Butterflies in Winter

::Chapter 27:: Curiosity

Kit lowered his head with a growl, approaching in silence to come to a stop between Vic and Max. Romany joining him to the left. He wasn't outwardly aggressive towards the strangers, but he was cautious.

"I take it you're Asa," Sybil spoke calmly. With an infinitely calmer tone then Kit thought he could have mustered under the same circumstances. He watched, silent. Tasting the air for any signs of danger, be it this group of strangers or otherwise.

The stranger, Asa apparently. Was an older one, a scarf wrapped around her neck and wrinkles marking her forward. Yet she carried an air of elegance, something which told Kit that in her younger years she would have been a beautiful person.

Elf. Kit could spot her pointed ears even from metres away. He may have been new to the world of the supernatural outside of the island, but he had read the myths as a kid.

Never in his wildest dreams did he think that one day he would be standing face to face with one. As a supernatural creature himself.

So much had changed in the space of five years.

"And you must be Team Delta?"

The group simply nodded, most too tired to speak or move much further. The idea of a bed was appealing to them right now.

"Do you have identification?" Asa clearly didn't care about how exhausted and bedraggled the group were. In any other situation Kit would have understood the need for precautions, but the more questions she asked, the more annoyed he became.

With a sigh, Sybil turned and pulled some documents from the saddlebag, and presented them to the older woman. She too beginning to grow impatient. "You expecting many other groups of supernaturals this way?" the sarcasm rolled off her tongue.

Unamused, Asa retorted sharply. "You're more than welcome to stay out in the forests if you're going to keep that attitude."

Everyone flinched at the prospect of having to spend another night on the cold hard ground, and they were quick to find apologies on their tongues. They had been reduced to begging very quickly.

"Very well, follow us." The woman did a 180 degree turn and was slipping through the forest like a shadow. Kit didn't need to be told twice, and was following her as fast as his exhausted paws would take him.

Before long, they reached the place that would be home for the night. It was a set of maybe fifteen log cabins in a big circle around a lit fire. Kit exhaled softly, the ache filling his bones as he shifted from paw to paw.

"Four bunks per room, you and your friends may use cabins 7 - 10, the beds are made and the fires lit. Sleep well." Asa spoke gently for the first time since they had been in acquaintance, but Kit barely had time to notice. His eyelids felt like lead as he struggled to keep them open.

He barely had the patience to listen as Sybil assigned rooms to each of them, his legs were beginning to buckle from beneath him. The rest of the group were in a similar stance.

At last they were allowed to go to their rooms, and Kit settled amongst the sheets. He didn't even bother shifting, as he rested his head on his paws. The call of sleep quickly grabbing him in its jaws and he fell into darkness.

When he opened his eyes again, the world was still dark. He grumbled, rolling onto his side. The exhaustion seeped out of his bones and he felt a little more refreshed. Yet the ache still filled him. He sighed softly. Flicking an ear forward, as he tried to figure out if anyone else was awake in the room.

"Morning, sleeping beauty." The familiar whisper of Max met him. He chuckled slightly.

Kit huffed gently. "Is the fire still lit?" he asked, trying to catch any scent of the smoke from the campfire outside.