Deep in the Kilanthro Mountains, a small village is nestled amongst the crags. How survival here is capable, one could not know - nothing but hard packed earth and stone surrounds all, not a tree in sight.
This is Yuske, a village off mountaineers and true survivors, experts at living off the land. But one there is a cut above the rest, a true hunter, a trapper, a tracker. A true ranger of the wilderness.
Settled on a broad ledge overlooking Yuske is a small, one room cabin, a bare wisp of smoke curling from a cobblestone chimney. No windows or decorations adorn these walls - no view to the outside, but no means for anyone to pry, either. The oddest thing, however, may be a constant presence of snow, accompanied by a light but haunting melody.
When the tempo would increase, so would the wind, whirling fiercely about the cabin and causing snow to spiral about. When it would slow, the wind would stop. The snow would instead fall naturally, beautiful, glittering tiny crystals coming to rest on the earth.
What could be causing this phenomenon? The answer lies inside, a man sitting in a plain wooden chair at a bare table, before a flickering flame. Hair, black as pitch, falls over a slightly bowed, pale face. He holds to his lips a wooden flute, playing a melody reminiscent of a barren, frozen landscape, the varying tempo the wind, the sharp notes the shrieking of the breeze over stone. Eyes, oddly colored with two concentric rings of ice blue and violet, shine brightly in the flickering light.
He is broad but only of average height, a plain black tunic and long black pants his suited garb, a thick cloak of bears fur wrapped about his shoulders like a blanket, only his arms uncovered, fingers making their deft movements over tiny holes. His feet, just as pale as his face, are bare on the plain wooden floor despite the constant chill.
Outside, the melody continues, ringing clearly in the afternoon light.
Cold. So so cold. What in the name of God had possessed her to come so far into the mountains? Josephine hunched her shoulders against the wind as she trekked doggedly on through the snow, cursing her own stupidity silently.
It had made sense at the time. She needed to eat as far from large towns and cities as she could manage, and the mountains had seemed like a decent solution. And look where that had gotten her.
Beneath her, she could feel Bay shivering and hear his whimpers. Her heart broke and she paused to curl down around him a moment, nuzzling at him with a worried huff. The baby refused to take his human form, and he fought her so badly when she tried to carry the pup as a human herself that eventually she'd relented and taken her wolf shape.
But he couldn't take much more of this. Their canine shapes may have been better suited to the cold than soft-skinned humans, but Bay was still so young. He shouldn't be out in this cold at all, and it killed her that she'd done this to him. Whining softly, she grabbed her baby and lifted him by the scruff of his neck, ignoring his weak wiggles and tipping protests that he was too big for such treatment.
A sound reached them and her ears perked up. Was that...music? If it was, it was an instrument unlike anything she'd ever heard, as wild as the snowy landscape around them.
But definitely music. She listened a moment longer to confirm, then suddenly sprang into a run. Bay helped in surprise, curling his back legs up as the snow churned beneath her paws. Gradually, she made out the shape of the cottage.
Oh thank gods. She ran faster; one cottage, alone out here, meant shelter, but it also meant solitude. They could rest, regroup, and hopefully be off again before things could go wrong.
That is, if the owner would take pity on them.
Josie skidded to a halt just as she reached the cottage door and plopped Bay between her front paws. Her pup huddled back against her hind legs as she rwared up and planted her front paws in the door. She scratched desperately, then howled, the sound plaintive and desperate.
The very instant the man heard something scratching upon his door, the flute stopped it's haunting melody. Outside, the snow and the wind would cease entirely, and one might feel a small change in temperature.
Inside, however, was a different story. Having stood from his seat, he moved toward the door to pick up the longbow leaning upon it.
Some dog caught in the wild, no less, but it was best not to be caught unprepared.
Allowing the string to remain slack, the man made a small gesture with his other hand, and crystals of ice seemed to form from the very air itself, drawing together to form at first a vague shape, but then quickly solidifying to form what appeared to be a broad headed hunting arrow, crafted entirely of ice.
Making sure his sword was also close at hand, he opened the door, and, immediately upon seeing the canine creature just beyond it, drew that frozen arrow back, prepared to fire it into the creatures face.
He noted, too, the smaller pup, and prepared to do the inevitable act.
Josephine's eyes widened and she scrambled back, knocking Bay off his paws in her haste to put the pup behind her.
She'd been hoping perhaps they'd be mistaken for stray dogs, long shot as it might have been, and perhaps they'd be able to get through this without risking further detection.
In a flash of silvery fur and with a sharp cry of pain, her form shifted to human. Her hands flew up in an instinctive gesture as she huddled naked in the snow, desperately shoving Bay behind her. "W-wait, please!"
What... came the first thought, as the odd-eyed man witnessed this transformation from beast to human. The draw on his bowstring again lessened, and he released the arrow, allowing the icey projectile to disintegrate again into the air as it fell toward the floor.
He lowered his bow, the arrow now gone, and took a step back.
"...a lycanthrope? .....If you need shelter from the cold, you may come inside if you wish. Best not head to the village in your state of undress."
He had, of course, noticed her nakedness as stated - he was, of course, a man. But more importantly, she had to be freezing, and her pup, too.
He stepped back and opened the door fully, undoing the clasp on his bearskin cloak as he moved aside to allow her entrance. He held it out to her.
"Come. I've no clothes for you, but you can use this. There is a small fire you can warm yourselves by."
She nearly sobbed with relief. Staggering to her feet, Josie scooped Bay up and cradled him against her chest with one arm, feeling him shiver against her as she stumbled forward into the cottage.
"Thank you," she gasped, swaying on her feet. "Thank you, thank you." She only hesitated a moment before taking the offered cloak, wrapping it around both herself and Bayard. Holding her baby in one arm and clutching the cloak around them with the other, she simply stood there for a few moments as violent shivers wracked her frame.
"I-I- wh-wh-who are y-you?" Perhaps not the politest way to greet someone who had possible just saved their lives, but she was too cold and tired to come up with anything better.
The man stepped around her, shutting the door. He hung his longbow on its hook, and turned to her. He gently laid hands on her shoulders, steering her toward his chair in front of the fire.
It was obvious he didn't often speak, his eyes thoughtful as he remained silent until he was able to get her before the fire.
When he spoke, his voice came out softly, almost too quiet to hear.
"Gaelio. Just a hunter, nothing more. You?"
He pulled out another chair, and set it a few feet beside the first, and took a seat.
"And...why were you walking out in the cold?"
"Josephine." She cuddled Bay a little closer as she settled by the fire and looked up at him, eyes very tired. "We- I was..."
She shook her head and looked down at the pup when he whimpered and shoved his head up under her chin. "I thought the mountains would be safer," she whispered. "I...didn't realize. I thought we could find somewhere to stay..."
Bay whimpered again and suddenly wriggled, then shifted in her arms, taking his human shape. She quickly adjusted her hold on him and bent forward slightly, murmuring soothing nonsense as he fussed.
Gaelio looked at her for several long moments, the blue part of his eyes glowing slightly, several strands of jet black hair fallen over his pale face.
"Well...i suppose i could put you up for today and tonight. I don't have much to offer other than shelter, and I'll have to go hunting tonight for food for the three of us. And tomorrow, if I can get some extra, I may be able to trade for some clothing for you."
He glanced down at the young one, then, regarding him with a look. "So...your child, is he? What is his name? I'm not sure if I will be able to find something for him, as there's no children in the village."
Josie stared up at him in quiet shock for a moment. "...thank you," she murmured. "Truly. I- I have no coin, but I'll think of some way to repay you."
A very small smile twitched at her lips when Bay finally settled, eyes closing as he curled against her chest. "This is Bayard. Bay, usually. If- if you could find fabric, I could perhaps make something for him..."
Gaelio gave a small nod, and stood.
"I might have something here. You're welcome to look, if you want. Just leave my sword and bow alone...."
He then looked towards a large armour in the corner, and nodded towards an object sitting atop it - a small wooden chest, completely encased in clear ice. Underneath it, one could see an elaborate decoration, a blue diamond set inside several blue concentric circles - like an ice crystal inside a rippling pond.
"...and that. I don't mean to be rude....but if you touch that, you'll be out of here faster than I could put an arrow in you. No offense. Everything else, though...that's fine."
He bent down beside her, picking up the wooden flute he had discarded earlier, and sat down again in the chair. This time, the melody he played was low and quiet - and not accompanied by snow and ice. His eyes were closed, fingers slowly moving about the holes.
It almost sounded like a lullaby, slow and melodic, beautiful even.
"Of course." Josephine nodded quickly. "I'm far too grateful for your hospitality to test it," she murmured.
She might have moved to get up, but the music stopped her. It was lovely, and she found she just wanted to pause a moment and listen to it.
Of course, one moment blended into the next, then the next. Her exhaustion had set in and the idea of wen standing up seemed suddenly impossible. Almost against her will, her eyes slid closed and she leaned back in front of the fire.
Between one breath and the next, she found herself sprawled out in front of the fire, Bay curled into the curve of her body and sleeping peacefully. She kept her arm curled around him as her eyes drifted shut again.
She dropped quickly into sleep, unable to keep herself awake a moment longer.
Finally the music came to a stop, and Gaelio gave a small smile. He stood, setting his flute upon his seat, and moved toward the pair.
She was really pretty with that peaceful face. Sleep could do wonders for the weary. Very gently, he bent down and picked both her and her son, curled up against her, still wrapped in his cloak. As carefully as he could, he took the two to his bed, awkwardly drawing back a thick blanket and sheet with one hand, and lying them down upon a large down pillow.
Hoping she wouldn't take offense at uncovering her, he tried to roll her out of his cloak. He'd need it outside - if he were to hunt, he'd need some way to keep waem. Besides, the blankets were warmer, and they would need them more than he.
Normally Josephine slept lightly, and the slight jostling of being transferred to the bed would have woken her.
As it was, she barely stirred, just murmured quietly and shifted a bit in her sleep when he pulled his cloak back, instinctively curling into the warmth of the blankets as she cuddled Bay tighter against her chest.
The child seemed slightly more alert than his mother, blinking awake with a yawn and rubbing tiredly at his eyes. He stared up at Gaelio for a moment, mismatched eyes wide. For a moment he seemed to be about to cry, face squinching up as he wriggled against Josephine.
Then he suddenly settled again, giving another yawn as he rolled onto his side and curled up.
Gaelio looked worried for a moment when the child stirred, and even more so at his scrunched up face. Finally he was able to relax, letting out a pent up breath when the boy settled himself. That was close - literally the only experience he had with children was his own childhood. He didn't relish the idea of having to soothe him back to sleep, though he certainly would have tried - Josephine clearly needed the rest, and he was loath to wake her.
He wondered briefly about those eyes though, but shrugged it off. Most people thought the same about him - both of his eyes were clearly two very different colors. A band of blue, encircled with a second band of purple. THAT was something he'd never heard of.
As quietly as he could, Gaelio strapped his broadsword across his back, tying the leather straps together over his chest. The hilt peaked over his left shoulder. He then grabbed his bow, putting his arm between the beam and the string to hang opposite his sword.
The hunter thus armed, he swept his cloak about his shoulders, tossed as much would as would fit upon the fire, and stepped outside. He made sure to close the door as much as possible, and walked out into the crags.
_______
Over an hour later, the hunter found himself at the foot of the mountains, just at the start of the trees. He was crouched in the brush, listening for the telltale sounds of an elk.
He'd been tracking the beast over some distance, following sign in the form of tracks, gouged bark, and dislodged stones. At last, he'd found it - a large stag, serenely picking at the beginnings of fresh grass that had managed to push it's way up between the stones.
Gaelio brought his bow to hand, and began to draw the string back. Three seconds later, he had a perfect arrow formed of ice, aimed at the beasts heart.
With a twang of string and a grunt of pain, it stumbled forward a few paces, and fell dead to the ground. Perfect kill, at nearly fifty yards - an impressive feat for any hunter. Bounding forward, he set to the dirtier work of skinning and packing the meat in the beasts own hide, and began the trek back up the mountain. On his way, he thought about Josephine and Bay, wondering what needs they would have, and why they were seeking safety. Also, wondering about a more permanent settling for them...even for one typically as anti-social as him, life as it was could be lonely.
Toying with that thought, he pulled his load steadily onward as night began to fall, and the cold began to set in.p
Eventually, Bay's fussing brought Josephine back to consciousness. She blinked and groaned, sitting up quickly when she realized that specific cry- he was hungry.
"Oh, alright, sweetling, alright." She shifted the child onto her lap and rocked him absently, looking around.
Vaguely, she realized she was naked and assumed their host must have retrieved his cloak for his own use. he was probably out then; she certainly didn't see him in the cottage. She bit her lip, debating the merits of looking for food.
A sharp wail from Bay made up her mind and she stood, settling him on the bed. "Sit still, alright? I'll get something to eat, just stay here."
Bay shook his head, pouting, and reached for her as she tried to wrap him up in the blanket. "Mama," he complained. At least he wasn't crying.
"I know, I know. I'm not going anywhere, alright? I'm just going to look for some food." She knelt next to the bed and ruffled his hair, leaning forward to kiss his forehead.
It was at that time that the door crashed open, allowing a cold gust of wind and an abominable snowman to enter. The snowman was dragging behind him a wrapped..... something.
And then he shut the door, and dropped the snow covered cloak on the floor, revealing Gaelio. Despite being covered head to toe in snow, he appeared as if it wasn't bothering him at all.
Glancing about the room, he was startled to see Josephine knelt over the bed, and quickly averted his eyes, trying his very best not to stare.
"Um... I got some food...sorry about taking the cloak from you, I er...needed it."
"Ack!"
Jo jumped to her feet and skittered backward into a defensive stance, hands starting to raise. Then she realized who the "intruder" was and forced herself to relax, blushing.
Well, that was a but of an overreaction.
"Oh no, don't apologize," she muttered quickly. For a moment she couldn't understand why he seemed to be trying not to even look in her direction.
Then she remembered, and her face went red. "Ah- sorry." Quickly, she grabbed for the sheet and wrapped it around herself.
Bay had crawled to the edge of the bed, hunger evidently momentarily forgotten as he stared at Gaelio with wide eyes. Suddenly, he held his arms out. "Up. Up."
Oh dear. Josephine bustled forward to take him. "Sorry. He probably smells the deer on you."
Gaelio was glad he'd kept his eyes averted when she'd jumped backward. He may not get many chances to see beautiful naked women, but he also knew how to respect people, despite rarely interacting with them.
"You're fine...but we'll have to do something about your clothing situation if we can. I've only got the one set for my bed, and the one cloak as well."
When Bay seemed as if he wanted picked up, he stepped backward a bit, rather relieved when Josephine came forward to take him instead.
"... he's fine, too. I just...don't know anything about kids. Not to mention I'm covered in snow..."
He dragged the bundle of meat and hide over toward the fire, using its light to see so he could work.
"...are you hungry now, or would you rather wait for morning? I was able to get enough for all of us."
Hearing his own tone, he winced - he'd definitely need to work on this whole talking thing if they were-
Oh, yeah.
"I was also wondering...if you have nowhere to go...you two could stay as long as you like. It's cold, but I can hunt and keep a fire going...and you two don't need to be wandering around the mountains this time of year."
"Oh, thank you." She beamed and nodded quickly. "I'm starving, actually." She hadn't eaten in a day and a half, only really able to hunt enough for Bay as they'd trekked into the mountains.
Recognizing that food was in the future, Bay beamed and wriggled around in his mother's hold, trying to get to the ground. She huffed and suddenly found herself holding a squirming wolf pup. "Oh- Bay!" She frowned. She really needed to figure out how she could help him control his shifts...
She was distracted enough that it took a moment for her to register what Gaelio had offered. She froze, blinking at him.
"We- we can...stay?"
Gaelio nodded, stood to rummage through a pile of assorted cookware beside the fireplace. He set up a...(one of those contraptions you hang a cook pot from by a fire, wtf is it called? >_<) and hung a large, cast iron pot from it.
"....yeah. Why not? It's freezing outside. I can hunt enough for the three of us...to be honest, when we get heavy snow, sometimes I hunt for the whole village. The snow and ice doesn't bother me...though I suppose that's obvious."
He stood up from the fire, walking over to the door and opening it just a crack. With a subtle motion of the hand, a continuous stream of snow flowed inward, moving straight to the pot to begin filling it, quickly melting to form water.
He latched the door, and moved back to the fire.
"I'm afraid I'm no chef, though....I can make a stew if I've got the vegetables, but...well, you've seen it out there. So its either fried or boiled. Sorry about that. But you can stay as long as you're comfortable....if you wanted to, I suppose you could move into the village instead. Up to you."
[Haha, usually called a "spit"]
Jo tilted her head as she watched the snow fill the pot, absently trying to wrestle an over-eager wolf pup back into her arms. Bay kept trying to leap for the floor and make a dash for the deer.
"Really, any food is appreciated. Thank you." Sighing, she gave up and let Bay hop to the floor, where he shook himself and darted forward to sniff curiously at their host's feet.
"We really only need to stay a few days," she added softly. "I wouldn't want to impose..."
(I knew that, I swear! XD)
Gaelio didn't understand kids - however, he did understand animals. He reached a hand down to Bay, a small smile curling his lips as he patted the pup on the head.
"If you only stay a few days, where would you go?"
Pulling a hunting knife from his belt, he began cutting the meat into strips, dropping them one by one in the slowly heating water.
"And the.snow here is nearly year round...you were half froze to death earlier, and if you get lost...well, you know...you wouldn't be imposing anyway. I'd just...need to find another bed, is all."
"I..." Josephine started to protest, but her voice trailed off as she watched Bay yip happily and butt his head against the man's hand, then pawed at his leg when he began curing the meat, obviously begging for attention. She smiled a bit and sat on the floor, dragging the pup into her lap.
"I suppose... if you really don't mind, we could stay a while. Thank you."
It seemed safer than heading out into that snow again, at least. And perhaps this place was remote enough that they could remain hidden for a while.
"I don't mind. It gets lonely sometimes...usually I'm not one for talking, bit it's still nice to have someone there." Gaelio finished cutting the meat into chunks, dropping them all into the rapidly heating water. He then wrapped the bundle back up, hefting it and moving toward the door.
"I'm going to hang this up outside...I'll be right back."
Holding the bundle against his chest, he turned the latch and pushed it open with his foot.
Just outside, there was a rope and hook attached to one corner of the house, connected to a pulley on the roof. He set the bundle on the ground for a moment, and untied the other end of the rope from a hook set in the wall, allowing the bigger hook to fall to the ground.
He pushed the hook through the hide that was wrapped around the meat, and then heaved on the other end of the rope, pulling it upwards and out of reach of any of the nights scavengers.
He again secured the loose end of the rope on its hook, and made his way back inside.
Josie kept Bay in her lap as the pup tried to follow him outside. "Stop that now," she murmured, resorting to half wrapping him in the sheet with her to keep him still. He whined and blinked up at her with wide eyes.
"Oh, don't give me that look." She dipped her head to press a light kiss between his ears and he yipped, tail wagging slightly.
The door crashed open once more, and Gaelio stepped inside. He immediately went to the fire, heedless of the snow caked in his hair and all over his skin. He dropped a couple more logs into the fire, stirring it with an iron poker.
"I meant to ask...you said before you thought the mountains would be safe..."
The flames climbed a bit higher, tongues of heat licking the bottom of the cockpit.
"...safe from what, exactly?" He leaned the poker against the wall, and stepped over to one of the only two chairs in the cabin. He turned it about and sat, facing the two.
"If you have someone after you...I should probably know, if you're going to stay here."
Josephine stiffened. Bay sensed his mother's tension and whimpered, ears flicking back to press against his skull. Her heart lurched guiltily and she quickly picked him up to cuddle him against her chest, despite his wriggling protests.
She glanced up at Gaelio as she let the pup jump from her arms, shaking himself with a huff. "His father," she replied quietly, glancing at her son. "I- I'm not sure he even knows Bay exists. But if there's even a chance that he does..."
She swallowed and shook her head, eyes turning to ice. "I won't let him hurt my baby."
Her shoulders hunched a bit, jaws set as she looked back up at him. "So. I understand if you want us to go." Honestly, she expected derision or disgust, maybe a lecture about her immorality or an order to return to her "husband". Her hands curled into the sheet, knuckles going white as she prepared to grab Bay and run if need be.
Gaelio arched a brow, but nothing more. The boys father...was he so bad, as to drive off a pretty woman such as this? He may have come from a good family, but he wasn't stupid. He knew how some people were...
It was part of the reason he was out here, after all.
"...if you don't mind saying, why? Why does Bay need protected from him?"
He stood up, and moved to sit beside them. He settled a hand on her shoulder, a rare show of comfort from him.
"No matter the reason, I won't run you out. I've got my share of secrets, too."
She blinked and almost flinched away from him, taken aback. "He- I-"
She cleared her throat and glanced over at Bay, then lowered her voice a bit. The boy was nearly talking now, and he certainly seemed to understand a lot of what she said...maybe she should keep her voice down.
"Bay is...special. For our kind. I'm afraid he'd try to use that." She sighed and rubbed at the back of her neck. "Thank you. For helping us."
Gaelio nodded, and stood up. "Of course." He moved over to the pot hanging over the fire, poking around in it with a long wooden spoon he pulled from his assorted cookware beside the fire.
Looking into the pot, he spoke.
"I'm on the run. From Connlaoth. I'm a mage... obviously. Killed a warden in the woods, and ran. Been here since then."
His words were short and clipped, devoid of emotion while he spoke, as if he were reading it from a book.
"I'll protect you. And Bay. Unless this man is a Mordecai, I can put an arrow in him from fifty yards. Just point him out."
Josephine stared at him for a few moments, completely silent.
Slowly, she nodded. "Thank you, Gaelio." Whether or not she took him up on that, or he actually needed to follow through, didn't matter. She appreciated the gesture.
After a moment, she stood slowly and Bay came bounding back to jump around her feet. "You're Connlaothian?" she murmured quietly, bending to lay a hand on her pup's head.
"Yes. My parents owned a small farm on the plain. Not far from these mountains, actually. A mage, born of Connlaothian blood. From a family that had no history of magic. I'm still trying to figure that out."
He turned around, holding two bowls full of steaming meat. "Sorry if it doesn't taste that great. You were warned."
"I'm sure it's fine." She took the bowl gratefully and sat again to pull Bay into her lap.
The smell of food was enough to get the child's attention, and between one breath and the next he was human again, reaching for the bowl.
"Hold on, it's hot," Josie warned him. She blew on the bowl and glanced up at Gaelio. "It happens more than you'd think. Magic cropping up like that." She shrugged. "Of course, there's always the chance an ancestor was unfaithful. There'd be no record of magic in your family then."
Gaelio moved back to fill a third bowl for himself, leaving some left for them still - he imagined they were quite hungry after the days events. Booted feet sounded on the floor as he stepped toward the chair, seating himself. He, too, blew upon his bowl, and it would almost seem as if crystals of ice were aloft on his breath, cooling the food rapidly.
"...if it's too hot, I can cool it for him. And there's plenty more in the pot."
He glanced up at her, at her mentioning of his family, and slowly shook his head. "No...all of the men as far back as records show were soldiers. They would have likely been found out. Even my father was a soldier, right up until I was born...they left Reajh to start the farm, in order to hide me. But...insofar as I can tell, my magic is unexplained."
