The creature splintered a tree as it charged them in a fury, sending fragments scattering around them.
"What is that thing," yelled Jack as he dodged a large chunk of wood.
"Its a dire bear," replied Lelu as she sent a magic blast at the creature, "that explains the weird tracks."
"Jack, Sara, fall back," yelled Vect as an arrow left his bow and hit the creatures shoulder.
As the dire bear entered the clearing, they all could see it clearly. While it still had the basic look of a regular bear, it's brown coat was peppered with boney spikes, it's two upper canines had grown into long sabers that extended below its mouth. Even on all fours, it still towered over them at 8ft at the shoulder. It let out a roar and swiped with its 6 clawed paw at the closest target; Sara.
Sara jumped backwards as far as she could and still the claws grazed her right arm leaving 3 small gashes on her upper arm.
'It can reach so far, and it's so fast,' thought Vect as he let loose another arrow. 'My arrows won't hold out much longer, only got 7 left. Gotta make them count,' Vect's next shot was spot on as it struck the bear's right eye, causing it to let out a thunderous roar as it turned toward Vect and charged in a blind rage. Lelu's spells were doing nothing but annoying the creature as it rushed Vect. Steadying himself and watching for the attack, Vect jumped sideways as it neared, just barely dodging his attacker. However, he did not clear the spikes completely as one left a deep cut in his thigh. 'Damn, a little slower and it probably would have castrated me,' thought Vect as he watched the bear slow down and turn to prepare for another dash. Readying himself, Vect watched for his chance to take out the other eye. As the bear neared, Vect jumped to the right, but he suddenly felt something slam into his chest and hurl him backwards into a tree trunk his bow breaking in two and flying from his grasp, the arrows scattering all around the area. The monster had somehow anticipated him jumping to one side and swung a paw to intercept him. Sara looked on in horror as her friend was laying unmoving at the base of the tree, blood leaking from the wound in his chest. Sara lunged at the bear and stabbed her spear into its side and yanked out to prepare for another strike at its belly. As her spear sunk in to its gut and drew blood, Sara was yanked off her feet as the bear turned suddenly and took her with it. Sara was sent sprawling on the ground.
Looking up, Sara saw the creature open its mouth to bite her when Jack jammed his stone knife into the ear of the bear. This sent him backwards and he lost his balance falling on the ground and looking up just in time to the bear using one paw to pin him to the ground, spear just out of reach.
Lelu sent another few blasts at the monster and felt her blood run cold as she saw Jack get pinned and the other paw raise up to finish him. Lelu's vision suddenly turned red. When it returned to normal, she was on top of the bear stabbing at its neck and head from her position on its back ignoring the wounds caused by its spikes.
Jack was preparing to die as he saw the bear raise its other paw to crush his head when it let out a roar and the pressure on his chest released. Looking up, Jack saw Lelu in a frenzy attacking the bear with reckless abandon. Jack seeing an opening, grabbed his spear and with all his strenght stabbed through the jaw from below and up into the bear's head. The animal's movements slowed and then it collapsed, throwing Lelu from it.
Jack ran over to her and embraced her, "Lelu that was amazing, you saved us. I didn't know you had it in you," Jack said as he looked into her eyes. "Vect was probably- VECT!"
Sara was over by the elf's body trying to stop the bleeding as best she could. "VECT! VECT PLEASE GET UP," Sara had tears streaming down her face as she tried to get him to move even slightly. " Lelu, don't you have something that can heal him," asked Jack frantically. Looking down dejected, "no we weren't taught healing magic. Wait, maybe I can help." Lelu dragged Jack next to Vect and explained.
"I don't know healing, but I have a life transference spell. Split between us we might be able to heal him, take my hands."
The three held hands around their injured friend and Lelu began chanting. As she did so, they all felt tearing in their chest. Glancing down they saw a similar wound like Vect's open in their own while his closed, blood flowing back into him. As their strength was sapped, the chant stopped. All of them had the same 6 cuts on their chest, but at least Vect wasn't bleeding out anymore.
"Why isn't he awake," asked Sara as she placed her hand on his chest to feel any heart beat. "Vect, please come back. Please wake up. I....I....I-," Sara heard him gasp.
"You find me irresistible," Vect coughed as he tried to laugh. "I hate you so much, you knife eared bastard," Sara began to hug him until he began to cough from her grip.
"Ow," Vect said weakly, a smile still on his face.
"I'm going to say that's a few broken ribs at least," said Jack as he tried to hide his own tears.
Sara explained what happened after Vect had been knocked out, while Jack and Lelu prepared a fire for the night.
"Are you sure it's dead," asked Vect as he glanced over at the bear's body.
"Only one way to be sure," Sara pulled out her knife and began the task of beheading the bear and then removing the fur with Vect helping out as best he could in his sorry state.
They enjoyed the bears roasted meat that night with some wild onions tubers Lelu had foraged. Talking excitedly about their encounter, Sara trying to imitate Lelu's mad assault as everyone ate and tried to settle in. As they settled in, Lelu and Jack slept next to each other and Sara lay close to Vect, still worried slightly and wanted to be there to help him if needed.
As they drifted off to sleep a green orb hovered above them in the trees, and began to cast soothing energy over the victorious hunters.