Steel Meets Iron

Chapter 26

Being in wolf skins felt weird, she looked like a wild child in a fairytale. Someone had given her a black skin to wear, it resembled a sleeveless top and skirt with furry cuffs that were tied to her feet and ankles. They tied up her dirty clothes like a package which she stuffed in her satchel. Many of the women who had seen her without a top gasped at her scar, they whispered but asked nothing which suited her fine because she didn't want to talk. Not to them anyways.

Once she had eaten and gotten cleaned up she ran to find Varg who stood with other wolfmen.

"I've eaten and I'm all clean," she declared. "Now can you help me get to Asgard? Please?" She refused to forget her manners around these people.

Varg stared down at her, and the other men did as well. Some were scandalized by her directness with them. "Child, the one you seek has yet to come to my pack."

"What?" She exclaimed. "Why?"

"You must wait till the morrow," he said. "Go play with the other pups until then child," he suggested. "And all will be well. He is a wise man."

"But, but," her voice cracked and her face trembled, "but... but... but, I want to go home!" Tears fell down her face. "I want... I want my daddy!" She wailed. "I want my daddy and I want him now! Now! Now! Now!" Raven sank to the ground and bawled not caring who saw, who whispered or tutted. She wanted her daddy, she wanted to go home.

Varg sighed and lifted the crying, red-faced child up. "Come now," he soothed taking her to a cave. "I know that you wish to go home but you can't just yet." his clawed finger gently wiped away her tears. "But I swear that you will see your father again."

"You promise?" She sniffled not feeling so brave.

He nodded. "Now no more tears." He looked up and beckoned someone, "It appears that someone wishes to show you our pack life."

Eyolf shyly came over and offered a clawed hand, "Would like to see the forest? I know the forest better than anyone."

Raven wiped her eyes but said nothing, Eyolf still took her hand and Varg gave her a nudge. Still sniffling and with her head cast down she followed Eyolf wherever she was leading her. Nothing about the mystic forest cheered her up, she had thought once she had ate or that she had to wait a little bit. She didn't expect that she had to wait a whole day for someone that wasn't there, she missed home, she missed Tony and she couldn't feel brave anymore. She wanted to go home.

Eyolf took her to a circle of women that sat in the middle of the forest, they chatted and giggled weaving and sewing, some had babies and small children with them. One was even pregnant, belly swollen out like she swallowed a giant ballon. They saw her and Eyolf and with little fuss they inched and made space for them. Raven nibbled her fingers that still had the faint flavor of the fruit she had just eaten, the whole scene was boring and dull, and she wanted to go home.

"Here we weave baskets to carry food, water and herbs," Eyolf explained grabbing some straw. "Do you want to try?"

Raven shook her head and Eyolf's shoulders sank in disappoint which hardly bothered Raven who grumpily turned her head away to avoid the look. One of the women who had observed the exchange smiled sadly at Eyolf. "Don't be hurt Eyolf, the little one misses her pack."

"I don't have a pack," Raven protested all the fancy talk was getting on her nerves.

"No?" The woman said hardly bothered by the bite in her tone. "Everyone has a pack, the name may be different but it is the same thing." She looked down at the basket in her hands and Raven's sneakers, "We must be strange to you."

"A little," she admitted sourly.

The woman had cascading brown hair, one yellow and one blue eye. "I only mean to be cruel to be kind, little one. Sulking will not get you home in any haste."