I’m gonna help her! (ch4)

Warning: some blood, fighting, dogs fighting people (no animals are harmed)

(please let me know if any other warnings should be included)

Synopsis: Young Cas'cerra is visiting another tribe with his aunt and the dogs when he comes upon a girl in trouble(Madga). After fighting off her assailants he feels a connection with her and can't help but see that she's safe.

─── · 。ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ────── · 。ﾟ☆: .☽ . :☆ﾟ. ───

Su’bee adjusted her delicate paw, accidentally shifting Cas’ wool hat down over his face. He sputtered and laughed. He tugged his arm free from under the puppies—Co’rae and O’a—and adjusted his hat to cover his ears. O’a rolled onto her other side on top of his shoulder, and as a result Co’rae snuggled closer to O’a.

Cas smiled, raising his head as best he could from the centre of the dog pile.

He paused. He went through the names of each one and fell short. He squirmed, freeing his shoulders. The sleepy pups barely protested. On the ground they curled up to each other, seeking warm again. Az’ree raised his slim black and white head from Cas’ chest. He stared at Cas with half-lidded brown eyes.

Cas raised his brows and looked around. He made a little inquisitive noise at the back of his throat.

Az’ree huffed and turned his long snout toward the right side of the large roundhouse. Then he shifted and lowered his fuzzy head next to one of the pups. Cas rubbed his back in thanks before freeing his hips and legs.

He carefully rose to his feet and stepped over a thinned section of the pile. Oi’ua raised her great head. He smiled and ran his hand over the smooth fur between her floppy ears. The rest of her was white, brown, and fluffier than Az’ree. Comforted, she lowered her head but didn’t close her dark eyes.

He turned away and searched the crowd. Word of visitors from Coo’noam had attracted many curious eyes and ears. Some Reygo people were still arriving, allowing in a bit of cold, crisp air each time they entered.

Cas walked around the collection of mostly adults and children. He smiled whenever a set of eyes met his. Some were curious. Most ignored him. One father warily stepped to the side a little to keep his leg between his son and Cas. Cas still smiled at them, barely interested or hurt as his gaze returned to the ground.

“Crae?” he whispered. Voices murmured around him. Somewhere toward the centre of the house he could hear his aunt and someone speaking. Fires crackled and feet quietly shifted. “Crae? Crae’caw?”

He made a soft clicking noise with his tongue. A skirt whirled and he looked up. An elderly woman stared at him, affronted at the noises he was making. He straightened and smiled again. He rounded the elder’s shoulder with a sniff but the woman tensed and spun to face him.

He respectfully stepped back and asked, “Have you seen an elder with brown fur and a white snout?”

The woman blinked. Her frown deepened and in a gruff voice she said, “Did no one ever teach you to introduce yourself before speaking? And what do you mean by ‘snout’?”

His eyes lit up. “Oh! I’m sorry. I’m Cas’cerra, son of Nia’vo.”

The elder ran her eyes over him. “Lazy dog,” she grumbled as she turned away.

When the woman didn’t speak again Cas continued his search. He weaved through the crowd, not noticing the occasional glance his way. Eventually he spotted a dark brown tail laying on the ground. It was a little too close to someone’s foot for his liking. He squeezed through the crowd until he could crouch next to the dog it was attached to.

He went to his knees and put a hand on her back. Crae’caw glanced at him. Her long tail thumped once before curling in closer to her body.

He gently reminded her, “You’re supposed to be with us, Crae.”

Her tail thumped again. She lowered her head and returned to watching her favourite human speak.

Cas ran his hand through Crae’caw’s fur as he looked up. His aunt Ns’ere stood between two others of their tribe. Slim and freckled face, Aer’eece stood a step back, his bag full of healing items. As’een also kept back but held her spear in a firm grip. Her thick nose wrinkled as she sniffed, likely not paying much attention to the words of the conversation. The warrior dogs See’nie and Oc’wa stood calm and alert next to them, not cowed or bothered by a third dog. Sensing the tension in the air, the dog’s ears were slicked back and the fur on her haunches had risen. She was ready to protect the Reygo chief at any moment.

Chief Greggree looked down at the three people kneeling between him and Ns’ere. He crossed his arms. They were as thick as a dog’s head and stained with black artistic images of a hammer, sparks, and the vague shape of a strong woman. The ends of his long forked beard and moustache had been tucked into his belt.

