Changing Rain

Outburst

Eric walked through his village. He couldn't get his shirt back on this morning because his ribs hurt too much, and now he wished he had stayed in the healing house. Everyone was staring and pointing, his wounds they knew where not from the shifter battle, so where had he  gotten them?

Doing his best to ignore them, Eric strode to the fort. He wouldn't shame himself by failing to do the guard duty he had volunteered for. 

With his head held high, he pushed the prision door open, and made his way to the slumped figure in a chair that leaned against the grimy wall.

" David? " Eric gently shook a boy his own age awake. David jumped up and half drew his sword before he understood what was going on. He pushed his brown hair out of his pale blue eyes and gave Eric a sheepish grin.

" Sorry Eric, hard to see in this dim light. "

" It alright David, no harm done. " Davids grin slowly melted off his  face as his eyes adjusted to the low lighting.

" Eric...what....what happened, you didn't get all that from the battle did you?" David took a step back to take in all of his many hurts.

" I'm fine David, really, it was just an accident. " David, much to Eric's discomfort, was circling around him, trying to scope out what had happened.

" Accident? What, did you accidentally get mauled by a bear?" David asked with a small shake of his head.

Close enough, Eric thought.

" You should be in the healing house."

" I was, Hilda cleared me for duty. " With a doubtful look, David handed over the sword he had been wearing, as well as a steel headed 
spear. Watching his back disappear up the long stair well, Eric thought about how Hilda had told him his wounds would heal fine. Close 
enough to a permission slip.

Gingerly, Eric lowered himself into the rickety old chair, then leaned  back and started his watch.

" You know lad, you really do look like a bear got a hold of you. " 

Looking up, Eric saw Telrin leaned against the half bars of his cell.

" Its not of your concern Telrin. " A grin eased up onto the dignified shifters face.

" Oh, so we be on first name basis now, huh?" Eric mentally slapped himself.

" Only, it ain't fair for you to know my name, and me not knowing yours. " Eric stared straight ahead, determined not to slip up again.

" His names Eric. " Surprised, Eric stared into the cell of a thin lithe boy of about fifteen, with a shock of red-gold air, and bright amber eyes.

" How did you.....?" The boy looked at him and Telrin as if disgusted.

" The other guard just said his name old man, if you were actually alert you might have learned something. "

Telrin spared him a slow look, his face uncaring about the belittling remarks of the boy.

" After seven years locked in the same cell, I think that you might not care to listen to every word a guard said. "

" At least I haven't given up hope. "

Telrin merely shrugged. " There is nothing left for me to hope for lad. " The boy angrily shook his head, then shifted into a clever looking fox who began to pace back and forth.

" If you wern't listening, how'd you know about the bear thing." Eric accused.

" Well 'mauled by a bear' tends to grabs ones attention. How did that happen anyway?"