Sabit’s reverie nearly ended her life.
The warrior’s foot was poised to step upon a sleeping bear cub when the mother’s roar shook Sabit from her thoughts. Instinct lowered her iron-tipped spear to face the mother’s charge, the butt set firm against a root. The hillside was steep. The mother bear charged up through underbrush toward the narrow path where Sabit stood. There would be another half-dozen heartbeats before the spear’s metal point would face the enraged ursine’s jaws.
At five heartbeats, Sabit made a decision.
At four heartbeats she lifted her spear and charged down the embankment, toward the raging beast.
At three heartbeats, she ran like the breeze itself.
At two heartbeats, Sabit thrust the spear-butt to the ground, grasped near the wicked iron tip with her hands, and vaulted into the air. The bear lunged with its body, swiped with its claws, snapped with its teeth. Sabit smelt the bloody salmon on its breath.
Catching a tree branch, Sabit yanked the spear to her by a leather thong. She climbed quickly over the river where the mother bear had been fishing. The branch bent and creaked at her weight.
Another roar filled the air. The mother bear stood at the base of the tree trunk, poised to ascend. Sabit cursed her luck and whatever goddess had “gifted” her with a wandering mind.
With all her might, Sabit leapt toward the branch of a tree on the river’s far bank.
Her right hand caught the branch. The branch snapped. Sabit fell.
Nothing cleared the mind of distraction quite like a swim.
—–
Wayfarings of Sabit: Blossom of Ruin is copyright (c) 2016 by Michael S. Miller. All rights reserved. New chapters post every weekday. You can support this and other stories on Patreon: https://patreon.com/michaelsmiller