Ns’ere didn’t seem bothered by the mountain of a man. She too was stained but by healing marks, which were currently covered by her wool skirt and layers of tunics.

Greggree looked up. “I see,” he said.

Ns’ere smiled. “Good. I would hate to lose friends over something this silly.”

One of the men on the ground sputtered. “Silly?!” His eyes shot up. “Chief Greggree, that- that dog killed one of my fighters! Our fighters. I don’t see how it matters if-”

Greggree’s eyes, as blue as what Cas imagined the sky had once been, silenced the man with a hard glare. The man obediently lowered his gaze with a scowl.

Greggree’s eyes returned to Cas’ aunt. His hand rose up and thoughtfully stroked his moustache, pulling a few curly strands free of the belt as he did. Ns’ere simply waited with a polite smile, although Cas could recognize a sharpness in her gaze like that of a dog ready for a game of chase. He shook his head with a smile as he scratched just behind Crae’caw’s ear.

The fire at the centre of the great roundhouse crackled and gently hummed. A thin veil of smoke drifted through the air but most of it rose to the ceiling and out through a hole. Some mutterings went with it but most were quiet, listening for the chief’s response.

Greggree glanced over his shoulder to another of the Coo’noam. Although she was dressed more like one of the Reygo, complete with a sword on her hip, she stood as relaxed as Cas, Ns’ere, and the others. She raised an disinterested, scarred brow.

Greggree turned back to Cas’ aunt and nodded to himself.

He lowered his head but kept his arms crossed. In a deep voice, he said, “Some people don’t understand your way of doing thing’s, dogs. Forgive them. If you need recompense then I’ll gladly take it on myself.”

The three accused rose on their knees.

“What?!”

“Chief, no!”

“Shut up,” he snapped roughly. They stopped but didn’t look happy about it.

He went on, “We already have Suuroo and Wrysal breathing down our necks—I refuse to add Coo’noam to that count. Or are you interested in taking on an entire tribe of the likes of her?” He thumbed over his shoulder. The Coo’noam warrior didn’t blink.

The three shifted uncomfortably.

“The… entire tribe?” one of them asked in disbelief and awe.

More whispers spread through the crowd. Cas could hear mentions of how someone had heard from so-and-so that the Coo’noam were terrifying fighters. More pushed back, bolstering the common belief that his tribe were lazy. Cas only smiled at the lie.

A man stepped forward out of the crowd. He scowled. “Respectfully, Chief Greggree, are we really going to let them walk away?”

A woman next to him nodded. Her eyes were red-rimmed. “We should return what they’ve given!”

A sizeable number agreed with her. Cas glanced toward the area where he had left the dogs. He hoped they were okay.

Greggree growled deep in his throat. Cas’ head snapped around to look at him.

“Listen to me,” he said in his booming voice and his tribe quieted. He again gestured to the Coo’noam warrior behind him. “Dogs like Roo’oo don’t care about tribal boarders, just like druids, and as far as her own tribe is concerned she’s one of us. Which means in this case the dog that killed Agyu was from EreTaam. Going to Coo’noam to seek revenge was a stupid decision,” he finished bluntly.

“Which brings about a good question,” his wife said. Her skin was as pale as the snow, and her glare just as cold. She was a tall as her husband and as thick in her belly. Her great green dress presented her as a wall that could not be ignored. “What were you doing so close to EreTaam in the first place?”

Greggree nodded. The torc of twisted iron around his thick throat glinted dull sparks in the firelight.

The men and woman swallowed. They glanced at each other again before lowering their eyes.

“We were… we were…,” the woman stuttered.

Greggree remained silent, waiting for an answer.

“We were testing their boarders,” she finished in a rush.

“Why?” Greggree demanded.

One of the men said, “I overheard an EreTaam trader talk about her disgust of the Gwae and-”

“And so you decided to act without your chief’s permission?” Greggree’s wife said.

“Ye… yes.” The man lowered his head. “I’m sorry.”

“While we are on friendlier terms with the Gwae it wouldn’t do to attack EreTaam,” she said. Her voice was as loud as her husband’s. “We still have some trade with them, after all.”

