Fate

Two

"We'll rest here for a few days," Bear said, much to the relief of everyone, as he stopped the horse. They had been walking all through the night and most of the next day. It would not be long before the sun would start setting and exhaustion levels were high. They were all hungry and eager for sleep. Bear led them off the road to the side, where the trees were thinner, just enough so they could tuck back and not be in the way of any other travelers. Not that they had seen many. It was still far too cold for any normal travelers to be about just yet. The thaw had only just arrived, and most everything was still covered in dirty snow.

"Ring, start getting some tents up. Rena, care for Alexi. Show Helena the ropes. Michael, you will help Runa and I gather firewood." If it hadn't been clear before, now there was certainly no denying the fact that Bear was the real leader here, despite what Ring had said about it being his caravan at their first meeting. His tone, although friendly, left no room for argument and despite not wanting to leave Elyssa alone with a group of strangers, Tonius knew better than to protest. They had only just started their journey with these people and it was vital that they make a good first impression.

"I will not be far," he whispered close to her ear. "Just keep your guard up and call for me should you need me. I'll hear you."

"Stay safe."

He pulled back, grinning. "Don't I always?" He left her with Rena, who gave him a reassuring smile, and disappeared into the woods.

It didn't take long at all for his arms to become weighed down with logs and branches to burn on the fire. Stomach growling and eyelids heavy, he started to stumble his way back to camp when he heard a small twig snap nearby. He paused, his eyes straining in the darkness and his nostrils flaring for a scent, searching for any sign of what could have made the noise, every part of him suddenly awake and on high alert. He waited in silence, not even daring to breathe. He determined that nothing smelled out of the ordinary. Shrugging it off as his imagination, he kept moving.

When he returned, he was not surprised to find that he was the last to arrive. Laying his load on the small pile that the others had collected, his eyes swept the clearing, desperate to make sure that she had been alright alone. His body became tense, like just moments before, when he couldn't see her.

"Calm yourself, friend," Bear, who happened to be walking by and had seen the reaction, said. "She is fetching the oats for the horse from the wagon."

Tonius didn't relax until he saw her leaving the wagon, struggling down the steps under the weight of the sack she carried. He stepped forward to help her, but Ring beat him to it, taking the oats from her and walking off. He felt a flare when she flashed Ring a grateful smile. But it went away almost as soon as it arrived when she turned to face him, and her smile grew.

She started to shorten the distance between them. "You're back!"

"I am."

"Oh Tonius! Everyone here is so kind. Rena and Runa are so understanding, and Bear is so funny! Even Ring is not as frightening as he seemed."

The smile that twitched at his lips couldn't be helped, not with her infectious happiness. "I'm glad that you are fitting in well here." He wondered how long it would last.

"I am very happy here. And not one of them has mentioned or asked me about...you know."

"I imagine it won't be long before they do. It is, after all, the only reason they even allowed us to come along. Be mindful. We shouldn't use our real names while in camp anymore. This could all be but a ruse, and should we have to leave suddenly, I don't want them to be able to track us down easily."

"You always see the worst in people Toni—Michael," she scolded lightly.

"With good reason," he pointed out, as though he needed to remind her of all the times that he had been right about someone having less than honorable intentions.