Kuraĝon
Leaving Aura in the cottage with Hunaja and Vakt, Kuraĝon braved the weather to look for her brother. The wind had picked up and the snow had started to fall as Aura had dashed inside, but Ailill was nowhere to be seen. When she’d recovered enough, the girl had said that he’d stayed behind her, urging her to go on. The news made Kuraĝon shoot outside.
The wind whipped around the small house, nearly taking her cloak as she struggled to fasten it. The snow was falling faster and thicker, deadening all sound that might have been heard over the wind. She turned back to the cottage in time to see Vakt barrelling out after her. She knew that Hunaja would keep the girl safe.
“Come on, Vakt,” she shouted over the wind. “Where is he?”
Her hair was dripping wet, soaked with the snow. The beastkin pushed in front of her, his powerful shoulders clearing a path that she followed. What Aura had communicated worried her. It was like him to stay in the snow, but not for this long, and not when it was nearly a snow storm.
Her great fear was that Åska’s call had become too hard to ignore, and that her brother had gone on ahead without her. She couldn’t bear that.
Nearly blinded from the driving snow, she put her head down and pushed through, trusting that Vakt would lead her to her brother. Shivers racked through her body, and she pulled her cloak around her, hoping that Ailill had his. He’d be frozen otherwise.
“Come on, Vakt,” she muttered. “We have to find him. I need him.”
She didn’t know if the beastkin heard her, but he bent his head, apparently finding something, for he surged forwards eagerly. She hurried after him, snow matting her eyelashes so much that she could barely see. She kept a hold of the beastkin’s long tail, relying on him more than her sight to guide her. When he stopped suddenly, she tripped over him, and landed flat on her back in the snow with a groan. She was soaked to the skin, and the cold was seeping into her bones.
“Hitto vieköön. Pig’s piss,” she muttered. “What is it, Vakt?” She didn’t scold him, knowing that he would have stopped for a good reason. He had his head lifted, sniffing the air. Getting up and looking around, she couldn’t see past her nose, unable to tell if he’d found her brother or not. “Vakt?”
A small rumble came from his throat, and she relaxed. It was his greeting to Ailill.
“Go on, then.” She pushed him forward, letting go of his tail. He hesitated, though, and worry filled her. “Vakt? What’s wrong?”
“Take her home, Vakt.”
The tremor that shook her could have been from the cold, but it could also have been relief.
“Ali?”
“Home, Vakt.”
The beastkin turned, pushing at her side. She resisted, frowning. “Ali, come home. You’ll freeze.”
A dark shape showed in the swirling snow, and she pressed forward. His hand landed on her shoulder, turning her and pushing her back in the direction she’d come.
“Go home, Kura.”
“No! Ali, why are you here? I’m worried. The girl’s worried!”
“I’ll be home soon.”
The tears froze on her cheeks. “Please, Ali.”
He bent his head, touching his nose to hers in a gesture that he hadn’t done since she was a child. “I’ll be fine, little sister. Vakt will take care of you.”
“But you? You’ve got no one.”
He pushed her forward. “I’ll be fine,” he repeated. “Take her home, Vakt.”
The beastkin purred, and took her wrist gently in his jaws. He pulled her along, carefully not breaking her skin, and she followed, stumbling through the snow. The storm had gotten much worse, and she feared that she wouldn’t be able to get home. As she should have known, though, Vakt guided her straight to the door. She almost tumbled through it, the warmth inside welcome on her face. He shot in after her, showering water everywhere as the snow in his tawny fur melted in the heat. The girl looked up from where she was curled with Hunaja, a question in her eyes.
Kuraĝon couldn’t speak. The snow had stopped her voice, her throat frozen. She dropped to the floor in front of the fire, closing her eyes and curling into herself. After a moment, she felt Vakt curl next to her, and felt his body heat spread through her, warming her much faster than the fire.
Hunaja abandoned her place, and curled up on her other side, both beastkins lending her their warmth and she looked up, melted snow running like tears down her face. Reading the girl’s question, she shook her head.
“No,” she said firmly, and then coughed. “He’s coming. He’s not lost.”
She saw the relief in the girl’s eyes, and knew that she had been just as worried. Somehow, that knowledge made Kuraĝon feel more kindly towards the child.
But she kept her gaze on the door. Waiting for her brother.
Kura’s Curses:
Hitto vieköön– damn it

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Search for the Extinct [Last of Elves book 2]
AdventureSEQUEL TO BLOOD MEMORIES. Highly recommended to read that one first. It's been ten years since the burning of the last elf, and nothing has been seen of him since. Ten years since the ancient prophecy was fulfilled. Ten years since the land of Elsee...