Arakim's Legacy(#Wattys2015)

Chapter 20

When Izumi gave Mena, Edum's message she wasn't sure what to think and Adani didn't help by waxing on how Izumi saved the day by giving them the spell and put out that she didn't think of it herself since she got stranded in this forest.

She was relieved when she heard the sounds of male laughter outside the grotto but was shocked when she realised that the booming laughter was Edum's. Edum was laughing?

Everyone stopped what they were doing except Izumi, who was whittling away on some birch wood making more arrows for herself and Adani.

"Is that Edum laughing?'' Talor asked, dumbfounded.

"Mm-hmm,'' whispered Mena while they all listened in amazement to Edum regaling Arakim with stories of some hunts and both laughing uproariously.

Mena couldn't help the wide grin spreading across her face listening to those happy sounds. Someone made a friend, Mena thought.

You wouldn't believe what we did, Arakim answered, laughter filling her mind, with his unique earthly smell and the sweet scent of magic.

Both men entered the grotto still smiling only to come face to face with six pairs of widened eyes on shocked faces.

"What?'' asked Edum, voice light without his usual sardonic undertones.

"You are laughing,'' said Myra, the first to recover indicating his person.

"I am?'' he asked after a little pause.

Talor walked up to them, patting Edum on the back, smiling at him. "Good to see you, my brother.'' Edum just looked confused.

"Told you. Enchanted forest,'' repeated Gnar, jumping from the tree root he was sitting on. "If only we didn't have monsters to kill, I will really like to stay here longer,'' he continued, regret shadowing his voice.

"I thought you were the one complaining about getting old the longer you stay here,'' accused Ren.

"That was before all these wondrous things started to happen,'' he retorted, dismissing Ren's accusation with a wave of his hand.

"What wondrous things?'' asked Ren, brows wrinkled in a frown.

Gnar shrugged. "I went on my first real hunt, Mena is more relaxed and always smiling, Edum is laughing, you are talking again,'' indicating Ren, 'I met a real prince, and to cap it all up, Adani has relented on her no meat status for us,'' he recited, laughing happily while the others shook their heads, neither disagreeing or agreeing with his summation.

"Talking about meat, we brought back a tapir,'' commented Arakim, gesturing outside, 'and was thinking maybe dry it and take it with us just in case.''

"I like this forest,'' enthused Gnar, then added, 'Ren, a riddle for you; I am always hungry and I must be fed, the finger I touch will soon turn red, what am I?''

"Fire,'' Arakim absently answered when no one said anything, his mind obviously somewhere.

"Oh, I thought it might be Talor,'' smirked Myra.

"Oy!'' protested Talor, 'I am a bear, I need to eat or I get cranky.'' And looking pointedly at the still smirking Myra said, 'Get roasting, we'll be leaving here in a couple of hours.'' Wiping the smirk off her face.

"I will help, lady Myra, and Ren too,'' indicating the auburn haired boy whose only response was a glare bringing a smile to Adani's serene face.

Night had fallen in the forest by the time they made it to the arena. The sound of gentle rain and night creatures drifted in the wind around them. The chirps and calls of small animals going about their nocturnal lives paying no heed to the nine hooded figures in their midst. The moonlight was enough to light the forest.