Our Second World book three: Personal Truth

Chapter 42: Wolf

I woke up coughing up water. My body shook from the coughing and the chill constricting around me. I was so disoriented and dizzy I was hardly aware of the hand on my back.

"Take it easy, lad," a man's voice, soothing, yet strong sounded in my ear." You're alright now."

"W-What...happened?" I managed to choke out between gulps of air. The cold burned my throat and stabbed at my lungs, the pain in my chest growing worse with every breath.

"Just relax. You're alright now," the man said softly." Deep breaths, ok?"

I nodded, and, after a few more minutes, the pain in my chest started to subside.

"Better now?"

"Where's Mia?" I asked, my voice hoarse." My companion...where is she?"

"Oh, you must be talking about the girl with the pink hair. Don't worry, she's safe," the man said." Look, see?"

I looked to my left to see a woman with short black hair pulled back in a ponytail. She was wearing a simple brown dress under her white cloak. The woman's emerald eyes flicked to me, then back to an unconscious Miafilellie laying in her lap.

"Emilia, my wife," said the man.

I looked up at his tanned face half hidden by a scruffy red beard. His orange eyes gazed lovingly at the woman. He pulled a hand from his brown cloak pocket and extended it to me.

"The name's Mikhael. Call me Mic," he said.

"Wolf," I answered, shaking his hand." You pulled us from the river. Thank you."

"It's what anyone would've done," Mikhael shrugged." We found the two of you collapsed on the bank. It's a bit cold, so why don't we talk more back at our place where it's warm. I'm sure the two of you are hungry as well."

"Sure." I wasn't entirely sure I could trust these two, but it was better to go with them for now than risk letting Miafilellie freeze.

"Alright, let's go."

I nodded and tried to stand, only to feel a sharp pain shoot through my leg.

"Careful! You alright?"

"Yes," I hissed through clenched teeth, the pain growing worse as I tried to move my leg.

"Here, let me help." Before I could object, Mikhael had picked me up on his back." Emilia, let's go."

The black haired woman nodded and lifted Miafilellie onto her back before following Mikhael through the deep snow.

After a while, the steady rhythm of Mikahel's footsteps lulled me into a light sleep.

The next time I opened my eyes, it was dark, and I found myself laying on something soft.

Glancing around the dark room I was in, I could see the silhouettes of Mikhael and Emilia outlined by the dim light of a lantern. Their shadows cast on a wall I could see through the gap in the door left slightly ajar. I could see that they were talking, but couldn't hear what they were saying.

With a small sigh, I laid back down and rolled onto my side. When I did, I found that Miafilellie was sleeping soundly next to me.

I guess this is Mikhael's house. I thought to myself.

After a few minutes, I heard the door to the bedroom open and I closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep as I listened to Mikhael and Emilia climb into the other bed. It was quiet after a minute or so and I snuck a glance at the other bed to find the couple already sound asleep. Soon after, I found myself drifting off as well.