Horizon Ridge iii: something wicked (m)

the sting of her rejection of his offering — meager as it no doubt was — lashes out at him like the strike of a cobra ...but he keeps his emotions in careful check. she is a god ( as far as ingram in concerned ) and she has already killed once today. there was no telling if her hunger for death was sated. she turns to leave and ingram does not move to stop her. though she rejected his gift she has instead given him a bigger boon: by allowing him to live. ingram recognizes this and waits until her lumbering steps fade before he finally allows himself to move. the tension leaves his body in a exhale of breath and he is aware of how still he'd been standing by the ache of exertion in his muscles.

with a deep breath to calm the thundering of his heart ( still ), he reaches down to collect his antler and hurries on his way, careful to avoid following the bear-god's trail as he makes his way back to ursus.