He gave a shrug, then. "It really doesn't matter, though. I just keep on the lookout for Mordecai, or Connlaothian soldiers in general. If they're looking for me, they're not looking hard. It's been a few years since I found this place, and any patrol that comes in this area doesn't seem to be looking, rather just passing through to the tundra."
Josie nodded slowly as she helped Bay hold his bowl in his lap. Her son grabbed for the spoon and she tsked at him and adjusted his grip so he wouldn't be flinging stew everywhere. Once satisfied, she took a few quick bites of her own meal between helping him.
She was ravenous, but she managed to control herself from scarfing it all down in a few massive bites. A soft, canine sort of whimper rose up in her throat completely unbidden as she forced herself to eat slowly.
"I was running from them, too," she muttered after a few moments. "Before Bay. I was born in Connlaoth- I didn't change for the first time until I was a teenager, thought I had to leave to keep everyone safe."
Gaelio tilted a brow, looking at her questioningly. "But it seems you have rather good control...judging from you holding back right now, as well as when you appeared at my door...I apologize for that, by the way. Most time if I hear scratches at my door, it's actual wolves. My first thought was defense. I'm sorry."
He finished his meal, and set his bowl aside. "Well, as I said, you're welcome to stay as long as you need to. But...it's late, and I must sleep. You and Bay are welcome to my bed...I can make a pallet on the floor."
She chuckled wryly. "I have good control now. Believe me, that took practice."
She hissed slightly when Bay spilled a bit of hot stew onto her leg and shifted to better help him with his spoon. "See, this is why I want you to let me help," she muttered. The child wriggled and pouted, trying to wrestle control away from her.
She glanced up at the offer of the bed. "Oh- are you sure? I feel rather guilty for kicking you out of your own bed..."
"Nonsense. I can't put a woman and her child on the floor. It... wouldn't be right. Take it, and we'll work something out tomorrow." He took his bearskin cloak off the hook, now quite dry, and tossed it on the floor near the fire.
"I would ask though...and I'm sorry as you're using it for a cover, but could I have the sheet? You two can use the blanket, since I'll be near the fire..."
"Oh, of course." She twisted to put her back to him as much as she could and let the sheet fall from around her shoulders. "Thank you, really. So much."
As Bay seemed to be done with his food, she scooped the child up and moved toward the bed, quickly tucking them both under the blanket. Her child squirmed a bit, but evidently he was still quite tired, because he dropped off to sleep quickly enough.
Gaelio kept his eyes averted until he was absolutely sure she was beneath the heavy blanket, before he moved to take the sheet.
He looked at Bay, and smiled. "He's a good kid, isn't he? Truth be told...no matter your situation, because of him...I don't think I could ever turn you away."
He turned away from them, sitting on the chair to unlace his heavy boots, taking them off and setting them beside the fireplace. He then stripped off his heavy black tunic, draping it over the back of the chair before spreading out the cloak and lying down.
"If the fire goes out, wake me and I'll take care of it. Good night, Josephine."
He dragged the sheet over his body, and rolled away from the fire. With a peaceful look upon his face, he was asleep within seconds.
A bright, easy smile spread across her face, perhaps the first real smile she'd felt in ages. "He is," she murmured, brushing her thumb over her son's cheek. She looked up at Gaelio with that same smile. "Thank you, for everything."
She allowed herself to lay back on the bed, Bay curled against her side. "Good night." Her eyes fluttered closed and she quickly drifted off.
In the darker hours of the night, the young hunter found himself in the depths of a nightmare. He was inside the cabin, just like earlier today, sitting and playing his flute. Even inside, snow and ice swirled around him, a maelstrom of deadly cold that he couldn't feel. But he wasn't alone.
He could hear them outside again, scratching at the door, but he found that even when he pulled the flute away from his lips, thd music didn't stop. Neither did the ice, the snow, the swirling wind.
The inside of the dream cabin slowly encrusted with snow and ice, and he found he couldn't answer the door - it was frozen shut. He could see them just there, through the cracks in the door, but in human form. Cold. Naked. Afraid. But no matter how much he struggled, the door wouldn't open. He could feel his fingers growing unresponsive as the cold set in to his bones, the flesh going gray as it froze and died.
Still outside, he could hear them, yelling at him now to open the door, but he couldn't. His eyes went dark as slowly the ice overcame his body. They say you die for real if you die in your dreams....
_____
....but it was not so. With a start, covered in icy sweat, Gaelio shot up from his pallet on the floor. Without hesitation, he stood up and went over to the bed.
Thank the Gods - they were still there, perfectly fine and unfrozen. Gaelio raised a hand and ran his fingers through his hair, and suddenly noticed how cold it was, turning to see the fire had died in the night.
"Well...that explains that..." he said. He moved to the fireplace, grabbing the poker as he went. He stirred through the ashes, seeking a few coals that had yet to die.
That explained the dream, he supposed. It was freezing inside - the fire must have been out for some time, and he was grateful that he had given Josephine and Bay his bed. But whatever the reason, he hoped that he wouldn't have that dream again - it scared him.
Digging out a few still-bright coals, he gathered them all in a pile. He grabbed a few logs - "Gotta get some firewood, today..." he mumbled - and set them around the pile, blowing on them until a small fire burst into being.
With a sigh of relief, he sat back, and stretched. Sleeping on the floor was punishing, but worth it if his new friends weren't freezing in his place. Better that the one who was always freeze a little. Not a woman and her child. Not them. His thoughts turned back to the dream, and he shuddered.
He picked up his chair, moving it back to the fire, and grabbed his flute. He began playing softly, the music quiet, but lifting. Something to help him feel better. Those two-tone eyes of his closed, and he let himself fall into the music.
Josephine's sleep was- blessedly- dreamless. She'd been haunted by her own nightmares more often than not as of late, but it seemed exhaustion had ushered her into an oblivious sleep.
It was the music that roused her, slightly. She blinked and shifted slightly on the bed, uncurling a bit from around her baby and lifting her head just off the pillow. She watched Gaelio in silence for a few moments, just listening.
It had been a long time since she'd heard music like that, if ever. Sometimes, she thought that was what she missed most about living among people: music.
"That's lovely," she murmured eventually, voice low so as not to wake Bay.
Gaelio continued for a moment longer, but only because the melody he was playing was almost done anyway. When he finished, he opened his eyes, looking into the fire a moment before he turned to her, offering a small smile.
"Thank you. It's something I play when stuff...bothers me. Makes me feel better...I'm glad you liked it, though."
He stood up, and stretched a little bit, yawning.
"Sorry I woke you...I think it's early yet, if you want to sleep more. But I don't think I can....bad dream."
Josie shook her head. "You know...this is your bed. If we don't wake Bay...perhaps you'd be able to sleep better here?" She shrugged. "I'm no stranger to bad dreams- I often find forcing yourself to sleep again actually helps."
"Yes, but..." he shook his head a little incredulously. He hadn't expected that.
"...you're there, it wouldn't be...proper." He turned to the fire again, stirring it a little so it would put off more heat - there was still a chill in the room. "....only if you're absolutely sure. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable."
Her mouth twitched up wryly at one corner. "I wouldn't have suggested it if I wasn't comfortable with the idea," she said quietly.
Perhaps it wasn't entirely appropriate, but she did feel rather guilty about stealing his bed. And she was confident in her ability to defend herself and Bay, if it came to that.
"Well, if you're sure...."
He bent down to grab the sheet, wrapping it around his shoulders, and then his cloak to hang on its hook.
He moved to the side of the bed opposite Bay - not wanting to wake him up - and kept his eyes averted as he lifted up the thick blanket, curling inside the sheet so as to be sure not to make contact with her. He then covered the three of them again, as well as he could.
"....perhaps a bigger bed, rather than a second one," he said, yawning as he did so. "Not a whole lot of room in here, anyway...."
Josie smiled a bit and closed her eyes again, curling a little tighter around Bay in an effort to give their host more room.
"Perhaps," she murmured. "Get some rest, Gaelio."
With but a mumble of agreement, Gaelio rolled over, and set back to falling asleep again. The last thought that crossed his mind was that of tomorrow's work. Wood. Food. Clothes for his guests. And who knew what else.
Content with his life for the moment, he rolled over and fell back asleep.
Josephine sighed quietly and let herself drift off again. She was a little tense to be sleeping so close to someone who was still practically a stranger.
But she knew she needed the rest, and honestly she was still so tired that it didn't take long for her to drop off, slipping fairly easily into unconsciousness.
When morning finally came, Gaelio found that he had beaten the sun again.
It was still dark when he awakened once more, though he felt wide awake. Glancing over to see Josephine and Bay still sound asleep, he gave a small smile, and pushed his way out from under the blanket until he was off the bed.
He made his way to the door, and opened it just a crack. The snow they were cursed with yesterday had apparently blown itself out during the night - the sky completely clear, and he could see that the nights stars were quickly fading. The wind was still.
"Wonderful....it may warm up a little." Still smiling, he shut the door and went to stoke the fire.
Much more alert now that she'd gotten some rest, Josephine sat up as she felt Gaelio leave the bed and watched for a moment in quiet, head tilted.
"Snow's stopped," she noted softly, absently letting her hand trail over a sleeping Bay's chest. The baby shifted and cooed quietly and she smiled at him, the icy blue of her eyes softening for a moment.
Gaelio nodded, finishing with the fire. "Yeah, it should be nicer today. I was wondering....you may not be clothed, but would you and Bay like to accompany me into the village? I'll need to trade what's left from hunting yesterday for clothing for the both of you, and I didn't want to leave you here to wait for me."
He stood and turned around, stretching a little bit. "You'd go in wolf form, of course. Would you be okay with that? You can stay here if you want, I won't force you."
She glanced at Bay, then back up at him, considering. "Yes," she decided after a few moments. "It would probably do him good to stretch his legs. Thank you.
She sat up properly and pulled the blanket around her shoulders, making sure to keep one corner tucked around Bay as he slept.
Gaelio nodded with a small smile, reaching to grab his shirt hanging on the back of the chair from the night before.
He pulled it over his head, and smoothed it down his chest. "Excellent. And then once we've got something for you to wear, you can come with me as a woman, and not have to hide.... speaking of that, do you hide the fact that you're a lycanthrope?"
As he spoke, he gathered up his broadsword, strapping it to his back, and then his cloak. After putting it on, he grabbed his bow and put his arm and head through the string, and settled it over his chest in the direction opposite his sword.
He appeared ready to go outside. "Oh...for now, I've got to get some firewood. You've time yet before we'll be going anywhere."
Josie tensed slightly at the question. "I've...never been in one place long enough to have to choose to hide it or not," she admitted after a moment.
Bay stirred beside her and she petted his hair absently.
Gaelio shrugged, and smiled a bit. "Well, it might be something to think about. But be aware, some of the villagers are Connlaothian...they might be better off knowing about it at first, rather than being surprised about it later. They know about me, and I'm tolerated well enough....just think about it, all right?"
He turned toward the door. " I'll be back, all right? This won't take long."
She nodded. "Um...alright."
Bay stirred beside her and she glanced down, stroking his arm with two fingers gently.
He nodded to her, and slipped out the door.
Outside, he noted how high the snow had gotten before it had stopped - very nearly two feet high. Perhaps he could do something with it later, but for now, he had to get it out of the way.
Gaelio raised his hands in front of him, placing his palms flat against one another. He focused a moment, and, unknown to him, the soft glow in his eyes increased as he concentrated on his magic.
With a grunt, he pulled his hands apart, and and the tall drifts of snow flew apart in a mirror of the movement, piling high on either side of a completely clear path.
Smiling slightly, he turned back to the cabin, and fished around in a snowbank for a moment, finally pulling out a leather cord.
He gave the cord a yank, and a wide sled came out of the snow. Whistling a little bit, he walked off into the dark, down the mountain to the trees below.
_____
Several minutes later, he found himself in a copse of trees. Time for some woodcutting. He walked to an old, stout pine, a couple years dead. He raised one bare hand to the old tree, placing his hand on the rough bark.
He closed his eyes, and felt his hand grow very cold - the bark and wood flash froze in a very narrow line, becoming very brittle.
He stepped back, admiring his handiwork with a small smile. Then, with a harsh gesture, he chopped his hand sideways.
The ice reacted, exploding into shards and separating the trunk of the tree from its stump. Gaelio stepped forward and gave it a shove. With a crash, the big pine fell to the ground.
He repeated the freeze and break technique several more times, until he had a large pile of split logs, and he piled as many of these as he could on the sled. He then turned towards the mountain, began to drag the sled towards the cabin again.
Another twenty minutes later, he came back to the cabin, and knocked. "Josephine, it's Gaelio. Is it safe to come in?" he said, giving her fair warning to cover herself if she were up moving around.
((disregard. Double posted somehow.))
[Oh jeeze, I've done that waaay too many times ^.^']
Josephine had taken advantage of Gaelio's absence to curl up by the fire without the bother of clothes, Bay chattering away at her in his language of baby-talk as he gestured widely and occasionally seemed to want to reach out and touch the flames.
She snatched the child up when she heard the knock at the door, skittering back toward the bed, then relaxed when she recognized the voice.
"Oh- uh, yes, come in," she muttered, throwing the blanket around her shoulders quickly.
When he heard her response, he pushed the door open, dragging the large sled through the door, laden with firewood. "Got plenty enough for a couple days. And I see Bay's up. Good, I wanted to make him something, later. You might be interested, too." He offered a smile, shut the door, and began unloading the sled.
"And there's plenty more ready to be brought up, so I shouldnt have to leave for very long next time, if you decide to stay."
When he finished unloading the firewood, he sat heavily in one of the chairs, out of breath.
Bay smiled a little vaguely at Gaelio, head tilted as he talked. Josie nodded, getting to her feet.
"There's still some stew left," she noted. "Here, I'll heat some up, you rest a moment."
Bay rolled over as he watched his mother move about, then clambered to his hands and knees and crawled toward Gaelio's chair, his little hand fisting in the fabric of his trousers.
"Oh... thank you, Josephine. I'd appreciate it." He looked down at Bay and smiled broadly, the largest he'd had since their arrival there.
He reached down, picking the boy up and setting him in his lap. "Don't know if I'm doing this right, but I think I like this little guy."
He smiled, and laid a finger on the boys nose, attempting to play with him.
Josephine smiled as she watched them, wrangling her instinct to snatch her baby back under control. Gaelio obviously wasn't doing any harm, and the poor child need some interaction with someone that wasn't her.
Adjusting the pot over the fire, she watched Bay go cross-eyed, then grab for Gaelio's hand and huff in a rather canine way. Mismatched eyes wide, he stared up into the man's face and reached up to touch his cheek, babbling babyish nonsense.
"Keep him warm," Josephine murmured as she noticed Bay squirming closer to the heat of another body. She really needed some proper clothes for him. "He's more resilient than a human baby, won't let you know if he gets cold easily."
Gaelio pulled Bay in closer to his body, after his wrangling his finger back from the little ones grasp. He gave a bit of a chuckle at the hand at his cheek. "Should I move closer toward the fire, then? I don't want to overheat him, either....and I had a thought, actually."
Unknowing he was actually thinking along the same lines she was about clothing, he continued.
"...can you sew? I was thinking...that blanket it pretty much irreplaceable, but that sheet I can likely replace. It should be plenty big enough for clothes...I know it's not very thick, but it's something. And I can hunt something with fur, and make cloaks for the two of you."
He held Bay around the middle, and bounced him gently on his knee. "Just a thought...it may not be enough for outside, but.. at least you wouldn't have to hide from me."
The shifter nodded, giving the stew a quick stir before settling back to let it heat. "Yes, I can sew. If you really don't mind giving up the sheet, I could manage something."
She frowned, chewing at her bottom lip. "I'll think of a way to pay you back, I promise. I can hunt, both as a wolf and not, perhaps..."
She trailed off in thought as Bay giggled and clapped his hands, beaming. A small smile twitched at her lips. "He likes you."
Gaelio put one hand firmly around Bay's middle, so as to pull the other away. He continued bouncing his leg up and down, though.
He held that hand up to Josephine. "Don't worry about it. If you want to hunt, I won't stop you, but I told you I could provide for all of us. There's bigger game out there than elk, and I've taken down most every kind of everything these mountains have to offer. The sheet is yours - it'll be easier to trade for a sheet than clothes anyway."
He put his hand back down to play with Bay, attempting to tickle his side.
"And I'm glad he likes me. And I'm glad you're here, too...I like having someone here...I'm sorry I don't have more to offer, though."
The baby giggled and squirmed, then suddenly started slipping off Gaelio's lap as his form shifted to a wolf pup. His front paws scrabbled at his legs as he tried to pull himself up.
"Oh!" Josie moved forward quickly. "Sorry- he can't always control it," she said quickly.
Gaelio caught the pup with a laugh, bringing him up by his chest and giving his chin a scratch. "It's fine. Keeps me on my toes, I guess." That hand moved to scratch between his ears. He looked to Josephine with a smile.
"Hey..." he said, and nodded towards his flute towards the table. "I don't suppose you can play, can you?"
A soft smile curved her lips as she watched the two of them. She started slightly at the question and her eyes flickered to the flute.
"Oh. Well...a little, and not very well," she laughed, running her fingers through her hair distractedly.
Gaelio smiled a little, and tilted his head a bit. "Would you like to try? I can make you one. Music is really the only thing I had to while away the hours before yesterday. That, and creative ice sculpture." He gave a slight chuckle at that, and gently put Bay on the floor with a pat.
He stepped toward the fire, and looked into the pot. "Stew should be nice and warm now...I can dish us up some, if you're hungry, too."
Bay yapped and pawed at his leg, demanding to be picked up again. Josie shook her head at her son with a soft huff.
"Well, I suppose if you'd want to spend the time on it," she answered Gaelio. "I'm really not very good though, I'm not sure it'd be worth the trouble."
Gaelio smiled down at Bay. "Not just now, buddy."
He stepped over to the table and picked up the wooden flute in question, and presented it to her. "Let's see what your made of, Josephine. And I can teach you, anyway."
He then looked back down at Bay for a moment. "And Josephine....what kind of animal does Bay like? Any animal at all. I wanted to show him something
"
"Oh." She took the flute and held it like she thought it was going to break apart in her hands. She glanced down at her son, now pouting with his tail swishing slowly back and forth across the floor as he stared up at them bother with wide eyes.
"Um...well, wolves, honestly. Even when he's human, if I shift he likes to curl up with me, or play with my ears, and what have you." She shrugged, smiling a bit. "He likes birds, too, though I'm not sure if that's a hunter's instinct or not, to be honest."
"Well...let's see what I can do, then. Watch this."
The hunter moved towards the door, opening it a crack, and with a gesture summoned snow from outside like he had the day before, when he filled the pot.
But instead of sending it to the pot, it all coalesced into a single cloud of swirling whiteness.
Gaelio pushed the door shut with his foot, holding both have out to the cloud. With a motion like one would make when crafting a snowball, he brought his hands together, and the cloud began to condense to form a solid ball of clear, floating ice.
All the while, the blue part of his eyes was glowing brilliantly.
With his hands, he made motions like he were pinching apart an object, and pieces of the ice began to chip away, tinkling down to the floor.
A few minutes of this, and then a hand motion as if he were smoothing an object, and there was a perfect representation of a wolf, made flawlessly of ice, but appearing as glass.
He reached up and took the small figurine, and turned to Josephine. "This is what Connlaoth doesn't understand about magic...it can be used for truly beautiful things." Upon closer inspection, it would appear that the wolf was actually Josephine, as well as Gaelio could manage from memory.
He set the figurine on the floor in front of Bay, and smiled. "See how he likes that. It's ice, but it's incredibly dense..it'll be a very long time before it melts."
"Oh!" Josie's eyes widened as she watched the process with just as much innocent, childish fascination as Bay.
She laughed softly when the figurine was placed on the floor and the pup immediately bounded forward to sniff at it, tail wagging.
She looked up at Gaelio with wide, sparkling eyes. "Thank you. That's...amazing."
Gaelio smiled broadly. "It's nothing - really." Despite his words, inside he swelled with pride. He'd never had anyone really appreciate anything he'd done with magic before.
"I can do more. And I can do more than ice, too...not that there's much around, but I can manipulate water, as well....anyway. Why don't you show us what you can do with that flute, and maybe I'll make you something, too?"
"O-Oh, I-" She looked at the flute like it was a snake that might bite her, but shrugged and mumbled, "I can try."
Settling herself on the ground, she drew the blanket she'd been using to cover herself tighter around her body and lifted the instrument to her lips.
She only knew a few, basic tunes, and it had been a long time since she'd really practiced. The music she produced was a little vague and reedy, but at least it was a melody.
Bay suddenly sat back and through his head back, howling in a high, piercing little voice. Josie drew the flute away from her lips, flushing. "Alright, alright, I know I'm not very good," she told the pup, wrinkling her nose.
Gaelio moved to his knees, and laid a hand atop Bay's head to attempt to quiet him.
"Well, you can play a melody - you just have to get the soubd right. Okay, that's actually the easy part. Relax your lips just a little bit so you're not blowing such a thin stream of air, but make sure to keep up the same pressure. If you do that, you should be able to get a better sound." He smiled broadly.
"That was pretty good, though. You obviously used to play, at least for a little while. I'm impressed."
Jo's blush only deepened and she ducked her eyes. "My, ah, my father taught me when I was younger," she murmured. Bay twisted and yapped, craning his neck around to lick at Gaelio's hand.
Carefully, she lifted the flute and tried again, keeping the mage's advice in mind as she did.
"Well, with some practice, you could be really good. It's honestly only the basics that are the hard part." He allowed Bay to lick at his hand, smiling a bit as he petted him with his other hand.
When Josephine started again, he smile grew. She sounded much better this time, the sound much more broad and even. He nodded emphatically to her, not wanting to speak and interrupt her.
At his nod, she continued playing, eyes falling closed as she tried to focus, to remember what she'd been taught.
Until Bay started howling again, head tossed back as the reedy little sound poured out of him. She stopped playing, a half smile curving her lips. "I think he wants to join in," she chuckled. The pup barked at her, tail wagging as he looked between the adults.
Gaelio chuckled a bit, and patted the pup on the head. "Well, maybe we both can. I've never actually tried this before, and I have no idea what itll sound like...."
He pulled his hand away from Bay's head, and closed his eyes. Making ice this way was harder, as he had to pull moisture from the air rather than from outside, but it was doable.
He held both hands up palm first. Actually putting it together would be easy - he was almost intimately familiar with the instrument, and knew exactly where everything belonged. Slowly, it would seem as if a fog would rise from his hands, cold and pale as he rapidly cooled the air touching his hands. Slowly, the long tube would form, holes in all the proper places.
He brought the ice flute to his lips, almost unaware of the ice, and attempted to play the scale.
It sounded wonderful, but a little solemn.
"Oh..." Josephine stared, a small, wondering smile tugging at her lips. Absently, she drew Bay into her lap, petting his head in a distracted sort of way as he huffed and flopped down to sprawl over her legs.
"That's lovely," she murmured. "Please, keep going."
Gaelio had pulled the flute away from his lips for a moment, inspecting it thoughtfully. When she bid him continue, blue and purple eyes looked up at her through jet black hair.
He gave a bit of a smile and, still leaning forward, began to play, adjusting his airway as he'd suggested she do earlier and completely changing the sound.
It was almost as a sirens song, long, low and sweet, a melodious sonata. As he played, small flakes of snow seemed to materialize from the very air near the ceiling, despite the fact that the air was quite warm. The flakes of snow swirled around a bit, and then began spinning around the confines of the room, and then circling slowly around Josephine and Bay. Wisps of the snow moved and danced in tune with the melody, bright and glittering in the firelight.
