Grizzlies over the years had been a frequent adversary. Howbeit I hadn't battled one alone without a companion -- a man at least.

Here I was, in the middle of nowhere being worried of my glory dented by a cheap effort from a novice, when a greater threat in fact was scheming.

The foe before me could  tear me in chunks and gorge itself of my sorry flesh. It was a juvenile but still very formidable. I would be meat for this beast, and the whole world wouldn't even know it. What defeat was greater than this -- consuming bone and flesh of a mighty man.
  
In my death, I deserved a decent laying to rest -- my body buried in the soil so it could be devoured to bones by the little life's in the earth.

My eyes flashed red with irritation. I needed to escape this death that fate had brought. This day wasn't mine to sleep.

The foe was more than twice my size, and covered in a thick hide. I hated this odd.
The beast growled, but would not proceed...it was considering its enemy as well -- or prey.

My heart was pounding hard. A slap from this beast could claim my head. I needed to fight strong and smart. Heavens! Did I need to fight even?

I checked myself quickly, but was disappointed. I had removed my bandoleer, and my sole weapon was still stocked in it -- the Dragon head Kris.

I reached out for an alternative. Drawing out the pair of Poniard, I took to stance. Grimed my lips, sterned my being. My eyes were red and filled with pure fury. Though scared, my resolve made me brutal.

Snarling as saliva dripped between clenched teeth, the beast rose up to stand on two limbs, while flexing might with forelimbs up.

What a foe!

I thought over my options briskly -- I could run which wouldn't get me very far. I could fight back, which would really be a spectacle for any to behold.

My lips quivered as I tried to forget about my loss and just try to stay alive. The good thing about what I was feeling was that I was already crazy than normal. Using that to fuel my fire, I roared out as loud and as deep as I could. It was my threat, my warning that today was not a day to dare me.

Shaking from both fear and anger, I clenched my weapons tighter. The beast charged on me with a growl. I dashed for it as well with a scream echoing its war cries.

The first calamitous sweep of the beast almost claimed my head. By a slim inch I escaped the blow, rolling beneath its strike. The wave of the open paw reminded me this was reality. In my dodge, I planted steadily the nine inched blade deep enough into thigh. It growled painfully as I got my footing.

Responding, it stretched out on me. I ducked aside easily puncturing the beast' groin in same vain. It cried again. I smirked with blood lusty eye. Each miss from this beast would be a plus to me.

It rushed furiously at me, striking with both paws. I skidded beneath wide open hind limbs. Before the beast could know a thing I was behind it. Without hesitation I dug both weapons vigorously into it. It cried, pain flooding in. I smirked in satisfaction. Holding up my enterprise, I continued twisting the twin blade savagely.

Alas, I was too drawn to cheap glory, and so came my error.

The sudden response of the beast took me unawares. With a back sweep of mighty left paw, it slapped me away, allowing me fly several feet's away upon hard ground. I was lucky not to have settled in the burning fire.

 My head spun uncontrollably as blood dripped down. The fresh wound burnt bitterly. It ran from top my left eye lid down beneath my eye. My eyes hurt sourly. My vision was hazy, my mind blur. My back ached dearly. A flood of pain, anger and fear rushed into me. My thoughts were cloudy.

     Would death be mine?

While I battled back to orientation, the beast feet's away still stood weeping and trying to set itself free of the weapons planted in its back. It was then I realized I was now unarmed.

I looked around for quick aid. I was few feet to my possessions. My eyes flashed to my bow and quiver. It was a quick way to end this monstrosity.

I began crouching for my bow. It sensed my movement, for its furious roar broke in suddenly halting me. I looked to its direction to see its blood lusty eye. I had angered the beast. In a flash it fell on both pair of limbs and dashed for me.

I wasted no time. I sprung for my bow and quiver. For a moment I found myself fumbling, but I willed quickly myself to order. In a breath I nocked and lose. I missed -- a poor shot verily. I was still fumbling.

I didn't breath before the next stick mounted the bow, and I released without hesitation. This one was true. It sunk straight into the rich brown fur. The scream of the beast and dripping of blood encouraged me. But I twitched at the enemies resilience.

I nocked again and shot, hitting its shank.
The beast' cry filled the air, but it wouldn't desist. I took another arrow and nocked again in a breath. But I choose to be ambitious this time. Without a second thought I aimed for the head and shot.

Alas, a mere brush close to the eye. That was it...their was no time left.

The beast was now charging on furiously. My eyes flashed to my bandolier. Without vacillation I reached out for it and claimed my Kris. Just then the doom arrived.

Its eyes were darkened with anger. With forearms spread out, it stretched into me with ferocity. My Kris stood in place to hold out its assault. But it proceeded in a bitter struggle.

It tossed me hither tither, but I would not lose hold. With anger it struck with its mighty jaws. The sharpened teeth's flashed out savagely. I shifted away with strive, allowing the foe plant its mouth into the soil.

The beast wouldn't desist yet. Without hesitance, it struck again. I was locked down and short of escape. The first rational thought that strode I seized it.

I drew away my left hand and the support it offered thereof. In a blink the wildly spread jaws came. I set my freed hand as blockade to wane down the assault -- holding the lower jaw, I contemplated my next move. I couldn't hold this unstable beast for long. The sinking of claws in my hand, told time was no ally. A shiver ran through me as the sour pain dripped  in with several running crimson liquids beads.

I was drifting to my own death. A suicidal idea strode then. I tossed away all rationality and took it.

My left hand abandoned the beast' jaw. The creature seized opportunity and dug into vulnerable arm. The pain was intoxicating, but I viewed only the goal. In a breath, the buried blade shot out from my gauntlet, and without struggle punctured into the beast' lowered neck. With a final effort, I slit the throat by the deepened blade. Hot blood splattering as a stream, the beast convulsed and then collapsed on me.

For a moment I felt nothing but utter pain and disbelieve -- I still breathed. I contemplated if this was reality. The bitter sting on my arm told me life still flowed in me.

I crawled slowly out of the many pound creature. With a sigh then I looked at my wounded arm.

   "Some price need be paid for survival," I breathed, placing my sword in the ember. In a blink the steel was red as crimson.

"These prices are needful," I told myself again, as my right hand reached for my heated blade. Without hesitance, I drew out the weapon from the fire and in a breath planted it firmly upon my wound. The sizzling and pain reminded me I was still only flesh and bone, human -- still subject to death someday.

I smirked absurdly as I had become used to the pain. Dakor still breathed, I knew I couldn't die this day.

I wrenched a piece of my clothe and banded my wounded arm. It was a bitter strife, but it was needful.

"Hide for the cold nights, meat for the days...aye, the heavens are faithful," I laughed to myself.

"Oh Fate, I defeat you again."