideways, I shot the bear to its existing wound made by the previous fight hoping to pierced thru to its vital organ but to no avail, the muscles was too thick for me to penetrate, I shot the bear thru its mouth only to hit the bears teeth, and I shot towards its right ear only to graze it because of the bears height, making me to shot it in angle.

I kept on, I move to the left then shot, dodge to the left then shot and circle to the left then shot. The bear who can only do but to turn to the right and swipe in empty air, or turn to the right and swipe into the ground making projectiles of debris which is easy to dodge, the bear was always turning to the right, turn after turn and always to the right and receiving arrows after arrows after arrows. The bear who was always turning right was now enrage like never before. But why always right? Because that was the second part of the plan, to make the bear to always turn to the right, aside from being always in its blind spot, there is one more purpose, a purpose that is the most vital part of the whole plan.

I only had two arrows left, one in each quiver, first and second part of the plan is now complete, only the last part was left which has 90% chance of me dying. Time to execute the last part of the plan, as finished dodging to my left I jump back 3 times with all I had, putting myself trap with a large tree behind my back and a big block of stone in my left side, no way to run but to the front or to the right, which is now impossible, for the bear has already finished turning and already facing towards me, with its good left eye.

The bear saw my predicament, the bear won’t let its chance for its prey to escape again, the bear know that there was no escape for its prey, for if the prey tried to dodge to its right, all the bear needs to do is two powerful stride forward and to swipe its left claw, catching prey while dodging to the right, same if the prey tried to run forward, which would only lead to much faster death.

As the bear stare at me while baring its teeth and releasing a quite threatening growl, that seems telling me that you’re going to die now, I slowly knelt with my right leg, then unsheathe my hunting knife and stuck it into the snow, draw both my remaining arrows, one I bit with my teeth and the other one I nock into the bow, I inhaled deeply and released it slowly as I pulled my bow string into its full tension then hold my breath, I put myself into the state of a much deeper focus and waited.

The bear was bewildered on what the prey was doing, it’s not an action of a prey that was about to die, instinct told him that he needs to run now, but he was so enrage to the prey, that the bear didn’t heed its instinct. The bear roared and rushed towards its prey.

The bear roared so loud but it didn’t affect me who was already into the deeper state of being focus, the bear started to move, it made a powerful stride with its left foot, then with its right foot, as the bear shift its weight to its right foot, it immediately give away, making the bear lose its balance and fall face first into the snow. The moment is nearly approaching, as I was in a deeper state of focus, I perceive things as if I was watching a slow motion video, I clearly saw all the details as the bear took it right step and how immediately fall into the ground, I also saw how the bear’s face hit into the ground and how it bounce back a little, and then it settling down in a stop, how the bear open its left good eye with a puzzled expression at what happened, then look at me but what the bear saw, was an arrow head half a meters away from its face, and that arrow head was the last thing the bear saw.

The bear was puzzled at what happened, all the bear know was getting his left foot a powerful step and then doing the same with its right foot, but as the bear shift all its weight to its right leg, all the bear saw in its vision was the ground flying up, what comes next was a sharp pain in its chest as if he was hit by a tree and then his head being rocked up and down a couple of times, and as the bear opens its left eye, to discern what happen and look for its prey, what he only saw was an arrow and then it became dark, after that, all that’s was left was a very sharp pain in the left side of his face.

I heard it again, “Release it” I immediately do so, I clearly saw how the arrow fly out of the bow, and how it pierced thru the bear’s eye digging almost half of it. But it was not the end yet, all living beings before their last breath show a death rattle, using all its last strength to move. With this kind of a huge body, it surely contain a large amount of spare strength to use for its final strike. I immediately throw my bow, grab the hunting knife that was stuck on the ground with my right hand and grip the arrow on my mouth with my left hand. I was not wrong, expect the unexpected, the bear lunge its open jaw forward trying to take a bit at me, I immediately pierced it with the arrow in my left hand, holding it back to the ground, then the left arm of the bear also lunge at me, trying to smash me with its palm, but what it met was my hunting knife, blocking it with a thrust, burrowing deep the hunting knifes blade into the flesh of the bears left palm, what I didn’t anticipated was the bears right arm coming from above, because I expected that the block of stone would hamper any incoming attack to my left side, I was wrong, the attack was coming from above, this place that I chose as my final stand became really a trap, I chose this because I know the bear would not hesitate to attack me here, and being totally enrage, the bear would not think that there was a trap waiting for it and me being the bait, for the bear knows that there was no escape. Now it really became a trap for me, all I can do is to wait for the right arm to decent at me and take my life, but it didn’t happen, what happened was the right arm was diverted by an arrow, I was bewildered where the arrow came from, I looked at the opposite direction of the arrow, and saw old man Silan holding his own bow looking at me. As I saw him all the tension on my body was released, I flop down onto the ground, like a puppet lost its string. But then, messages keeps popping up in front of me as I breathed hard.