When the melody neared it's end, the flying ice crystals came together in front of Josephine, individual flakes flying together and building a shape, slowly coalescing into a crystalline rose.
When Gaelio finished and lowered the frozen flute, he opened his eyes, glowing blue, and smiled brightly. He kept his focus on the rose as he waited for her to take it.
"...sorry, it's more fun that way. I hoped you enjoyed it."
Josephine stared with wide eyes, a wondering smile curving at her lips. Bay sat up and snapped lazily at a few of the snowflakes and she stroked his fur absently.
Once the rose had formed, she glanced from it to Gaelio and back before hesitantly reaching out to touch it.
"It's beautiful," she murmured, gently turning it over in her hands.
"Thanks. A rose seemed appropriate, seeing as how I already made Bay something." He stood from the chair, admiring the flute of ice in his hands. "Could use some work, but it'll pass." He set it on the table, and stretched a little.
"Well. When you're ready, we can head onto the village and trade yesterday's hunt for a sheet and some other things. It's not far."
"It's amazing." Carefully, she laid the ice rose up on the mantle above the fire, then paused.
"Um..." She glanced down at Bay, then at herself, wrapped in a sheet. "Well, alright. Ready whenever you are, I suppose."
She dropped the sheet and fell forward onto four paws as she did, a sharp huff and a shake of her head settling her into wolf form.
Bay yapped delightedly and bounded up to her, nuzzling her chin and licking at her nose. She snorted at him and gave him a few licks, tail wagging slowly.
Gaelio watched as she transformed, a smile on his face. "That's just amazing." He gathered his sword, cloak, and bow and placed them all appropriately, and grabbed his sled again, moving towards the door. He pulled it open and stepped out, dragging the sled out while holding an arm inside to keep the door open for Josephine and Bay.
Josie huffed bashfully and grabbed Bay by the scruff of his neck, padding out into the snow. She looked up at Gaelio and whined quietly, giving a jerk of her head in a "lead on" sort of gesture.
With a nod, Gaelio shut the door, and went to the corner of the house to undo the rope, allowing the hide-wrapped bundle to fall to the ground. This he placed on the sled, and then resecured the rope.
"Let's be off then." He looked to the two wolves beside him with a smile, and started down the path, dragging the sled behind him.
He followed the path he had cleared earlier that day for some distance, before turning at a large boulders. He stepped into the drifts, and the sled began moving much more smoothly.
As Josephine started after him at a steady trot, Bay began to wriggle and bark in protest at being carried. With a huff, she relaxed her hold on him, allowing him to bound around her and Gaelio's legs as they walked.
Gaelio bent down once to scratch behind Bay's ears with a chuckle, and shortly after stumbled over something in the snow. He caught himself, with a laugh, and shook his head.
"See what you made me do, Bay?" He chuckled a bit again, and continued on, moving up a hill.
"There we are. Down there is Yuske. Mostly people like me...hunters, not mages. I'm the only mage. But survivors, anyway."
He looked down to Josephine, his face serious. "Are you going to be okay with coming with me? As long as you're with me, you should be fine, but...I want to make sure you're okay with it."
The wolf huffed, then nodded sharply. She circled protectively around him and the pup, then took up a stance at his side again, Bay safely tucked under her belly.
Gaelio nodded, and smiled. "I'm glad. Just stick with me, and lets see what happens."
Below them was a small ring of houses, with a large firepit in the middle. Most of them were of lower quality than Gaelio's cabin, but those that weren't were nearly extravagant.
Gaelio pulled the sled down the hill, and went towards one of the better looking buildings, banging a hand on a door marked 'Trading Post.'
"It's Gaelio. I have some meat and an elk hide."
The door opened a crack, and a thin old man poked his head out, with a grin missing several teeth. "Welcome, lad. You bring in some of the best - and you've got some pets with you, too? What have you been doing up there, boy?"
Gaelio blanched, raising a hand to the back of his head. "Err...well, they were outside my door yesterday during the storm. They're friendly, they've been keeping me good company since they showed up."
He glanced to Josephine with a questioning look. He hadn't thought this meeting out, or discussed it with her. Socially, Gaelio was typically inept. He also happened to be a horrible liar.
All of Josephine's natural instincts screamed at her to grab Bat, turn tail, and run back to the cabin.
But Gaelio's look told her she was going to have to sell this. So she barked in as friendly a way as she could manage, tail moving in broad sweeps as she moved forward to sniff the stranger's hand.
Bay whimpered quietly and shrank back against her legs, obviously nervous to be surrounded by so many new sounds and smells.
Gaelio gave a sigh of relief, bending down to pet Bay, hoping to reassure him.
"See? No problem." He looked back to the elderly man with a small smile. "Anyway..I was wanting to know if you've got a spare sheet, and maybe some vegetables I can trade for."
The thin old man nodded. "I'm sure I've got something you could use, lad. Just a moment." The elderly man patted Josephine on the head - Gaelio cringed - and then disappeared back inside.
Gaelio looked down to Josephine apologetically. "Sorry..." he whispered.
Josie had to fight the urge to growl as the stranger touched her, and she shot a sour, pouting look at Gaelio. Bay seemed to relax though, licking at his fingers when he was patted and venturing a little out from under his mother to sniff curiously at the doorstep.
Gaelio whispered again, a little more urgently, "I said sorry!" just as the door opened again.
"Here you are, lad. Sheet is nearly new from Connlaoth, and I've got you a bag of carrots and potatoes." He stepped outside, setting a folded blue sheet and a small bulging bag on the sled. Gaelio lifted the bundle of hide and meat, and set it just inside the door. He stood up and dusted his hands off.
"Thanks, Gerad. I'll probably be back tomorrow with something else." He nodded to the old man, and stepped back to grab the strap of the sled.
"Anytime, lad. And a word to the wise - just north of here, we've had a couple ornery bears making trouble for the other hunters. Paying work, if you've the mind to take them down."
Gaelio nodded. "I can look into it. Possibly today - I've got some hunting to do anyway." He offered a little wave, and turned away. "Take care, Gerad."
He started back out of town, pulling the sled behind him, casting small looks to Josephine and Bay. He felt bad, having to put her on the spot like that.
Josephine just huffed, still a little grouchy but knowing a necessary annoyance when she saw one, and her nose twitched a bit at the smell of food.
Bay reared up into his back paws, bracing his front against the sled and stretching his neck to nose at the bag curiously, tongue lolling, Josie snorted and picked him up by the scruff, much to the pup's wriggling, yapping protest.
She shot Gaelio a very tired look and just rolled her eyes, then nodded slightly in the direction of the cabin.
Gaelio nodded, and slumped his shoulders a little.
Way to piss her off, genius, came the thought. He sighed a little bit, and continued trudging toward the cabin. Gradually he came across the cleared path from before, and turned, dragging the sled up the path.
"I'm sorry I put you on the spot like that. I should have discussed the whole thing with you before we even left."
He looked to Josephine as they walked. "Forgive me?"
The cabin was near, and he could hear her response very soon.
Josephine blinked at him, then huffed. She couldn't figure out a way to tell him that she wasn't angry with him, just irritated by the whole situation.
Another huff and she let Bay down to scamper along beside them in the snow. She bounded around to stand in front of Gaelio and nudged her nose into his hand in the friendliest way she could manage.
Gaelio stopped when Josephine jumped in front of him, raising an eyebrow until she pushes her nose into his hand. He knew what that meant.
He smiled, and laid his hand upon her head and pet backwards. "Thanks, Josephine."
Another minute and they were finally at the door. He pushed it open to let Josephine and Bay in, grabbing the sack of vegetables and the sheet. He held the door, waiting on them to enter.
Josie gave him a grateful bark and ushered Bay inside, taking human form herself once she'd stepped over the threshold and quickly darting for the sheet she'd been using to cover herself.
She turned back to the door. "Need a hand?"
Gaelio chuckled, and shook his head. "No, I've got it. Thanks, though." He carried both the sheet and the sack inside and deposited them on the table.
"There. Now you can do what you need to do with that sheet. Or this one. Black or blue, your choice." He smiled at her, and stretched a bit, cracking his back slightly.
He went to the fire, just coals by now, and stirred it back to life, adding a couple logs to get it burning merrily again.
He then stood and stretched again, yawning. "I'm afraid I've traded all our meat away, but I'm going hunting later for those bears Gerad mentioned earlier. And then I can make you and Bay those cloaks, something a little warmer. And we'll have meat for weeks."
He yawned again, and turned toward the bed. "I think I'll take a nap first, though...if you don't mind?"
"Of course!" She smiled and settled herself in front of the fire. Bay sprawled out in front of her, panting lightly as he rolled onto his side to warm his belly by the fire. "If you don't mind me staying up to sew- you have needle and thread?"
She assumed he must have something suitable, if he was planning on making capes.
Gaelio nodded. "Yeah...in my armour, there's a bag with bandages and needles and thread...it's first aid, but it's stronger than regular thread. Just leave that box I showed you yesterday alone, please."
He took off his cloak and hung it near the fire, and stripped his tunic shirt off and hung it over the back of the chair.
"Can you wake me when you're done? Or at least in an hour or two? I gotta head out while there's still daylight."
He sat at the edge of the bed and took off his boots. "I'd appreciate it."
Josie nodded, giving her pup an absent pat as she stood to retrieve the supplies.
"I could hunt with you, you know," she offered mildly as she took a seat again, drawing the sheet around her and begining to measure by eye. "Bear can be dangerous game."
Gaelio arched a brow as he climbed under the blanket. "How? I mean....I'm sure you're capable, but what about Bay? I wouldn't want him to get hurt." He brought his arms behind his head, laying back on them and stretching out under the blanket, just his legs covered.
"Unless you've something else in mind?"
She glanced at her now dozing son. "He's come with me on hunts before, I'll hide him somewhere nearby while I track game- but perhaps that would be too risky this time."
She reached out to smooth her hand over the pup's belly and she sniffled a bit in his sleep, back leg twitching.
"Well, if you change your mind, you're welcome to join me. And maybe another time, we can bring him with us to actually join in on a hunt...he's got to learn sometime, right?"
Gaelio gave a little smile. "I'd be glad to have you with me, though - one bear is no problem, but two or more might be a hassle." He laid his head back, and closed his eyes.
"Just think about it. Can you wake me when you're done with your sewing?"
Josie smiled at him. "Of course."
Her eyes flickered to Bay as he slept; she knew he had to learn to hunt, and for a wolf pup he'd already be play fighting and such to prepare himself, but as a human he was still only a year old, not even a toddler.
Gaelio gave a nod and a sleepy smile. "Thanks." He yawned, and turned over, curling into the blanket. He hadn't slept much last night, and hated to waste daylight, but he needed to be well rested for the hunt ahead of him.
Sleep overtook him quickly, and hopefully dreamlessly.
The shifter smiled a bit as she started to work, using a hunting knife she found on one wall to cut the fabric and the thick thread for stitches that were, if not pretty, at least sturdy.
Sometime during his nape Bay shifted back to human form and shivered. Josie woke him so she could take some measurements, and in about an hour had a pair of loose but hopefully warm trousers that would, with any luck, not rip completely when he changed forms.
Gaelio slept on, unaware of the goings-on in the waking world. He instead dreamed of a hunt, though he was without his bow.
Even in his dreams, his magic was beautiful, as above the bed sparkling frost formed vague outlines of spears and skinning knives, a deboning knife, once even a large fish hook.
His face was passive, even smiling as he slept on.
Bay was utterly entranced by the scene above the bed, constantly reaching out to grab for the images that formed.
Josie was no less mystified, but it was tempered with a lack of the same childish wonder. She smiled a bit as she watched the scenes unfold, but continued her sewing.
Eventually though, she stood and moved to the bed, spare sheet wrapped around her body, a now at least half-clothes Bay on her hip. "Gaelio." She touched his arm lightly.
Gaelio's eyes snapped open, and above him a half formed image exploded into snow, dusting him lightly
He blinked through the cold, more than awake now with the sudden shock of snow. He looked up at Josephine with a sheepish smile. "Sorry about that..." he dusted a few flakes of snow off his head, and sat up in bed. He looked to Bay, and smiled. "Hey, those look pretty good! Do you have enough of that sheet left to make more?"
Josie yelped quietly as snow suddenly came flaking down to dust her head and shoulders. She shook herself in rather canine fashion and Bay giggled, reaching for the icy crystals even as they started to melt away.
He seemed to realize Gaelio was looking at him and became suddenly shy, hiding his face against his mother's shoulder. She shook her head, but gave their host a quick smile and answered, "Yes, I should have enough for some sort of shirt at least."
Gaelio nodded as he stood up. "Good. Can't have you hiding in that sheet all the time. If you need more material, it shouldn't be much to trade for, especially if I can bring down those bears."
By then, he was already grabbing up his shirt and pulling it over his head.
He turned back to her then. "So. Are you coming with me, or will you stay here?"
Josephine debated silently, a concerned sort of line between her brows as she looked at her son.
"No," she sighed eventually. "I'm sorry, but he's too young for this, and I can't just leave him here on his own. Smaller game wouldn't be a problem, but..." She shrugged and gave him an apologetic look.
The hunter nodded in answer, but frowned slightly. Why did it have to be bears? He'd looked forward to their company, and the idea of having a partner to hunt with. But, with Bay as young as he was, it'd be difficult to keep him safe with sucha dangerous quarry.
He had a momentary thought, wondering what to do in this situation - he didn't regard her as a guest, but as a friend. Bay was a child...who was he to the hunter?
Making a quick decision, he stepped toward her and gave her a quick hug, releasing her just as quickly as he'd embraced her. "....I've no idea when I'll be back. And...they are bears. So...you know."
He looked to Bay with a smile and mussed his hair. "But I'll be back. Hopefully just a few hours, but maybe a day or more. If I'm gone awhile, there's sure to be something nearby to hunt....and you can make stew from what we got today."
He glanced to Josephine, the look on his face odd, and looked to the corner of the room, spying the hatchet he'd used a long time before, before he'd learned the full extent of his power.
He stepped over to it, and grasped it by the hsndle, noting that even after the course of a year, it was still sturdy and sharp. He leaned it against the fireplace, and looked back to her.
"...just in case."
Surprised by the sudden show of affection, Josie didn't even really have time to return the hug even if she'd wanted to by the time he stepped away. She blinked at him in silence for a few moments, nodding as he left his instructions.
Bay grinned and giggled when Gaelio mussed his hair, reaching up in an effort to grab for the man's hand as he pulled it back.
"Wait." Josephine suddenly stepped toward him, her grip on Bay tightening a bit. She sighed, then shook her head with a low growl. "I- I can't let you go alone," she almost growled. Her gaze flicked to Bay. "We're going to shift, sweetling, okay? And you have to promise Mama that you'll stay a wolf. Got it?"
A child his age really shouldn't have had the cognitive ability to actually understand that, much less make a promise, but Bay seemed to understand "shift" and "wolf". He beamed and nodded, clapping his hands.
Josie huffed and rubbed at her temples with her free hand. "Alright then."
Gaelio blinked, taken aback by her sudden change of mind. He arched his brow, his head tilted questioningly.
"....I welcome your company, of course, but...what made you change your mind?"
He stepped to his cloak, retrieving it from its hook next to the mantle of the fireplace, and held it a moment. He glanced at her again. "...you don't have to worry for me, you know. This...isn't my first bear." He hefted the cloak, as if to prove a point.
"I know." She gave him a slightly tight smile and turned to place Bay on the bed, wriggling him out of his homemade trousers. The boy squirmed away, taking his wolf form as he leaped down to the floor and shook himself.
Josie sighed and looked up at Gaelio. "I'm not...worried for you, exactly. I'm more- trying to repay a debt." She glanced at Bay.
"He likes you. I think he'd like to spend more time around you, even if we are trekking through the snow hunting bears."
The hunter gave a small smile, and nodded. "I'd like that. I'll do my best to help keep him safe - I promise."
He buckled on his sword, giving the leather belt across his chest a tug to ensure it was firmly attached, and then threw his cloak over his shoulders. Lastly he took up his bow, and looked to her again. "Whenever you're ready, then."
He moved toward the door, ready to let them outside.
Josie cast her son one last worried glance, then sighed, nodded, and dropped the sheet she was holding around her body so she could shift.
Bay yipped happily and bounded over to his now canine mother, licking at the underside of her jaw. She huffed at him and nuzzled his chest, almost bowling him over, then looked up at Gaelio and nodded stiffly, moving toward him.
Gaelio offered a nod back, and opened the door to let them outside, and grabbed the sled to follow them out. He shut the door on his way out, and looked to his currently-canine friend. "This is probably going to be a longer trip than the village. Food here can be scarce for larger animals, like bears, so they could be anywhere over a large area....if you want, you can put Bay on the sled, if he'll sit still. I can pull him."
Josei snorted quietly and turned to grumble something at Bay, ears forward and shoulders set in a "listen to your mother" posture. The pup whined, but allowed her to pick him up and deposit him on the sled.
She looked back at Gaelio and gave a short, affirmative sort of bark.
The hunter smiled at them and gave a bit of a chuckle. He'd never seen how wolves communicated before, and watching their interaction was slightly humorous.
He turned to the path before them and sighed - North of the village meant deeper into the mountains, into coldsr territory. He'd have to be using his magic constantly just to keep them dry while they walked.
"Well....let's go. We'll skirt around the outside of the village and head deeper into the mountains. I'll do my best to keep the path clear as we go." He started walking, pulling Bay and the sled behind him.
Bay barked happily in response, tail wagging as he squirmed on the sled, and Josephine rolled her eyes. She fell into step beside the hunter, constantly checking back over her shoulder to make sure her pup wasn't making too much of a nuisance of himself.
In their fur, the shifters were much more suited to the cold. In fact, with just the bit of snow on the ground and no biting winds, Josie found she rather enjoyed it.
In time, they came to the hill overlooking the village once more, and Gaelio blazed a new path around the outside - he didn't want to have to interact with anyone else unless absolutely necessary, not wanting to explain his travelling companions again so soon.
The mountain path that followed was a constant uphill climb, and the snowfall during the night had been so much heavier - in some places, Gaelio would have to walk for minutes at a time with his hand outstretched, clearing snowdrifts as tall as him with his power. His eyes were glowing blue almost constantly, and eventually he had to stop to rest.
"This...is ridiculous," he said breathlessly, sitting on the edge of the sled as he rested.
"I need to stop for a moment....I don't suppose you can track a bears scent, could you? It'd be so much easier." He said this with a fatigued smile, and rested his arms on his knees, his head hanging low.
Josephine gave a soft, concerned whine as he flopped down on the sled and Bay yapped, trying to scramble into his lap- both for comfort and, it seemed, as he burrowed into the man's body- for warmth.
She huffed yet again and took her human form, arms immediately wrapping around her body at the chill set in with a vengeance. "Of course I can." Shivering, she quirked an eyebrow at him. "Do you have something to use to give me the scent? If n-not it's more of a g-guessing game- and hurry pl-please, I'm naked and it's fuh-freezing."
"Oh, Gods, Josephine!" Hurriedly, he picked up Bay and set him on the sled behind him, and then stood. He removed his cloak, moving toward her, heedless of her nudity. He swept it up and around her to lay it over her shoulders, pulling it around to cover as much of her as possible.
Then he grabbed her and pulled her close, holding her tightly to share his warmth.
"Gods, I didn't mean for you to actually transform and talk to me. It's too cold for that."
Despite saying that, the hunter-mage didn't appear cold at all.
"....the only thing I've got that has anything to do with a bear is my cloak, and I'm willing to bet an arm that it's far too old to hold a scent. I was mostly joking....Gods, Josie, don't ever do that again."
His hand went down her back slightly, grabbing the hood of the cloak to pull it over her head.
Josephine stiffened slightly, surprised once again, but not just by his closeness this time.
No one had actually called her "Josie" in a long time.
Quite in spite of herself, she closed her eyes for her moment and took a deep breath, basking in the warmth and scent of another person.
Bay was her world, and she loved him to pieces- but wolves were pack animals, and she missed that companionship, craved it more than she allowed herself to admit.
"It was only for a few seconds," she mumbled, feeling somewhat like a child caught red-handed. Still, she leaned into him a bit. "Really, I'm fine."
He didn't know what was going through her head - when she leaned into him, he merely thought she was lying about being fine. He responded by pulling her tighter against him.
"A few seconds is all it takes for frostbite, especially as cold as it is. A few minutes will kill you....keep the cloak until you get warm, and then transform back. Please."
He pulled away to look her in the eye. "We'll find a cave or something. Chances are, that's where we'll find the bears, anyway, and it'll be a good place to hole up to rest. Okay?"
Despite his warnings about the cold, he plainly stood there in nothing but a black tunic shirt, pants, and boots. His face and arms were bare, yet he appeared completely fine.
Sometimes he hated being a mage...
The shifter rolled her eyes, but acquiesced with a quiet, "Fine."
She moved around him to sit in the sled, pulling Bay into her lap and cuddling him under the cloak. She tilted her head slight at Gaelio. "Aren't you cold? At all?"
He sat down beside her, still to drained to continue clearing the snow for them to continue. When she had rolled her eyes, his heart fell a little - he was only trying to keep her safe.
When she asked him whether or not he was cold, he nodded.
"Yeah. I can feel the cold. I won't lie, it's...uncomfortable, but I'm not affected by it. frostbite and hypothermia aren't something I have to worry about."
He offered a slightly tired smile, and looked to her. "But just because the cold can't hurt me, doesn't mean I don't like to be warm. But you two need it more than I do, so you can hold onto it for now."
Josie frowned. "Well...c'mere then." She lifted the edge of the cloak, shivering as she did. She was growing more comfortable with her shifting around him, so the fact that she wasn't wearing anything under the cloak didn't bother her quite as much as it once had.
Gaelio hesitated for a moment, still very aware of what she did(nt) have on under the cloak. But even as his face flushed, he slid closer to her to share the space, wrapping an arm around her shoulder to be closer still, so the cloak covered the three of them more fully.
He made sure his hand hung free off of her shoulder, to not be any closer than absolutely necessary. He glanced to the side, his face completely red despite the cold.
"Thanks..." He murmered, his gaze facing away from her, feeling as if he looked her in the eye his face would catch fire. He nearly felt as if he didn't need to cloak at all, his face was so warm.
Jo quirked an eyebrow at his odd behavior and almost opened her mouth to comment on it, then changed her mind. "No problem. It's your cloak."
Bay yapped and tried to climb clumsily from her lap to his, sniffing at his hands and shoving his nose into his stomach. She shook her head at the pup and stroked his back gently.
Gaelio smiled gently and reached to pet Bay as the pup crawled over towards him, running his hand down from his head to his back.
In so doing, his hand slid over hers, and he quickly pulled it away. His face grew even more red, if that was even possible, and he settled with just scratching behind his ears.
"Sorry," he mumbled, glancing at her out of the corner of one eye.
And, lo and behold, he did in fact redden more, and looked away again. "....we should probably get moving soon...we don't want to be caught in the dark without shelter."
The shifted snorted and tilted her head at him, pale hair falling over her shoulders. "You don't have to apologize." She frowned a bit, concerned. "Are you alright?"
Bay yapped happily and licked at Gaelio's fingers, tail waving like a banner.
Josie smiled a bit and nodded. "Alright. Could we wrap Bay up a bit on the sled? The weather isn't nearly so bad as it was a few days ago, but he's so little, I'd like to keep him as warm as we can."
