Chapter 4
by 
mally01
What does Arerto do?
Fight.
Arerto looked at the tiger as the tiger looked at her drawing her sword. The tiger's jowls drew back into a snarl baring its razor-sharp teeth. Julia stepped forward next to Arerto but Arerto smiled and said this fight only she could take so Julia nodded and stepped back as Arerto raised her sword and shield and advanced. The tiger unsure backed away puzzled as to why this prey was not running like the previous prey she had encountered. She only backed up so far then lowered her body's weight onto her front paws ready to pounce on the advancing Arerto.
Arerto got to within fifteen feet and the tiger decided to pounce her claws extended and she landed but found no target. Arerto had waited then dodged at the last minute to the left as the claws and paws hit the soft ground leaving deep indentations in the soft soil. She had run around the back and stabbed her sword into the tiger's hind leg which caused the tiger to roar. Arerto noted her sword had done no damage just bouncing off the fur. The tiger swung her head around to look at Arerto and pounce again causing Arerto to retreat behind some trees.
The tiger swung it left paw at the tree's felling them leaving Arerto exposed and charged again swiping at Arerto. One of the claws just grazed Arerto opening up her skin which resulted in blood cascading down her right arm. The tiger sensing the injury backed off before charging in again but Arerto avoided the attack. She looked around and saw one of the heavy felled trees and a kernel of an idea formed as she skirted towards the tree. She positioned herself in front of the tree and waited for the approaching tiger which when it was in striking range raised a paw to bring it down on its prey.
The paw came down claws extended and just as the tiger expected to connect with soft flesh the longest claw hit wood. Arerto had backflipped on the tree trunk. As the claw had hit the trunk it buried itself deep in the trunk and Arerto swung her sword impacting the claw where it connected to the paw and severed the soft tissue but not completely. The tiger howled and pulled back dislodging the claw from the trunk but also ripping it away from its paw. The tiger looked at the claw which was about three feet long then glared at Arerto as Arerto was circling around.
Arerto ran forward just as the tiger pounced and did a forward ground somersault coming up next to the claw. Dropping her sword she struggled with the claw lifting it into the air. The tiger was now running at her anxious to finish the fight and as the tiger lept into the air Arerto summoned all her strength and did likewise. Both the tiger and Arerto were airborne heading towards one another but Arerto had the advantage of being lower. As they crossed mid-air Arerto pushed the claw up which pierced the tiger's fur and skin and the momentum caused the claw to rip open the tiger.
As the tiger landed it was roaring in anger and for the first time in pain as it lay on its haunches looking at Arerto. The tiger could feel its life **** draining away but took one more swipe at Arerto with its tail hitting her and knocking her off her feet and throwing her against a large boulder. Arerto lay on the ground **** as the tiger died still not understanding how it had been defeated. Julia ventured out of the cave and lifted Arerto from the ground and took her back inside and tend her wounds. Once they were dressed she cradled Arerto in her arms watching over her.
"Arerto you have done well killing the tiger but your trials are going to get harder. You must head mount trepolia and find the perman hydra and defeat it."
Julia watched Areto's fluttering eyes even though the lids were shut, a sure sign that she was dreaming. She lay Arerto don on the cave floor wrapped in the fur blanket then went on search of her toy.