One does not ever wish to anger a bear.

"ROAAAAAARR!"

Especially not their more ferocious and disturbingly sentient cousins, the Ursas.

"ROSHAN!"

For rage is powerful within any brawny creature, but a brute that can think, now that's dangerous.

"I HAVE COME TO RECLAIM WHAT YOU HAVE STOLEN!"

However, like any other sentient creature, they hold certain truths and facts to be self-evident and unchanging. Just the nature of the world after all. The burning glob of gas in the sky is hot. Pain is bad. A person dislikes their enemies. It is simply needed to have a stable base for which rationalizations can be made.

Which is why Ursa, the Ursine Warrior, was shocked into silence and self-induced paralysis when he saw that Roshan was absent from his pit. In fact, there was nothing in his pit at all.

One of the beliefs he had held unbreakable torn asunder before his very eyes, Ursa could feel his mind failing, and his disbelieving body unresponsive to his frayed nerves.

He sank down to his haunches, sliding on the slippery ice. With his disbelieving gaze still frozen upon his face, Ursa fainted for the first time in his life.

"You guys think he's okay? " Squee asked, breaking the silence.

"I don't know...he looks dead." Spleen replied, unsure.

"He's still breathing...maybe an overpowered nightmare curse?"

"That one? He's always so sure of himself, cocky even!" exclaimed a piping voice from within the barrel Squee carried with him everywhere.

There was a short pause in their conversation, punctuated only by the quick darting gaze the two Techies shot at one another.

"You heard that?" Squee asked, quietly. "It's happening again."

"Yeah, the disembodied voice..."

"Maybe we should leave him, y'know, come back for him later."

"Yeah! We can tell the others where he is. Can't moved him anyhow.

Spleen moved slowly towards the inactive Ursine Warrior. "What are you doin-" Squee began, but was interrupted by Spleen's mad gestures to keep quiet.

"I've been waiting so long to try this..." He said, as he carefully advanced towards Ursa. "I always wondered, how soft was his fur, y'know."

"The one at his belly?"'

"Yeah! Like all the furry animals we've seen!"

"That we've blown up."

"They triggered our mines!"

Squee groaned. "Whatever! Just be quick!"

"Alright...just let me..." Squee reached out a hand, slowly heading towards the source of his curiosity. Fur so close, well within grasping reach. Hand, making con-

"ROSHAN!" Ursa roared, shaking off his stupor and throwing poor Squee a good eight feet away. "YOU THINK YOU CAN ESCAPE ME? I HAVE YOUR SCENT, YOU CRAVEN THIEF!" Without another word, or even a glance at the now-cowering Techies, Ursa rushed off into a convenient new path and disappeared into the Radiant jungle.

"...Let's never mention this again. Especially to Ursa." Spleen squeaked.

"Agreed. Let's get out of here." Squee said, moving to push their bomb cart.

"Where did that path come from? I swear that wasn't there before." said the mysterious voice from behind Squee.

"...Double time!", both shouted simultaneously

AN: So this story is effectively dead, to both you and me. However I thought I should make a long overdue note about why I abandoned it in the first place. Simply, I lost my drive and commitment to continue this fanfiction, but if someone wants to take it under their wings, I won't mind. Just tell me so. And I simply cannot leave a note without a bit of fluff, so here's some nice Christmas-sy filler. Merry Christmas, guys and girls.