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Ep.25 - The Year Of The Bear

ButonflyFeb 4, 2019, 11:32:05 AM

(Start at the beginning)

The shrill sound bounced from ceiling to wall as a man rushed forward from the shadows to meet the Bears. Julia shrank as the threat of danger gripped her, the shock of her senses played upon by the sounds, causing her to think the attack was coming from every which way. Carmel stepped forward with Kodiak beside, the big Bear gathering Julia behind him with a sweep of one long arm. The twang of Dolev’s bow let an arrow fly, striking the man in the chest as he bobbed to avoid it. He continued his charge regardless.

Carmel and the man met with a clash of steel, the shrill sound adding a new element to the chaos within the enclosed space. Despite the exchange, one barreled into the other, their weapons becoming tangled in the embrace, and both stumbling off toward the darkness. More figures emerged, charging from hidden places around the cavern. Julia counted three, each bellowing fury as they raced to greet her and the Bears. Another arrow flew, striking one in the thigh, setting him to a tumble onto the ground. The man beside him closed to trade a more tempered, cautious blow with Kodiak. Julia gasped, stepping back and feeling suddenly exposed as her protectors were peeled one by one into conflict.

Dolev came next, the third man slipping on the dirt as he danced passed Kodiak and sprung at her with a club. With no time to string another arrow, Dolev caught his arm with a swing of her bow, his weapon tumbling from his grip for the effort. He didn't slow, instead he switched tactics, throwing his heavier frame upon her forcibly, grabbing at her arm and hair. Julia watched as Dolev’s head was wrenched sideways, her balanced thrown so that she toppled off her feet. Not to be outdone, the surprisingly lithe woman swung off the man’s weight, and wrapped her legs around his middle, causing the two to go down hard.

The struggle was everywhere now, Kodiak pushing his size advantage in a dizzying display of swordsmanship. Carmel trading blows with another at the edge of the firelight. Dolev struggling, and loosing, in a battle of strength in her place on the floor. One of the torches lay idle, still burning but struggling through lack of care. Without much thought, Julia took it up, arming herself. She was no fighter, about as far from it as one could get, but she knew an opportunity when she saw it. The man on top of Dolev had worked himself over her, one arm still tangling up hers, his other dragging her by the hair to smash her head into the ground. Julia thrust the torch into the man’s back, forcing him to arch and let out a scream. The smell of burning flesh filled the air and the man scrambled away, leaving Dolev dazed and roiling where she lay.

Kodiak swung his sword again and again, bashing his adversary back and into submission. Through strength and ferocity alone, the Heeshian’s grip faltered, his sword being torn away. Kodiak advanced into the space, slashing at his chest while screaming some northern curse in a heavily accented tongue. The Heeshian stumbled back, throwing himself to the ground and tumbling out of the way, rolling to buy himself another moments safety.

The gap between the Bears and the Heeshian’s ambush was well and truly open now. Kodiak moving farther to the left, Carmel somewhere in the dark out to the right. Dolev rolled on the floor at Julia’s feet while Julia watched as the man with the arrow still stuck in his thigh labored painfully toward her. He spoke something in his garbled foreign tongue, slapping his fellow with the burn on his back as he passed. Even in pain, he rallied the man to his senses, and the two were suddenly advancing together with leveled faces and harsh tones in their mocking voices. Julia reached for Dolev, grabbing her anywhere so as to not take her eyes off the Heesh, and shaking her violently in alarm.

“Dolev, get up!” She urged, and Dolev’s eyes rolled as she struggled to regain her senses. “Kodiak! Carmel! Help!”

The Heesh paused in their advance, a wicked grin coming across the lead man’s face. Julia sensed to late someone behind her. Someone yanked on her hair, screamed through the effort, sent Julia tumbling back to land hard on her back. A wild looking Heesh woman with braided hair dove on top of her and struck her in the head with a rock. The world spun wildly, the sound of ringing clouding Julia’s mind. She reached up with her hands to defend herself but found them being clasped and bound as the Heesh woman worked her weight over Julia. It took all of a few moments for Julia to be restrained, a coil of leather rope binding her hands, then the Heesh woman was off again, ripping at, then cutting free the strap of Julia’s bag and leaving her dazed but conscious on the ground.

More shouting, more clashes of steel, a cry of pain, the cutting short of another. Julia was lost in her slur of her own mind after that, opting only to take cover, huddled in a ball when the weight of a following engagement passed overhead. Slowly the sounds faded; with it her head clearing; until finally her sense returned. Someone grabbed her arm, pulled her fighting, wrists still bound, forced her to see with her eyes. Kodiak’s face, grim and bloody, hair in disarray, sweat soaking his brow. His knuckles were red raw, scraped and bleeding, just one of many wounds that now marked his body.

“How is she?” Julia heard a voice say. Carmel, standing not too far away with Dolev hanging off one arm, her head lolled over to rest on his chest.

Kodiak gave Julia a stern once over, checking for wounds, assessing for damage. His eyes flicked back and forth, staring into hers, visible but only barely in the scattered pool of firelight. “How many fingers am I holding up?” He asked, turning the back of his balled fist toward her and raising his middle finger.

Julia blinked, then frowned, “You asshole.” She cursed, and he laughed, and despite them all being worse for wear he seemed to enjoy it.

“There’s no hope for her,” Kodiak announced, “never has been.” He grinned and flicked out a knife, taking as much care as he ever had to work the blade in under her binding.

“This isn't funny,” Julia snapped, voice quivering. It noticeably sapped the fun from Kodiak’s face. Tears welled in her eyes then while Kodiak split the knot, setting her free. She sat up. Kodiak’s joy was well and truly spent at that, and as Julia’s vision blurred she saw the big Bear shoot one uneasy look toward Carmel. Everybody took a long moment exchanging glances, sharing words unsaid, leaving questions unanswered, but working them through all the same. Everyone except Julia of course, who couldn't help but sob, not because she knew why, but because she just couldn't help it.

Kodiak rolled forward to his knees, set down the knife, and wrapped his arms about Julia like it was a thing he never knew how to do. He did it all the same, and gave her a squeeze she suddenly realised she very much needed. She sniffed and despite who he was, or how he could be, burrowed into him, if only for the comfort. They stayed like that for a while. Long enough that Julia’s sobs abated, and her eyes came clear. While Carmel and Dolev tended to each others wounds, Kodiak worked at taking care of Julia’s until he finally said, quiet so that only she could hear, “Remember Chronicler, we need you on the job. No one else is going to write all this down.”

Julia thought on that for a while. Finally, when she felt ready, she gave a decisive nod of her head.