storm winds will follow

Chapter seven - pack dynamics

Gwendolyn had graduated from her prison cart cell to sitting in the front of the wagon, with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, dressed in a change of clothes far too large for her. It was Ulfrics tunic and pants, only the boots were hers. It was a temporary arrangement until her own clothing was washed and dried. Due to the delay caused by their scrap with the beast, they would not make it to the next watchpoint in time.

The thought of sleeping in the cold made her mood worse, but for the moment, at least, she felt alright. Mainly because Ulfric had given up on any semblance of distance he had planned to put between them in his brief struggle with reason. She was almost thankful for the beast and her... outburst.

According to the men she had burned a hole in their assailant, and they had just finished the job. Gwendolyn wished she could remember it, it sounded like she had pulled off an impressive feat of magical might, if not entirely on purpose...

The trees of the pine forest drifted by at what seemed, to her, like a snail's pace. Her skin itched, her head throbbed, and so did all her extremities. She had seen better days... Though admittedly she had also seen worse ones. 

In her attempt to look on the bright side, she almost missed the wagon coming to a halt.
"We will camp here for the night."
Ulfric announced, and climbed down from the wagon, pausing to help her get to the ground safely as well. A Fire was lit, and the men and their lone prisoner gathered around to hand out rations and settle in for the night. To her delight, Afkarr had cooked a sort of stew from foraged ingredients he must have gathered while they had been camping out for the noon, and an unlucky elk, who had wandered into their camp, where the experienced hunters made quick work of him.

She had never seen a creature being butchered before, so Gwendolyn watched the process closely, in case she needed to imitate the actions at a later date. She had committed the process to memory the best she could. In her current state, though, she was in no mood to think about escape, content to simply nibble at her stew and listen to the men bicker.

When it was time for night rest, She was locked back into the cart, but she could hear the nightwatch check on her regularly. She thanked the stars for their kindness, because the aches grew worse in the night. Come morning, however, the world seemed far less hostile. Gwendolyn was somewhat rested, though Ulfric bade her back onto his wagon.
"Another tenday, then we can meet up with the other caravan."
He announced to her as she settled into the wooden bench.

"And from there? How long will we be until the fang?"

Ulfric mulled over it for a few minutes.
"Two weeks and then a little, depending how much progress we make day to day. The home stretch is the hardest, since we have to ascend the mountains, but I've made this trip two dozen times, so I wouldn't be too worried if I were you, lass."
Gwendolyn folded her hands in her lap.
"You know the route by heart?"

Ulfric nodded.
"I do have a map on me, just in case, but I doubt we'll need it. Between me and Bertold, I don't think we are going to get lost."

As usual, Gwendolyn was quick to argue.
"What if you die and Afkarr is the only one left to navigate us up to the fang?"
Ulfric sighed and patted her head.
"You know, your head will be the thing that kills you one day. If that happens, you take the map out of my breast pocket, give me a kiss for the way to the great mead hall and navigate to the fang yourself, because Afkarr will get lost on the way to the bathroom if you don't explain to him exactly how to get there."

He pinched the bridge of his nose and held the pose for an elongated moment.
"Between your brains and his brawn you might just make it."
The breathy laughter that followed let Gwen know he was joking.

"You're lucky I like you as much as I do."
Gwendolyn huffed in response and crossed her arms.
"And you're lucky I like you as much as I do!"

The hound held out his bandaged hand to her and grinned.
"What are you going to do? Bite me again?"
She shrugged and leaned back, crossing her arms behind her head.
"I have powerful jaws."

"Feisty."
They both burst into laughter this time. Gwen felt like she had broken down his outer most wall, and it was nice. Were they becoming friends? Should she let it simply happen, and enjoy the connection while it lasted, or put up guards of her own now that his were broken down?
"You like me that way."

Gwen did not return to the cage for the rest of the week, remained on the front of the wagon with Ulfric, and her cell door was often left conspicuously ajar so she could take walks and roam, she had a fluffy prison guard anyhow, and she did not get caught. As the day they would join with the other caravan drew closer, the discussion of what to do with her reignited.

"We can't let her fool around once the others are there."
Bertold was the one speaking, emphatically pacing in front of a campfire. Technically, Gwen was not supposed to be privy to the conversation, but it was about her, and she was good at peeking.

"They will recognize her antics for what they are. Us foolishly underestimating a prisoner. You saw what she could do to the daemon."

Ulfric stepped forward, hand clenched to a fist.
"Bertold that was her survival instinct, she couldn't have-"
But the older bound interrupted his younger leader.
"And you, fool. Don't you think I don't see you making eyes at her. Now she's well fed and filling out into a pretty young thing you're always busy keeping her company. She knows she has you wrapped around her fingers."

This seemed to shut her friend down, as he sat down on a log.
"You've got it all wrong."
He protested, wringing his hands. Gwen wondered if Bertold had really seen through her ruse, or if he simply assumed he had, because she was a woman.

"Then explain to me, how it is."
Ulfric's silence was deafening.

After a few long moments, he spoke.
"I suppose it's true I'm fond of her, but it has nothing to do with her womanhood or her beauty. She's... so damn quick witted and absorbs everything like a sponge. I get the sense she's always up to something, in a good way."
He stood and wrung his hands.
"When we get to the fang... I want to ask the primarch to let her join the hounds. I'd train her!"

Afkarr, who had been silent thus far, looked up at his brothers with an unreadable expression.
"He's not wrong. She's smart, and the wolves love her. They've got better judgement than us."

Bertold shook his head incredulously.
"She's not safe. We need to lock her away, this has been going on for far too long. You both know that she lacks the discipline necessary to become a rune priestess."
As Ulfric tried to rebuff the accusation, he was shot down.
"Enough of this. Put her back in chains or I will. I know you have command on this mission, but I will not hesitate to report your willful ignorance to the lord primarch."

He began stalking towards the building.
"Good night"
He grumbled, refusing to elaborate further. Gwendolyn had heard enough, she knew who her allies were now.

On quiet feet she crept back to her prison cell, and lay down like she was asleep, curled up on her furs, with her blanket tossed over her. It didn't take long, before the door opened quietly. A pair of boots approached her cot cautiously. A large, warm hand was placed on her frigidly cold arm.
"I don't think you lack discipline."
Mumbled the hound as he adjusted the blanket around her.

"I think you're very disciplined, you just lack a focus, and a perspective."
Gwen struggled to hold still as a few strands of hair were stroked out of her face.
"I just wish I could tell you when you weren't pretending to be asleep..."

The smile finally crept up on her.
"What gave me away?"

"When you sleep you don't breathe this evenly."
Gwendolyn sighed and flipped onto her back to look Ulfric in the eyes.
"I suppose it isn't so bad... you would never tell on me, would you?"

Ulfric placed his hand over his heart. He closed his eyes and shook his head solemnly.
"Until the blessed day the sun explodes."

Gwen held out her wrists.
"I guess you have to cage me again."
He shrugged, but tied her wrists nonetheless. It was nothis best handiwork, Gwen could have easily slipped the knot, had she really tried..
"I do so reluctantly. And I'll still try to put in a good word for you... now that you know how I really feel about you. It was... all truthful, by the way."

With all that said, Gwen had to admit to herself. Ulfric was very nice, and being friendly with him was really paying off.
"Get some rest now. In two days we will meet with the other group, and from there it will go by like a storm."

She received a pat on the head, before her friend disappeared back to his own sleep chamber. A friend. How unlikely, and yet...