Stranger Passing: The Sword and the Flame Novella

Chapter 5

Author's note: Hello, all! :) Sorry for being a day behind. I got tied up with a bunch of things, but I didn't forget about you guys. Here's this week's installment for your reading pleasure. :)

Chapter 5

The cool night air was refreshing to Cimble as he remained hidden while listening for anyone or anything coming near the stream. The air away from the Darken Woods smelled and tasted different, though he wasn't certain as to why. With the thinner tree covering, the air was lighter and less humid, but there was something more he couldn't quite understand.

Fully awake and alert after his brief nap, the dire wolf's red eyes focused on the area around him. With his limited night vision, every object, big and small, was seen as though through a red lens. Everything around him had a faint glow thanks to the light of the moon. A branch moved above him and to his left, catching hold of his attention. He watched with mild interest as a squirrel ran from the thinner end of the branch back towards the trunk and its home. It was curious to watch, not because he thought of the tiny animal as food as it was much too small, but because he'd never taken the time to watch an animal like it before.

The more he thought about it, the more he came to realize watching an animal play was something he never did before. There were the pups born into the pack, but their activities were more along the lines of teaching themselves how to fight, to defend the pack and themselves should the need ever arise. As is the case more times than not, the line of Cimble's thinking led him to understanding what was different between the Darken Woods and the rest of the forest. Far less death.

Everywhere he looked, creatures thrived under far less restrictive measures than those within the Darken Woods. Life was still a struggle, that was the number one law of nature, but it was easier and less fearful where he found himself. Instead of bringing a surge of panic from him, the dire wolf relaxed even more. There wasn't a reason for him to be so guarded. Yes, he could be hunted easier should his existence become known, but how much easier would it be for him in a land where few were prepared for a beast of his cunning? Had he been able to, he would've smiled. That was why the pack came out of the Darken Woods to hunt from time to time. How had he forgotten something so important?

As if to emphasize his embarrassment, Cimble shook his head. The feel of the cool air penetrating beneath his thick coat of fur made the wasted movement worthwhile. He knew there would only be a limited amount of time to hunt before beings with weapons came for him. They'd expect him to run back to Darken Woods, not in the opposite direction. For the first time since his banishment, he was feeling relaxed and happy about where his life was.

*****

Eron's thoughts mirrored the dire wolf's as he settled into bed thinking about what had happened to him. It was strange, but he thought of Reinhart as a close friend despite knowing how the human probably regarded him. No, he shook his head. Reinhart likes me. Why else would he have agreed to stay?

A smile split Eron's face in the darkness. Less than a year away from when he was to leave home and find his way in the world, he'd never been equipped for what could happen. Now he had a friend to rely on, one that could teach him how to be strong and honorable. He would become a warrior just like Reinhart. Maybe Reinhart would even train him. The thought of being trained by such an accomplished warrior brought a round of giggles to the Halfling. Until the time his eyes grew heavy and sleep descended on him, it never occurred to him that he knew little to nothing about his friend's history.

In her room, Milda didn't need to hear the human's snoring to know he was asleep. She knew from the first moment she saw him that the man was different than other humans she'd met. Reinhart's easy demeanor reminded her of Jack, though it was tempered by events she knew would be private. The more she wanted to find fault with the human, the more she found herself respecting him. He didn't try to force himself on them by demanding food and shelter. He hadn't asked for anything. Instead, he allowed her to remain the head of her own family with a dignity few humans showed Halflings.