You defeated a Carnivorous Black Bear!

For defeating a Carnivorous Black Bear that was known for its strength and fierce nature with a great odds against you. You gained:

+25 to Strength

+40 to Agility

+35 to Dexterity

+25 to Constitution

+20 to Wisdom

+20 to Luck

+50 to Endurance

+100 to Fighting Spirit

The Gods and Gaia has deemed you worthy because of your meritorious deed, you gained a new title “Untouchable”

UntouchableThis title is awarded by the Gods and Gaia to a person who face an enemy with a great many odds against that person and defeating the enemy without even taking a single hit. Title Effect:

Two times movement speed

+50 to Agility

+30 to Luck

+30 Endurance

+50 to Fighting Spirit

Doing a meritorious deed that pleases the God and Gaia, they deem that your title Errand Boy is not befitting to your stature. Title Errand Boy has been removed

The Gods and Gaia has deemed you worthy because of your meritorious deed, you gained a Simple Accomplishment “Won Very First Fight”.

The Gods and Gaia has deemed you worthy because of your meritorious deed, you gained a Great Accomplishment “Titled Untouchable”. You are now Commoner Grade 2

The Gods and Gaia has deemed you worthy because of your meritorious deed, you gained a Great Accomplishment “Victorious Against All Odds”. You are now Commoner Grade 3

Commoner Grade 2You can have a position not higher than a Citizen

+5% to all stat

+2 to all Resistance

Commoner Grade 3You can have a position not higher than a Village Watch

+10% to all stat

+4 to all Resistance

You don’t have a name, for not having a name, your accomplishments has not been distinguish and has been revoke. You are now Commoner Grade 1

Commoner Grade 1You can now have a position not higher than a Beggar

+0% to all stat

+0 to all resistance

You gain a new grade to “Calm Mind”

You gain a new grade to “Patience”

You gain a new grade to “Focus”

You gain a new grade to “Bow Proficiency”

Calm Mind (Passive) Apprentice Grade 3 (2.10% to the next Grade)The mental state of being free from agitation, excitement, or disturbance. Finding your inner center, you are able to focus more of your attention even in dire circumstances.

Positively affect your other skills by 15% in this state.

As this skill advances, you can achieve being calm much more easily.

Patience (Passive) Apprentice Grade 2 (0.03% to the next grade)You have the capacity to accept or tolerate delay, trouble, or suffering without getting angry or upset

Doubles up the effect of your action or when you strike at the right time

The higher the grade of this skill enhances the effect of this skill much better

Focus (Passive) Apprentice Grade 4 (5.06% to the next grade)You had the state or quality of having or producing clear visual definition

Doubles up the effect of your action on the things you pursue

The higher the grade of this skill enhances the effect of this skill much better

Bow Proficiency (Passive) Apprentice Grade 7 (3.03 to the next grade)You are more familiarize handling a bow

+35% in bow damage

You tire much slower when using a bow

The higher the grade of this skill enhances your proficiency when using a bow

“HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!” I laugh so loud at what I saw

“THANK GODS AND GAIA! THE ERRAND BOY WAS GONE!” I shouted so loudly, I was so happy, much happier than my first birthday if I remember it. But I know that I was happy and no one can take that away from me.

“SLAP”. I… I… I was hit?!!! Me?!! The Untouchable has been hit. As I looked around to see who dare hit the Untouchable me, what I saw was Old Silan crouching beside me, I automatically curled my body and hug my head.

“Good, I thought you went crazy after the fight, get up there and look to your new friend.” He said.

