The Woods ✔

On Fire

The crackling of fire filled the cabin and Caden begrudgingly got up and went down the stairs. The kitchen table was filled with fresh vegetables and other ingredients and Michael just took the pan from the hook on the wall.

"Would you please chop up the onions," Michael ordered and pointed to the already peeled onions sitting next to a knife on the counter.

Quietly humming, he got to work while Michael cut up some other vegetables and some oil was preheated in the pan.

Upon finishing his task, Caden cautiously let the onions slid into the pan, making them sizzle in the oil. He dabbed at his still watering eyes and blinked rapidly to make them stop. Next, he cut up the paprika.

They worked in silence, only the sizzling and chopping could be heard over the hungry flames in the fireplace that warmed the whole cabin. It was their tradition to cook together after having been to town. Fresh vegetables weren't always available, especially during the winter because they weren't durable and after having gorged themselves on fast food a light dinner was the perfect way to end the day.

Soon the lovely scent of spices filled the kitchen and Michael held out a spoon for Caden to sample their meal. He moaned upon tasting the rich flavor and held up his thumb although Michael had already detected his ecstasy by the quite distinct sound.

Caden set the table and filled two glasses with water. The incident with the black truck was nearly forgotten although the fear still sat somewhere in the back of his mind and he couldn't stop but wonder who the men were. He just hoped they didn't meet them again.

Michael placed the pan in the middle of the table and Caden sat down across from him. He filled both their plates and Caden happily dug in. The food was delicious and after this rather eventful day it was just right.

"Full?" Michael asked with a quiet chuckle when Caden leaned back in his chair and rubbed his stomach. He groaned and nodded, already regretting overeating himself.

They filled the left-overs into a container to eat them sometime the next days before cleaning the plates and cutlery in the sink.

"It looks like there's a storm comin'," Michael remarked, gazing out of the kitchen window while drying his hands on a towel.

Caden peeked outside, too, and had to admit that Michael was right. Although it was already completely dark he could see gray clouds hanging low over the treetops and in the distance illuminated a lightning bolt the stormy sky. Seconds later thunder boomed in the silence, reverberating in the valleys between the mountains.

"Probably," he mumbled lost in thought. He tidied up the kitchen after putting the last plate back into its spot and then joined Michael in front of the fireplace. The warmth seeped into his bones and he lazily curled up on the armchair.

The wind outside was picking up and he could hear it rustling through the trees. Indeed, the first storm of this season was coming and he felt some weird satisfaction to know that those men were probably sleeping in tents and not in a comfy cabin. Served them right after behaving like idiots. Hopefully their tents were blown away.

He snuggled closer into his pillow and tiredly watched the flames consume the wooden logs. They would do a lot of sitting here and watching the fire these coming months.

"Did you ever think about leaving the woods and living down in the valley?" Caden wanted to know and Michael hummed thoughtfully.

"Aye," he finally answered. "Would be a lot more comfortable, I guess."

"And why didn't you do it?" Caden asked another question and Michael shrugged.

"Shifters don't belong in towns. We're just not made for livin' among humans," he said with a halfhearted smile. "But sometimes I wish things were different."