Trees lined perfectly on a narrow path heading to a small village, bird chirps in group while the bushes rustle from the small creatures that hides in them.
The forest was alive, trees grow thickly and small critters jump from a branch to another,
you couldn't see anything from above but green
The warm light from the sun filtered by the leaves hits the path, where a group of Bearkins trudge along to head back to their tribe, on their back were freshly caught boar, still alive and kicking.wailing and struggling, kicking air, trying to break free from their grasp.
Yet just a firm grip on both their hind legs immobilized them, flung from the Bearkins back waiting to be their meal.
The group returned.
"Welcome back"
A Bearkin welcomed them, her brown fur glistening. Her neck adorned by jewelries of different size and colors yet one stood out.
A red ember carved like a Bearkin's head, hanging in fine golden silk thread.
"Your back!"
A young Bearkin, just a half feet tall ran towards the back of the group in all fours.
Her face a canvas with vivid red paint drag along both her cheeks and orange dot on her furry forehead.
The child snuggled to one of the Bearkins at the back of the row.
"Did it go well?" The Bearkin, his face as gentle as a bear could be, asked the child.
The child looked up, nodding furiously
"I'm an adult now"
She said a smile showcasing her Sharp row of teeth.
"I can do anything now!" She mused
"Staying out late, playing all day, skipping meals-
"That's just Disobeying your mother"
The Bearkin said roughing the small Bearkin's head.
"Uh, no....it's freedom"
The Bearkin rolled it's eye getting away from the old bear.
Absorbed in the conversation the two didn't realize that the others have already left leaving the two.
A cough break their engagement.
"The spoils need to be prepared" The red gem shimmered as the chief caught the attention of the two.
"Ah, go home, go on" the father shoo her daughter away smiling sheepishly to the chief.
"You!-
The child puffed her cheeks slowly walking away, kicking Peebles as she do so.
"They already headed to the village center"
The chief spoke and the bearkin nodded sheepishly before scurrying away.
"Wait Anna"
The soft voice was carried away towards the small bearkin from afar making her looked back.
"Don't you want to see krisna?"
The chief said with a smirk while, from afar, Anna's eyes glimmerred with curiosity.
"Can I??" she stammered.
"I can't gatekeep her cuteness" The chief smug.
....
Almost all of the bearkins in the village have gathered for today's ritual, it was no ordinary day but one signifying an event that would change their tribe for better or for worse.
It was time for the chiefs successor to be chosen.
A flag stood at the center of the village,
it's red fabric gliding by the air, it flopped down to the ground, pulled by a hunter and put to cover the head of one of the boars on the ground.
It was still struggling but with a quick strike on the neck it let out a loud shriek before collapsing to the ground letting it's blood pool to the floor.
The others follow suit putting the corpse in circle with the corpse with the flag on its head in the middle.
Only a small space was left for the circle to be completed so while the last boar couldn't be seen, the attention naturally goes to the one standing in front of the flag pole
A child stood there, A creature that isn't fully human and wasn't fully a bearkin.
But looking at the child, it was more human than a bearkin with the only thing that made this child part of their clan being the hanging leather at it's back like a cape.
No one knew if it was sew to the child when it was born but the leather grow as the child did, so that idea lost it's credibility with time.
Seeing the flag drape over the boar get deeper red in color, the child stiffined from the attention as they waited for the last bearkin which arrived in no time killed his game and completed the circle.
With the preparation complete, the succession ritual started.
"We offer the first drop of blood to our ancestors, bless us with strength and wisdom"
Right on cue, two hunter grab the flag side by side showing its red color, still dripping with blood to the crowd.
"The ancestors accepted the tribute, the new chief shall be chosen."
With practiced grace, the child walk to the center where the lone bear stood, surrounding him from afar is a circle of corpse.
He knelt to the ground, sip from the hole in the boars neck and bite through its thick hide, he chewed the meat his face stain red, the crowd silent, watching.
"I have consume both meat and blood our ancestors have taken" The child rose to his feet and carried the boar.
It was larger than himself, heavier than what he could have possibly carried, making his knees buckle.
Fire rose from the eyes of the spectators especially the youths at front, he could feel their piercing stare tore through his body as he bites his lips forcing blood to draw thinking it could momentarily numb his shaking legs as he move step by step towards the flag pole.
