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Skuld had the trial of seeking out an over-sized grizzly bear, and besting him. Years of training as a child had prepared her for this. Taking a sword as her weapon of choice, she set out on her own, without Eier. Even though she has a twin sister, each was given their own Coming of Age Ceremony. Skuld took over a week to track down the bear, even though she had grown adept as a hunter. The bear was wise, and had survived long on this earth. Once she found him, he proved to be four times her size.. Easily 10" tall as he stood on his back legs to look at her. Before Skuld could think twice about doing this alone, the bear charged her. He could of barreled into her, had she not been trained well by her herd. Dodging his charge, she swiftly brought her sword around and pointed at him. When he charged again, she rammed the blade into his shoulder. The force still pinned her against a tree, knocking the wind out of her. Blazing purple eyes met the solid black eyes of the grizzly bear. For a moment, time seamed to stand still, till the bear brought a paw up bigger than her head, and knocked her down. Skuld watched the world turn on it's side. The bear grunted at her and the pain of the metal that cut deep into his fur and flesh. Skuld felt herself slipping, and as an icey grasp threatened to pull her under. Now was not the time to pass out though! Willing herself to keep going, she blinked it off, and returned to her feet. The bear, momentarily, was pawing at the sword with massively awkward movements. Skuld would help him remove the blade! She slipped the sword out, and then inserted it, again and again. Sharp armored wings buffeted him in a storm of feather and metal. Skuld's shrill cry mixed with the sound of the bears cries of pain, making an eerie melody. "SUBMIT AND LIVE!" she shouted to the bear in her mind. If the bear would but yield to her, it could continue to live out it's days. The bear did not understand her, but it understood the pain she gave it, and became confused by all the feathers slapping at him. It made a pitiful noise, and began it's retreat. It turned it's back to her. Skuld, collapsed half way to the ground, blood running under her helm then down her chin and neck. The force of stabbing the bear over and over, holding the sword in her mouth, had caused her to split her tongue. At least she hadn't bit it off! Thankfully, she had not. From that moment forward, Skuld had a forked tongue, and a long draw on her S's. Her teeth throbbed too, unaccustomed to the force of such a battle. Sparing with members of the Code might have trained her for battle, but it had not learned her in fighting an actual battle. That kind of knowledge only came from experience. Returning to the herd, she was met by a frantic Eier, and very proud Valkyrie. Once Eier had tended to her wounds, she retold every detail of the story, building suspense as she had tracked the bear down.
Letting him live, was the highlight of her story. The bear could not be worthy of Valhalla, but he was worthy of life, as Skuld had decided in the moment they had locked eyes.
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