“Uhm, Mr. Silan, won’t you even ask if I am okay?” I asked warily, scared of being hit again.

“Says the person who rushed to his death alone, besides I know that you’re okay, I watched the fight from the very beginning. Come on, let’s talk later, it seems the mother doesn’t have enough time.” He said

I stand up on my feet bewildered what was he talking about, then I remembered the cat. I looked around and found them farther off from where we at. Old man Silan lead the way to where they are. As we approach the two cat, the small cat saw our approach then barge our way or barge old man Silan from getting closer. The small cat is still defending its parent. When the small cat saw me, the small cat immediately approach me and bite my cloak then pulled me towards the dying big cat. It seems telling me to do something for its parent. The big cat saw what the small cat did, and whimper a little, it’s not a whimper of being threaten but a whimper of approval for me to come closer. I crouched beside the big cat and look up to old man Silan.

“Can’t we do something for her?” I plead to the old man

“There’s nothing more we can do, she broke her spine and already lose a lot of blood, if we had a healer we can save her, even if we manage to brought her to the town, she won’t make it, she had a little time left.” Old man Silan explained

“Grooowwwwllll” Our attention was diverted to the big cat, I looked the big cat into the eyes, it seems want to say something to me but I can’t understand what the big cat wants. The small cat walked towards the big cat head and lick it, but the big cat nudge the small cat towards me. The small cat keeps coming back to the big cats head, but the big cat keeps nudging the small cat.

“It seems that she wants you to take care her litter for her. That’s a great honor to have.” Old man Silan said

“I will do all I can.” I said to the big cat as I look into her eyes.

“Groowwwllllll”

“Now lie down.” Old man Silan said

“Huh?” I asked bewildered

“I said lie down, this White Dagger Tiger will do a ritual so that little runt will know that you’re the new mother.” He explained

“Me the new mother? What ritual?” I asked again

“If that little runt don’t have someone to depend on, it will die in a week. Well if you don’t want to, we can just kill it after the mother dies.” He said

“Kill it? No, we can’t do that. But….” I said hesitating

“Do you want to be a mother of that runt?” he asked

“No” I said weakly

“Do you want to kill it later so it won’t die miserably when we leave it be?” he asked

“No” I answered stronger

“Then just be the mother!” he said

“But I don’t know how to be a mother” I answer in a whisper

“Nah, you don’t need to act as a mother, just think of the runt as a pet and that would be okay” He said

“Then why are you calling me mother?!” I asked surprised

“Because that would be the little runt would see you after the ritual, so do you want to do it or not?” he asked

“Okay, but what is the ritual?” I asked again

“Just lie down, the ritual can be done while standing, but this one doesn’t have any strength left to stand, hurry up and just lie down.” He said hurriedly.

“Where would I lie down?” I asked

“Just lie down beside her feet, after you lie down, you must close your eyes till the ritual is finished. Hurry up! Before it became too late,” Old man explained and urging me to hurry

I lie down just beside the big cat’s feet and closed my eye. I heard some shuffling beside me, then all of a sudden, it rained, so the ritual is some kind of nature’s blessing, but this rain is quite warm. As the rain began suddenly it also has ended suddenly.

You got a permanent status “Imprinted”

ImprintedA permanent status receive by a person from a beast of nature. Imprint is a mark to impart a strong impression of being an antecedent of a weaker beast than the imprinter. Imprinter: White Dagger Tiger

Can gather a brood not stronger than the imprinter

Can be improve by a stronger imprinter

Cannot be removed unless you die.

“Why are you not wet?” I asked old man Silan as I stand up and notice that he is not wet.

“Why would I be wet? You’re the only one who was been imprinted.” He said

“Huh? Didn’t it rain?” I asked

“It didn’t rain, and stay away from me for a week will you.” He said

“Why will I…”

“Let’s talk about that later, go and say some final words will you.” He said, stopping me mid-question and pointing at the cats beside us.

I saw the small cat sitting beside the mother’s head. The scene is quite solemn, the big cat was laboring her last breath. I crouched beside the small cat and lay my hand on the big cat’s forehead.

