The chill of a winter morning blew all around and flurries of snow were caught up in the breeze and tossed across the white earth. Akane was feeling pretty good about things in general this fine dawn. After all there was no one hunting after her with the intent of getting vengeance for whatever stupid slight she may have given them , no unquiet spirits rising up from their graves wailing and moaning for Akane to act as some kind of supernatural servant that did everything that their rotten hearts wanted. She even had a full belly as with the help of some of Ayabozu’s seals they had managed to take down a deer last night and she had feasted on the fresh venison with great relish.

Something in the woods ahead of her moved and a torrent of snow fell from the branches of the trees down to the earth. The soft whump that the compacted powder made wasn’t much but as the woods were nearly silent apart from the occasional peal of birdsong and the chatter of small animals it stood out far more than it normally would. Going down on all fours Akane began to creep forwards as if she was a big cat stalking her prey. The progress was slow as she did not wish to alert whatever it was as to her presence – these kind of ambushes worked best when the prey was utterly oblivious to her presence.

As she continued to move a vast form began to take shape in the forest. Antlers that were a full 3 feet in height towered up to the treeline scratching at the bark of an old oak as the beast it was attacked to marked out what it considered to be its territory. The creature that the antlers were attached to was no less impressive either. An massive bull elk - its neck craned up to look at the sky was what greeted Akanes gaze . And this was not simply any elk either. Akane had seen this one last night. She and Ayabozu had been looking for somewhere to make camp when the beast had cantered through the trees throwing it’s head back and forth in a display of frivolity that only those who know themselves to be on the top of the natural food chain can match. The two managed to scramble out of the way before being crushed under what was probably several tons of muscle and bone. As they lay in a snow drift Bozu turned his head to her and with a grin that spoke volumes about what he had in his shrewd little mind he spoke.

“Bet you can’t ride that Elk”

Akane narrowed her eyes which had become slits.

“What was that?”

Bozu’s smile intensified till it seemed to almost break his face.

“I said I bet you can’t ride that elk.”

Akane was now glaring at Bozu sending daggers of mental energy in his direction.

“You little shit I could ride that damn thing whenever I wanted. “

Bozu’s expression became almost Buddha like as he said the two words that would drive it over the edge.
“Prove it”
The fate was now sealed. Bozu had challenged Akane’s pride and she was going to go through hell and back in order to prove him wrong.
Now she had her chance. She sprang into a run dashing across the snow before finally leaping off the ground and onto the creatures back. Claws dug into the Elks neck and Akane held on for deer life. It took the beast a few minutes to actually recognise the fact that something had actually latched itself to its neck and was now grasping to save its own existence. The elk let out a bellow that almost made Akane void the contents of her bowels and went into what one could only call a mad dash hell bent on getting Akane’s neck broken by low branches and misplaced birds. The first out jutting branch missed her head by inches but the second hit her shoulder with quite an impact.


This was Akane considered probably a really really really bad idea and she had no real way to get out of it without leaping from the Elks back and into one of the trees which did not seem like a particularly fun prospect right at this moment. The elk leapt over a fallen tree branch and began to splash it’s way thowing up waves of water that crashed on akane’s thighs and back. The noise was intense as the river was by no means shallow and the splashing could probably be heard from miles around by all that had any kind of ears what so ever. There was a howling in the distance and Akane knew that a pack of wolves had been alerted to the presence of the elk. It had to be a big one too otherwise they would not dare to even attempt to go after something so damn huge. As they cleared the river Akane spotted the leader of the pack emerging from the treeline a massive white beast that was probably some kind of sage animal. It was large enough to swallow a regular wolf whole its main body the size of a draught horse and the orange markings that were apparent on it’s white hide were indication that it was a powerful beast probably capable of reason equal to or surpassing the average human. It’s pack turned out to be just as numerous as Akane had feared they wound through the trees darting and diving in order to catch the elks tail. However the large cervine had no desire to be caught by the canine menace and simply increased its pace.



Akanes hands were beginning to throb and she was cursing herself not to let go when the wolves that the leader had obviously ordered ahead leaped down of raised ridges of rock the elk did not even bat an eyelid as it slammed it’s horns into their sides goring the unfortunate creatures. One of the wolves rolled onto the elks back with Akane and howled in pain snapping its jaws at her. She used her shoulder to ram the creature so that it fell onto the ground and was trampled under the Elks hooves. The pack leader howled and Akane could feel the elk below her tremble. This had gone from something stupid and dangerous into something that was REALLY STUPID and REALLY DANGEROUS. The elks hoof caught the bones of some long dead creature and for just a second the Elk slowed down its canter. In reality it was naught but an instant but that instant was enough for two canines to latch onto the elks flanks and hold on with a madness that surpassed the fear of death. The first of the wolves died when a tree smashed into its skull effectively lobotomising the beast the second however hung on with a death grip locking its jaw into place and refusing to budge no matter how hard it was battered and bashed against the ground and flora that dotted the forest. The great sage wolf was now level with the elk weaving between the trees that separated the two and avoiding the outcropping branches with an agility that belied it’s massive size.


Coming uncomfortably close to the elk the wolf threw its prodigious bulk against the creatures side. Akane pulled her leg free just fast enough to avoid it getting crushed by the sheer force of the creatures attack.

“Goddamn it you flea bitten hound why the hell am I getting attacked by so many dogs recently? I mean sure I have eaten a couple of you in the last little while but its not like you wouldn’t do the same for me if you were starving. Which I can see that your aren’t given how freaking huge you are.”

The great wolf did not speak in reply and instead made for another slam attack hoping to tip the elk over once and for all. This time however the cervine beast was ready and it spring forwards throwing all off its power into the action and clearing the ground to bring its back hooves into the wolfs mouth in a kick that would kill any lesser being outright. This served to only slow the beast down however (as well as knocking a few teeth from its jaw) and the pack surged forward to as the leader howled his anger . Akane knew something needed to be done quickly – LIKE REALLY REALLY quickly.


Ahead of her was a cliff and a steep one too. The elk knowing that it had no other way to turn seemed to have decided that it was going down in a blaze of glory. Thoughts seethed through Akanes mind until finally it hit her. She had a way to get out of this. The Elk leapt into the air to sail over the gap into freefall and Akane subbed with all her might switching herself for a fallen log near the cliffs edge. Transforming into wolf form she slunk away quietly while the rest of the pack howled and mourned the loss of a massive meal.
About half an hour later Akane was limping back to camp.

Ahead of her was Ayabozu sitting at the fire.


“Right give me the goddamn cash you motherXXXXer I rode the animal all the way off a cliff.”

1581/1500 Words Mission Complete