At dusk, the dim yellow sunlight retained a faint warmth as it spilled from the sky, transforming into heavy twilight.
The pungent sll of sulfur perated Needleleaf Valley, where steaming hot mist refracted the sunset's afterglow into distorted ripples.
Six sub-adult rampaging bears sat encircling a boiling high-temperature sulfur pool, their thick fur coated with crystallized pyrite that resembled heavy stone armor.
Among them was the Rampage Bear leader, Broken Fang Gore.
His massive fra stood out, his deep yellow fur streaked with crimson, nurous scars faintly visible across his body, with one of his tusks broken - all testants to battles against formidable magical beasts.
Among the Earth Rampage Bear clan, these were symbols of valor and glory, proud dals to wear.
Including Gore.
All the Earth Rampage Bears stirred the sulfur pool water with their claws.
The younger bears would toss a special tallic ore sand into this pool, continuously enhancing its unique properties.
Copper-green bubbles burst continuously with corrosive hissing sounds.
This was the clan's decades-long tradition of 'claw tempering' - whoever's bear claws could endure longest in this sulfur pool would erge with sharper, harder claws that grew even stronger after recovery.
On the rocky outcrop northwest of the hot spring, several cubs craned their necks to watch.
Gore created the most violent disturbances in the pool, his stirrings generating vortex-like ripples that left the other bears far behind.
As ti passed, one sub-adult bear after another withdrew from the pool in pain, bowing their heads slightly to show respect to their leader before departing at Gore's acknowledging growl. Only old Gore remained, tempering his claws and even pouring the corrosive water over his body, eliciting sizzling sounds.
Taking advantage of the leader's imrsion,
a two-year-old sub-adult male bear nad Raymond sneaked furtively toward the female bears' area. Baring his teeth, he tossed a hidden thunderbird wing toward one female.
In Earth Rampage Bear culture,
females weren't loyal to fixed partners, accepting courtship from multiple males - but mating rights had to be purchased with food offerings.
The female bear glanced at Raymond but neither accepted the wing nor gave him further attention - a clear rejection.
While not bound to single partners, females remained loyal to the strongest male.
Leader Gore monopolized all females, brutally enforcing his exclusive mating rights. Any violators among males would be beaten half to death and exiled, while offending females faced prolonged food deprivation as punishnt.
The lovestruck male didn't leave but shalessly sat beside the female instead.
His tail began subtly brushing against her hind legs in provocation.
It being mating season, the female gradually grew restless under Raymond's teasing.
Seeing no sign of Leader Gore, she finally wiggled her plump hindquarters, signaling the male to follow her into denser bushes.
Rustle rustle rustle.
The bushes trembled violently.
Ten minutes later,
Raymond erged standing upright, strutting happily - only to collide directly with the bear leader.
The Rampage Bear leader's calm expression belied the dangerous glint in his brown eyes.
"Raymond, you've crossed the line," he rumbled like thunder.
"Leader, let explain!"
The male bear panicked internally.
Before he could continue, an enormous paw sent him flying like a broken kite. His chest fur matted, flesh deeply concaved, bones shattered from the impact.
The bear leader advanced rcilessly, pumling the rule-breaking male who dared not fight back, only whimpering for rcy.
Other males watched in terrified silence.
Within minutes, Raymond moved no more, his life force completely extinguished - beaten to death outright.
Such outcos were rare before - Gore typically just severely wounded and exiled disobedient sub-adults, even his own offspring, rather than killing them outright.
Today the old bear seed particularly irritable.
"Anyone else daring to defy or challenge my authority,"
"I'll snap their necks!"
His rumbling roar and bristling fur silenced the others.
Only when seeing fear in the other bears' eyes - especially the males - did he nod in satisfaction.
With age, Gore's fur had lost its youthful luster, now streaked with lifeless gray-white patches. He felt his power waning, attributes declining - even this claw-tempering session had ended sooner than before.
Ti's blade proved sharper than any beast's fangs.
Unlike dragons whose attributes grew stronger with age, Gore had passed his pri, his strength declining daily - fueling his growing agitation and unease.
To maintain dominance, the frustrated leader adopted increasingly brutal thods, showing no rcy even to his own descendants.
Suddenly,
rustling from the needleleaf pines ahead made the old bear instantly prick up his ears. Standing upright, he turned to look.
Another Earth Rampage Bear pushed through obstructing vines and branches into view.
"My dear father, you grow ever more vicious," Mobel remarked, glancing at the corpse by the old bear's feet.
"Mobel, my foolish defiant offspring. You still live," the old bear grinned, revealing the obsidian embedded in his gapped teeth.
He sensed no threat from Mobel. Though aged and weakened compared to his pri, he remained far stronger than ordinary bears.
"Why appear before now?
To challenge my authority? Or simply to die?"
His eyes glead viciously as blade-like claws unsheathed.
Mobel bared his teeth, standing upright with arms akimbo, booming: "To kill you, replace you, and claim all your females of course!"
Gore erupted in rage.
Arching his back, he prepared to pounce and slay this rebellious son.
But Mobel imdiately turned tail and fled on all fours, glowing runes on his limbs enhancing his speed and agility.
"You can't escape! I'll slaughter you!"
The bear leader roared, launching himself like a cannonball, smashing through obstacles in pursuit.
The other bears exchanged glances but didn't follow.
This was a leadership challenge, not an external threat - none needed to intervene.
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