You leap from crag to crag back up to where the mountains meet the sky.
Suddenly, you hear a weak chirp.
A small golden eagle is lying in the snow.
The avalanche must have disturbed its nest. You see it high above. Cold and tired, you know that you must return the eagle to her nest or she will die in the unbearable cold of the oncoming night.
You approach the eagle slowly. Her amber eyes glow at you in the failing light. You know you must be careful for even an eagle that size can be extremely dangerous. And every Yeti knows that when the eagle cries, blood will flow. She lowers her head and allows you to approach.
The snow cushioned her for the most part, but she seems to have been hurt from a falling patch of iced earth broken off from the sheer mountain above.
Gently, you lift her and place her in your tunic. Her talons scratch as she scrambles to grasp your fur.
You scale the mountain to reach its peak. After disentangling yourself from the eagle chick, you carefully deposit her back in her nest. The mother eagle, screeching overhead, flies down and bows her head in gratitude.
Now, you must hurry. You see in the dark as well as you do in the light. But even though your fast pace warms your body, you must find shelter. Even a Yeti is endangered from the lethal drop in temperature of nightfall.
As you run and leap through the Ridge, a tinge of fear enters your mind. You’ve never killed before. You don’t know anyone who has. And the touch of corrupted life force has shaken you to your core. Are you now corrupted as well?
These thoughts circle in an endless track as you drive yourself to make it somewhere safe before darkness falls completely. The wind already pierces through your fur. As you alight on a peak where a rocky trail begins, you shout with glee when you realize you’re very close to your brood cave! You leap the last few peaks and run at top speed towards its glowing entrance.
Home. At last.
A ball of fur propels itself at your legs and knocks you to the ground. It’s your little sister, Kiara.
“You’re home! You’re home! We’ve been waiting forever! Where have you been?”
You gently extract yourself from her grip on your leg and get back up.
“Where is Father?” you ask.
“In the meeting hall! We’ve all been waiting for you to start the feast!”
Your heart is as full as your belly is empty. But you need to set the yeti free.
Torches glow and flicker, casting shadows on stone walls. Shelves that run the length of the room are carved into the stone, where books, dishware, wine and other household items are stacked. A long, sturdy wooden table is laden with the finest fare: steaming roasts and breads smelling of nuts and honey, fruits and vegetables of all kinds. There’s even a huge spice cake.
Your mouth begins to water.
When your brood sees you in the doorway, the pride and happiness is evident in every smile. They cheer and shout your name. Some rise to greet you, to hug you, to slap your back.
Cubs scamper about as their elders swat them or scold them half-heartedly. Goblets of mead and mugs of soup clang together with shouts of elation.
One of their own, an Initiate!
But as you come closer, they note the look on your face. Silence spreads throughout the hall.
Your father sits at the head of the table in a throne of ancient wood. His shaggy ivory mane, topped with horned headgear of a brood leader, sets off a strong brow and piercing eyes of green. He stands up tall, his face beaming with pride that quickly transforms to concern. He opens his heavily muscled arms.
“Father,” you run to him. He hugs you tightly.
“What happened?” he asks.
You tell him everything from the time you left the Lair until you came back home.
“We must go,” your father nods. He hits over his heart once with a closed fist. The rest of the brood rises to prepare a battle party. Weapons, furs and medical supplies must be brought to the cave.
You guzzle down a bowl of tuber soup your mother has handed you, relishing the heat. You’ve not tasted anything better in your life. But now you must brave the cold once more. This time, you have your brood with you.
You make your way together to the cave to free the captured Yeti. Suddenly, you hear a sharp cry. It is the Bigfoot who escaped you at the cliff. She is being torn apart by the pack of ravenous wolves whose den is in the nearby caves.
You scale an overlooking peak to throw her a rope, but it is to no avail. She has been terribly wounded and is now meat for the beasts below.
Your father strides up to join you and survey the carnage.
“The Ridge takes what it takes,” he intones.
You continue through the freezing night.
Read more Legendao Lore:
The Premise
Introduction of the three Yeti
Kwaneg
Mahukwa
Richter
The Prelude — The Roar and the Lair:
Chapter 1: — The Cave
Chapter 2: — The Trail & The Cliff
Chapter 3: — The Lake
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