DAVID A. GEMMEL. SWORD IN THE STORM

The three brothers rose from the fire and stalked off towards the settlement. An awkward silence followed. Riamfada looked downcast. Conn leaned forward and placed his hand on the young man’s shoulder. ‘I thank you, Riamfada,’ he said, softly. ‘But there was no need to reward us. You are our friend and we enjoy your company.’

‘It was not a reward,’ objected Riamfada. ‘I just wanted to find a way to show how much I appreciated your friendship. All of you. You have given me great joy. More than you can ever know. You like my gifts?’

‘No-one ever gave me a finer present,’ said Govannan. ‘I will treasure it, little fish.’

They sat together for a while longer, but as the sun began to fall Govannan put out the fire and Connavar lifted Riamfada to his shoulders for the long walk home.

As they walked they heard a distant scream. ‘What was that?’ whispered Braefar. The sound hung in the air. They walked on and up the hillside, emerging from the trees onto open ground. A body lay on the grass, its belly ripped open, its face gone. Patches of blood stained the grass like a stand of poppies. Connavar laid Riamfada on the grass and drew his silver knife. From the clothes the corpse wore they knew it was Galanis.

‘Bear,’ whispered Govannan. ‘And a big one.’ He too unsheathed his blade. Braefar, who had no weapon, stood petrified, staring at the mutilated corpse. ‘The others must have run off. Climbed a tree or something,’ continued Govannan.

Riamfada sat on the grass, scanning the tree line. Another scream sounded from deep in the trees. It was cut off abruptly. A breeze was blowing from the woods. ‘It will not be able to scent us,’ whispered Connavar. ‘Let’s move!’ Sheathing his knife he lifted Riamfada, and the three young men set off across the hills. The land was open here: no ground cover, and no trees in which to hide. Held in Connavar’s arms, Riamfada stared back at the trees, praying that the bear would not emerge.

He heard Govannan swear. ‘The wind is changing,’ he said.

Almost as soon as Govannnan spoke Riamfada saw a huge form burst from the trees a hundred paces behind them. Time froze in that moment. The beast moved to the body of Galanis. Its great jaws opened, closing on the corpse. Then, with a flick of its head it tossed the body high into the air. The bear reared up, catching the corpse as it fell, and ripping at it with its talons. Please do not let it see us, prayed Riamfada, silently.

The great head swung. Dropping the body, the beast turned towards the fleeing youths. ‘It’s coming!’ screamed Riamfada. Conn glanced back then began to run. Riamfada soon realized that there was no way, burdened as he was, that Conn could outrun the beast. ‘Put me down!’ he shouted. ‘Save yourself!’

Conn ran on, then glanced back once more. The bear was no more than thirty paces behind them. Slowing to a halt he laid Riamfada on the grass, drew his knife and swung to face the charging beast. ‘Oh please run!’ Riamfada begged him.

‘I’ll cut its bastard heart out,’ hissed Conn.

The bear came on, and reared up in front of the defiant youth. Riamfada could not tear his eyes from the beast. Over eight feet high, its black muzzle and chest fur drenched in blood, it spread its paws and lumbered forward. Conn did not wait for it, but hurled himself at the colossus, plunging his blade deep into the bear’s chest.

Talons ripped across his back, sending a spray of blood that splashed across Riamfada’s face. Connavar was hurled clear of the beast, but it turned on him again. A shadow fell across Riamfada as Govannan ran in, leaping on the bear’s back and slamming his own knife into the creature’s neck. The bear reared and twisted. Govannan was thrown to the ground, his knife still embedded in the bear’s flesh. Bleeding badly Conn pushed himself to his feet and attacked again. Talons tore into his shoulder, but the silver knife swept up, then down, slicing through fur and bone and flesh. The bear dropped to all fours, pinning Conn beneath it. Govannan, hefting a large rock, ran at the bear, smashing the stone down upon its head. The creature swung round, its snapping jaws just missing the youth. It reared high, talons slashing out. Beneath it the blood-covered Connavar surged to his knees and drove his knife two handed into the bear’s belly. A huge paw thundered against his shoulder and Riamfada heard the sound of splintering bones. Connavar was hurled across the grass, limp and boneless as a rag doll.

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