Thadadear de Orion: A Moot Point

The crisp fall air coming down from the Shiverpeak Mountains was a sure sign that it was time for the great hunt. I could feel the sprits of the wild telling me that tonight would be a night that would shine on me like the brilliant stars above. It was my first year participating in the moot, our annual festival surrounding the hunt. I just became of age to do so, and with my age came all the honors and opportunities to join the hunt, if I proved myself. I was determined to do so.

My Mother said I was always ambitious. I took up a sword when I was only five and practice daily to learn how to whiled it. I can't tell you how many times I came back with cuts and knicks on myself due to my lack of knowledge. My parents finally settled on having an old war veteran teach me the finer traits of the skill. My initial interest in sword grew into weapons in general. The old veteran had taught me all he knew when it came to the art of battle by the time I was ten, and still my ambition grew.

I remember when I was just turning thirteen when a trip with our hunting instructor brought us face to face with the Sons of Svanir. Most of the other teens panicked and ran I had stood my ground with the teachers. We drove them back and I had spilt my first blood on the snow white ground. It felt different then I expected. It's true my teachers praised me for my bravery and skill... but there before me lay a body of a life of a man I did not know. Had he a family, kin of our own, and I cut him down. I remember the hollowness of the feeling, and the hot tears on my face. My teacher gave me kind words putting in prospective that these cowards attacked children whom they would not hesitate to kill. My hot tears turned to a boil as my anger rose. I ran.

I remember toughing myself into the snow in exhaustion after I ran. The cold made me numb just like my hatred to my soul. Where was the Valor, the honor, or the glory form the kill. Had the old ones forgotten what it was truly like, or did they become numb from the cold as well. I remember the soft crunch of snow startling me to my knees. A pack of white wolves had surrounded me in the dense forest. I did not fear them, they were respected as sacred beasts. They circled me slowly before sitting and great wolf, larger then the others came up to me. Her fur glowed softly in the setting sun.

"Tell me child, why did you run?" The wolf asked standing slightly over me causing me to look up.

The sound that came form her did not come from her muzzle. They seemed to echo from with in my own head.

"I killed a man today. They attacked us." I heard my self say.

"This is not why you have run." I heard the great wolf say again.

"I took a life."

"There are times when a life is necessary, but this is not why you run."

I remained silent for a moment, looking down at the snow. Then the words came tome. They choked me.

"I was ashamed."

The wolf sat in front of me, I felt her muzzle borrow under my chin as she lifted it up.

"You do not need to be ashamed. We in the wild have seen what you have done today. You protected those around you like we protect our pack. Let men pay for their own fates when they cross the mists, let them be what they may. Their honor or valor shall not take away from you own. The dangers were still live as the venom of a snake. Only do what you already know is right and you'll hold you can hold your head up with honor."

The words warmed my heart. 

"Rise child. There is a storm coming soon and you must brace your self for it." She said.

I got to my feet and wiped the hot tears from my face and was shocked to see the great wolf kneeling before me. 

"On my back child I will bare you home."

There was quite a cause of commotion from the Old ones when I was found on the steps of our home. A search party was just being set up to look for me when they found me on the great wolf's back. Great people came to see me including Knut Whitebear the protector for the village. I was questioned, feared and revered. I couldn't understand why I was giving any special treatments, but I took the responsibility to make sure I was always blameless and did not shame the Great Wolf's name.

Now today would be the day that I would prove my self once and for all. I would be the first person to be permitted on the hunt on their first year. I would celebrate in Moot, I would taste my first ale, and I would finally be proud again to wield the blade on my own strength. I had brought down a great minotaur boar shortly after the moot began. It alone would have been a grand trophy to give to Ido, our local tanner. But for the "Child Who Rode On the Back of the Great Wolf" it was not enough. I brought down a owl griffon sire, and dire boar. With these trophies I proudly presented them to Ido.

"Ho! I expected nothing less form the Wolf Rider. Any of these would have made a fine trophy for even an experienced huntsman." He said clapping me on my shoulder with his massive hands. 

"They fought bravely." I said standing up straight, though my body was already starting to feel the ware from the battle. "Please honor them by making them into fine trophies for me to display."

"Ho there! Knut! Look at these trophies!" The tanner cried to a near by man.

My blood ran cold as I the massive man came towards us. He was the mast of the hunt. Knut Whitebear. If he did not approve of the trophies I collected, then their lives were pointless to take. 

"Aye, they are worthy of the great hunt I see. Is this the huntress that brought them to you."

"I am." I said firmly standing my ground.

The massive man gave a hearty laugh. 

"By yourself too I see. Come, join us in the hunt this. You have earned your spot amongst us."

I felt my self breath a sigh of relief as the man put his arm around my shoulder. 

"I myself have brought the great worm Issormir to battle against. Let us strike her down."

Knut took me up personally to the top of the near by hill were the beast was kept. As I stepped on to the snow covered field, the great wurm exploded from the ground. I clutched my sword in my hand as I leapt into action. The battle was fierce as other of the chosen hunters joined the fray. The steel of the swords sounded  like a clash of metal against the wurm's icy scales. Time was non existing, who knows how long the battle raged until at last the wurm was taken down.

A might cry came from the group of hunters. I could only try and catch my breath. I felt the palm of Knut's hand slap upon my back. 

"Well done! Well done!" He laughed after a few more slaps. 

I could only smile nervously. "That's just what I expected from the Wolf Rider. Your held your own on your first hunt! The spirit of the wolf has truly blessed you."

I could fee the icey stare of some one as the great huntsman went on. My eyes scanned the surrounding area before falling on a tall man with a bare chest. There was something about the man that made be feel unsettled. 

"There's a storm coming....." The wolf's words echoed in my head. "...You must brace yourself."