"Alright? Yeah....yeah, I think so. It's just...." he raised the hand on his opposite side up from Bay to rub his palm over his cheek. "It's just....I'm not used to...having someone so...close. Um..."
He closed his eyes, and dropped his hand back to Bay's head to pet him. When he continued speaking, his eyes were still closed. "It's just that you're...very pretty, and...Gods. I don't know."
He turned to look at her, opening his eyes, trying to speak confidently. "You're a beautiful woman, you're not wearing anything, and we're sitting under the same cloak sharing warmth. It's just...weird for me. I've never been in this situation before."
He sighed, and rubbed at his eyes with his thumb and forefinger - he felt incredibly awkward. "I'm sorry. Listen, you can stay on the sled with Bay - I'll pull you both until we find some kind of shelter."
Josie's eyes widened and her mouth opened, but no sound came out. "Y-you...um, I- well, I d-don't..."
Gods. She ducked her eyes, blushing furiously. "That's, um...thank you? For saying- I mean, that's...sweet, I suppose." She cleared her throat. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I...haven't really been around humans much lately, I guess I sort of...forgot?"
She shook her head quickly and looked up at him. "No, don't worry about me. As long as Bay's warm I'll be fine, I can walk."
The hunter couldn't help but chuckle. Gods, she was as embarrassed as he was. That helped ease some of his tension. "...well, you're welcome. And it's not your fault, really. If I hadn't isolated myself so much, I probably wouldn't be bothered by it so much. But....we'll work on that, yeah?"
He lowered his hand and looked to her when she mentioned walking. "We're only going to head higher into the mountains. It's going to get colder...if you get cold, o insist - please sit with Bay."
He turned to look up the path ahead of them. "I've seen a lot of foolish people head up here in alot more than wolves fur. A good many of them... Don't make it back."
Josie took a breath, then let it out on a huff and nodded slowly.
"Alright. If you're sure." She freed herself from the cloak, passing it to him while at the same time sliding back on the sled and taking her wolf shape.
Bay yipped at her happily and tried to climb up onto her back, his breath fogging the air. She rolled her eyes as he managed to climb onto her head, gnawing at her ear with a playful little growl.
Gaelio smiled as she handed the cloak back, and when she settled on the sled with Bay on her head, he laughed.
"Here. You two still need this more than I do." He stepped behind them and draped the large bear fur cloak over the two of them. "I'll be fine. If you see something, bark or something. You've got the cloak, so you can shift if you need to."
He gave a smile, and hurried to take the front of the sled before she could argue, grabbing the strap and pulling them forward.
Josie did indeed try to argue with him, as much as she could in her current form, and she growled at him playfully when he avoided it.
Much warmer now, in her animal body with the cloak spread over her, she settled back onto the sled with Bay now tucked between her front paws, where she could keep him warm and safe.
Gaelio smiled when he heard her growl, noting that it didn't really sound aggressive. He was only looking out for her, after all.
He pulled them steadily forward, hoping she'd keep an eye out as he'd asked - he had to keep focused as he cleared away the deepest of the snow in front of them. No fancy tricks - just shove it to the side in mounds, covering the cliff face on one side or the other. Eyes forward, head down. Pull.
You can do this, Gae. It's just snow. And they're light - the sled might as well be empty. Just think of how much heavier it'll be later - this is nothing.
He trudged onward, one hand cast before him, one strong arm over his shoulder as he drug the sled behind, legs pumping as they steadily climbed higher into the mountain pass,
Instinct as much as logic kept Josie alert, though her eyes kept flicking back to Gaelio with concern.
Finally, she shifted just long enough to ask, "Are you sure you wouldn't rather I walk? Doing all that magic and carrying us can't be easy." She took her wolf form again quickly, huddling down around Bay.
Gaelio's breath huffed out in great clouds of condensation as he powered up the path, pulling them behind him. When she spoke, he glanced over his shoulder at her with a grin.
"So long...as I don't.... Think about it....I'm fine." Each pause was punctuated by a breath. "I think...we're getting....close."
He finally found a spot where he could stop without the sled sliding downhill, and dropped the strap to the sled oncs more. He leaned over his body, hands on his knees and head hung low as he caught his breath.
For a couple minutes, he'd been noticing irregularities in the hard packed snow beneath the fresjly fallen from yesterday - in places where he'd cleared it, he could see partial tracks. There was one in front of him now, nearly a full print - the outline of an enormous bear paw.
Breathlessly, he pointed at it, and did his best to speak. "There's more and more of these...I'd say we're very close."
Josie hopped off the sled, turning slightly to make sure the cloak was tucked tight around Bay, then trotted over to see what he was looking at.
A low rumble of a growl started up in her chest and she leaned into Gaelio's side- she may not have been as big as some of her kind, but she was still large enough to offer some support. She ducked her head to sniff the tracks as she pressed against his side.
Instinctively, he laid a hand on her back, sorely winded from the climb. After a moment he gave a bit of an awkward Pat, and straightened.
"As many tracks as I've seen...this is bound to be a frequent path for them. Can you smell anything other than snow?"
Josie leaned into him a bit more, then nodded. She sniffed the tracks again, then raised her head, glancing sidelong at Gaelio.
She hesitated a moment, then pressed her nose into his hip, whining softly. It wasn't a distressed sound so much as a gesture of offered comfort, albeit a little awkward.
He smiled when she gave that little nod of hers. Good, that meant they could track the things, now, and get this over with. With luck, they'd be in a cave, or near one.
When she pressed against his hip and whined a little, Gaelio blinked a bit before settling a hand on her head, stroking over one ear and down her neck. "I'm fine, Josie. Just need to breathe a little, and I'll be right as rain." He smiled down at her, eyes still glowing a dim blue light.
"Give me a moment to rest again, get some of my wind back, and we'll continue. Can you track them, now?"
The wolf nodded, but her icy eyes were still concerned. She swung her head in an indication of the direction the scent led, then glanced back at the sled to make sure Bay hadn't moved.
Gaelio nodded. He'd have to do something special for her - he could sense her concern, and she was being so helpful. He'd just have to figure out what.
"Well...I'll pull the sled. It's mostly flat, here, so it shouldn't be a problem. Can you lead me, if you've got a scent?"
He bent down to pick up the strap again, and then lifted the edge of the cloak to peek at Bay. He smiled at him. "Are you okay under there, buddy?"
Bay seemed to be actually quite cozy, nearly swallowed up by the cloak. Her yapped happily and jumped forward to lick Gaelio's nose, then settle back, panting and tail wagging.
Josie gave a coughing sort of bark that was a wolf's approximation of a chuckle and rolled her eyes at her pup, then gave Gaelio a sharp nod. She sniffed at the tracks again, then bounded ahead a few steps and glanced back over her shoulder.
Gaelio stumbled back a bit, laughing and wiping his nose off. He reached in and rubbed his head, as if messing with his hair like he was human. "Well, I'm glad you're doing well in here." He grinned and pulled away to look to Josephine, the grin still present, and started following after her.
"You think that's funny, huh? Maybe I could just dump some of this snow on you...."
He obviously wasn't serious, as he punctuated the sentence with a chuckle.
Josie growled playfully and sank into a half crouch, eyes sparkling. Just try it, her body language mock-challenged.
Then she shook herself with a low woof and started off again, keeping her pace to a steady trot that wouldn't wear anyone out too quickly.
Gaelio grinned and turned to Bay with a wink. Then he turned back to the path ahead and extended a single finger towards the snowbank he'd been piling up as he cleared the path.
He made a tiny gesture with that finger, and a small wisp of unpacked snow, no more than a handful, flew from the bank towards her head.
He started laughing just as soon as he did so, that cue giving her about a half a second to dodge.
Josie more felt the change in the air than saw the snow coming for her, and suddenly Gaelio's laughter made sense. She ducked, but the snow scattered across her haunches. With a growl, she shook herself and threw a glare over her shoulder at him.
You'll pay for that. She sank into a low crouch and stalked toward him, every inch an animal on the hunt- except for her slowly waving tail.
Gaelio's smile disappeared as soon as she turned around, at first thinking he'd angered her. Then he'd noticed the tail, and he grinned.
"Well, come on, then! If you're going to do something about it, there's more where that came from."
He extended all five fingers, and slowly turned his hand upside down. Around Josephine, five perfectly rounded snowballs had formed, ready to fly at her with a flick of the wrist.
Josie growled again, eyes flicking around at the snowballs. Then she barked and jumped forward, front paws extended to thud into his chest.
Bay yipped excitedly from the sled, and he seemed to be attempting to wriggle his way out of the cloak so he could join in.
Gaelio laughed as he slipped backward in the snow, landing heavily on his back and still laughing.
Five slowly spinning balls of snow fell to the ground, abandoned. The hunter continued to laugh, raising a hand to pet her on the neck.
"Okay, okay! You win. This time." He smiled up at her and grinned, and then looked at Bay as he was trying to crawl out from under the cloak.
He suddenly had a devilish grin, and grabbed the end of the cloak, and threw it over Josephine's head, freeing him and covering her completely, even though he was trapped beneath her.
Josie yelped, shaking her head and scrabbling her front paws uselessly in the snow to either side of his head.
Bay, finally freed, yipped and jumped onto his mother's back, latching onto the back of her neck with puppy-sharp teeth and a play growl that sounded almost more like a squeak.
The wolf finally shook herself free and flopped onto her side, twisting her head to snap playfully at her pup, unable to reach him with their awkward positioning.
Gaelio watched them for a moment, laughing. This was nice - he hadn't had fun like this in quite some time. It was certainly a welcome change from boring, everyday life.
He sat up and moved to sit on the sled, a wide smile on his face as he watched Bay hanging onto Josephine's neck. He rested his arms on his knees, simply observing the amusing spectacle for a moment.
What he didn't see, though, was the large form of a bear coming off to one side, stepping around the snow drift, attracted by the sounds and smells of two wolves intruding on his territory. The roar of it alerted him, however.
"Josie, Bay, move!" he yelled, grabbing up his bow and fitting an ice arrow he couldn't recall creating to the string, training it on the massive creatures neck.
It had been a long time since she'd allowed herself to relax and have fun like this- long enough that she was so absorbed she didn't notice the new scent in the air until it was almost too late.
Even as Gaelio's warning came, she sprang to her feet, Bay shaken loose from her back to land in the snow. She snatched the pup by the scruff of his neck and took off, determined to find a safe place to hide him.
Just as soon as Josie and Bay were clear, Gaelio released the string on his bow to send the arrow of ice streaking toward his intended target. Just as soon as the string went slack, he pulled it back again with another icy bolt of death between his fingertips.
Bears were big, muscular creatures, thick of fur and skin. Gaelio already knew he'd need more than a couple arrows to bring the beast down. He followed the first arrow with a second.
Both arrows hit their mark with unerring accuracy, sinking deep into the flesh at the neck. However deadly those wounds were, it only seemed to enrage the creature, and it turned on Gaelio with a fierce roar. And then it charged.
Now, Gaelio was a hunter. And he was excellent with a sword when it came down to it. But he couldn't face a bear in straight combat, not without freezing it solid. And he couldn't do that, not when they needed the meat and the fur.
So he did what he could to pepper the beasts shoulders and head with ice arrows, but they only seemed to aggravate it more. He was barely able to sidestep the bears charge, narrowly being bowled over and subsequently mauled. As he twisted out of the way, he gathered his magic into his fist, his hand freezing over and forming a long crystalline blade over his arm.
He swung out, opening a long, narrow gash down the beasts flank.
"Josie! Might need some help here!"
Yards away, Josie had dug a tiny den into the snow and shoved Bay inside. The pup whimpered and huddled down and she nuzzled him briefly, then turned and raced back toward the combat.
Josie may not have been as big as some of her kind, but she was fast. She lunged at the bear, harrying his legs and feet before jumping away just in time to avoid the snap of massive jaws.
The distraction that Josie created gave Gaelio the perfect opening. As soon as the bears neck stretched forward to snap at his friend, Gaelio lunged forward with the blade of ice protruding from his fist.
The frozen blade was as sharp as Gaelio's imagination had been able to make it. The tip easily parted fur and flesh, sinking deep. The hole it made, combined with the force that Gaelio had put behind his lunge, was enough that the hunter found himself up to the elbow in bear neck.
The icy blade protruded from the other side, and the bear slumped downward. Gaelio dismissed the blade, it falling apart into twinkling flakes of ice and snow, and stumbled backward, falling straight on his ass in the snow, breathing hard, eyes wide.
Chest heaving as he took in deep gasps of air, he spoke with a shaking voice. "Gods...Josie...you okay...? Where...is Bay?
The wolf's eyes widened when the blade of ice protruded from the animal and she skittered back, panting.
When Gaelio collapsed, she jumped toward him, a concerned whine rising in her throat. She shoved her nose into his neck, then started sniffing up and down his body.
When he asked after Bay, she backed off a bit, glancing in the direction she'd hidden her pup with another whine.
Gaelio was, miraculously, unhurt. In shock, perhaps, but otherwise fine. He tried to tell her so, but couldn't seem to find the words.
That was too close.
When she turned to look toward Bay, he stood, shakily and very slowly. He took a slow step forward, placing a hand on her head as he did. He saw the little hollow she dug for him and let out a pent up breath.
Suddenly his heart slowed down, and color returned to his face. He now knew what had been wrong with him.
He was scared. He had fear for the pup. No...the boy.
"Gods...at least he's safe." He kneeled down suddenly, and threw his arms around Josie's neck, pressing his face against her fur.
"Thank you, Josie. Thank you, so much. Let's...let's check on Bay."
Josie froze, surprised by the sudden embrace and anxious to get to her pup.
When she realized that was why Gaelio was hugging her though, she relaxed slightly. She sniffed at his hair, then pulled away gently. She trotted quickly to Bay's little hideout, shoving her nose inside and sighing with relief when she was greeted with a small yip.
She grasp the scruff of his neck and gently pulled him up, the pup's body curling automatically as he was carried. She turned to look at Gaelio and exhaled a sharp breath through her nose.
Gaelio offered a tired smile as he followed after her, and upon reaching them he kneeled down in the snow, giving Bay a good scratch behind the ears even as he hung by his scruff.
He glanced up to Josephine, and smiled wider. "I'm glad he's safe. And you. When that bear went for you, I thought for sure I'd be too late to bring him down. Thank you, Josephine." He brought that hand up to stroke her neck, unsure truly how to show his thanks in her current form.
Hell, after what they'd been through he'd have probably kissed her, but he wouldn't tell her that.
After a moment, he stood, and looked toward the bears corpse. "Listen...if there's two bears hunting together, they're probably either a mated pair or, if food is scarce, just together for survival. In either case, the other one will probably come looking...I'm going to get set up to ambush it."
He looked back to Josephine. "We'll leave this one here, and I'll wait for it to come to me. It'll go alot smoother if we're prepared... But I need to ask you something else. Can you find a cave, or some kind of shelter for us? There honestly should be one nearby, with these bears here. If you happen to find the bear, though...run. If I see you coming, I'll know what's happening."
Josephine growled around Bay's scruff.
She didn't want to leave him alone.
Still, she knew his plan was the best idea. She put Bay down long enough to give him a very deliberate nod so he knew she understood.
She hesitated a moment, then darted forward to lick his nose. She pulled back quickly, a playful glimmer in her eyes, and scooped Bay up again before turning and bounding off into the snow.
He lifted a hand to his nose, grinning a little bit. Then he realized what that was the equivalent to...
He went red again, but his grin remained. Perhaps she'd had the same thought...but that'd have to wait until later. Still red and grinning like an idiot, he scooped up his bow and brushed the snow off of it. Then he picked up the cloak, trampled as it had been, and threw it over his shoulders.
"All right... Time to get to work."
He glanced around for a moment, and then selected a decently sized snow drift. Using his power, he lifted a mound of snow from within it, leaving a hollowed out area only open on one side. He moved into it, and again used his power to solidify the sides, creating three stable walls and a low ceiling of ice.
He used his power once more to pick up the snow he'd moved before, lift it up, and gently sift it over his little hollow, making it appear completely natural.
He was able to outstretched both arms without touching anything. Perfect. He pushed a fist through the soft side of it, creating a hole he could see and hear out of.
And then, he waited.
Josie wasn't quite sure how long she was running, but she was shivering a bit by the time she came across an acceptable sort of cavern. She immediately ducked inside, plopping Bay down and shaking the snow from her fur before she hustled forward to wrap herself around him, enclosing him as best she could in her warmth.
She looked to the mouth of the cave. Her tracks would be easy enough to follow, when Gaelio was ready.
Of course- other things could follow as well. So she kept herself at the ready.
He was getting bored, and fast. He was starting to regret sending them away - he was quickly getting used to their company, and even if she couldn't respond as a wolf, he knew she understood and responded as well as she could. He almost couldn't wait until they were somewhere she and Bay could change back.
He'd spent his time making arrows from the snow beneath him, changing his design slightly to add a flatter, broader arrowhead. He tested his fingertip to it, and immediately cut himself. He stuck his finger in his mouth, smiling around it.
He should have tried it earlier. He committed the shape to memory, and then made close to thirty of them, ready at hand if the bear showed itself.
But it was close to an hour before he heard the shuffling of snow outside, coupled with grunting pants. He snapped to attention, putting an arrow to the bowstring and drawing it back to its full tension.
This bear was smaller than the first, but still a decent size. Outside of Gaelio's hiding place, the bear walked straight up to the corpse, giving it a sniff and an experimental nudge.
There'd be no holes in this one's fur. The bears flank was presented to him, and the young hunter had a clear shot to the beasts eye. He took it.
The bear dropped, a single arrow having penetrated the eye, into its brain. Gaelio jumped out of his little home, spraying snow everywhere and giving a triumphant whoop. He immediately dashed forward to skin and clean the bears.
____
Fucking. Bears.
They were heavy. He had two massive piles of meat, wrapped in their respective hides, sitting on the sled. He was so glad the return trip would be downhill.
Almost two and a half hours after Josephine left with Bay, he came to the cavern she had found, having followed her tracks through the snow. He hoped they were warm enough, after he was gone for so long.
"Josie...are you two in here?" It was almost dark by now, and little light penetrated into the cave - he couldn't see more than a few feet inside.
Bay was the first to great him, scrambling out of the circle of his mother's body to bound out into the snow and race around Gaelio's legs, yapping and jumping up to lick at his hands, then turned to sniff curiously at the sled.
Josie followed more sedately, moving up to his side to nudge her head against his hip, tail wagging slowly.
Gaelio chuckled a bit at Bay as he let him lick at his hand, and then turned to Josie with a smile. When she nudged against his hip, he rubbed from her neck down her back, and then took off his cloak.
"Here....if you don't mind, I miss talking to you, and hearing words back. Uh, that is....no offense. You...don't have to if you don't want to. In any case, you're probably cold, anyway." He laid it over her back, leaving just her head uncovered.
The wolf's tongue lolled, jaws parted in a wolfish grin that melted into a human smile as she drew the cloak tighter around herself. She shivered, bare feet shifting in the snow, but stood in human form.
Bay whine a bit and came to circle her ankles, sniffing curiously. Josie bent to pat him and glanced at the sled, one eyebrow raised.
"That's an awful lot of bear. Sure you can carry that by yourself?"
Gaelio smiled at her a little, glancing toward the sled. "Well, luckily, its almost all downhill, so that eliminates the hard part. It's mostly just going to be trying to keep it from falling off."
He noticed her bare feet, and grimaced a little. It was too cold for that...he sat on the edge of the sled, and took off his boots.
"Here...these might be a little big, but you can warm your feet up. But...so that, earlier..on my nose..."
He glanced to the side with a sheepish smile, suddenly glad it was a little dark as his face sudden warmed up.
"...was that what I thought it was?"
"Oh, no, don't do that-" But he was already taking his shoes off. She huffed and shook her head, but she was smiling a bit.
"It really would be easier if you just let me walk as a wolf- I could help you pull the sled, for one thing."
His question brought a bit of color to her cheeks and she quirked an eyebrow. "What, my tongue? I have a hard time imagining what else it might have been."
Gaelio stood, his bare feet crunching into the snow. He shook his head a little. "No, it'll be fine...though it would have been nice if you'd offered on the way up here." He smiled as he said this, and chuckled a little bit, obviously kidding.
But then he stepped toward her, slowly. "And...Josie..."
He stopped right in front of her, eyebrow tilted with a slight smile on his face.
"Seriously. It's still a sign of affection...right?"
Gods, it was harder than hell to keep a straight face.
"If you were human...what would that have been?"
Despite the chill, her cheeks were very warm.
"Yes. It's a sign of affection," she murmured. "It's not- I don't th-think it quite translate the way you might be thinking." She winced a bit at her stammer. "It's...more like this."
She reached up to touch his cheek, then let her hand slid down to his shoulder and squeeze gently: a gesture of companionship, comfort perhaps. She snatched her hand back quickly, shivering from the cold.
Awkward. Very, very awkward.
"Oh...well. My, um....my mistake. I'm sorry..." He backed away a little, turning toward the sled again.
Yeah. Awkward. Inwardly, Gaelio was kicking himself. Hard.
"So...it's getting dark outside....we should...probably go to sleep, soon. We're not going to want to try the mountains at night..."
"Gaelio-"
She started to reach for him, then hesitated. With a soft sigh, she dropped her hand again.
"Are you sure? I- I'm not sure I like the idea of Bay being out here all night..." she murmured.
"If you really want to head back, we can...I just thought it'd be safer to go when it's fully light." He looked down at Bay, a small smile curling his lips.
"...you're probably right, though. But it's going to get darker as we go, and colder as it does. So...it may be a good idea if you stay with Bay, on the sled. Keep him warm under the cloak."
She shook her head quickly. "No, I can hardly ask you to do that, after you dragged us all the way up here."
She scooped Bay up and plopped him on the sled, arranging a bit of the newly cut bearskin around him- and wrinkling her nose at the process.
"Here- let me help you pull it, alright?"
Gaelio sighed, and gave a nod. "Okay. And I'll give Bay the cloak when you transform, too. It's going to be cold."
He sat on the sled, pulled his boots back on, and stood. He made sure his bow was securely across his chest, and nodded to her.
"Ready when you are."
She smiled slightly. "Thank you."
Letting the cloak slip off so she could hand it to him, she found herself suddenly flushing, despite the cold. She didn't feel vulnerable, exactly, as she usually did was a shift left her with no clothes, but she wasn't quite comfortable either. There was a strange sort of itch under her skin and she shifted her feet awkwardly.
Putting it from her mind, she dropped forward onto all fours and shook her head, woofing softly.
Gaelio averted his eyes, reaching almost blindly to take the cloak from her. He did, however, note the awkward movement of her feet, but paid it no mind - he simply assumed her feet were cold. He made a mental note to get her shoes, as well.
When she dropped to all fours, he looked more fully at her and nodded. "I'm not sure how you want to do this, unless you just want to bite the strap and walk forward... Don't worry about tearing holes in it, it's replaced easily enough."
He moved toward the sled, and patted Bay with a smile before draping the cloak over him, tucking it where necessary so there was nothing uncovered, save a hole for him to look and breathe out of. Then he picked up the leather strap.
"Well...let's be off. I know I've only said it about a hundred times, but if you get cold, jump on the sled." With that said, he began pulling, leaving enough open area with the strap for her to help.
Josie nodded, huffed, and padded toward the sled so she could nose Bay one more time before taking some of the excess strap in her mouth. Making sure she was braced efficiently enough to put her whole weight into the effort, she started walking at Gaelio's side.
