Ashes

Settled

~ Serene ~

"Why am I still here?" I say to Ryu as we're hiding in the shrubbery by the entrance. It's been a few minutes since Iorek left to get permission for Ryu. "I bet he's actually brining his warriors to skin you alive." Ryu tilts his head at me. "I saw the way he looked at you." He huffs at me. "What? You can not be trusting him already can you?" He looks past me. I narrow my eyes at him and he looks at me as if to ask why wouldn't you. This time I huff at him annoyed. I see iorek come back with an elder man wearing a pelt of some kind. Ryu tilts his head at me with an I told you so look. I roll my eyes and push him. "Whatever" I walk out to greet Iorek and the older man. Ryu comes out behind me, I expect the elder to freak out but he just smiles and bows to me. As he bows I see the pelt is made from a wolf. Iorek gestures behind him to bow back so I do. "Hello my child" he says gingerly and smiles again. "Your animal is welcome in this camp." I bite my lip, "There isn't a problem?" He shakes his head and takes my arm carefully. Usually Ryu growls whenever someone he doesn't recognize touches me, I hear nothing so I look down at him. He just looks back at me then ahead of us, seemingly eager to enter the camp. Well if he's not worried, I guess I shouldn't be either. I relax a little and walk with the two men into the camp. What I feel is everyone in the camp, stops to look at me and my Ryu. A mother grabs her child when she sees him. I hold my head low, trying to avoid eyes that are coming at me like daggers. We arrive at a very nice looking cabin and the elder opens the door and gestures me inside. I walk inside and Iorek follows. The cabin is decorated with antlers and there's a thread woven rug on the middle of the floor. "This is where I stay" Iorek says behind me as the elder closes the door behind us. "You can take my bed for now" He gestures to the bed with fur blankets in the corner of the room. I go and sit down and look around his cabin some more. It's bigger than mine was. There are wool tribal blankets hung on the walls. He goes over to a woven chest and brings out some giant pelts and wool blankets and lays a pelt down then a blanket on top of it on the floor across the room from the bed. He walks over to lay one down beside the bed and stops. "Uhm, will he be sleeping with you or on the floor?" Ryu hops onto the bed beside me and lays down, his massive size taking up most of the bed. Iorek chuckles, "I'll just lay this down here then." He sets the bear skin down and walks back over to continue making his makeshift bed. "I've lived without a bed as nice as this, you can have your bed" I suggest and he looks up at me, "I could tell you've been without one, that's why I gave it to you." I look down. "This is a nice place you have..." "Thanks!" I bite my lip and set my things on the table beside the bed. I reach to take my sword off my belt and hesitate. Ryu looks up at me and grunts. Telling me it's alright. I look at him and sigh. I take the sword off and set it down. I start to lay down when there's a sudden knock on the door. I jump and grab for my sword. Iorek gets up and walks to the door. He looks at me as I'm clutching my sword in fear, "You know you're safe in this cabin, right? You're the least likely to be attacked here with me at your side" he opens the door and a young girls voice comes from the other side. "Iorek, I heard you found the girl!" He chuckles, "yes I did" "Can I meet her??" The young girl sounded eager but Iorek glances at me and my state and denies her. "Maybe wait a little longer, she's still a little on edge." The girl responds with a sad okay and he closes the door. He walks over to me and sits next to me. I realize I'm still clutching the handle when he gently takes it from my hands and sets it down. "You don't need to be scared" I look at his face, studying his scruffy features. "I don't know...." I trail off and Ryu shifts to lay his head on my lap. I run my fingers through his fur. It soothes me. "He doesn't seem to be worried" he says while half smiling. I grin a little while looking at my handsome Ryu. "Yeah, I guess this place isn't too bad". Iorek chuckles and stands up, "Well you haven't even seen the camp and met everyone yet" I look up at him and he seems to see that I'm not ready to see anyone yet. "We can wait until tomorrow to do that. It's getting a little late." He goes over to a chest and unfastens his vest. I look away to give him privacy and lay down beside my Ryu. He shifts over to give me room and I cuddle into his giant body. Sleep starts to take me over as I feel a blanket being laid on top of me. I hear Iorek gently tell me to sleep well before I slip away into the dream world. I feel safe.