Greggree nodded. “They know their forests—any forest—better than we do. There’s no sense in starting a war against them.” He glared over the top of his moustache at the three on the ground.

He looked away and grumbled something quietly to himself.

Then he turned to Ns’ere. “What do you want in return for the attack on your tribe?”

Ns’ere waved a pale hand and laughed. “Oh it was hardly an attack. They didn’t do much.” The three on the ground bristled but wisely kept quiet. “Hmm… what about a drink and a hot meal? I do so love a good cup of mead; it’s rare back at home.”

Greggree raised a brow.

Still smiling, Ns’ere tilted her head in question. Her smile slowly fell. Cas frowned.

“Something wrong?” Ns’ere asked, confused.

Greggree looked at his wife, who quickly smoothed over her shock. “Forgive us. We thought you might want… more, than what any guest would receive.”

Cas hesitated. His hand opened and closed. He wondered if a hug would be too much for his aunt to ask of someone from Reygo.

Ns’ere laughed in realization. “Oh! No, just the food is fine. No need to cut open a vein.”

The three kneeling relaxed. The crowd seemed to breath easier as well and Cas glanced at them in surprise. It was as he was told: other tribes wanted blood in exchange for a wrongdoing.

Greggree cleared his throat. “Good.” He raised his voice and it boomed through the roundhouse. “Bring out our best mead! Get the cook fires roaring! We have guests!”

His wife said to Ns’ere, “Please, choose any beds you desire.”

Ns’ere beamed. “Thank you.”

The crowd slowly dispersed and Crae’caw rose to her feet with a groan. Cas stood and followed her to his aunt. As’een and Aer’eece left to claim beds along the walls for their group.

Ns’ere spotted Cas and Crae’caw and she clicked her tongue. She grinned and shook her head at them at having left the other dogs alone.

Cas dipped his head and a shy smile tugged at his lips.

Ns’ere chuckled and ruffled his hat, making a mess of the hair underneath. Once her hand lifted Cas reached up to right his hat but got a shock, as though a spark of fire had bitten him.

Ns’ere laughed. “Well, go on. Take the dogs out to relive themselves before we eat.” She looked at him meaningfully and added a quiet growl to back up her point: do not leave the dogs alone again.

Cas nodded. Ns’ere reached out to pinch at his side but he jumped away with a yelp. He laughed as he ran back to the dogs with Crae’caw, and the bigger dogs See’nie and Oc’wa trotting behind him.

He gathered the dogs and pups. Once outside the cold nipped at his cheeks. He adjusted his hat again and pulled up his white wool scarf. He slipped on his mitts and set out.

The chief’s great roundhouse stood at the top of the hill. Just outside the tribe’s central fire happily rose thin and tall into the sky. Cas walked around, following the paths of well-trodden snow. Torches stood outside of each house and crackled as though greeting anyone who wanted to enter. However few people were out in such cold.

The dogs trotted around him. The pups paused to sniff at a house, but once they realized no one had stopped they hurried to catch up. Cas giggled when Co’rae tripped over her large feet. She picked herself up and kept going, her tail wagging at the sound of his laughter.

The group of dogs earned them a look from a passerby. Cas smiled and waved with one of his big mitts and they dumbly lifted a mitt in return. He chuckled.

He led their way down the gentle slope, where they left behind the quiet of the hilltop and began through a piece of the first surrounding circle. The sounds of delicate clinking and harsh clanging escaped from buildings here and there. Oi’ua’s big floppy ears perked at the particularly loud sound of a hammer hitting iron. Az’ree’s tail fell low and his steps quickened. Cas hummed comforting sounds to soothe him.

Less snow had built up on the rooftops here. The enveloping heat from the buildings and homes of metalshapers kept the snow thin. A triumphant shout escaped through the door of one such place and a woman stepped out with a sword. She held it aloft by the handle, lifting the sharp blade to catch and reflect the moonlight.

Cas’ eyes widened. The blade shone nearly as bright as flame, and was both smooth and sharp like puppy-teeth. But unlike teeth the sword was completely for fighting, not eating. Despite its singular calling, Cas breathed in awe at the shining piece of art that the woman proudly waved around in the cold.

The metalshaper shivered. With a bright grin she lowered the blade and returned inside.