Moving the heavily laden sled became much easier when Josephine added her assistance. Gaelio smiled down at her.
Once they actually got it moving, the flat surface of the sled slid easily over the snow outside the cave, and continued to move just as easily where it was relatively flat. The only hard part would be getting it down the hill without losing control of the sled as it tried to slide away from them, as weighed down as it was.
When they came to the hill, he stopped them. "We'll have to turn the sled around, and let it pull us down. We'll have to pull against it so we don't lose it down the hill..."
He looked to Josephine. "This is going to be heavy work...will you be able to help me hold it steady without hurting your mouth?"
Josephine snorted around the strap and nodded. She took a step back and nodded her head toward the sled, indicating that he should get the process started as she really had no hands to help him.
Gaelio nodded, and turned to the side and heaved backward on the strap, forcing the sled to turn in place.
When he managed to finally get it turned completely around, he gave it a small shove forward so it was just barely angled downward, his feet planted as firmly as he could manage to keep it from sliding away from them.
"This will get easier the further down we go...I hope." He looked down to his feet, wondering if there was something be could do with the snow to give them more traction.
The she-wolf barked and moved to take her place beside him, bracing herself against the weight of the sled.
Bay had poked his head out of the pile of furs to look around curiously, tongue lolling happily and paws braced to give him a bit more height to observe the incline.
It took some doing and alot of time to do it, but eventually they made it all the way back down the mountain path, and were in view of the village once again. Gaelio released a relieved sigh at the sight of torchlight in the distance.
"I was beginning to think we'd never make it back down again..." He muttered, glancing at Josephine with a smirk. He rubbed at his arms, muscles beyond sore even as the deepening chill of night began to set in.
He turned to sit on the edge of the sled, and looked up in the direction of the cabin. He almost cursed their location - they still had to go back uphill to get there.
"Let's rest for a few minutes...my arms are absolutely killing me."
Josie whined, concerned, and gave him a jerky sort of nod. She jumped up onto the sled beside him and stuck her nose into his cheek, sniffing. Her paws braced on his lap as she pulled back a bit with a satisfied huff, then tilted her head at him, tongue lolling slightly.
Gaelio smiled and raised a hand to her head, brushing over her ear and down her neck, fingertips scratching gently through her fur as he petted her. One might note how little strength he was able to use to lift his arm, even just at that height - his arms felt like lead weights after that.
He made a mental note - never go for two bears at the same time. They were too damned heavy.
After moment, he had to let his arm drop and let the blood circulate again, and he folded his arms across his knees to rest them. "Almost home, now...nice warm bed waiting, too." He smirked a little, and glanced at Josephine, and then to Bay. "How does that sound?"
Both wolves barked happily, though in Bay's case it was likely just because he sensed the tone of Gaelio's voice.
Josie woofed softly and flopped down across the hunter's lap, letting her tongue loll as she panted lightly.
He grinned at Bay as he laid his hand on Josie's head, stroking down her neck idly. "I thought so. Just a little climb, and we're done for the day. We can warm up, eat, and finally sleep."
Sleep....that word sounded wonderful. Despite his nap before they'd left, he was exhausted, both physically and mentally. He was ready to curl up under the blankets next to Josie, and-
Don't go there, Gae. A bed is a bed - that's it. It doesn't mean anything.
Well. Sleep, anyway.
Josephine coughed a laugh and nodded, rolling onto her back and letting her head flop gently onto the pile of furs that Bay hid in. The pup yapped and nipped at her nose and she snorted at him, making him yelp and burrow back into the furs.
She cocked her head at Gaelio, tongue lolling and eyes glinting playfully.
"Gods, I wish I had the energy you had." He grinned and reached out to scratch at her belly for a moment before resuming his rested position. "As it is, I think I'll be lucky to make it to bed before I fall asleep on my feet."
He leaned backward and twisted to the side a little to recline next to the pile of furs, groaning as he lifted his arms behind him to pillow his head.
He stared up at the sky, noting the stars just starting to shine. "....sure is beautiful tonight, though," he mumbled, nearly under his breath. This was followed by a long, wide-mouthed yawn.
Josie yipped a bit and made a playful snap for his hand. When he leaned back, she crawled her way over to him to stick her cold nose into his neck.
She knew they shouldn't stay out here too much longer. It was cold for her and Bay, and she was worried for the pup, though she knew Gaelio must be tired.
When her nose touched his neck, he twitched - just because the cold couldn't hurt him didn't mean he couldn't feel it - and her nose was cold and wet.
He chuckled a bit, raising a hand to scratch her head. "We'll get moving in a moment, I promise. Just give me a minute to get the blood moving again." He rubbed down her neck a bit before moving to stand up, stretching his tired arms out.
"Are you up for helping me get back to the cabin? Then we're done - I promise." He smiled a bit at her, and moved to grab the leather strap again.
She barked an affirmative and licked his cheek, then bounded off the sled to grab up the excess leather in her mouth. She woofed around the strap and jerked her head toward home.
Home. She had to pause a moment when the word flitted through her mind, then shook her head, putting the thought aside.
Gaelio put his hand to his cheek with a smile. No redness this time, either.
The trip home was much easier than either going up or back down the mountain pass. The fact that the distance was so much less helped immensely. When they finally made it within sight of the cabin, Gaelio couldn't help but chuckle.
Home at last...
When they drew close, he dropped his portion of the strap into the snow. "Why don't you two head inside... I've got to hang at least one of these bundles, but I can manage bringing the other in on my own."
He knelt down to Josephine with a smile, and laid a hand on her neck. "You were an incredible help. Thank you so much." He gave her a brief scratch before he stood, and walked to the door, opening it for them.
Josie gave a soft, companionable whine and leaned into his touch slightly, then nuzzled his hand before turning to snatch Bay up from the sled and heading back into the cabin.
She nearly dropped the pup from her mouth.
His smell was everywhere.
In an instant she was on her feet, human, snatching her pup up in her arms and backing toward the door, growling. In his confused distress, Bay shifted in her arms, wailing and clinging to her neck.
Gaelio was just bending down to drag one of the wrapped hides and meat towards the rope and hook contraption he had set up at the corner of his house, when he heard Josephine's growl - human growl, he noted - and Bay's wailing.
Suddenly, he wasn't tired anymore. He shrugged his bow off his chest and dropped it to the ground. With an audible ringing of steel, he drew his broadsword from his opposite shoulder. Instantly, the shining steel was coated in frost, and pulsating with a soft blue light.
He threw the door open with a snarl, prepared to defend his friends with his life, the blue portion of his eyes lit brightly.
Without thinking about what she was doing, Josie whirled into Gaelio's chest and pressed Bay into his arms, her heart breaking a little as the boy tried to cling to her.
"Take Bay and get some distance, please." She pulled away again quickly and shifted forms, head swinging in a wide arc as she scented the air.
He'd been here, for a while, but had been gone for at least as long.
Gaelio's eyes widened when she pressed Bay into his chest, and instinctively he wrapped his free arm around the squirming child.
Gaelio took just a split second to comprehend what was happening. By then, she'd already transformed, but he offered a single stiff nod anyway.
"Be. Careful," he said, his words short and clipped. His next words were as misleading as possible, while he hoped she understood what he meant.
"Gerad. Find Gerad."
He sheathed his sword, then, and swept out the door. In s single fluid movement, sweeping past the sled, he ducked down to grab his cloak and wrap it around Bay.
"Mommy will be fine, buddy. And so will you. We'll see her again in a few minutes. I promise."
He kept a tight hold on Bay with one arm, holding the other behind him, smoothing the snow behind him as he ran for the village.
He left no tracks. They'd be untraceable.
Josie spared a moment to watch them go, a whimper rising up in her chest as every instinct told her to follow her baby.
But she couldn't. Not yet. She had to make sure it was safe.
So she put her nose to use, scouring every corner of the cabin, searching where the scent she'd first detected was strongest, trying to figure out when he'd left.
Finally, she arrived at the box Gaelio had told her not to touch. There was something...acrid in the air around it, a smell like ozone, but...not.
Magic.
She sneezed and backed away, growling softly. She needed Gaelio for this- she was no mage. She turned tail and bounded out into the snow, following the scent of Bay and his current guardian.
The pup, meanwhile, had at least stopped wailing, though fat, slow tears still trickled down his cheeks. He clung to Gaelio, shivering and whimpering quietly as he was carried through the snow.
Gaelio raced through the snow, his already exhausted body digging into his last traces of strength. The village wasn't far....but it was the only safe, warm place for miles. He didn't dare take a baby out into the mountains, not without any idea of how to properly care for him.
Completely out of breath, he stopped at the old traders door - it was all he could do just to remain standing, his legs weak and shaking, the constant use of his magic throughout the day taking its toll on him. He weakly raised an arm to beat on the door.
"Gerad...." he yelled, his voice hoarse from inhaling so much of the freezing air in such deep gasps. "Gerad.... Gaelio.... Open up..."
After a moment, the door creaked open, and the old man poked his head out.
"Gaelio! What on earth are you doing out at night? And with a child...?"
"No....time...." he gasped out. "Gotta...keep him...safe."
His heart felt as if it were going to beat out of his chest, and he could barely speak. Gerad stepped aside to let him in.
His tired eyes glanced about for a place to collapse, and, spying an overstuffed, ancient chair, he unsheathed his sword and simply dropped it on the floor before sitting as carefully as he was able.
"Gaelio... Did you run all the way here?"
Breathlessly, he nodded. He pulled back the cloak to check on Bay, and rested his cheek on the whimpering child's head, making soft shushing sounds.
"His mother....is coming," he said, gradually getting his wind back. "If someone knocks...or scratches at the door...let them in. Don't be surprised. I'll...explain. Okay?"
The old man nodded, clearly puzzled. Gaelio returned the nod, and turned his attention to Bay. "Mommy's coming, Bay. Soon."
He sorely hoped nothing had happened to her. Gods, he needed her right now. Her son needed her.
"....got your damn bears, too," he grumbled. If it weren't for that, they would have been home.
Bay blinked up at him with wide, watery eyes, the mismatched color seeming to almost gleam through a film of tears. He hiccuped a quiet sob, too tired and cold to cry properly, and buried his face in Gaelio's chest, tiny fingers curling in the fabric of his shirt.
Josie ran faster than she ever had in her life. Each breath she took scorched her lungs and her paws were aching from the reparative pounding into the snow, but she didn't even really feel it.
She reached the trader's shop and practically hurled her body against the door, a strangled howl forcing its way out of her throat. A very startled old man opened the for a crack and she barreled past him.
Her paws skittered on the wood as she whirled to face Gaelio and her pup. Then she was suddenly human and throwing herself down in front of him, arms reaching for Bay.
"Oh my gods, I'm sorry," she gasped as the baby reached out for her and she pulled him tight against her chest, either uncaring of her state of undress or too rattled to really register it. "I'm sorry, baby, I'm so sorry..."
She looked up at Gaelio with wide eyes, rocking Bay back and forth on her knees. "Thank you..."
Gaelio blinked through the tired haze threatening to overtake him as Josie was suddenly there.
It seemed as if he'd dozed off, but he awoke to a beautiful sight - Josephine hugging her child to her chest. Alive and well.
He breathed a sigh of relief, and slowly stood, groaning as his tired muscles screamed at him. He took the fur cloak left in his lap, and draped it carefully over her shoulders, tucking it around her and Bay both. He didn't even care about their closeness and her nudity - he was just relieved she was okay.
Too tired to stand for more than a few minutes, he fell back into the chair, his legs shaking.
"Gods...of course, Josie...you're welcome."
....fuck it. He may be tired, but this was a special moment. He slid out of the chair, onto his knees, and wrapped them both up in a hug.
"I'm just glad you're okay....but....Josie. What happened?"
Bay was pressed between them, and Gaelio's hand was behind Josie's head, his cheek pressed against her hair.
"....who was there, Josie?"
Josephine didn't realize she was shivering until the cloak was draped around them. She leaned into Gaelio's warmth gratefully, despite Bay's small squeak and wriggle of protest as they closed in around him. The boy settled easily enough once his arms were no longer pinned to his sides.
"He..." She took a breath and tried again. "His name is Lorian," she whispered after several long moments. "He's...Bay's father."
It felt wrong to say that. The vampire may have provided half her baby's genetic material, but he was not his father. Bayard was hers- as far as she was concerned, Lorian had no claim to him.
He probably saw things differently.
"A spell," she rasped quietly. "There's a spell on that- that box. I didn't know what to do, I thought I should tell you..."
His eyes widened a bit, and be pulled back away from her. "His...father?" Lorian. That was a name he'd have to remember. And this man had the audacity to walk into his home.
That wasn't going to fly with him. You didn't just traipse into someone's house when they weren't there...especially when the ones you look for don't want you to find them.
Gaelio's eyes narrowed again when she spoke of the box. Inside that little box was the only clue to why he could do what he could, a legacy that stretched back far longer than just his short life. He only had to hang onto it until the one connected to it could tell him what he wanted to know.
But now this, the one odd piece that didn't seem to fit right into the puzzle of his life, had been tampered with.
"....what is inside that box is extremely important to me. I'll need to know what he did...though I cannot break any spell - I'll have to accept any consequences that opening the box may have."
He slowly released her, and stood up with a fired groan. Despite his fatigue, though, his eyes were hard. Angry.
"If he's gone from the area, let's go back then. You can tell me about....Lorian when we get there." His face was grim, but he still offered a hand to help her to stand.
His eyes were still on her when he spoke next, though his words were directed to Gerad.
"Gerad...tell no one of this. Please. I'll explain everything in due time, but...there's more important things to be done first."
Josie swallowed thickly, then nodded as he helped her stand. She cast Gerad a quick look, but otherwise paid him no mind.
"Here." She passed Bay in Gaelio's arms, shrugging the cloak off to hand that over as well. "He's too scared to properly control a shift. It'll be better if you carry him back."
"Mamama." Bay reached for her, brow furrowed, and she smiled and kissed his cheek.
"I'll be right with you, baby, I promise. Be good for Gae, alright?" Another quick kiss and she shifted again, panting lightly as she took wolf form.
She'd hardly had a moment to breathe since her mad sprint into town.
Gaelio used one arm to take Bay, using the other to awkwardly throw the cloak over his shoulders. He pulled the child close to his chest, and wrapped him up with the cloak.
He offered her a small, tight lipped smile as she transformed, and laid his free hand upon her head. "No need to run, this time. I'll keep him wrapped up and warm, so we can take our time...I think we're both probably too exhausted to rush."
He released her head just long enough to pick his sword up off the floor, awkwardly sheathing it at his shoulder. He then moved toward the door, before turning back to Gerad. He eyed him for a moment.
"Remember... Not a word. Please."
The old man gave a single nod, eyes still wide. Gaelio opened the door and stepped out, holding it open for Josephine to follow.
The wolf huffed out a breath and nodded at him, throwing Gerad one last glance before she followed Gaelio out into the snow.
She kept close to his side, almost in constant danger of tripping him up, and kept casting concerned glances up at him and Bay, whining quietly.
It was harder for her to control her emotions, her instincts, as a wolf. She may have been able to hide the worry in human form, but on all fours it was plain in every tense line of her body.
Gaelio smiled down at her, but both of his arms were holding Bay close against his chest and rendering him unable to comfort her with a hand.
"It will be okay, Josie. No matter what, I will keep the two of you safe. From anything."
He looked up to the path ahead. "I promise."
Josie chuffed at him and nosed his leg, then continued to trot along beside him, still casting glances up at Bay every few steps.
Even with their fairly slow pace, it wasn't long before they reached the small cabin. With one hand, Gaelio nudged to door, still ajar, to open fully. It was dark inside, and cold - the fire had long since gone out, and the open door had chilled the room further. Gaelio sighed, and moved to set Bay down on the bed, wrapping the blanket around him for warmth.
"...let me get a fire going and something cooking for us to eat...then I'll take a look at the box."
He glanced back at Josie, and sighed. It was going to be a long night, and he felt like he was ready to drop. She probably did too.
He'd seen on their way in that the sled and it's contents were unmolested - thank the Gods for that - and realized that he still needed to hang one of the bundles outside. He groaned at this realization as he turned to the fire to work at rekindling it.
Josie jumped up onto the bed once he placed Bay on it and circled the boy once, then curled herself around him as she took human form.
Panting gently, she looked up at Gaelio as she cuddled Bay to her chest. "Are- are you okay?"
Gaelio had just managed to get a small flame burning when she spoke. He stood up, and stretched his back out a little, arms reaching behind his head.
"Okay? ....yeah, I'm okay. Just...really tired, and a little angry." He huffed a little, and then looked to her. "...not at you, of course. Just this situation."
He walked over and draped the cloak over her and Bay with a small smile, and sat down beside her. He laid his hand on her shoulder, a simple gesture. "What about you? I know this whole situation is...pretty big for you. Are you okay, Josie?"
She clenched her eyes shut and curled a little tighter around Bay, falling onto her side so she could curve completely around him.
"No," she whispered. Eyes still closed, she sniffed in an effort to hold back tears.
"Mmm-mm." Bay reached out to lay his hand on her cheek and she felt her heart cracking apart. "I love you, baby," she told him softly. "I'm not gonna let him hurt you. I won't let anyone hurt you."
He couldn't help it. She seemed so sad, or so scared, he just had to do something.
The hand that had been on her shoulder before she moved to her side drifted down to her cheek, a single finger beside Bay's small hand caressing the spot underneath her eye.
"Don't forget, Josie. You don't have to be alone in this. Besides....I think Bay's starting to grow on me." His face broke into a wide smile. "You don't honestly think I'd let something happen to him, do you? Him, or you."
His other hand rubbed lightly at her shoulder and side, brushing about midway down her side before rising again. "So, that goes double for me. I won't let anything happen, to either of you."
That broke her.
She couldn't remember the last time someone had talked to her like that, had just...told her that things were going to be okay. And she was practically starved for touch, automatically curving back into his hand.
She broke down, sobbing quietly as she curled herself tighter around Bay. The child gave a soft squeak of protest, then stared at her with wide, mismatched eyes. He looked from Josie to Gaelio, obviously unsure what the strange sounds coming from his mother were, and why she was shaking. He started to fuss, running his hand over Josie's cheek and babbling nonsense.
"Shhh...Josephine, there's no need for tears. Come on..."
She was going to make him cry. In a bigger effort to comfort her, he slid his hand under the edge of the cloak. He didn't even feel uncomfortable about it - he just wanted to make her feel better.
Lightly, cautiously, his hand settled on her shoulder blade, a warm and gentle touch of comfort. Meanwhile, his other hand raised from her cheek, wet with her tears.
Slowly, the purple bands, rather than the blue, in each of his eyes began to brighten. The wetness from his fingers coalesced into s single, tiny orb of water, and the leftover tears streaking down her face came to join it, making it only slightly bigger.
The floating orb of tears began to flatten and widen slightly, shapes forming in it. It spread out forming wings, tiny legs, and a long proboscis, and intricate lines designed those beautiful little wings.
Where once there were tears, there was now a butterfly of water, flitting around the room.
"Don't cry, Josie...or I'll turn your tears into something beautiful. Every time."
Bay's babbling suddenly turned cheerful and he reached for the butterfly, a wide grin showing a handful of tiny baby teeth. Josie gasped, then laughed tearfully.
She forced herself to sit up a bit and leaned into Gaelio's side.
"Thank you," she murmured, sniffling. "But...I'm not sure that's a good idea. I shouldn't- Bay and I can't stay here. If Lorian found us..."
She shuddered, cuddling the boy to her chest.
Almost absently, that arm on her back draped over her waist, rubbing her side lightly. If he noticed the contact of skin to skin, he didn't care. He pressed his cheek against her hair.
His other hand pressed a finger to her lips, cutting her off. "No, Josephine. If there's danger that will find you, it's better it finds you here, with someone to stand beside you. I mean it. I'll protect you. Just..give me a chance."
He released her lips to gesture at the butterfly - instantly, it solidified into a figurine of ice, and floated towards Bay, coming to rest on the bed in front of him.
"I can do it. You don't have to be alone anymore, Josie."
Josie choked on another sob and raised one hand to her face. Bay grabbed for the icy butterfly, cooing absently.
She shook her head, stroking Bay's fuzzy hair absently. "I can't do that to you. I've been protecting us this far, I- I have to...I can't drag anyone else into this."
She dipped her head to kiss the top of Bay's head. "The only way we've stayed safe is we kept moving. No one can fight him, Gaelio, no one. He's..." She shook her head, shivering.
"He's what, Josephine?" He leaned forward, turning his head to look her in the eye.
"Listen. If he's anything other than a demon, dragon, or golem of some kind....so long as I've got my power at my disposal... I'm not worried." Be released her, then, and slid off of the bed to stand in front of her.
"You've seen what I can do to survive... But that's just the small stuff. With water, with ice... I can do anything I can think of."
He stood in front of the fire, his arms crossed over his chest. "....the human body is comprised mostly of water. It's in your blood, in your organs, in your flesh...Josie, I can do terrible things to a person, if I have to."
He lowered his head, staring at the floor. "...honestly, it scares me, sometimes, just what I'm capable of. That's why I make pretty things...just so some good comes out of it. But.... Gods, Josie. If I put my mind to it...I can turn a man to dust."
He shook his head, and looked up at her. "Water is everywhere. The world can be my weapon."
She wanted to believe that was enough. Gods, she wanted to believe it.
"You don't understand," she whispered. "Lorian...he's the most powerful mage I've ever met. And he's...not human."
She curled her body over her pup. "Bay's not just a werewolf- a lycan. He's also a dhampir. Half...half vampire..."
She shuddered. "I've never seen anything like him, Gae. He's- he's a hunter. To the very core of his being."
"Josie."
He stepped towards the bed, and kneeled down in front of her. He lightly grasped one of her hands in both of his, looking up at her.
"It doesn't matter what he is....and even if you won't let me fight...."
He glanced up and around his little cabin. What did he have here, really? Most things here were easily replaced, or traded for. But these two in front of him...
He couldn't replace them.
"....then I'm going with you."
"Oh..." She clutched at his hand, her other arm wrapped around Bay's middle. "No, Gaelio, I- I couldn't ask you to do that. This is your home, I- you can't just up and leave."
"Buhbuhbuhbuh." Bay reached out for Gaelio over their clasped hands.
Josie chuckled, wiping at her eyes. "I'm not sure if he wants another butterfly or if he's just making that sound."
Slowly, he shook his head. When he faced her again, he had a sad smile. "Do you know what I've been doing here, these last few years? I've been surviving. That's it. And survival isn't living. There's nothing here I wouldn't give up for the chance of something better."
Suddenly he flushed with red, and lowered his gaze to her hand. "And besides...these last couple days, since you and Bay arrived...well....they've been the best I can remember since before I was forced to hide here. I....I want to go with you. If you go...I'm going. That's final."
He pulled just one of his hands away, lifting it up to Bay and offering him a finger to hold.
"And...I'm afraid there's not enough tears for another butterfly just now. But that was the point of making it to begin with." He looked up at Josephine with a thin smile. "Let me come with you. I can help you hunt, I can help you survive. And if it does come down to it, if Bay's....father comes for him. I'll fight."
"Gae..." She smiled softly as Bay grabbed for his finger.
Letting out a long breath, she slid off the bed to kneel in front of him. She let Bay sit between the two of them, the boy leaning forward to brace his hands against the hunter's knee.
