Page 17 of Heart of the Mountain King

"Could Sten learn to listen somewhere dry and out of the rain?" Sten pleaded with those wide eyes.

"Sten come," Rask replied, finding himself unable to resist. "Rask's home not far."

"C'mon Messy," Sten said to the pup who'd wandered over to water the base of the pine, and was busy kicking old needles over its roots. "Let's go see this cave of Rask's, eh?"

He scooped the pup up, depositing her in a satchel slung across Sten's chest to hang at his hip, the tips of her ears just barely cresting the bag's mouth.

"Suppose we should crack on then?" Sten asked brightly, gesturing vaguely up the moonlit slopes of the mountain. Rask took the hint, already preparing to measure his pace against the little human's as Sten continued to talk. He enjoyed the sound of the man's voice more than he would've expected, a welcome revival after the past few weeks with only his goats for company again.

"So, what've — "

Sten's hand came down hard on Rask's shoulder, the bergsrå twisting sharply to catch him as Sten fell, Messy's sharp yelp as they lurched together adding to the confusion. He hissed while Rask righted him, favoring his right leg as he quickly checked on the pup.

"Sorry," Sten told them both sheepishly. "I uh… I may have hurt my ankle worse than I realized."

He was shivering too, Rask saw; the thin summer cloak Sten wore proving not nearly sturdy enough for the evening chill that lingered far later in the mountains.

"Sten must take more care," Rask muttered, reaching for the smooth metal of his cloak pin. He didn't meet the little human's curious gaze as Rask slung his cloak around Sten's shoulders, fastening it in place. "Rask not need Sten's mother coming up mountain after Rask, too."

"Yes, well… " Eyes locked on Rask's now bared chest and shoulders, Sten's hand made a furtive movement, smoothing over the weatherproof wool. "Uh, then just… tell me you've got a fire and somewhere to dump the water out of my boots, and we, uh — we needn't worry."

Unable to suppress the small hum of pleasure that escaped his throat at seeing Sten pull the bergsrå's body-warmed cloak tighter around his smaller frame, Rask nodded, turning it into affirmation as he swiftly scooped Sten up in his arms.

"Oh. I uh… I forget how strong you are," Sten said softly as Rask set out, the human’s voice husky and tight.

He was fussing with the edges of Rask's cloak; twisting his fingers in the thick goat’s wool, tugging it tighter around himself, then twitching it open as if too warm.

Making an irritated noise, Messy wriggled precariously in her sling. Thankfully, Sten pulled it and her quickly into his lap before she tried leaping to the ground. Rask did not relish the idea of trying to chase the pup down while carrying an injured human.

They were fragile enough as it was.

"There!” Sten said to the pup after he’d arranged her a small pocket of cloak, nestled between the men's chests. "Nice and cozy, eh?"

From somewhere beneath the layers came a satisfied yap, and then a long, whining yawn, prompting Sten to flash Rask a soft grin.

"You'd tell me if I was too heavy for you, right?"

"Sten little," Rask assured him as his feet ate up the slope leading to his cave. "Easy to carry."

Sten laughed, though it was oddly strained. "Pretty sure you're the only one who'd say that.”

“Sten not wish Rask carry Sten home?” Rask asked, uncertain how he'd get the injured human back to his cave otherwise without causing further damage.

“No, no,” Sten replied, his voice was even higher now. “You, uh… you can carry me. Please. And, um…thank you?”

Rask hummed in place of an answer, thoroughly confused.

"So how did you know where to find me?" he asked as Rask carefully picked their way through the forest.

"Mountain say Sten coming," Rask explained, weaving around a fallen log. "Morning, noon, evening — no Sten. Rask thought Sten turned back, maybe change mind, go home. Then mountain say Sten hurt. Rask come look; make sure little human not varg food."

"You can speak to the mountain?" Sten asked, tipping his head just in time for a fat droplet of water to splash onto his cheek and slide down to his chin until he wiped it away.

"Mountain speak," Rask corrected. "Rask listen. All part of Song."

"Oh, yes… you uh, you've said that," Sten replied tiredly, leaning his temple against Rask's chest so that his beard tickled where it brushed over bare skin. "Didn't realize that included rock and stone."

"All — "