Iduna hiked around the lake to some boulders. She climbed up and dangled the line with fish attached above the deeper water. She lost two fish before finally catching a large one. Tucking the large fish away in her pack, she went back to leaning over the boulder and casting in the deep water below. She caught fish after fish. She had plenty but was enjoying herself too much to leave yet.
The day was quiet and the wind brisk, raising ripples on the lake and a constant rustle among the surrounding tree branches that were bare except for their early spring buds, promising leaves and flowers.
The sudden, deep roar behind her echoed through her body, every nerve instantly taut with terror. She closed her eyes as the roar faded and the echoes bounced off the mountains surrounding the lake. She wrapped the fishing line around her fist slowly while gathering the courage to open her eyes. Looking behind her, she saw an enormous brown cuffler on all fours with its eyes glaring into hers, his head swinging side to side. She took in the mangy hair, loose hide, and hungry eyes of a cuffler after a season's hibernation. He stood as tall as her horse when he was on all fours - he would be as large as a troll when standing and have the girth to match. At least he would have the girth after a few weeks of feeding. Since the Ull had taken much of the game in the area, it would be a rough year for him.
The cuffler’s sharp claws scraped on the rocks. His long brown pointy ears twitched. She tightened the strings closing her bag while pulling the strap over her head. Just as his shoulders signaled the beginning of his charge, she sprang from the outcropped boulder and dove into the water far below.
Plunging deep, she spread her arms and legs into an underwater breast stroke, trying to cover as much distance as possible underwater. Finally coming to the surface, she was pleased to see that she was at least one hundred yards from her fishing perch.
The cuffler stood on the beach waiting for her, panting with hunger.
The water was cold and full of the unknown. She tread water and tried to think of a solution before anything in the water started thinking of her. Any Elemental spell that could whisk the water and her to shore beyond the cuffler’s reach would require at least two casters. Summoning her calm, she moved the water in front of her down hard at an angle. The movement created a tall, fast-moving wave. As it neared the shore and the waiting cuffler, she pushed wind and caused the water to break hard over his head.
As the water and spray cleared, she saw the cuffler had dug in, bracing his legs and lowering his head. He looked up at her with hungry eyes. The cuffler was not going to move until fed.
After ten minutes of floating like a toy in a tub, she decided to try a different approach, something more like what her parents would have done. The cuffler was blind with hunger, just a beast with a hollow, echoing stomach. She still had the fish in her bag. She waded into the shallows, and the cuffler grew larger in her eyes. Gaining her feet now that water only reached to her midriff, she grabbed a slimy, wet fish from her bag and tossed it far to the right of the cuffler.
He didn't move.
Grabbing another fish, this one she hurled directly at him, smacking him in the snout. Startled, the cuffler let the fish bounce off him. He eyed her briefly then decided to examine the fish. He scarfed it up. When he turned to get the other one, she threw another farther off. He followed.
Seeing her opportunity, she started running through the shallows, legs lifting high and hurtling forward. As she gained land, she sprinted up the pebbled beach, dropped the last two fish for him and ran into the trees.
…
A half mile later, she knew she wasn't going to be cuffler lunch but despaired that she had nothing to cook for Vilir. He’d dismiss her or worse. She still had the fish line wrapped around her fist, but the lake was definitely the
The day was quiet and the wind brisk, raising ripples on the lake and a constant rustle among the surrounding tree branches that were bare except for their early spring buds, promising leaves and flowers.
The sudden, deep roar behind her echoed through her body, every nerve instantly taut with terror. She closed her eyes as the roar faded and the echoes bounced off the mountains surrounding the lake. She wrapped the fishing line around her fist slowly while gathering the courage to open her eyes. Looking behind her, she saw an enormous brown cuffler on all fours with its eyes glaring into hers, his head swinging side to side. She took in the mangy hair, loose hide, and hungry eyes of a cuffler after a season's hibernation. He stood as tall as her horse when he was on all fours - he would be as large as a troll when standing and have the girth to match. At least he would have the girth after a few weeks of feeding. Since the Ull had taken much of the game in the area, it would be a rough year for him.
The cuffler’s sharp claws scraped on the rocks. His long brown pointy ears twitched. She tightened the strings closing her bag while pulling the strap over her head. Just as his shoulders signaled the beginning of his charge, she sprang from the outcropped boulder and dove into the water far below.
Plunging deep, she spread her arms and legs into an underwater breast stroke, trying to cover as much distance as possible underwater. Finally coming to the surface, she was pleased to see that she was at least one hundred yards from her fishing perch.
The cuffler stood on the beach waiting for her, panting with hunger.
The water was cold and full of the unknown. She tread water and tried to think of a solution before anything in the water started thinking of her. Any Elemental spell that could whisk the water and her to shore beyond the cuffler’s reach would require at least two casters. Summoning her calm, she moved the water in front of her down hard at an angle. The movement created a tall, fast-moving wave. As it neared the shore and the waiting cuffler, she pushed wind and caused the water to break hard over his head.
As the water and spray cleared, she saw the cuffler had dug in, bracing his legs and lowering his head. He looked up at her with hungry eyes. The cuffler was not going to move until fed.
After ten minutes of floating like a toy in a tub, she decided to try a different approach, something more like what her parents would have done. The cuffler was blind with hunger, just a beast with a hollow, echoing stomach. She still had the fish in her bag. She waded into the shallows, and the cuffler grew larger in her eyes. Gaining her feet now that water only reached to her midriff, she grabbed a slimy, wet fish from her bag and tossed it far to the right of the cuffler.
He didn't move.
Grabbing another fish, this one she hurled directly at him, smacking him in the snout. Startled, the cuffler let the fish bounce off him. He eyed her briefly then decided to examine the fish. He scarfed it up. When he turned to get the other one, she threw another farther off. He followed.
Seeing her opportunity, she started running through the shallows, legs lifting high and hurtling forward. As she gained land, she sprinted up the pebbled beach, dropped the last two fish for him and ran into the trees.
…
A half mile later, she knew she wasn't going to be cuffler lunch but despaired that she had nothing to cook for Vilir. He’d dismiss her or worse. She still had the fish line wrapped around her fist, but the lake was definitely the
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