Part III - FIMBULWINTER
© Paul Christy
Another hundred paces brought the companions to another snow-covered clearing. They emerged from the trees and stopped. On the far side of the meadow was a single beast, huge and terrifying. A lion, more massive than any lion in the world, ten feet tall at the shoulder, its mane and hair a brilliant white, bright even when surrounded by white snow. The beast roared at the two men, an unmistakable challenge, and started towards them across the clearing, moving at a steady pace, unhurried and relentless.
At the sound of the lion's roar Snorri's wind-burned face turned white and he gasped, nearly dropping his axe.
Engakai looked at the Viking in alarm. "What is wrong, Snorri?"
Snorri's eyes rolled towards Engakai, bulging in his face, then darted back to the approaching lion. "Don't you feel it man? Fear! Terror! That beast strikes fear to the very marrow in my bones!" The Viking gritted his teeth and growled mindlessly, fighting to take a single step forward against the fright that nearly paralysed him. He raised his axe with hands that were shaking uncontrollably.
The great lion was half way across the meadow and accelerating. Engakai reached out and clasped his friend's quivering arm. "Pay no heed, mighty Snorri. It be a magical fear that beast is projecting."
Snorri took another step forward and stopped, unable to continue. "Don't you feel it?" he demanded again.
Engakai shook his head and laughed. "Huge and magical it may be, it is still just a lion. My people have been hunting lions since the first man took his first step. A man with his strength about him and a good sharp spear need have no fear of any lion alive. I will deal with this challenge."
The massive lion was twenty feet away and crouched to spring. As it launched itself upwards Engakai took a single step forward and hurled his spear. Guided with the skill of generations, the spear flew true, plunging deep into the lion's chest and into its heart. The beast cried out in pain and fell to the ground, driving the spear deeper into its body. As the huge monster lay on the ground thrashing Engakai plucked the axe from Snorri's hands and cautiously moved behind the lion. In the midst of its death throes the beast snarled and snapped at him, but the Maasai danced gracefully out of reach. Then he darted in and hammered a single blow to the lion's neck, the axe sinking deep and severing its spinal cord. With a massive shudder the lion died.
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