Chapter 154 - The Hunting -5

Abigail pov contd

If it would have been like that only then I would have shifted to the carriage but before I could say anything other horses started neighing loudly too and went out of control like Hundred. In fact, their condition was looking worse than a hundred.

"The horses have lost their control" said James, and we all nodded but before we could focus on it William turned silent.

"There is a beast close by." he whispered slowly but we all heard him clearly. 

At that moment, all had a serious expression on their faces. Everyone's hands were already on the arrows. I realized the seriousness of the situation as I held my carefully prepared bows and arrows. This was not the best like before, as they were not serious like this in two other cases, but I wonder how William knew about it. The horse kept neighing when William whistled 

Just as expected, I heard the branches of a tree broken a little later. All the knights held their arrows tightly and I could see the fear in the eyes of servants.

Soon the beast came out of the branches. It was a eurasian brown bear, it was one of the dangerous bears. I was not expecting to see it here. My eyes narrowed at the thought. It was looking more angry than normal too as it frantically looked around as if searching for something.

The beast that appeared with a terrible sound was a giant, eurasion bear. It was a rare species that could only rarely be encountered deep in the forest.

The bear stood on two legs and began to move towards us with frantic movements. At the bear's violent actions, several thick branches broke. The conditions became much more tense.

"How is it here?" said Kirian, surprised like me.

"Is it even a time to think about it, be ready to shoot." replied James, he was looking the most dangerous one among his knights.

This time even William had that air of seriousness as he was ready with arrows. It was an unexpected encounter for everyone to see the beast here.

William and all the knights fired together when the giant bear roared again. The arrows stuck in its shoulders and nape and made the bear even more angry. Thanks to its thick skin, the bear didn't seem to have been injured much, but the bear certainly looked in pain.

They now had to face more difficulties because the roaring bear was about to attack with full force.

"Move back!" William  shouted at me  who was still there looking at the bear with lost expressions. I was actually looking at his strange behavior. I have spent my last time in the forest and have often faced beasts, so I know their behavior. Either the bear was drugged or separated from its family that was why it was so furious.

But even if that was the case, William was right, moving to a secured place was necessary now.  So I tried to move a hundred towards the other direction but  it was not listening to me at all. It started neighing and raised his front legs in the air making it difficult for me to maintain my balance. 

I have to lean closer to its body to protect myself.

"Hundred, don't do this, you are my friend, right?" I caressed his mane, trying to appease him.

"Hundred, bear with me" Calling his name, I pulled the reins tightly. Only then did he come into control a bit. William turned to me with anxious eyes, but my eyes stayed on him when he continued to shoot arrows, each hitting the bear precisely on its stomach while he was looking towards me.

Could a man of his calibre miss the arrow before?

The hounds growled wildly at the giant bear but did not help much.

No matter how well-trained they were, they instinctively got scared at the bear and could not easily approach it. One of the hounds was brave enough to resist its instinct and charge at the bear. After it was bitterly sacrificed to the bear's paws, the rest of them were growling at a distance.

The giant bear, who had gradually narrowed the distance, suddenly smashed the arrow shot by Lucas. Then, the bear charged at the servant ferociously, roaring wildly with anger.

As the surprised servant urgently ran away, the bear again swung around, breathing roughly.

When the bear's gaze turned toward Me, I had that ominous feeling. I was almost in frost of the wild beast and I was an easy target too. 

Thud!

As soon as the bear stuck its massive paw on the ground, it began to approach me at a ferocious speed. As its stride was large, it quickly narrowed the distance between us. All the knights  hurriedly shot arrows, but the arrows landed in its back and did little damage. Wendy knew there was no time to hesitate anymore.

I started shooting the arrow too but his skin was too thick to get affected by them. I moved to get my daggers out. I threw my dagger on its legs trying to decrease its speed but it was too close now. If it swung his hand and hit me with its paw I would die there and then.

They all hurriedly rode their horses towards me while shooting arrows and I closed my eyes. They have taken out their sword too but if they fought the bear would turn towards me and I would be the first to die. I have taken out my sword too, if needed, at least I will die after trying my best to win against it.

Just when I moved my sword and attacked the bear, it started staggering and then fell on the ground with a thumb on the mud, shocking all of us. Hundred and i have to take several steps back to save us or it would have fallen on us. But what just happened? It was not getting affected by daggers or arrows, then how?