'I won't show witness'
Eyes follow his every step
'ill prove to them, that I'm a bearkin too'
Thud
His arms gave up and with a weak smile he look at the face of the crowd, his eyes focusing on the youth more than the old.
"The ancestors have given their approval, is their anyone who would object?" The voice of one of the hunters rang.
As if prepared for that exact words, three young bearkins stood forward their size comparable to adult humans.
"Askael!, step down from the altar and prove to the ancestors your worth!!" The hunter shouted as the drum starts to play a engaging beat on the background.
If the first few instances was to prove his identity as part of the tribe, this next one was to prove if he was worthy.
The chief shouldn't be weaker than his people, one of the belief that the bearkins hold even centuries ago.
The crowd that were as quite as a mouse began to cheer, surrounding the ring made with the corpse of the boars.
Taking a deep breath, Askael strode forward, his arm still numb and legs shaking, he have to face three of his peers in combat.
Even if it was one to one, his fatigue told him he wouldn't last very long.
Steeling his nerves, he took a deep breath and said
"Askael, Son of Burma accept the challenge"
The crowd cheered at his words, amplified by the beating of drums Askael felt that he could fight even ten opponents at this moment.
The first one step forward
"Ponu, son of Heri shall show the ancestors his worth as a successor"
The two stood face to face, tension palpable in the air.
"You should have taken my advice" The bearkin sneered.
No answer came from Askael, they were only two meters away from each other, fighting was inevitable so why waste your time answering when you could just pummel the guys face until the answer came out from his own mouth.
"Begin" The hunter spoke and the first to move was Ponu.
A quick jab hit Askael's arm as he tried to block followed by a kick to the stomach sending him flying.
Askael's feet touched the boar's corpse used as the boundary, his arms that were already numb from carrying one of the corpses to the altar, felt pain enough to make him tear up.
Regaining his focus he look ahead where the bearkin was, inches away from himself with a quick glance back he gritted his teeth before rolling to the side.
Standing from the roll his jaw was hit with a flying fist.
"Ugh!"
The hit force him up before a kick to the side made him flew sideways.
Dust enter his lungs, his face kissing the ground. Saliva involuntarily exiting his mouth.
"I told you, you'll stand no chance in being the chief" The bearkin walk slowly.
"I mean, your just a human" He let out a playful laugh.
"What can you do?, any of our peers here can hunt boars alone, but can you?"
"...." Askael gritted his teeth, he recovered enough to stand up and continue but his mind told him otherwise.
'Is it worth it?, I know it myself anyway, that I'm not like them'
'No!'
Askael stood, his legs screaming to rest
"One blow, I'll take you down in one blow" Askael muttered heat raising in his entire body.
"Hm?"
The bearkin stared at him clueless, before a chuckle left his smug face.
"You know that I can do that too, right?"
Smoke rised from Askael's body
"But you'll still be weaker."
.....
Adrenaline.
A uncontrollable phenomena in the body that increases both physical and mental limit, an ability humans is known for having but not truly owning.
Not being able to control it came with the advantage, the adrenaline they experience is more potent than other races that acquire the same trait.
Entered the Bearkins, the only known race aside from humans known to have adrenaline, but unlike humans it only increases their strength by a margin not truly enough for them to fight someone stronger.
But it can be use to crush those in the same league as them.
The reason why it's effect is lesser than humans is simple, Bearkins can control this phenomenon, it's one of their two strongest weapon, the other one being their body.
...
Askael felt his body rejuvenate, light as a feather he flash to Ponu, delivering a punch to the face.
Releasing all the anger and resentment he suffered through out the spar.
The impact shook the arena, dust scattered covering the two fighters.
"How?"
Inside the dust, Askael's fist trembled.
He was confident, being a mixture of bearkin and human, 'Adrenaline' is the sharpest and only weapon that he owned.
He can feel his fist on Ponu's face, the impact that could shatter his own bones, but he couldn't wipe the grin on the bearkin's face
It seems even this isn't enough, and the worst part, Ponu didn't even use adrenaline himself, he tanked Askael's attack with just his body.
"Relying on tricks like this is your downfall, learn to throw a proper punch!"
Ponu sneered, twisting his hips along with his right arm.
"Clench your teeth"