They looked as if they’d been born from the underbrush of the forest, and perhaps, Aurin mused, they had.
They were very wary of Aurin, offering food but rarely a smile. He’d counted about ten of them when he’d first arrived but only seen a few of them since. Mostly Pax, who appeared to be the leader of their group and also the one who appeared to dislike Aurin the most.
But Cern’s smile was wide, his unlit pipe a permanent accessory to his face. “Well, this don’t look much like bed rest to me,” he said. “Though it’s good to see you upright. You just might live yet.”
“For which I have you to thank,” Salem replied, panting but smiling. “Or so I’m told.”
The others seemed to appear from out of their homes or from behind them. Aurin wasn’t sure. All ten of them were now present, every one of them male, some older, some children, each wearing the same brown and green hemp clothes. All looked to be borne from the forest itself.
They were staring at Salem as if he was a celebrity of some kind.
Aurin realised then that that was exactly what he was.
“Let me sit,” Salem said, nodding to the log benches by the fire. Aurin helped him walk over and gently lowered him to the seat.
“Are you okay?” Aurin asked him quietly.
Salem looked up at him, pale and sweating a little. “Yes, better now.” Then he patted the spot on the old log next to him. “Sit with me.”
“Of course.”
Aurin sat, and Salem quickly took his hand as the camp folk all sat around the fire, watching Salem as if Aurin wasn’t even there. There was a single log chair that looked like a throne, and Cern took his place in it, setting his walking stick down beside him. Then he took the pipe from his mouth. Pax stood beside him, but Fyn and Zaq sat on a log.
Fyn smiled at Aurin. Fyn was perhaps around Aurin’s age, with curly, unruly brown hair. He had a cherub’s face, if cherubs were inclined to be a little grubby, and he had hazel eyes. He’d been the kindest of them all to Aurin, and Aurin gave him an appreciative smile in return.
“Thank you all,” Salem said to them. “For allowing us into your home. For sharing your food with us. For giving me a place to heal and regain my strength. And for showing kindness to Aurin.”
A few spared a glance at Aurin, but their gazes quickly returned to Salem.
Salem smiled at Aurin before continuing his little speech. “It has been a long time since I last visited. A regret of mine to bear, but I’m grateful to be here now.”
“You survived a great battle against the Lusca,” one of the men said.
“Well,” Salem said. “A great battle, yes. But not for me. I was taken by her, a hostage if you will. Aurin, here, was the brave one. He stood against her. An army of one.” Salem looked at Aurin then, fondness and gratitude in his smile.
Everyone looked at Aurin then, some in disbelief—Pax clearly didn’t believe it—but others stared in shock.
Aurin felt himself blush under their scrutiny. “Until the others arrived, that is,” he said. “I was no match for her alone.”
“Ah, modest and brave,” Salem said, grinning at Aurin now. He was being so openly smitten with him in front of others, and Aurin wasn’t used to it at all, especially in his human form. He wasn’t sure what to do with the public affection or with the overflow of warmth and butterflies it gave him. He was sure he was blushing, but he was too giddy to care.
“I believe this calls for an added celebration tonight,” Cern declared. “A feast for the coming winter and now for our guests also.” Then his gaze fell to Salem, and he gave a nod just as the breeze picked up, rustling the trees around them. “The mountain agrees. It too is glad to see you still with us, my old friend.”
“We would be honoured to be your guests tonight,” Salem replied. “Though I would honour you more if I were to find a bath first.”
Cern laughed. “Ah, the smell.”
A small boy ran up, his brown eyes wide with excitement. “Salem, can you morph for us? I want to see! I want to see!”
Another boy joined him. “How many things can you morph into?”
“Ah, boys, enough,” one of the older men said, ushering them away. “Leave him be.”
Salem waved away the man’s concern. “It’s fine. Being curious is also a trait of mine,” he said, winking at the boys. “I am not well enough to morph yet. But I promise before I leave, I’ll show you.”
They jumped excitedly. Then one of the boys stopped and stared at Aurin. “You can change too?”
Aurin felt every pair of eyes on him. “I can, yes. Not like Salem. He’s way better at it than me.”