"I...I can't very well stop you, if you want to come with us," she whispered, clutching the cloak around her body. Her lips quirked up on one side. "Of course, maybe I should get a pair of real clothes before we leave."
Gaelio's smirk mirrored hers. "You could always just wear the cloak."
Immediately his face reddened - he'd been trying to make a joke, but then he realized just how that sounded. "Um..that is....nevermind." He smiled awkwardly, glanced to the side.
"....in the morning, I'll take one of the bundles of bear meat in to trade. I'll keep the fur though...and Gerad said I may get some coin for the hunt anyway. I'll see if I can find you something... That is, if you don't mind men's clothing until we can find something more suitable. Most of the women here - all three of them, if I'm right - aren't as small as you are."
He looked back to her. "Um...the fires going....should I make us something to eat?"
Josie's cheeks heated quickly and she ducked her head, hiding a small smile in a kiss dropped to the top of Bay's head.
"I don't mind," she murmured. "I...used to have a set of clothes that were enchanted to stay with me through a change." She smirked a bit. "Don't suppose there's anything like that lying around?" she joked lightly.
When Gaelio mentioned food, she glanced up with wide, obviously hungry eyes. Bay glanced back and forth between the two of them, perhaps sensing the tone. "Yes, please..."
"Mmm.. nothing like that. Alot of the people here are connlaothian...so...y'know. I'm barely tolerated." He smirked a bit, and stood up. "I'll see what I can find. In the meantime...food." He smiled, and stepped toward the door, calling in snow to fill the pot as he had before. Then he stepped outside, dragging in one of the bundles of bear meat. Some of these he'd already cut pretty small, so he just dropped them in the pot.
"I've still got to hang that other bundle...would you mind cutting up some of those vegetables we got this morning?"
"Of course." She offered another, slightly shaky, smile and got to her feet.
She first grabbed up the makeshift trousers she'd made for Bay, slipping them on him, then balanced the boy on her hip as she moved to complete the chore, wielding a knife easily even with Bay tugging at her hair and babbling in her ear
Gaelio smiled at her and Bay. "Thank you, Josie. I'll be right back."
He stepped out, shutting the door behind him. As he drug the second bundle to the corner of the house, he reflected on the conversation they'd just had. Where would they go? What would they see? Gaelio had never seen anything beyond the fringes of Connlaoth and the Kilanthro Mountains, and the prospect of travelling - especially with a friend - was very appealing to him.
Maybe Josie and Bay could finally escape from
..Lorian. Gods, the name of him made Gaelio's skin crawl. But... If they could...they could find somewhere, and....
What? He couldn't lie to himself - he liked Josephine. He liked Bay. But... It wasn't his place to try and remain in their lives. Once Lorian was dealt with - if he was dealt with - he wouldn't be needed anymore.
Gods, he didn't know. One step at a time.
He hadn't even realized he was doing it, but during his musing he'd already hooked the bundle and heaved it up, and was just tying the rope off when he'd focused again. He sighed a bit, and opened the door to step back inside.
Josephine had just finished cutting the vegetables and she glanced up when he entered. "Don't suppose you needed any help out there," she said with a small, crooked smile. "I was just going to check."
She was still worried, but she'd managed to get some control of herself. For Bay's sake, if nothing else.
Still, Lorian's scent lingered in the cabin, and it kept her hackles up.
She sighed and rubbed at her brow. Bay frowned and tugged on her hand- it seemed he recognized that gesture, at least, and didn't like his mother being worried.
"Mumuma." He twisted to look at Gaelio and held out a hand to him, making a demanding sort of sound in the back of his throat, though what he wanted exactly wasn't really clear.
"Oh...no. Just thinking a little. Sorry to worry you." He smiled at her, and noticed Bay reaching toward him. His smile widened.
"Mumuma? What's that, buddy?" He grinned and stepped over to them, offering the boy his finger.
He also happened to catch the nervous gesture, the sigh with her rubbing her brow. He sighed too, and his other hand rose to rest on her shoulder.
"It'll be alright, Josie. I promise."
"Mumuma," Bay repeated insistently, tugging on the man's finger. Josie offered a shaky smile and nodded a little jerkily.
"Right. I know..." She stroked Bay's back absently as he continued to babble and pull at Gaelio's hand. "Watcha doing, love? Leave him be, come on now."
"Mumuma," he repeated, frowning at her.
She quirked and eyebrow and said, mock offended, "If you're trying to call him Mama, I will be highly insulted, young man." She tickled his neck and he giggled, wriggling in her arms.
"Mama, Mama!" He batted at her and she ceased, smiling a bit.
"There, much better."
"Oh. Mama. No, buddy, that's Mama. I'm Gaelio. Guy. Lee. Oh." He grinned a bit, and glanced at Josephine out of the corner of his eye.
"One day, huh?"
He stepped over to check the pot. "...smells so much better with vegetables. So...Josie? Do you have an idea of where we would head first? Just....not Connlaoth, please?"
Josie laughed and nuzzled Bay's nose with her own. "He probably just associates that word with anyone who's big and, y'know...takes care of him."
"Mama!" He wrapped his arms around her head and she chuckled, kissing his belly.
"Yes, that's right." She peeked around him at Gaelio and her brow furrowed a bit. "Believe me, I have no desire to return to Connlaoth." She sighed and shook her head slightly. "Honestly, I have no idea. I try not to be...predictable, when I travel."
"Well...I don't know about taking care of him....I haven't really done much other than give him things to play with." He frowned a little. "...you know. He's my first experience with kids. Excluding myself. I'd...help take care of him if I knew more..."
He trailed off, thinking a bit. He glanced up at the ceiling, lost in thought.
"...hmm. Maybe....we should head somewhere near a city? I can hunt just about anything, but there are just some things you can't get in the wild. But... I'd have to warn you...I don't talk to people much. At least...not usually."
He held up a fist, and started counting fingers. "Troike, the man who welcomed me to Yuske. Gerad. You, and Bay. I've held conversations with..three people and a baby. Since my parents died." He put that hand down, and sighed. "Honestly, if we'd have met any other way, I doubt we'd have ever spoken."
Josie chuckled quietly. "Honestly? Before Bay, I'd never interacted with children. At least not babies. I just sort of...figured it out as I went."
She flushed and ducked her head. "That...makes me sound like a horrible mother, doesn't it?"
She huffed and cuddled Bay a little closer to her chest. "Well...for what it's worth, I'm glad we met..."
Gaelio blinked, arching a brow. Then, he slowly shook his head with a smile. "No, it doesn't make you sound like a horrible mother. If anything, it makes you an even better one. If his...father....is as bad as you say, and you're having to be on the move all the time....well, he's happy and healthy, so what else could you ask for?"
He crossed his arms over his chest then, and regarded her with an odd look. "Don't put yourself down for that. Because I already know you're doing everything you can, so I think you're a wonderful mother." He smiled a bit, and dropped his arms, turning to the pot and the stew inside, stirring it around idly.
"And I'm glad we met, too. Though I wish the circumstances were better...perhaps, if Lorian can be dealt with....things can be normal for you and Bay. You could settle down somewhere, and live, rather than simply survive. Maybe...find a good father figure for Bay."
Maybe someone like...me.... came the thought, and he shook his head turning his attention back to their meal.
"....food is almost ready."
"Hm." Josie had a thousand and one insecurities about her role as a mother, but it was nice to hear him say that- even if she wasn't quite sure she could believe it.
She sighed and moved to sit by the fire, Bay seated on her crossed legs. She glanced up at Gaelio, a little surprised.
"I...suppose." She cleared her throat and busied herself teasing Bay's nose with her fingertips.
Then her stomach growled and she blushed, laughing a little. "Good. I'm starving." Bay tried to imitate the noise, his handful or tiny baby teeth bared in a growl, and she chuckled, shaking her head at him.
Gaelio took it upon himself to grab three bowls, ladling each as full as they would get. He didn't know how much Bay would eat, but better safe than sorry.
He first brought Josephine's and Bay's over. "Careful...it's still hot. Should be a nice change from yesterday's, though...and if that's not enough, there's more."
He turned back for his own, and leaned against the fireplace. He could feel the heat from the stones seep into his back, and he relaxed visibly.
"...so. Like I said, tomorrow I'll head into the village and get that done. We've still got basically a whole bear to bring with us, so we'll have food to travel with - probably too much of we're going to be moving alot. I don't have much I'd need to bring with us...the cookpot, spit, and cookware, I suppose, and the blankets."
He glanced around the room, blinking. He was surprised at how little he really cared to take. "...wow. It almost seems like I was ready to go already. There's...not much to take, is there?"
"Are you-"
Josie frowned a bit and blew on on Bay's stew. "Are you sure...you can just...leave?"
She sighed and looked up at him. "I feel horrible. You can't just...leave your home, just for us. I mean, you barely know us."
Another sigh. "It's not that I'm not grateful. Truly. I just... We can just take you away from your home."
Gaelio sighed, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "Look around you, Josie. I wouldn't be leaving anything behind." He opened them again, and looked to her.
"Home...isn't here. Home is a farm a few miles from the mountains, in Connlaoth. And I can never go back there. This is.. Just a place, really. There's no memories here, there's nothing for me. There's just a handful of people down in the village that will even look me in the eye, and I'm sure the rest would be glad to see me go."
He gave a bitter chuckle then, and closed his eyes. "Leaving, I think...would probably be good for me. All I'm doing here is hiding."
He opened them again, and sighed. He pushed himself off the wall, and stepped over to Josie and Bay. Reaching down, he briefly touched Bay's bowl, and for a second it coated over with frost. A second later, it was gone as the stew warmed it back up, but the steam seemed to diminish some.
"There, try it now."
She smiled slightly and nodded. "Thanks. Here, baby." She helped Bay hold his spoon as he started to eat, chuckling a bit when some of the stew slopped over the side onto her leg.
She held the cloak a little looser around her body and looked up at Gaelio again. "Aren't you going to eat?"
Gaelio blinked, and glanced down at his bowl in his hand. "...seems I got so caught up talking, that I forgot to say." He chuckled a bit, and tucked into it and-
Gods, he hadn't even realized how hungry he was! If wasn't surprising, though, considering how much effort had been put into the day. He found himself ravenous, though he tried to avoid making a mess by eating too quickly.
"That's so much better when it's not just meat...hey, why don't we head towards one of the coastlines? You wouldn't believe how much fish you can get just by pulling them out of the ocean, water and all. We'd never have to be hungry. Ever." He grinned, and wiped a bit of the stew from his face...perhaps he'd eaten too fast.
Josie smiled and nodded slowly. "Yes. I've...actually never been to the ocean. That sounds nice."
Bay babbled something that sounded cheerful and looked between the two of them. He didn't know what was happening exactly, but he could obviously sense the undertone of genuine happiness in his mother's voice.
"Honestly, neither have I. But it can't be too different from a lake, can it?" He set his bowl down, and blinked. These would need cleaned before they were packed away...he only had so many dishes, though he supposed he could carve more. But that could wait until tomorrow.
He turned away to instead face the cookpot, briefly using a bit of frost to cool the slit before pulling it away from the fire - he didn't want to scorch the food, and the rest of it could be breakfast tomorrow. He placed a lid on the pot, and then moved to sit beside Josie and Bay.
"But honestly, we can go anywhere you want. It'd just be nice to see."
"I..."
She laughed quietly and shook her head. "I'm used to just traveling as a wolf. It'll be nice to actually...see some things, instead of just running."
She helped Bay finish off his stew and finally started in on her own.
"Well...the ocean is quite a ways away from here."
He gave a soft smile, as he stared into the flames. The firelight mixed interestingly with the blue and purple bands of his eyes, making an odd twist of color.
"We're sure to see lots of things on the way. We just...have to stop and look, occasionally." He glanced at her, and smiled. "Look...we'll look at the box tomorrow. I'm going to go ahead and sleep. I'm tired and sore...it's been a really long day."
With a groan, he pushed himself to his feet, and made his way to the door. He laid a hand on the knob, and froze it completely solid. "...it's not much, but it makes me feel better. If you need out for anything, let me know and I'll open it." He moved back to the bed kicking his boots off and stripping out of his shirt to lay it over the chair.
"Of course. Thank you." She yawned and removed her and Bay's bowls.
Glancing at Gaelio, she hefted the pup onto her hip and asked quietly, "Would you mind sharing the bed with Bay? I don't mind the floor, but I prefer he not sleep on hard wood, you know?"
"Well, yeah....I don't mind. But...didn't we find out there's room for all three of us?"
He sat on the bed, looking at her. "You don't need to lie on the floor...you'll be in all sorts of pain when you wake up. If you're uncomfortable, throw my shirt on, or something."
He then smiled a bit. "If nothing else, I'll take the floor. I think he'd rather have his mother near, anyway."
"Oh, well...I know we can fit, I just thought..." She flushed a bit and held the cloak firmly around her body as she shuffled toward the bed.
"Ah...if you don't mind, I think I'll take you up on that shirt offer," she chuckled. She leaned over the bed, shifting Bay from her hip onto the sheets. The baby cooed something rather garbled and crawled his way over to sit in front of Gaelio, grabbing for his hands.
Josie chuckled and perched on the edge of the bed, watching with a small smile.
Gaelio smiled letting Bay grab his thumbs, and looking him in the cheeks with his forefingers. He looked at Josephine, and nodded towards the chair, near the fireplace.
"It's just there. Sorry it's dirty.. its kind of hard to come by anything more than water way up here."
He then picked Bay up, and scooted about a little to face away from her to give her privacy, and then commenced playing with him again.
Bay giggled delightedly and started tracing the lines of Gaelio's palm, babbling away about something that he obviously thought was very interesting and important.
Josie chuckled a bit and moved to slip the shirt on. She was slight enough that it fell to mid-thigh, more like a tunic on her than a shirt.
With a tired sigh, she climbed carefully onto the other side of the bed. She let her head flop onto the pillow and watched Gaelio play with her baby with a small smile, eyes fluttering tiredly.
Gaelio looked up from Bay, looking over his head to look at Josephine. He gave her a warm smile.
"And to think - you were going to leave me here. I seriously don't think I'd have let you, now. This little guy is starting to grow on me." He grinned a little bit, and looked back to Bay, pulling one hand from his to mess with his hair a little.
"Josie...if Lorian can somehow be dealt with....can I stay around you and Bay? I'm not suggesting I live with you, but... I'd like to be nearby. It would be nice to have friends close."
He glanced back to her. "Please?"
She dropped her eyes, her smile shrinking a bit as she tickled Bay's side. The boy laughed and rolled onto his back, flailing his arms and legs at them.
"I can't very well stop you," she murmured as she watched him. "But I don't...I don't honestly see a future where we're not running." She groaned and covered her face with a hand. "Gods, that's...horrifying. That just sounds so awful."
Very slowly, very gently, Josephine would feel callused fingers cautiously pull that hand off her face. Gaelio stared into that face, smiling gently.
"If he comes, I'll fight him. No matter where we are, what time it is, or who we're with, I'll fight him. I promise you, Josephine."
There was just a moment of silence after those words, other than the sound of Bay's laughter.
"I'll do it for you, and him. And Josephine...I'll win. I may not be able to kill him. But I swear to you, as long as I'm around, he'll think twice about coming again."
"Gae." She sighed and leaned forward slightly. "I'm not asking that of you. I can't. You don't know what he's like-"
Bay suddenly gave a small noise of distress, perhaps sensing his mother's tension, and she sighed, rubbing her hand over his stomach. "Shh, shh. It's okay, sweetling, it's okay."
He gave a slight sigh. "You know...next time we get attacked by something that we don't need intact for food and fur, you'll see. Until then...maybe we should just go to bed, before we upset him further, yeah?"
He gave s small smile, and poked s finger into Bay's armpit, trying to make him laugh again, giving it a little wiggle to tickle him.
Bay was easily distracted, his sour face melting into another round of giggles.
Josie nearly cried. She smiled at Gaelio, eyes shining. "Yeah. Yeah, we should get some rest." She sighed and closed her eyes, letting herself relax into the bed.
"Thank you, Gae." Her hand came to rest on Bay's stomach as she pulled the blanket up to cover them both, yawning.
"You're very welcome, Josie. Good night." He slid under the blanket as well, reaching an arm over Bay to rub Josie's shoulder for a second. "Don't worry, either. We'll just see what tomorrow brings. Okay?"
He smiled a little and pulled his arm away, tucking it under his head before he closed his eyes.
He'd forgotten how tired he was - he fell asleep almost instantly.
Josie slept fitfully, but she was used to sleeping in strange, often confining places, so she didn't toss and turn as she might have done otherwise.
She woke relatively early, rolling onto her back and staring at the ceiling for several long moments. With a small sigh, she twisted her head to look at Gaelio and Bay.
She smiled slightly. It was...nice. Nice to see her son sleeping in a real bed, with someone who so obviously cared for him. She released a quiet breath and turned fully onto her side, stroking one finger over his cheek.
Sending movement in front of him, Gaelio snapped to wakefulness, eyes bright and sharp.
And then he saw Josephine's face, rather than the shadowed figure he'd been dreaming about, and visibly relaxed. His eyes drifted shut as he gave a deep yawn.
"Mm..mornin' Josie...." he mumbled, a hand coming out from under the blanket to rub at his eyes. He'd found himself on his side, but soon rolled over onto his back to stretch out.
"Mm...Bay still sleepin'?" he half mumbled, eyes still closed.
"Seems like it. Funny, he normally doesn't let me sleep through the night like that-"
Bay whimpered and scrunched his face up, then blinked his eyes open, twisting his head from side to side.
Josie sighed a chuckle. "Spoke too soon." She smiled and bopped the baby's nose. "Hey, little man."
Gaelio offered a tired smile before pushing himself up with one arm. "You know what? Maybe that's because he spent half the night using me as a footrest." He grinned a little, and lifted the blanket to show her the baby foot firmly shoved in his ribcage.
"That, or he was just trying to kick me out of bed. Either way, I'm glad he slept well." He yawned again, using his other hand to remove the foot from his ribs. "What about you? Did you sleep okay?"
"Oh dear." Josie chuckled and drummed her fingers lightly against Bay's chest. "Well, I don't think he particularly cares much, but I'll apologize for him."
The baby yawned and stretched his arms, hands curling into tiny fists. With a soft mumble he rolled onto his side, curling himself into Gaelio's chest.
Josephine laughed quietly and shook her head. "Seems like you're not getting rid of him." She propped her chin in her hand. "I slept fine. You...doing okay?"
He smiled a bit, wrapping an arm around the boy, his palm at his back. "He's fine. If he's comfortable, let him."
He gave another yawn, eyes squeezing shut for a moment. "Well...if my arms are any indication, the rest of me is probably going to hurt when I try to move, but I feel much better after a good night's sleep. One thing's for sure, though...I'm not dragging bears around on that sled anymore." He grinned a little bit, and looked around her to the fire.
"Mm....fires out. Do..um....you want to get that for me, or should I try and pry him off of me?"
"No, I can get it." She smiled, glancing from Bay to Gaelio. "It's rare he's this calm, far be it from me to disturb this."
She got up and crouched in front of the fire, stoking the embers until the tinder caught. In the bed, Bay yawned and snuggled a little closer to the hunter's warmth.
Gaelio made a slight adjustment, trying to slide Bay up just a bit to rest his head on his arm instead.
He watched Josephine with a look akin to one of interest while she brought the fire back to life. He found it a little strange, he lying in bed with a child while she worked the fire. Strange, but....oddly comfortable.
They worked together well, it seemed. Gaelio mused about this for a moment, and then chuckled slightly before lying his head back down on the pillow, eyes turned toward the ceiling.
Josie looked up at him, brow furrowed slightly and a small, puzzle smile curling her lips. "What? What's funny?" She stood and moved toward the bed again.
He chuckled again, and turned his head to face her. He grinned a bit. "I was just thinking of how our positions suddenly got reversed. Here I am, holding Bay in bed - who seems to have fallen asleep again, by the way - and you're up doing my job." He gave a small laugh, and continued.
"What's next? Are you going to hunt and cut firewood?" He laughed again, eyes twinkling with it. "Not that we need it, mind. I just find it funny how well we work together."
"Hmph." She smiled a bit and climbed onto the bed, perching on her knees. "I could certainly hunt. And I've cut my fair share of firewood."
She sighed and ran a hand through her hair, smiling at Bay. "I've never seen him take to someone the way he did to you. Well-" She huffed. "He hasn't exactly had the chance, I guess."
"Well, I'm certainly not complaining. It's good to have a partner - you were certainly a great help yesterday. And...well, you can leave firewood to me. I don't even need an axe for that." He smiled, and glanced down at Bay.
"And I'm not complaining about him, either. I like the little guy." He glanced back up to Josie with a smile. "I'm glad he's taken to me. But...have you ever given any thought to finding a...father figure for him?"
She quirked an eyebrow. "Does he need one? I keep him safe, and warm, and fed, and loved. Why does he need a "father"?"
Perhaps she was a little defensive. But she'd heard that diatribe what felt like a thousand times- any time she'd gotten outside help during Bay's first fourteen months of life. A boy needs a father, you can't do this alone, how can you raise a child without a man to lean on?
She frowned and looked away. "Bay and I do just fine."
Gaelio blanched. "No, no, that's not what I meant. I know you don't need the help, I just meant..." He sighed a little bit. What did he mean? It took him a moment to organize his thoughts a little bit.
"I meant...when times are hard...and you're on the move like you are....maybe it would be easier on you both to have a second person to rely on. Someone both of you can trust."
Be glanced to the side, looking away from her. He felt a little ashamed for making her react like that.
"....like....when you came to my door, during the storm. You...wouldn't have had to rely on whether or not I would have let you in. If you'd have had someone else with you, you could have figured something out. Together."
"Oh."
She dropped her eyes, feeling guilt lurch in her chest slightly. "Well...yeah, I guess that might...make things easier."
She sighed and flopped onto the bed, stroking Bay's back. "Sorry. I just..." Another sigh and she dragged a hand down her face. "Father is a bit of a sensitive word for me, I guess."
Gaelio blinked at her. He understood about Lorian, but...was there another reason? He moved his hand off of Bay's back to give her better access.
Then, he voiced his question. "...forgive me for asking, but...why? I mean, other than the obvious, but...it sounds like there might be more to that than you've let on."
Josie closed her eyes, letting out a long breath. "...Do you remember, when you were talking about how you got your magic, and I said- I said something about the possibility of an ancestor being unfaithful?"
She rolled onto her back, still absently stroking Bay's side. "I got my wolf from my father. Except the man who raised me, the one who was married to my mother, is human."
"Oh...that makes more sense, I suppose. I think I misunderstood when you said, 'unfaithful.' I thought you meant to Connlaoth's thoughts about magic." He sighed a little, and looked to her then with a smile. "Well...what about 'dad,' then?"
He carefully slid Bay over, as gentle as possible to avoid waking him, and then finally sat up. "A change in word can cause a change in thought, right? Just think about it." He smiled again and crawled out of bed.
"Are you hungry? I can reheat the stew for breakfast."
She smiled a little sadly. "I love my father. The man my mother slept with isn't him." She sighed and curled around Bay, watching Gaelio idly.
"Stew sounds perfect, thanks."
Gaelio nodded, stretching out a bit more now that he was out of bed. He was right, too - his whole body was feeling the strain of his exertion from yesterday.
He pushed the spit, cookpot and all, back in front of the fire, removing the pots lid and setting it aside.
"Well...what about for Bay, then? And for you?"
