By the time Bea had occupied herself finding a spot and building a fire she heard a call from only thirty yards away. Surprised Bea looked up to see four rough men with bows and arrows readied surrounding her. Each wore some item of clothing with a checkerboard pattern.

"Drop your bow and tell us what you're doing here?" they demanded.

OOC Day: 10. Time: 9:20am. Turn: 3, Weather: Sunny, dry and unseasonably very cold. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 20'

“None of your business,” she replied, not dropping her bow.

"It's our business 'cause you're hunting on our patch" one of the brigands explained to Bea "now give us your coin before we take it" he threatened.

"Got no coin," she replied, pointing her bow at the one speaking. "Plenty of arrows though. And unless you have a land grant for Stonehell, anyone can hunt these areas."

"Ain't no law here miss" the four men outnumbered Bea and were confident in their position "best forget an idea that someone is going to stop us robbing you. Hand over ye valuables" they demanded and raised their bows with arrows nocked.

Her own bow still pointed at the one speaking, arrow ready to be released, she replied, "Already told you I don't have any valuables. Nobody goes out hunting toting wealth with them. Don't have valuable armor or assets to sell. You're better off robbing someone going to or coming from the dungeon- those are the ones who have gold. Or even robbing me ~after~ I bag something, when there's fur or meat to be had, not before. As it is, all I've got for you is a quiver of arrows, coming one at a time if you want them."

She really did not want a fight, but her bow was literally all she had. So if she had to fight to keep it, she would have to do so.

The simple logic weighted against the risks was enough to deter the would be attackers "okay, you pay when you leave" the four men agreed and retreated into the woods in the west.

Bea watched them go. Maybe they would come back later, or earlier with others, maybe not. But thy had not yet impaled her with arrows from the woods, so that was a good sign. She considered moving to another location, but this one gave her the best concealment from the cave, and they no doubt knew the area well enough to just adjust their own positions too if she did so. So, she settled back where she was, waiting for a bear to come for the meat.
This message was last edited by the player at 10:08, Sun 15 Aug 2021.

The brigands once hidden in the woods it was impossible to tell if they kept a watch on Bea. Bea watched the bear's den but did not see the bear. The very cold weather made Bea's vigil an uncomfortable experience. The cold made her shiver, the feeling in her fingers and toes was numb.

After nearly two hours of inactivity Bea heard the noise of something approaching down the canyon. When she looked she saw seven goats descending to eat the green grass of the canyon floor.

OOC Day: 10. Time: 11:00am. Turn: 12, Weather: Sunny, dry and unseasonably very cold. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 40'

The cold was uncomfortable, but bear hunting was not a comfortable activity, so she would endure. Still, the cold was another reason for the fire she had built. It would keep her and her fingers warm enough as she waited.

Hearing the goats, she looked over and was glad for the activity- having something to see would help keep things engaging and her senses alert. So, she kept an eye on the cave, glancing over at the goats as they walked, but did not otherwise engage them.

The goats fed on the grass, weeds and trees of the canyon as Bea laid in wait. The fire kept some of the cold at bay but required Bea to go fetch wood to keep it a light. The sight and sounds of the rambling and bleating goats moved slowly away from Bea. Then she saw movement in the woods again and saw five of the brigands with checkerboard scarves watching her.

OOC Day: 10. Time: 12:00am. Turn: 18, Weather: Sunny, dry and unseasonably very cold. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 40'

Bea waved cheerily at them, the feel of swinging her arm a good one, but did not approach them. As cold as she might be, she had a fire to mitigate things, as did the effort of gathering wood. But they must be utterly miserable standing there watching her from the woods without one. So, it seemed to her they would have to retreat from their surveillance long before she would be forced to do so. So, she kept her vigilance for the bear, and every so often threw a glance their way, replacing the goats in her view.

The brigands did not wave back to Bea but faded away back into the copse of trees. The bear fighter saw little movement and no bear as she waited for another hour. Then she was surprised by the bugling of an elk. A male and his herd of twenty five females came stampeding down the side of the canyon toward Bea. By the time Bea had noticed them the herd was only forty yards away.

OOC Day: 10. Time: 12:00am. Turn: 18, Weather: Sunny, dry and unseasonably very cold. Vision: Daylight. Movement: 40'

Bea was not here to hunt elk, and she doubted she could outrun a stampede. But she had initially chosen a concealed area and also had lit a fire. If they were headed right towards here, she assumed their animal instincts would cause them to veer away from the fire, and thus, they would avoid her as well. So, she stayed in place.

The herd in full flight came down the ravine and paid no heed to what lay before them. The twenty five animals trampled over Bea and her campfire. Bea was buffeted, kicked and butted by the large herd animals. Bones were broken and her body mangled.

OOC Hit AC 4 for 9 damage. Bea is dead.

Bea dies, content in the knowledge that no bear had ever bested her in combat.