The blast could be heard for miles as its echos flew between mountains. Not that Catskill could hear that; all noise in her ears cut out, displaced by the buzz of tinnitus. She staggered a foot back from the recoil; the harness dug at her chest and her sides even through her furs. The uniquely burned stench of black powder filled the air. Through the haze of smoke, though, Catskill could see the important thing: the bear, its chest reduced to a bloody pulp and worse, suddenly still. It blinked plaintively at Catskill, as if asking her a question, and toppled to the ground. It didn’t move again.