Role

Chapter 6

Ikanu grew up without ever really knowing what happened to
his mother. The townsfolk suspected, but never filled in the
details. But, for some reason he was very fond of telling
knock-knock jokes. He worked his father's dirt farm, but grew
to hate the man. He was abusive, due to rage over how badly
he was aging; the man's hair had turned to a mess of frizzy
gray, where it had once been black and flowing, and his belly
hanging over his pants in much the same way that a muffin does.
But, the bastard was strong, and though Ikanu fought him every
now and then, he couldn't beat him...not yet, anyway.

The conflict at home affected him in subconscious ways. He
would look for fights, and relished the tiny struggles seen in
nature that most people often overlook. In one such instance,
he witnessed an emaciated barovian wolf struggling to kill a
badger. It was a fair enough match, considering the condition
of the aggressor. But, after a minute or two into the battle
an eagle arrived on the scene. It looked to be a large male,
most likely hunting for its young (it was that time of year).

This was going to be interesting. He saw more than just a
recurring scene illustrating the struggles of the natural world.
This was a battle of wills. The eagle could have flown away
and found an easier meal. The wolf could have settled for a
squirrel. But no, badger was on the menu and that was that.
And so it began; wolf snaps at badger, badger bites snout,
eagle swoops for badger, wolf lunges for eagle, eagle rends
wolf...badger gets away.

But, the food no longer mattered. The anger, the need to kill
the opposition was all that remained. Both the wolf and the eagle
eagle stayed too long to turn back from this battle. Their wounds
were mounting, and a hearty meal would be needed to recover in
this unforgiving land. Ultimately, avian defeated canine that day,
but that's not the relevant part. What's important is that the
battle, the war, culled the weak, empowered the strong, and made
for one hell of a show. Ikanu would forever remember the dance
of the beasts, and years later it would help to mold not only his
harsh ideology, but his very being.