The Fenrir Saga - Part I

Chapter 43

Beonnie

I limped through the forest for about an hour before approaching another cliff overhanging another lake. You would think that I would have a good amount of fear of caves, but I couldn't resist when I saw an opening under the cliff facing the lake. It was the perfect place to rest. There even was a tiny sliver of rock in front of the opening, like a porch. It was a beautiful place. I lay down, peeking over the edge into the water, where a blonde wolf stared back at me. It didn't take long before I fell asleep, letting my limbs heal as much as possible.

I woke up a couple of hours; that was my guess, at least, later. I removed the bandage on my leg and tried to walk on it. It seemed to have healed fine, and I paced around in my cave, happy to have a normal limb again. I knew I should run a bit on it to gain strength, but I enjoyed my little hiding place too much to leave already. I laid down again, halfway inside and outside the cave, peeking into the water and looking at my reflection. I looked like a miniature version of my father's blonde wolf, Frejrir. I leaned further out, trying to gauge my size, but the stone porch had become slippery, making me ungraciously fall into the water. Well, at least no one saw it.

I heard a chuckle behind me and turned around. No one was there.

The sound came again, but I located it somewhere over me this time.

I looked up. The clumsy black wolf peered down at me over the cliff edge. He tilted his head as if teasing me, and I swear I saw a smirk on his face.

Bah.

Apparently, he needed to be reminded that he was the one falling into the water the last time. I mimicked his movements from our previous meeting, and he huffed, disappearing from the edge. I managed a few seconds of disappointment before his large body came lunging over me, and with a feigned shock looking at me, he tumbled into the water. I laughed. He swam towards me, resting his head on my porch as if asking for permission.

I moved further inside, making room for him, and he climbed up, towering over me as he filled up the entire opening to the cave. Essentially, he trapped me inside the cave with his body but quickly moved inside next to me. He nodded.

I went to the opening again, making room for him, laid down, and rested my head on my paws, suddenly tired again. But it was a relaxed, comfortable tiredness.

He copied my movements and laid down next to me, resting his massive head on his equally massive paws.

Then he turned to me and looked at me intently.

"Hi."

Heh. I had forgotten about the mind-link thing at the Gathering. We didn't know each other, so it would have been hard to focus our minds on each other, but we could establish the first needed connection now that we were in proximity.

"Hi."

I felt almost shy.

"Nice place you got here."

"Thanks, I found it myself."

"You alright there?" he indicated the pile of bandages next to me.

"Uhm, yes. Just a bit clumsy this morning."

"A clumsy werewolf. That's new."

Uhm.

"Not to me. And look who is talking, Mr. Fall-over-the-cliff."

"Heh. So, why are you out here?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, why are you not at the Gathering?"

"Well, why are you not at the Gathering then?"