He turned around to look at her, leaning now against the fireplace as be had the night before. "Someone you both can depend on, and someone you can work with, and someone that will love Bay as much as you do, and love you as well? I mean...well. Someone that will be there when you need someone to be there."
Josie sat up slowly. "Are you saying...I need a...mate?"
She couldn't think of another word, but even just saying "mate" made her wince and screw her face up. She huffed and patted Bay's back lightly as she felt him start to stir again.
Something clicked in her brain and her eyes widened. She stared at Gaelio for a moment in silence, lips slightly parted.
You could be misreading signals. Watch yourself. She cleared her throat. "Are you saying...someone like...you?"
Gaelio blanched, yet again. Not even five minutes, and he'd talked himself into a corner. Twice.
"Um..well...that is..."
He averted his gaze, face slowly growing hotter.
"....well...maybe someone like me...but not necessarily me..." he said very quietly, obviously very emarrased.
"Gae..."
Josie smiled and slipped off the bed, a sleepy Bay cuddled to her chest. She knelt next to Gaelio and hesitantly laid her hand on his arm.
"I'm sorry. I didn't meant to embarrass you," she murmured, her own cheeks flushed. "I just, um...I don't meet a wide range, y'know? I usually don't...think about that kind of stuff."
Still keeping his gaze away from her - he felt he still couldn't look at her without his face catching fire - he gave a tiny nod.
"Yeah...it's okay...I'm sorry I brought it up, Josie. It's...not my place to ask those sort of questions, anyway. I'm...sorry." He blinked a couple times, shook his head, and worked up the courage to look at her. Slowly, his face regained it's normal pale hue.
"So...I guess I should probably check on the box...you might want to..stand back. I don't know what will happen, and....I don't want you guys to get hurt."
Josephine bit her lip and held Bay a little tighter. "Are you sure? I- I'm sorry, but...is whatever's in that box really worth it?"
She shook her head and tightened her grip on his arm. "Please. What if you get hurt?"
Gaelio sighed a bit, and glanced to one side. "...inside that box is an amulet. It bears my family's sigil...and it's magic as well. It's the only clue I have to....why I am the way I am."
He looked back to her, and gave a small smile. "I'll take what precautions I can, but...my power is purely elemental. Just....take Bay, and go to the far side of the room."
His other hand rose to may atop hers, on his arm. His smile brightened a little. "I'll be fine. Promise."
Famous last words, if he'd ever heard any.
"Gaelio."
She sighed and squeezed is arm lightly, then got to her feet. "Alright. Just...be careful."
Clutching Bay to her chest, she moved to stand by the door, ready to run if she needed to protect her baby.
Gaelio straightened up, and moved toward the cubbard. He stood over the box, and his nose wrinkles in distaste.
Whatever it was, it was dark. Not very powerful...but dark. Very slowly, he reached out, and picked it up.
....nothing. Just the same, distasteful feeling of dark. He lifted the box the rest of the way, and moved to a spot as far away from Josie and Bay as he could find, and turned his back to them.
He undid the latch on the box, and opened it.
......
Nothing. And the crawling feeling he'd felt in his skin was suddenly gone. It was just a box...and the only magic he could feel was the stubborn kind that emanated from his amulet.
He picked it up by its silvery chain, and admired it. A beautiful, diamond-shaped sapphire, as blue as ice, set into a purple amethyst, cut in such a way that it resembles rippling water. The entire thing was framed in solid silver. He turned around, letting it dangle by its chain, showing it to her.
"Nothing. I opened it, and the magic is...just gone."
He set the box down, and walked across the room. "Here. Look at the colors. And look at my eyes. Tell me that doesn't mean something."
Josie flinched and half turned as he opened the box, trying to shield Bay as best she could.
When nothing happened for several long moments, she slowly turned around. "It's...what?" She blinked, vaguely disoriented. "I don't- nothing happened."
She blinked again and tried to focus on the amulet, then flicked her eyes to Gaelio's. "It's- I mean, it's lovely, Gae, but I don't know anything about stone magic. I know that some gems can store spells- Bay, stop that!"
The pup had been reaching for the stone, eyes wide and lips slightly parted. He started at his mother voiced, then looked at her with an expression of pure betrayal, starting to fuss in a way that made clear tears were close.
"This amulet had been in my family for generations. Long before I was born...and I'm the only one that can feel it's magic. Look -" he gently lifted it away from Bay's reach, high enough so it dangled next to his face. "Blue and purple. My parents eyes were brown and green...mine are blue and purple, at the same time, in both eyes....that means something. I know it. And one day, I'll know."
He sighed a bit, and lowered it a bit so Bay could reach it. "And it's fine. It's not like he can lose it...I always know where it is....I think I can trust you two with this...right?"
Josie sighed when Bay gave a babyish exclamation of triumph and grabbed for the amulet, cooing happily.
"Yes," she murmured. "Yes, of course you can trust us." She shrugged a bit and shook her head. "And I'm sorry I can't be more help. I don't really know anything about...traditional magic."
He smiled a little, and shook his head. "I didn't expect you to know about it. I just wanted you to know it's importance to me." He released the chain, allowing Bay to play with it as he wanted.
"And I don't think you have to worry about him hurting it, either. It's really old, but it doesn't even have a scratch on it, and I know I've done my share of dropping it..." He chuckled a little bit, and stepped back towards the fire to check the stew.
"Hey. Foods hot. Do you think Bay will want to eat, too?"
She chuckled. "I'm sure he will, he's nearly always hungry." She smiled a bit as Bay turned the amulet over in his chubby little hands. "Oh- baby, no."
She laughed and tried to pull the amulet gently away from his mouth as he tried to get his baby teeth on it.
"....you know what? Here." He stepped back to them for a moment, and pulled the amulet from her fingers, lifting it up to drop the chain around her neck.
"There. That's my trust in you." Gaelio smiled warmly before turning back to the pot to fill three bowls for them, this time cooling Bay's with a bit of frost.
"Here - sit on the bed, and I'll bring them to you."
"Oh!" Josie's eyes widened at the gesture and she gaped at him for a moment in stunned silence. She could tell how much the amulet meant to him, and she was genuinely touched. Albeit a little confused and overwhelmed.
Bay obviously had no such reservations, cooing in delight as he played with the gen around his mother's neck.
Josie finally managed to find her voice. "Are you sure?" She moved hesitantly toward the bed and perched on the edge.
"Well...yes. I trust you. And...well, it could have its uses, too. If something happens while we're travelling, and we get separated, I can find you." He shrugged a little. "Besides. Bay likes it. But this way you can stop him from eating it." This statement was followed with a grin as be brought their bowls over to them.
"After we eat, I'll take the other bear into the village and see what I can find for you, clothing wise. You'll probably still need to make Bay a shirt, if you've the material to do it, since there's no children in the village."
"Well...thank you." She cleared her throat and nodded sharply. "Yes, I think I have enough material left to make something. Some clothes of my own certainly wouldn't hurt though."
She tried for a small smile as she settled Bay on her lap and took their bowls.
Gaelio nodded, and then looked down at her bare feet. "Oh...and...hmm. I had a thought, yesterday when we were up the mountain. You need some boots...at least for appearances sake."
He blew lightly on his stew, and ate a spoonfull. After swallowing, he continued.
"I...might be able to make you something, at least for when you're travelling in this form, but maybe you'd prefer something a little more sturdy?"
"Oh...would you mind?" She smiled and shifted Bay on her lap so she could better feed him. "To be honest I don't love the cold like this." She gestured to her human form with a hand. "Boots would be appreciated."
He nodded with a smile. "Of course. Boots it is, then."
He finished his bowl, and set it on the table. Then, suddenly, he stopped as a thought occurred to him. He had one set of clothes. And she was wearing half of it.
"....well, I'll wait until you two are finished eating, before I leave. You've...still got my shirt." He gave an awkward laugh, and sat down in a chair to pull his boots on. "Coexisting will be alot easier when you've got your own clothes," he said with another chuckle, face reddening only slightly.
"Oh, right." Josephine flushed and quickly finished her food. She shifted Bay off her lap and twisted to strip out of the shirt, trying to cover herself with the sheet at the same time.
"Well. I could make that shirt for Bay while you're gone, I suppose."
He kept himself busy with his boots until she had the shirt off and was able to cover herself properly, only standing and turning to her when he was positive he wouldn't see anything he shouldn't.
He took the shirt from her with a smile, slipping it on over his head. Momentarily, he lost himself in her scent - he turned toward the door to hide the red creeping over his face again.
"Yeah, sounds like a plan. Is there anything else you might want me to ask for while I'm in the village?" As he spoke, he busied himself by strapping his broadsword over his shoulder.
She shook her head slowly. "No. No, I can't think of anything." She offered a quick smile. "Hurry back? Bay seems to like having you around."
Recognizing his name, Bay looked up and gurgled something cheerful, then turned his attention to the pendant again, grabbing for the stone.
After securely tightening the straps to the scabbard - and confident he was no longer red in the face - he turned around and walked towards them. He grinned, and laid a hand on the boys head.
"I'll most certainly try. It shouldn't take very long - I'll only be dragging the bear one way, and it's all downhill." He messed with Bay's hair for a moment, poked him in the belly, and grinned.
"Take care while I'm gone. If anyone knocks, don't answer. If it's me, I'll just yell through the door, first." He smiled down at her, and then moved to take the cloak of the hook, throwing it over his shoulders. He left the bow - he wouldn't be needing it just for a quick trip.
"I'll be back as soon as I can." He offered a smile to them before he opened the door, and then he was gone.
"Alright- be careful." She smiled and waved a bit. Bay mimicked the gesture, a wide smile spread across is little face.
Josie chuckled and moved to lay the pup on the bed so she could get up and clean their dishes, then get to work on the boy's new shirt.
Going down a much more gradual slope than that blasted mountain pass was much more manageable. In just under an hour's time, he'd pulled the sled all the way to the village, laden as it was with meat and hide, and found himself knocking on Gerad's door for the third time in as many days.
Gods, he was rarely here that much in a month, let alone a week. But, needs must....
After just a moment, the old man cracked open his door, spying Gaelio.
"...where's your...friend, boy?"
The hunter quirked a brow, and glanced back the way he'd come. "Her and her son are both at my cabin. I'm here alone....and this is probably for the last time. I've brought in half the haul of meat from those bears to trade...I need some things for us to travel with."
"...Gaelio. I never said a word, I want you to know that. But...it will probably be best if they were gone, before they were discovered. But...why are you leaving?"
"...well. They accompanied me on the hunt yesterday. When we returned, we found that someone had come for them while we were out. Someone...dangerous. So, they're leaving to avoid him. I'm going with them. I can't in good conscience let them go alone, not if they're being hunted."
Gerad's eyes crinkled. "I'll be sad to see you go, lad. What was it you needed?"
"I need clothes for the woman. Anything will do, and I'll need boots for her too. Possibly a couple blankets, just in case. Something for water. A lantern."
"That's a...steep request. But... You've helped the village immensely since you've arrived here. Let me see what I can find. Can you bring in the meat? It looks like.... Quite the bundle."
Gaelio smiled, and nodded. "Thank you for this, Gerad." He bent to lift the bundle, and ended up half dragging it instead - he'd barely been able to load it onto the sled, let alone pick it up.
In a few minutes time, Gaelio and Gerad loaded the sled with everything requested. A long, black pair of sturdy pants and thick, long sleeved tunic shirt of a slightly softer material - Gaelio's request, as he assumed anything rougher would irritate...things - and a pair of sturdy fur and leather boots. Everything else was neatly piled on the sled. But then...
"Here, boy. Don't let her clothes drag in the snow. Bundle them up with these." Gerad came forward with two thick woolen cloaks, and Gaelio noticed that one was much smaller than the other.
"Gerad, this...this isn't necessary, I was going to make-"
"Never you mind that, Gaelio. Take them. I've had them for years, and...well, the dead aren't going to use them. Give them to your friend and her child. My wife and daughter would be happy knowing something or theirs was put to use to help someone else."
He was silent for a moment. This was a kindness he couldn't have ever expected, not from anyone. Hesitantly, he took them. "Thank you, Gerad. For...for everything."
"You're welcome, boy. If you ever find yourself back here, be sure and check in with me. And take care of the girl and the boy. It's dangerous out there, son."
"Yes...I know. Thank you, Gerad. I'll be off, now. Take care."
Sewing a shirt for Bay did not take as long as Josie was expecting.
What did take up a decent amount of time was Bay changing into his wolf form, racing about the house with his trousers caught on his tail, jumping into her lap and licking at her face, playing tug-of-war with the spare fabric, and finally tiring out and collapsing across her knee, completely asleep.
Josie finally managed to get the shirt down and flopped onto her back, pulling her pup up onto her chest and stroking his fur absently. Her eyes fluttered closed and before she knew it, she was asleep.
Eventually, he made his way up the path towards the cabin. He moved slowly, trudging through the now, his mood somber. He was glad to have gotten everything he'd been able to get, even though he hadn't taken any coin.
No, what bothered him was the way Gerad had spoken to him. But, he'd taken on a responsibility bigger than simply surviving. And he'd put his all into it. Josie and Bay would be safe. He'd stay with them, at least until their well being was ensured.
Eventually, he made it to the door, a thin sheen of sweat on his brow. The haul he'd brought like was almost as heavy as the bear, and between taking it to the village, unloading and loading the sled, and pulling it all the way back, he was definitely feeling yesterday's work. Coupled with today's, he was surprised his muscles weren't going to tear out of his skin.
He stopped at the door, and noticed that it was completely quiet inside. Had they heard someone coming, and decided to remain quiet? He knew they were in there, though - he had a feeling like he was being watched, and recognized it as the pull of his amulet. He then realized that the feeling, constant as it was, hadn't moved in some time.
Gods, were they asleep? He hoped Josie would wake up when he called, like he said he would, and he wouldn't have to just let himself in. While she was very beautiful, he wasn't keen on seeing her unclothed - he didn't have any right to that.
It just wasn't right.
"Josie?" he called.
"Mmm?" Josephine yawned and blinked her eyes open. "Gae?" She sat up a bit, cradling Bay in one arm as he snuffled sleepily.
"Oh- come in!" She snatched up the sheet she'd abandoned at some point in Bay's energetic dash around the cabin and wrapped in around her shoulders. "Um, everyone's decent."
He chuckled from outside the door. Yeah, they were sleeping.
He opened the door and stepped inside, dragging the sled inside. "I come bearing gifts...literally." He grinned, and shut the door. He picked up the two cloaks, and stepped over to the bed, flattening them out and revealing the clothes.
"Gerad sends his regards...he even threw in a pair of cloaks for you two." He gave a smile, and set her clothes beside her. "I've got a belt you can use to cinch the tunic shirt in, but the pants looked small enough to fit."
Josie beamed at him and got to her feet, Bay still cradled in one arm. "Thank you," she murmured sincerely, leaning in to look at the clothes. "You've done so much for us, I don't know how we could ever repay you."
The pup blinked up at Gaelio sleepily, mismatched eyes half closed, and leaned over to try to lick his arm, whining softly.
"Well, you can thank me by trying them and on, first of all." He grinned, reaching to pet Bay. "And the boots - make sure they're a good fit. If they're too big, we can pad them, but there's not a lot I can do if they're too small. Better to know now than find out when we're trying to leave."
He glanced at her with a grin. "It'll be pretty hard to pull the sled if I have to carry you because your feet froze."
She wrinkled her nose up at him and chuckled. "Okay, okay. Turn around a moment- and take Bay."
She passed the pup into his arms and moved to put the clothes on. They weren't exactly the best fit, but they were certainly better than nothing.
"Alright, you can look." She shrugged, testing the feel of the cloak around her shoulders.
Gaelio took Bay from her, turning with him in his arms. He gently pet his fur.
Funny how easily he could switch from playing to petting as his forms changed.
When she gave the go ahead, he turned around, and smiled. "Well, I've got to say, you make men's clothes look better than any man I've seen. Here, one second."
He grabbed a belt from beside the bed, and handed Bay back to her. He moved behind her, wrapping the belt around her just at the waist. He pulled it just a little tightly, and tied it off at her side.
"There. That'll keep the shirt from billowing, save you from chills every time the wind blows. How does everything feel?"
Josie flushed slightly as she took Bay and lifted him up to press a kiss on his nose. The pup licked her chin in return, then wriggled in an effort to reach over her shoulder and lick at Gaelio's face.
"Bay, knock it off." She twisted slightly to offer Gaelio a smile. "This is great, thank you."
She paused, suddenly realizing just how close they were standing. Bay took advantage of her momentary distraction to attempt to crawl over her shoulder back into Gaelio's arms, yipping happily.
Dear Gods.
Gaelio had to take a step back to avoid her face when she turned. Any closer, and they would have collided.
He didn't even realize when Bay jumped back into his arms. He just looked at her in silence for a minute, holding him.
"Ehm...sorry...guess I....stood a bit..."
You bumbling idiot.
His face turned red, and he turned towards the sled again to distract himself.
"We...got s bunch of other stuff, too...."
Josie blinked, her own cheeks reddening. "No, it's...fine."
She blinked, then cleared her throat and gently took Bay back from him, despite his protesting whines. "Why don't you show us what else you got?" she murmured with a small smile.
He glanced back at her, noticing her redness as well. What did she have to be embarrassed about?
Inwardly, he shrugged, and he smiled before looking back to the sled. "I managed to get us an oil lantern..." He picked it up and set it beside him.
"...some blankets... Pretty thick, too..." These he lifted and set elsewhere on the sled, as they had been lying atop everything else.
"...a couple clay jars to store water..I can pull it out of the ground if I have to, but you never know...."
These he gently set on the floor beside the sled, and then he lifted a small wooden box. "...what's this, here, then? I don't remember this.."
He opened it up, and smiled. He stood and turned with it, tilting it so Josie can see inside.
"Gerad must have snuck this on when I didn't see. It's a box full of little wooden animals. For Bay to play with if I'm right." He held the box with one hand on its bottom, and pulled out a tiny wooden horse, only a couple inches tall.
"Oh..."
Josie lifted a hand to her chest. "That's- that's so sweet." Bay wriggled in her arms, trying to crane his neck so he could see into the box.
With her free hand, she gently took the wooden horse and tapped Bay's nose with it. The pup yapped excitedly and tried to lick at the toy, and she giggled quietly.
Gaelio smiled a bit, and then a realization struck him and it faltered.
The cloaks..Gerad said they had belonged to his wife and child. Those toys...they had to have been, too. Suddenly, he felt as if he hadn't thanked the old man properly.
Gaelio sighed a bit, and then unstrapped his sword. He leaned it against the wall by the door, and then went to sit on the bed. He laid back, arms folded beneath his head.
"....so, what now? I expected more work to need done, but...everything's pretty much covered other than packing the sled and leaving." He looked from the ceiling and Josie.
Dragging her attention away from Bay and the toy, Josie glanced at him, then hesitantly made her way over to perch on the edge of the bed.
"I don't really know," she murmured. "Before, it was always just...me and Bay. When we had to move on, we did." She glanced at her pup, now romping up and down the length of the bed, attacking his own tail with tiny growls. She sighed. "He's spent most of his life as a wolf, just...surviving."
Cautiously, he reached forward to lay his hand on her back, stopping just short of it for a moment as he hesitated.
Then he pressed on anyway, laying his palm flat against her. "Well...we can take our time, if we want. I won't let him hurt you or Bay."
He ran his hand slowly up, and then down again. His hand pulled away when he reached the small of her back, and he laid it over his stomach.
"....you should do what you can to give him a life. Surviving.... Isn't enough. I...I'd help you. If you wanted the help."
Josie froze at his touch, then slowly relaxed. With a sigh, she flopped back onto the bed beside him, staring up at the ceiling.
"...Thank you."
Bay suddenly yipped, then complained, "Mama, Mama!"
She sighed and sat up again. "What's wrong, baby?" She twisted to look and saw he'd knocked his new toy off the bed, around the same time he must have shifted back, so he counsels just jump down and get it.
"You don't have to thank me. Remember, I wanted to do this." He turned his head and smiled at her, and then he heard Bay speak.
... Since when did that happen? "That's...the clearest thing I've heard him say." He chuckled and sat up, then picked the box up from the bed beside him. He leaned down to set it on the floor, open for him to see the other animal figures inside.
"Plenty more where that came from. I wonder what this is...?" He picked one up, inspecting it. It was flat and long, and had a ridged back like a dragons, but with no wings. A reptilian head, mouth filled with tiny wooden teeth. Whoever made these paid very close attention to detail.
"I've never seen half of these animals before...a horse I can recognize, but...I've never seen a dragon so...flat before."
Little did he know that he was holding a crocodile figurine.
Josie shrugged, retrieving the horse before leaning over the box with curiosity, Bay safely in her lap as she absently tried to dress him with one hand.
"I don't know. I don't really recognize any animals not native to Connlaoth," she admitted with a sheepish sort of chuckle.
Gaelio nodded. "Me, either. I've seen a couple odd beasts in the tundra, but nothing like this." He set the figurine back in the box, grabbed the horse figure as well, and closed the lid. He pushed the box towards the sled with one foot, and then turned to look at Josephine. He grinned a bit, and reached to take him.
"Here, I'll hold him, you dress him. Maybe four hands will work better than two." He gave a quiet laugh as he held the boy still in his lap.
"Well, if we travel far enough, I'm sure we'll see all kinds of odd beasts. I wonder how many of them we can eat?" he said with a grin - ever the fearsome hunter.
Josie laughed and Bay squirmed, scowling and voicing his protests at being held still. She managed to wrestle him back into the clothes she'd made and sat back, playing absently with his feet while he kicked out randomly.
She smiled at Gaelio. "Enough to make it through the trip, I'd hope," she commented wryly.
"Hey, don't forget - we've still got almost a whole bear to go through before we need to worry about hunting. Even better, I can keep it cold so it doesn't spoil." He grinned a bit, and lifted one hand to tickle Bay's armpit.
"But in any case, food can be found almost everywhere, so long as you know where to look. We'll just have to figure it out as we go."
Bay's wriggling protests transformed into giggles of delight, his tiny hands gabbing for Gaelio's fingers.
Josie smiled a bit. "Yes, I suppose you're right," she murmured. Her smile whirled into a smirk. "I suppose it will be useful to have you along after all."
He held Bay there by just his thumbs and his palms as the boy grabbed his fingers, smiling down at him. Then he looked up, feigning indignance at her comment.
"Hey, now, what is that supposed to mean? It's not like I've been eating rocks, way out here in the cold." He grinned a little bit, and shrugged. "I can do more than that, you know. I remember hot summers when my mother - my Ansgar dedicated mother - would beg me to cool down the house for her."
He smirked. "So I'll remember that comment when we're traipsing through Moraki or something, and Bay and I are the only ones not drenched in sweat."
"Ah!" Josie put her hand to her heart and closed her eyes, reeling back dramatically. "You're cold threats cut me to the quick!" she mock lamented, though a smile curled at her lips.
He grinned, and while she had her eyes closed he untangled the fingers of one hand from Bay's tiny grasp.
He smiled as he extended his index finger, a small pulsating blue light at the end - not nearly enough power to hurt anything in any way at all, but more than enough to give her a chill.
"Yeah, you're going to think that, when this is the last time I cool you down." That grin widened even more. Then he poked her in the side, discharging the tiny amount of power he'd used into her flesh.
"Ah!" She squeaked and slapped at his hand. Bay burst into a fit of laughter and she glowered playfully.
