In the afternoon, as evening approached.
The tribe chose a clearing in the forest to set up camp.
Si He sat on the ground, scratching and sketching with a stone. Among the crisscrossing lines in the dirt, she drew the likenesses of mountains, rivers, and trees.
She was drawing a map, marking the directions where that dragon had appeared.
Si He stared at the map, furrowing her brow in deep thought.
Her handmaiden handed her some water from the side. She took it and drank a sip, her gaze never leaving the map.
Midway through her drink, she suddenly stopped.
Handing the water back to her handmaiden, Si Yun, she picked up the stone and connected the directions. She traced a few loops, and finally drew a diagonal line leading to a spot off the map. A sudden gleam of light appeared in her eyes.
Just then, Yan Shou walked over.
“Chieftainess,” he said softly, standing aside to wait.
Si He took one last deep look at the map to commit it to memory before turning around to look at him.
“Is it ready?”
“Yes.” Yan Shou looked at her seriously. Picking up a stone from nearby, he walked over, crouched down in front of her, and began to sketch and explain.
Si He sat and watched, nodding from time to time, occasionally picking up her stone to add a few lines.
They continued to discuss as the sky gradually grew dark.
Si He's brow remained slightly furrowed. She was fully concentrated, and after pondering for a long while, she finally nodded.
Yan Shou let out a long sigh of relief.
Wiping the fine beads of sweat from his forehead, he finally revealed a slight smile and said, “Then I will have people start preparing tomorrow.”
“Mm.” Si He nodded and smiled. “You have worked hard, Hunting Chief Yan.”
“It's no trouble, no trouble at all.” Yan Shou waved his hand.
“You have been thinking about how to deal with that Horse-Faced Bear for quite some days now, haven't you?” Si He asked.
“Yes, I knew I couldn't hide it from you.”
Yan Shou smiled. “That beast is cunning and sly; we must guard against it. I was already observing the terrain and considering traps before this.”
“Well done,” Si He praised.
After Yan Shou left, she turned back to look at the map she had drawn earlier, continuing to doodle and think.
Beside her, her handmaiden lit a small campfire.
The next day, the people of the tribe suddenly became busy.
Some braided ropes, others crafted spears, while some cut animal hides, carried stones, piled firewood, and sewed torches.
The once quiet mountain forest grew significantly livelier.
Si He sat on the ground braiding rope, the plan she had finalized with Yan Shou yesterday laid out before her.
She braided with deft hands, occasionally adding two small pebbles to the diagram or taking some away.
In her mind, she estimated the Horse-Faced Bear's size and strength, repeatedly weighing the required materials, as well as the division of labor and positioning of the tribe members.
The deeper she thought, the more she frowned. Finally, she let out a long sigh, shook her head, and continued braiding.
Time was tight; there was no time to make more perfect arrangements.
In the forest not far away, Yan Shou called Si Cang to him, spoke with him for a moment, and then pointed toward the distant mountains.
Si Cang nodded repeatedly, then turned and called over two others before heading toward the distant peaks.
Time flew by.
Soon, night fell.
Having worked hard all day, the tribe members hastily ate some wild fruit and dry rations before falling into a deep sleep.
Late in the night, the patrolling watchmen discovered the black-furred, gray-skinned Horse-Faced Bear. Like a mountain, it lay quietly in the forest not far ahead, watching them with deep, penetrating eyes.
They couldn't help but feel their scalps tingle. Clenching their spears, they stared back at it intently.
The Horse-Faced Bear confronted them for a brief moment before crawling backward and slowly vanishing into the darkness.
Only then did the watchmen dare to breathe heavily, their hearts pounding like drums.
Once dawn broke, they reported this news to Si He.
Si He furrowed her brow and looked at Yan Shou. “How much longer will it take?”
Yan Shou's expression was somewhat grim. “At least two more days...”
Si He bit her lip. “As quickly as possible, then.”
Another busy day passed.
The prey caught by the hunting squad today was relatively small, but numerous, allowing the tribe to eat their fill.
Night fell.
With the Horse-Faced Bear having come so close the night before, today the tribe pitched their tents farther from the wooden stakes and added several more traps.
The number of patrols was also increased.
Every watchman was on edge, focusing all their attention on scanning the darkness.
Late in the night.
Just as the campfire in the clearing was beginning to dim, a loud noise suddenly echoed.
The watchmen rushed over in a hurry.
Inside the camp's tents, from the direction where the noise had sounded, a shrill, agonizing scream immediately erupted.
Immediately following, a person screaming in terror flew past them.
The Horse-Faced Bear, gripping him in its long snout, retreated a few steps, then turned and bolted into the darkness of the forest.
Watching the darkness where it had vanished, the watchmen felt their scalps tingle.
The terrified expression of the man who had been carried away was deeply etched into their minds, replaying over and over.
Si He and Yan Shou immediately rushed out of their tents and asked, “What happened?!”
The watchmen hurriedly said, “Someone was carried away by the Horse-Faced Bear!”
Hearing this, Si He led some people to inspect the traps and check the tent of the man who had been taken.
She turned back to Yan Shou and said, “This Horse-Faced Bear is too powerful. The night watch traps are useless against it.”
Yan Shou stared at the broken rope hanging three or four meters high up in a tree, letting out a solemn hum in agreement.
The tribe spent the rest of the night in a state of panic that was hard to quiet down.
Just as dawn was breaking, the tribe held a simple burial for the clothes of the man who had been taken last night.
They then began to work even more urgently on their weaving and preparations.
Si He stared at the grave, her thoughts unknown.
Her handmaiden patted her shoulder, ultimately leading her away.
“Don't think too much,” her handmaiden, Si Yun, said. “A Chieftainess cannot anticipate everything. Don't put too much pressure on yourself.”
“I know.” Si He lowered her eyes. “I just... don't want them to live in this kind of terror and fear anymore...”
Si Yun sighed and said, “Let's go braid more rope.”
Around noon, Si Cang sent a hunter back.
Upon hearing the hunter's report, Yan Shou said to Si He, “Things are ready over there. Let's head over.”
The tribe began gathering their belongings, following the hunter.
The Horse-Faced Bear trailed closely behind them, and those at the back of the line wore expressions of sheer terror.
Seeing this, Si He walked up to Yan Shou and spoke to him briefly.
By the time the tribe stopped to camp, a deer was tossed in front of the stalking Horse-Faced Bear.
It lifted its head in confusion, only to see the hunters holding their spears, watching it warily as they slowly backed away.
The message in their eyes was plain as day: this deer was a gift to it.
It cast a contemptuous glance at the hunters, then withdrew its gaze, lowering its head to eat unhurriedly.
The two-meter-long deer seemed incredibly tiny before its massive six-meter frame.
Si He watched it from the hillside, her gaze deep and solemn.
At first, the tribe members didn't understand Si He's actions; after all, that deer would have been enough to give them a hearty meal.
But as night approached, they seemed to slowly understand.
But was doing this really right?
The tribe members fell into a silent contemplation.
At night, the number of watchmen increased.
The surroundings of the camp were brightly lit with torches.
The Horse-Faced Bear crouched in the forest, silently looking down upon them.
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