" Get in!"
The raging snow tide came crashing down on them as they jumped inside the tiny rabbit hole. The sheer pressure of the avalanche and moving snow with coldness tainted their valiant hearts with fear as they prayed for mercy.
Boom, crash*
It lasted for at least 10 moments before Bjorn opened his eyes with pain. He felt his arms being numb and his body being heavy from the frostbite, yet he didn't think twice before moving them.
He clawed his way out of the snow, desperately trying to reach for the light in this darkness. Fortunately, the loose snow had some air inside, otherwise he would have died from suffocation.
Crunch*
" Haa*"
He broke out of the snow, sitting on it with a dazed face. He didn't know how many of his men died here, but at least he was alive and that was good because he was the most important person. His death would spell many terrible things among his people and he didn't want to die like this.
" Vør! Yandal!"
He screamed with a hoarse voice, scanning around to find a single silhouette of his men in this snow field. The eerie silence waited for him as his face paled with despair.
Crunch*
Suddenly a hand popped out from the snow as Yandal and Vør emerged from below the snow. Soon, others followed their suit, digging their way out from the snow but Bjorn could tell his 2 men were missing.
" Hans and Skan are missing. I presume they didn't make it."
Vør said silently, making others feel grateful for their survival and pity for them. However, that didn't last long because they had a goal to fulfill and they knew from the start that some of them wouldn't make it alive.
" Let's go. At least they died men. Even if they didn't fall in the battle, Valhalla will welcome them for their purpose was grand."
Bjorn didn't hesitate to leave, choosing to abandon them even though they were alive since the clock was ticking.
Meanwhile, in the belly of the mountain, Erik climbed down from the big rock, looking at the below with a frown on his face. The eerie feeling of his was confirmed as he knew only humans were capable of producing avalanches without nature course.
He recalled the avalanche and ice would flow during May and June, so it was much earlier than anticipated time, meaning outsiders did the thing. Animals wouldn't climb to the mountains and he doubted birds would cause this, leaving only one possible answer in his head.
" They have breached through the mountains. I have to stop them until the chief comes back home."
He pulled his trusted bow, aiming at his village direction, and fired it. The whistling sound of an arrow echoed in the air as it slowly went out of his vision to the woods where he believed his people would find.
" I refuse to believe all of them are intact. They must be cold and injured. It is the best time for hunting."
He didn't think twice before carefully making his way up to the direction where snow came down. The keen senses of the hunter were telling him that his opponents were coming down to the woods because it was the best place to rest and warm up.
There was no wood in the vicinity and it was unlikely that they carried wood or some kind of fuel with them due to climbing.
" If there are more than 3 people, I can't win. So my best bet is to ambush them during their journey and run back to the woods."
His eyes flickered with emotions as he lay down on the snow. He gently piled the snow around him to camouflage his body while pressing it hard to create a space that could help him stay warm.
He then gently buried his spear next to him while putting his bow back near the rock, so that he could grab it when he went back. Also, he put some fur near his mouth to hide his breath and put some food next to himself, so he could eat later in case of an extended period of waiting.
The hunt wasn't just running around, it was all about patience.