“Please rest in peace knowing that I would taker of her? Him? Mr. Silan do you know what gender is this runt?” I asked, looking back at him

“Sigh~, don’t know, inspect it later just finish that first.” He said while doing a face palm

“Okay” I looked back the dying tiger. “I promise that I would take care of your brood, so please rest in peace.” I said while looking on its eyes.

At then, the big cat released its final breathe and the small cat howl its grief. After a moment, we left the small cat alone to its vigil. We went back to where the body of the big bear, old man Silan wants to have a talk with me. He said that he purposely led me here when he saw the tracks of battle, the tracks was not a week old but only 2 days old when we found it, and he knows that there will be a final battle, because the bear is known to finish the battle it started, it will retreat once if beaten then return much stronger for it already gauge it opponents strength, he wanted to know how I will react in that kind of situation, if we suddenly barge in a deadly fight and be involved in it, but what he didn’t expect was me running ahead then joining the fray. Honestly, I forgotten about old man Silan since that moment, I just remembered him again when he save my ass in that final moment. If I remembered him much earlier in the fight, I won’t be having a hard time defeating it, he just pierced the right arm of a bear with one shot causing it to divert its trajectory which I couldn’t do even in close range shot. How strong the old man really is?

Then I remembered him saying that he was watching since the beginning, I asked him why he didn’t helped from the start, he said that was my problem for jumping the fray without even consulting him, I was reprimanded, then he said that, he didn’t saw me in danger “yet”, and since the first purpose of coming here is to know what will I do, he just decided to watch first and interfere if necessary, he also added, “I did save you right?” with emphasize, so I don’t have any word to say to that. It was fault since the beginning then being save in the process. I told him that now I know how weak I was, but he countermanded what I said, he said that I was plenty strong already, a village guard which is commoner grade 6 cant defeat it in the same situation I had. He added that maybe it can if he’s as cunning as me, but they would just pissed their pants off when they saw one bear, what’s more with a tiger. Being plenty strong already with just under a months’ time here is already a great accomplishment, even the Gods and Gaia recognize my strength, he said. I said maybe because I’m a Soulbound but he countermanded it again, he said, it won’t be enough to be just a Soulbound to defeat it, and the Soulbound status effect differs from Soulbound to Soulbound, what was needed to defeat it is the courage and the will to fight on even in dire circumstances that others don’t have. And what he saw impressed him and praised me. I was grateful to him.

This is the first time I heard that Soulbound status has different effect, I thought that it was predetermined in the beginning. But one thing I realized in here is that I lack the knowledge on how to fight, I told this to the old man and he didn’t deny it. So he asked me what I’m going to do now, I asked him if he can teach me how to fight, but he easily said he can’t, because he’s just a hunter not a fighter, but he knows someone who can teach me in the village, I told him I don’t plan to show myself “yet” in any town or city, maybe when I’m a bit stronger, so it’s out of a question, I asked him if he knows some vagabond that can teach me, he said that he’s master has many friend that can teach me, but it’s a month travel from here. I said that it was okay, then he asked me what will I do with my name not being register, I said that it was also okay for now I still don’t mind being a commoner grade 1 for now I said. He asked me what will I do when the mana concentration form under a years’ time from now, I said that I will decide on it later on what will I do, what’s important now is to get stronger. I asked myself why I want to be stronger, then I remember my precious loved one sacrificing itself for my sake. That’s right, I want to stronger for my muscles! FOR MUSCLE!

Old man Silan asked what I want to do with the bear, I said I want it to be a spoil of war or battle, so I asked him if we can skinned it with its head intact, I want it to be made into a cloak, he asked me why not an armor, I said I don’t want to look like some hairy beast, a man must have metal for an armor I said. I also if the bear’s meat can be eaten, he said yes, but the problem would be carrying it, but old man Silan also solve this, we can just make some improvised litter and drag it onto the snow. Since its more than a thousand pound of meat, he said we can sell it onto the town and it would earn us some gold, since this kind of bear meat is kind of rare, it would fetch a high price. At that time, the small cat walks towards me and nuzzle its head on my leg, I was wondering why did it to that, then I remembered the ritual. That’s right this cat thought me as a mother, oh well better just accept it.