"You'll teach him bad habits," she accused. Smirking, she leaned in and jabbed Gaelio's side, trying to tickle him in retaliation.
He jerked to the side, grinning and chuckling when she poked him. He was
Very
Ticklish.
Quickly, he turned to set Bay down on the bed. "You'd attack a man holding a baby? Scoundrel!" He laughed and retaliated in kind, that same hand - no magic this time - darting in quickly to poke her in the ribs.
Josie yelped and tried to dodge his hand, pointlessly as there was so little room in the bed. She growled and pounced on him, hands going for his ribs.
Delighted by all the commotion, Bay rolled onto his back with gales of laughter, clapping his hands together.
"Gah!"
He fell backwards on the bed, her falling atop him. As she tickled him, he laughed uproariously, his voice gradually giving way to high pitched giggles - the sound itself made him turn red. He didn't even know he could make that noise - he hadn't laughed this hard since he was a child.
Even as she tickled him, both of his hands reached for her sides, fingers wiggling into the soft spot just beneath her ribs.
"Ah! St-stop it!" She squeaked and wriggled, trying to find perchase so she could roll off of him, but she couldn't stop giggling.
"Oh- knock it off- ahahaha- stooooop!"
Bay was laughing almost as hard as them, and he crawled forward in an effort to join in the fray.
Finally, he stopped when he got the upper hand. No need to torture the poor woman. He grinned up at her for a moment, his hands just resting on her sides.
And then for the second time, he realized how close they were, and if he weren't already red faced from laughing so hard...
He distracted himself when Bay made his entrance, grinning up at him and reaching up to attack his ribs. "Can't believe this - I'm being attacked from both sides!"
Josie looked down at him for a moment, flushed and panting and smiling.
And then it suddenly struck her that the last time she'd been so close to a man had resulted in the boy now tackling Gaelio's chest.
She suddenly backed off, moving to the side to give them room. She forced a smile. "Don't be too rough with him now, Bay. That's our guide."
Gaelio was suddenly free of Josie's weight - he hid the instinctive disappointment by lifting Bay up, arms fully extended over his chest, and moved him through the air as if he were flying. He grinned brightly at him.
He flipped him around and laid him on his chest, the boy on his back, and resumed tickling his ribs.
"Ah, I'm no guide once we get off the mountain," he said, glancing at Josie with a small smile. "After that, we'll be figuring it out as we go - we'll have to work together."
He grinned a little, and sat up, holding Bay on one leg and bouncing his knee. "But I think we'll manage just fine together, don't you think? Just us three, and the whole world before us, eh?"
Bay's giggles were almost musical, and Josie couldn't help but smile. It was oddly comforting, to see Gaelio play with him like that.
"I suppose you're right," she murmured. Her smiled widened and she shifted a little closer to bump her shoulder against his. Her hand moved to stroke Bay's fuzzy black hair. "We can do this."
"Of course we can. There's no doubt about what we can do if we put our minds to it." He smirked at her, and just lay comfortably for a moment.
So, it was going to happen. Josie, Bay, and himself, trekking across Le'raana...to where?
He found he didn't care to know the answer to that question. The destination didn't matter - he'd travel endlessly and see the whole world if Josie had the mind to. Suddenly he was struck with a feeling of wanderlust. There was only when question left to ask.
"So....when do we leave?"
She considered that amoment, then voiced hesitantly, "As soon as we can?"
Her hand moved unconsciously to touch the pendant around her neck. "I don't trust Lorian to just...leave us with a fake-trapped box and have that be it."
Gaelio blinked, and nodded slowly. He sat up, settling Bay in his lap. "Well...we could leave today, if you wanted. All we've got left to do is pack up the sled."
He glanced around the room. "Maybe the cookware and the stuff from the bed. I'll leave the spit here, I can just make another one, I suppose."
Gaelio glanced back to her, smiling gently. "So...today? It's early yet. Or tomorrow morning, if you want one more night in a soft bed. I'll leave that decision to you, though. I can have everything ready in just a couple minutes."
Josie sighed and pulled Bay onto her lap. "The sooner the better, really," she murmured. "Here- let me make a sling or something for Bay and I can help you pack."
Gaelio gave a single nod, and stood. "Sounds like a plan...I'll start putting some of the dishes together. Bowls and such..."
He turned toward the small pile of assorted bowls and plates, stacking them together and binding them with a strip of leather. Then he moved toward his cookpot, and looked inside it.
"Still gotta clean this...I'll be right back."
He set the dishes on the table, and then unhooked the hanging pot from the spit. He carried it to the door, and then outside.
He sighed as went around the side of the house. He hated to waste food, but he had no way to store stew...so he dumped it in the snow behind the house, and then refilled it with clean snow. He used his power to condense it into ice, and willed it to circle around the inside, effectively scraping it clean.
He dumped it one more time, and stepped back in to place the dishes he'd collected inside.
"Right." She nodded and held a squirming Bay to her chest. She managed to use a few scraps of the leftover sheet material to bind the child to her chest, keeping him cradled sort of diagonally with his head near her shoulder.
The pup was not happy about this arrangement. He obviously wanted to continue playing.
"What can I do?" Josie asked once she'd managed to calm him somewhat and moved toward Gaelio to help.
"Hmm..." he mused, glancing around for a moment. His eyes landed on the bed, and he nodded towards it. "We'll need the blankets and sheets, and the pillow. We'll leave the mattress for someone else, if they stumble across this place." He looked around some more, and tilted his head as he thought.
"....I honestly can't think of anything else. Can you? You've got the only personal thing I care about, other than my sword and my bow."
She shrugged. "I don't really carry anything personal with me." She took a breath, then let it out slowly. "Alright. I'll gather up the bedding then?"
Gaelio nodded. "If you'd like. I can help you fold them if you want, they're pretty big." He set the cookpot, filled with dishes, on the sled before moving towards the bed again.
He stood on the opposite side, and grabbed two corners. "Here - grab the other end and I'll walk to you."
"You know, just because I've got a baby strapped to me doesn't mean I'm completely useless," Josie chuckled. Regardless, she took the two corners of the blanket and held them up, quieting Bay with a soft kiss to his head.
He let out a laugh as he began moving toward her. "I never said you were. I'm just trying to help, that's all...I'm just used to doing everything by myself so...not helping is just odd." He shrugged a little, and met her with his pair of corners, holding them up for her to take him.
"It'll just take a little adjustment, I suppose." He offered a small smile as he said this.
"Yeah, I know what you mean." She smiled a bit and folded up the blanket, moving to place it on the sled.
"Alright. How do we tie all this down?"
Gaelio thought for a moment, arms crossed over his chest, fingers drumming on one arm.
"Hmm...I've got that rope and hook outside that I hang meat with. It should be plenty long enough, and it may come in handy later. Give me a moment, and I'll pull it down."
He turned to step outside again, closing the door behind him as he went. The knot where the rope and hook were tied to the house was just next to the door anyway, and he merely had to untie the knot and allow the weight of the hook to pull the rope free from the pulley.
He picked the length of rope up out of the snow, cooling it over his arm and dusting the snow off of it as necessary. He then walked back inside the house.
"This should do. I just need to hook one end to the sled, like so -," he did this, putting the hook through one of the skids the sled was based on, "- and wrap it around the pile, and tie it down on the other side."
He pulled the knot tight, and then pushed on the pile of assorted supplied. It barely moved at all - it should hold firmly enough for them to get out of the mountains.
"We will need to find another form of transport for this stuff once we get out of the snow, though...a sled won't do much good over grass and stone. I suppose much of it can be carried, but it's something we'll have to think about."
Josie nodded as she watched him tie the supplies down. "I suppose we could trade the skids for wheels, yes? Like a small wagon?"
She shrugged. "I'd suggest horses, but they tend not to like my kind very much." Bay wriggled, trying to escape the sling across her chest, and she rocked absently from side to side in an effort to entertain and quiet him.
"Yes but....where to trade? South of here is Connlaoth, so we'd be forced to trade somewhere there, unless you wanted to head into the tundra...in which case, we could keep the sled anyway, but it would be just as cold."
He sighed, and sat on the bare mattress, thinking for a moment. He wasn't well known at all in Connlaoth, but one slip up could mean trouble for all three of them. Maybe.....
"The only giveaway I have is my eyes. I suppose...I could tie a cloth over my face to hide them. You're not obviously a skin changer unless you change forms, so...perhaps you could do the dealings until we cross the southern mountains."
Josie nodded slowly. "That might work. Are you sure you're okay with that?"
Gaelio glanced at her, and chuckled, the sound slightly bitter. "...No. I'm not okay with it, but what choice is there, really? If I had the choice, we wouldn't go into Connlaoth at all, but...to avoid that, we would have to follow the entire mountain range, either to the east or the west. And neither will be easy travel."
He stood again, and looked over the sled. It was long enough to accommodate wheels, he supposed. And he could likely figure out a way to modify the base of it to put in axles...
He raised his hand to his chin while he thought, planning in advance so hopefully they wouldn't have to waste time trying to figure it out later. He worked out how to remove the skids long before, so that wasn't a problem, and he could carve grooves into the base to accommodate axles...
"....it should be easy enough to convert it over, though. I think I can do that myself, actually."
He glanced at Josie again, and smiled. "Well, all that's left to do is get there and find out. Are you ready to go?"
She took a breath and forced a small smile. "Yeah. Ready as I'll ever be, I guess."
Bay made a small, complaining sound and she shushed him, stroking the top of his head and bouncing in place slightly. She smiled wryly and muttered, "To be honest, I'll be glad to get this little one out of the cold."
"Trust me - I share that sentiment. You, as well. Here." He picked up one of the two cloaks Gerad had given him for Josie and Bay, making sure to pick the larger of the two. "Wrap yourself and Bay up good. You shouldn't honestly need it for long...once we get down to the plains, it should be much more comfortable."
He held the cloak out to her, smiling a bit. "It should be plenty big enough for you to carry Bay like that, and him share in it too. Unless you'd rather I carried him, and you drag the sled behind." His lips curled into a smirk with that comment.
She snorted. "I'm sure you think you're getting the more difficult job, but trust me that is not the case," she muttered, giving her son a playful sort of glare.
As though sensing the meaning of her words, Bay responded with the biggest smile, the very picture of innocence as he cooed and reached to play with the amulet again.
He let out a laugh as he picked up the strap to the sled. "Well, if you decide to trade, be my guest. We'll see which job is more difficult once we run out of snow!" He laughed again and opened the door to the cabin, dragging the sled outside with the grating sound of wood scraping against more wood.
Once outside, pulling the sled became much easier, though he stopped. The reason for this was in part to wait for Josephine and Bay. The other part was for him to turn, looking at his cabin for what very well could be the last time.
And he honestly hoped it was the last time. There was a world before them, and he intended to see it.
Josie wrapped herself and Bay in the cloak they'd been given and pulled on a pair of gloves she found in an interior pocket.
After making sure Bay was securely bundled up, she stepped out into the snow. Her eyes softened a bit as they flicked over Gaelio and she stepped toward him cautiously. "Gae...are you sure about this?"
She laid her hand on his arm gently, brow slightly furrowed and concern plain in her normally icy eyes.
His gaze lowered from the house to look at the woman in front of him, and he smiled. He dropped the strap for a moment, and raised his hand to cover hers on his arm for a moment.
"Yes. I'm sure, and I'm glad of it." His smile widened and he let go of her hand, turning to gesture to the scenery beyond.
"Look at this, Josie. This is a whole world for us to get lost in. Something new around every bend."
When he looked at her again, he was positively grinning from ear to ear. "How could I be having second thoughts?"
She chuckled a bit and dropped her hand. "Well. I'm glad you've such an optimistic outlook," she murmured, smiling slightly.
She turned her head to look out over the mountain and took a breath. "I...suppose we'd better be going then."
"No need to be anything but optimistic." He offered a reflection of her smile, and bent to pick up the strap to the sled again.
Standing, he looked down the hill, and glanced to her when she spoke again. "Yes...let's." He gave a warm smile, and began pulling the sled down the hill.
Josie took a breath as she began following behind him. She smiled a bit and fell into step at his side, one hand stroking absently up and down Bay's back as they walked.
"I could help with the sled, a little," she offered. "Bay's pretty well secured."
Gaelio smiled, stepping to the side of the sled and slipping his grip down the length of the strap.
"Be my guest. Downhill won't be too bad, though. Not like last time." He grinned a little as they walked.
"Funny how all this stuff and one bundle of bear still isn't nearly as heavy as two bears. Here we are, moving half my house, essentially, and it's not even a strain." He turned to her with a smile.
"Hmm...hunting should be easy enough, so long as we stay out of sight of the game wardens. We could honestly see if someone would take some of the meat for some coin, too."
They'd come to the split in the path where one would turn to go to the village. Gaelio took them down the other path, down the mountains toward the corpse of evergreens he'd been using for firewood.
"I can hunt," Jo commented as she took a bit of the strap. "And a wolf hunting in the forest is far less likely to attract attention than an ice mage," she added with a soft chuckle.
"I know you can hunt," he retorted, smiling, "but can you catch enough to feed the three of us, day after day?" He chuckled a little bit, and glanced to her. "What's the biggest game you can hunt alone? And the wardens can't be everywhere...I can help."
She thought about that. "Deer," she decided eventually. "Though I suppose to keep us properly fed I'd have to go in some long hunts..."
She huffed and relented, "Alright, fine. But if you get caught by mage-hunters, Bay will be very upset with you."
Gaelio chuckled. "Well, deer would be enough. And if we work together, you can scare them my way..." He grinned a little, and glanced down at Bay. "Bay could help, too, if only by following you."
When she mentioned him getting caught by mage-hunters, he laughed. "Yeah, Bay would be upset. And meanwhile, you'd be cursing my name, having to drag all this stuff by yourself." He looked up from Bay to her, and smiled. "Don't worry. The sword is more than just for show, and I've got a trick up my sleeve that most Mordecai wouldn't expect, if it were to come to it. And...besides that, I can always make real arrows. If we can get some arrowheads, that is."
Josie sighed, but there were still worry lines around her eyes and between her eyebrows.
"Yes, yes, I suppose. I could help with the arrows, too. My father taught me how to do that when I was barely five."
She smiled down at the top of Bay's head, then chuckled quietly. "It'd do him good to practice, even just play hunting." She glanced sideways at Gaelio. "He's completely asleep, by the way."
Gaelio peeked over at him, and gave a soft smile. Be dared not touch him though, for fear of waking him.
"He's a cute kid. I bet you're proud, aren't you?" He turned that smile on her for a moment before turning back to the path ahead. He was quiet for a moment before he spoke again, the tips of his ears reddening slightly.
"He takes after you, you know. I can see it."
They entered the treeline at the base of the mountain, and Gaelio stopped them. Through the trees, he could see the plains of Connlaoth.
"There it is...Connlaoth." The word came out like it'd given him a bad taste in his mouth.
He sighed derisively, and glanced to Josie with a grim smile. "....are you ready for this?"
"I am." Jo's voice softened as she looked down at her pup with a small smile. Her cheeks colored a bit and she glanced up at Gaelio with that same small smile, though her eyes were a bit more confused.
"Um...thank you." She sighed as she looked at Bay again. "I certainly hope so..."
Her eyes flickered out over the landscape and her sigh matched his. "No." She took a breath. "Let's go."
"I'm...sorry to embarrass you. I only meant it as a compliment." He glanced at her out from the corner of his eye, smiling a little sheepishly.
After that, his gaze returned to the plains beyond, and he heaved a sigh. It was going to be a long walk. "Well, then. Here goes nothing." Gaelio put his head down, and heaved forward to get the sled moving again. It was getting harder, as the snow thinned and gradually gave way to earth and grass.
It was easier with a someone beside him though. He glanced out at her from the corner of his eye, the side of his mouth curling into a small smile.
((Should we make another thread, since we're changing locations?))
[Sure, if you wanna! ^.^]
Josie caught the sideways look and tilted her head at him. "Everything okay?"
Almost the instant the words were out of her mouth Bay started fussing, squirming in his sling and making little sounds of discomfort.
"Oh, dear." Jo sighed and started swaying from side to side. "He's probably hungry," she murmured, then sighed again. "Or he needs changed."
"Oh, no. Well, we can take care of him before we go further." He dropped his part of the strap, and stood regarding her with a smile. "And I was just thinking of how...glad I am to finally be out and about, and how much better it will be with company." He glanced around, and blinked a bit.
"Mm...should I try and start a fire and warm some water? Whether he needs cleaned, or he's hungry, we'll need it..."
She sighed and nodded. "It couldn't hurt." She bounced the fussing baby gently and kissed his brow, murmuring soothing nonsense.
He nodded, smiling a little. "I'll get right on it, then. Just hold tight a second."
He moved around the sled to untie the rope, then rummaged around the pile until he dug out the cookpot. He pulled the dishes out of it, setting them aside, and then set the pot on the ground.
He glanced around the tree line for a moment, and found a tree that looked as though it had fallen some time ago. He drew his sword, and hacked off several branches, and peeled off a good amount of the aged bark to serve as tinder.
He took one of the longer branches, and slid it's length against the sharpened edge of his sword, cutting into it and causing several large splinters to split off along the side. These he tore off, and tossed them and the bark onto a cleared spot on the ground.
He pulled a chunk of flint from a pouch at his belt, and struck it repeatedly against his hunting knife until he got several sparks to settle and remain in the dried tinder. He blew on these until he managed a small flame, and then started piling on the other branches until, a moment later, he had a cheery little blaze going.
Then, the hard part - finding water. It did seem as though some snow melt had soaked the earth before. All he had to do was pull it from the earth. He found a softened spot on the ground, sending a small vein of groundwater beneath.
The purple bands in his eyes began to flare to life as he willed the water upwards, pulling it up with a rupturing of the soft ground. As it lifted into the air, several particles of earth and rock fell from it, unaffected by his power.
Gaelio willed this large orb of water toward the cookpot, and it began spilling into the pot as if dumping from a large pitcher. Breathing hard, he then carried the pot to set it on the fire.
He sat down heavily, sweating a little. "Water usually isn't hard to move, but the earth around it is so damned heavy..."
"Hey, take it easy." Josie moved toward him, concerned. She braced her hand against his arm, her other hand supporting Bay's back. "Look, why I don't you let me do something, yeah? You stay here with Bay, I can find a stream or something so you won't have to do that again."
He chuckled a bit and shook his head. "I'm okay...I've already filled the pot anyway." He patted her hand with his free one, and then used it to wipe the sweat from his brow.
"To me... The water is weightless. But it's just pushing it through the ground that's hard. But...good to know I can do it, right? There'll always be water. But...maybe a stream would do some good next time." He smiled at her, his breathing easing a bit. "Here...let's check Bay and see what attention he needs. We can worry about anything else later."
Josie nodded and untied the sling from over her shoulder, gently lowering Bay down to the ground. The baby fussed and wriggled, brow furrowed and the small sounds he was making threatening tears.
She sighed and murmured a few soft, "Shhh"s. "Yeah, he's wet. Needs changing." She set to work with that, using a strip of fabric from the hem of her new tunic as a loincloth.
"Alright, alright," she muttered as Bay continued to fuss. "I know, baby, I know, shh..."
Gaelio blinked. "I'd you tear too much of that off, you're not going to be wearing much again. Perhaps we should see about some other cloth we can use for that." He laid backwards, ignoring the pine needles digging into his scalp.
"Well, if he's not hungry, why not give him a bath? It shouldn't take long for the water to get warm. And you can use the other cloak to dry him." He closed his eyes as he said this, resting for a little.
"I suppose I could do that." She frowned a bit. "I just worry about him catching cold..."
Now only in his little shirt and makeshift loincloth, Bay seemed to be slightly happier. She smiled and tickled his belly, making him giggle and grab for her hand.
He cracked an eye open to peak at her, the blue and purple bands just visible.
"Well, you can dry him and use my cloak to wrap him up in. I'm not cold at all." He sat up and brushed the pine needles out of his hair, then took off his cloak. "Besides, it'll be warmer the further away from the mountains we get."
"Yeah, I guess that's true. C'mere, little man."
She picked Bay up and held him tight to her chest, using her own cloak to wrap him up and keep him close, waiting for the water to warm.
After a moment, Gaelio stood to inspect the water, dipping a hand in to check the temperature. He glanced at Josie and nodded. "It should be fine for him. I'll take the pot off before it gets too hot."
He tossed his cloak onto the sled, and lifted the handle of the pot, keeping his hand well away from the flame. He hefted it up, and carried it a short distance away.
"There... Bath time for the little guy."
"Alright, up we get." She hefted Bay on her hip and moved to the water, testing the temperature with a finger before she nodded and wrestled with the boy for a moment so she could get his clothes off and get him in the water.
Bay squirmed and protested heartily, pouting and threatening to cry as she scrubbed at him gently. "Oh, you hush. This is good for you," his mother informed him briskly.
Gaelio gave a hearty chuckle and sat on the sled. "It'll be over faster if you don't fight with your mom." He grinned a little, holding his cloak on his lap for when Bay was finished being bathed.
"Hopefully we can find a remote stream somewhere down the road. I could do with a bath, too. Freezing ponds only do so much for me."
"Ugh." Josie screwed her face up. "You don't even what to know how much I need a bath. Honestly, I'm surprised you could stand sharing a bed with me." She smirked over her shoulder at him as she gathered Bay up, then stood and moved to place the boy on the cloak in his lap.
"Here." She knelt and wrapped the edges of the cloak around him, tickling his tummy as she dried him off.
Gaelio let out a good laugh. "You? Josie, I've skinned and gutted a deer and two bears since you've shown up, with nothing to scrub the blood off but snow. I'm surprised you can manage to even be around me." He let out a good chuckle at that.
"Besides, you don't smell that bad. You remind me of the trees...if not a little like wet dog." He gave a crooked grin at that, and then prepared to defend himself.
The shifter growled, eyes narrowing, but she made sure to move a now tightly bundled up Bay off his lap before she pounced, jabbing her fingers into Gaelio's ribs.
"Watch yourself," she warned playfully.
"Wha-hey!" His eyes widened as her fingers dug into his ribs, but with his hands free he was able to grab her wrist and avoid another session of torturous tickling.
All she got out of him was a chuckle, but he wasn't about to let her go and let her continue. He grinned up at her. "Heh, you know I was only kidding. But before we start wrestling around again, how about we find some real water and clean off our respective filth, huh? I bet we'll be able to travel more comfortably if we get cleaned up."
He chuckled a bit, and looked down at her hand for a moment, and then looked up with one brow raised.
"Is it safe to let you go now?"
"Hmph." Josie quirked an eyebrow at him but settled back slightly. "I make no promises," she replaying, eyes glinting playfully.
He regarded her with his brow still raised, their looks mirroring each other. After a moment of this, he let out a small laugh, and let her go.
"Well, I suppose I'll just have to take my chances, then."
Josephine snorted and pulled her hands back, then bent to scoop Bay up and tousle his still damp hair. "Come on then, let's do this quick."
Gaelio stood and nodded. "Sounds wonderful. But...I don't sense any water nearby...at least not in large enough quantities to constitute a stream or a pond." He grinned a little sheepishly.
"So we may still need to do some walking. The only serious body of water I know about is the Matron, which is....East of here. There may be a tributary splitting off of it we can use."
He glanced at her and smiled. "East is a good direction, anyway. It'll take us away from Reijh and Uthlyn. So, let's be off, unless you've a better idea." He bent to pick up the strap again, and glanced to the east.
She shrugged and shook her head. "Nah, I'm following you here."