Now that were done and preparing to skinned the bear, I noticed that since the ritual, old man Silan doesn’t come much closer to me, and he breaths thru the mouth when I was closer to him, since earlier we are talking in a distance that’s not normal when having a conversation, and he keeps moving back when I was coming closer to him. I was wondering why he does that, because he doesn’t do that gesture since after the fight, what change, I thought. I ask him if he had a spare clothe with him because I’m wet and feeling cold, he said to just build a fire and dry myself on it. This is really weird.

The small cat keeps following me where ever I go, I stared gathering firewood to build a large fire and the cat was always behind me, and it seems happy, your parent just died you know, speaking of which, I don’t know what to call this cat, I was thinking of a name while gathering a firewood, but how can I know what to name her when I don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl. So I picked it up and inspect it, the cat is a she, now it will much easier to find a fitting name, as I gather firewood I keep thinking what appropriate name for my new cat, I decided to call her Misha, and she quite like it, so from now on, I will call you Misha, then at that time a warning tune came to my mind and a window message pop up in front of me.

Status WindowNameMishaStatusBroodStrength262Agility300Dexterity289Constitution 250Intelligence193Wisdom 124Luck151Leadership 0Endurance210Fighting Spirit 100

What the hell! I shouted in my mind, I was so shocked, this cat is much stronger than me!

“Show details for Status Brood”

BroodA permanent status earned when the original parent of the beast choose another being to surrogate her/his offspring.

Surrogate Mother : Imprintee (Name will show here when you already have a name)

Cannot be removed unless you or the Status Holder die

“No special effect, just a status to tell whose the surrogate mother is, then Show Misha’s Skill set”

Misha has not yet learned any skill

“You don’t have any skill and yet you are stronger than me? Is that what you call inborn strength?” I asked Misha who seems not to understand any word I said. How strong would you become if I trained you, I thought.

Anyway, I left it as that and continue finding some fire wood, Misha is still continuing to follow me, will you even follow me into the bathroom? I thought. I finished collecting firewood and return to the clearing, old man Silan has already started skinning the bear when I got back, I build a fire and started to dry myself. After I was dry, I started to helped the old man to skin the bear, but as I was approaching he told me to leave the skinning to him, and ordered me to build some litter instead, I followed his instruction and gather some strong wood to make a makeshift litter, it took me a couple of hours to finish the litter, when I returned dragging the litter, old man Silan was already hallway thru skinning, I approached him to help, but he told me to decide first what I’m going to do to the body of Misha’s mother, he told me to decide if I will skin it to get the fur and the meat, or I will just bury her. I asked old Silan if it’s okay to skin it since it felt wrong to skin the mother of my new companion, he told me that it was okay, since that’s how the nature works, especially in the wild, the offspring will just leave the corpse of their parents when they die, and some scavenger will just eat it. I was about to tell him my decision and come closer to help him when he stopped me, he said to think it thru for about another couple of hours, he told me to think it where the corpse of the cat was, then he shooed me away. I was bewildered by this action, there was nothing I can do if he doesn’t want my help. So I just decided to think carefully what will I do to Misha’s mother.

I walk towards to the body of the big cat with Misha in tow. I stand beside the body of the big cat and observe what Misha’s reaction would be, it seems Misha has already forgotten about her mother and was done grieving, because she’s ignoring the body of her, as if the body is just another part of this scenery and nothing to do with her. Misha has move on I guess, so it doesn’t matter to her on what will I do with her mother’s body. But my morality dictates that it is bad to desecrate the body of my new companion, I looked down at Misha’s mother and inspected it, it’s quite big, it would be hard to bury it, and if I just bury her simply, some other animals would just dig her up, so if I decided to bury her, it must be deep. If I want to cremate the body, it must be a large fire, where would I find that enough wood, cut some trees? That would be bad also, and I might can’t control the fire and cause a wild fire.

As I inspected the body, I notice something strange into the ground beside the feet of Misha’s mother, it was the place where I lie down, and it was clearly the exact place where I lie down, how can I tell? Because there was a mark of my body onto the snow, but what defines the mark was not the depression I made into the snow, but something like a chalk outline in the murder scene, the difference is, instead of a white outline, it was a yellowy outline into the snow. Then it hit me, warm rain, imprinting, and most of all, old man Silan keeping his distance. I decided!

“YOU WILL BE SKINNED!” I shouted