Something bumped Cas’ leg and he looked down. Crae’caw stared up at him expectantly and he patted her neck without thinking. He blinked and looked ahead. The pups were wrestling while the others were watching him. Az’ree had gone farther ahead to escape the clanging sounds.

Cas grunted in apology and jogged to catch up.

They passed through another circle with no metalshapers, and then another. After it the forest rose to meet them. There were many more bare, gnarled and twisting branches of sleeping trees than in Coo’noam. They far outnumbered the evergreens and allowed a little more of the gentle moonlight to touch the ground.

The odd snowflake quietly sparkled as the crisp, cold snow crunched beneath his boots. Humans were keeping warm in their homes while animals did much the same, sleeping in their dens or having left for warmer weather elsewhere. The forest was silent.

Cas’ steps slowed out of sight of the tribe. He looked around a bit until he found a spot and quickly relieved himself, covering up again before the cold could freeze him. He washed his hands in clean snow and replaced his mitts; it was the best he could do until he could access soap and water. The dogs took a bit longer. They sniffed different trees and bushes, but before too long each had found their desired spot. Cas kept an eye on them and the forest, listening for trouble while the pack were vulnerable.

Su’bee’s pointed black ears twitched and her head shot up. Cas immediately followed her line of sight. He held his breath, straining to listen as he searched the dark.

The sounds of rustling clothes met his ears. Then snow crunched underfoot and a terrified shout cut through the air.

He rushed forward at the same time as the muscular Oc’wa and See’nie. Su’bee followed and the rest came after. The bigger dogs quickly overtook him until the pups were the only ones still by his side. He kept an eye on them as he ran through the dark of the forest and the slices of moonlight.

He burst in on a group of men and women in chaos. They shouted at each other and the barking dogs. One thrust her spear forward and See’nie snarled, the fur raised high on her broad back.

Cas growled.

Someone whimpered. He glanced back to find a girl sitting on the snow with a spear held tight in her arms, as though she were seeking comfort from it. Her wide grey eyes flickered from the dogs to him and then to the attackers.

O’a and Co’rae whimpered. Cas’ head whipped around, thankful to find that the pups were huddled together in safety in the bushes. He quickly inspected the other dogs and relaxed a little in relief to find no one had been hurt.

“Kid!” a man snarled. “Control your dogs!

Cas bared his teeth and growled as low as he could. The dogs gave him space as he neared the men and women.

“What the…?” a woman said. Her long blond hair peeked out from under her hood. Cas’ eyes flickered to it in surprise.

“…what are you doing?” the first man asked, befuddled. He shook his head and his voice turned a little softer. “It doesn’t matter. Look, we just want the girl. This doesn’t have to be your problem.”

There was an inhale and Cas glanced over his shoulder. The girl’s eyes flickered to him, flooded with doubt and fear.

He turned and growled again at the Suuroo warriors. Without looking away he waved the dogs back. They knew to step away, leaving only See’nie and Oc’wa with him. Their thick snouts wrinkled and spit dripped from their mouths. Warnings rumbled low in their big chests.

One woman scoffed. She and a man stepped forward and Cas mimicked them.

The man shoved his spear at Oc’wa and in return the dogs barked and snarled. Another man joined the first, shouting and fighting to keep the them back. See’nie snapped at his spear and locked her jaw around it. She shook her mighty head and the wood splintered. The man shouted and fought to take back control of his weapon. The other man danced back and forth, yelping every time the slimmer Oc’wa nipped at his heels.

The woman stabbed her spear at Cas. He ducked under it and punched at the centre of her chest. She couched and protectively curled in on herself. Cas took the opportunity to back away, fists raised.

The woman glared at him as she rubbed her chest, before once again brandishing the spear. He growled. Her lips twitched up as though she were about to do the same.

She jabbed and he jumped out of the way. The snow and layers of clothes made the fight harder but Cas was younger and quicker. He dodged her attacks and tried to return a few punches but she held them off.

Finally he tossed his mitts at her face. She batted them away with her spear but he used the distraction to jump on her. She shrieked in surprise and then pain as Cas wrapped his legs around her and clawed at her face. His nails dug white lines across her cheeks. He reached under her hat, grabbed her hair close to her scalp and pulled, giving him a better angle to bite her crooked nose.

She screamed and Cas jumped off as she fell. He back away, his breath quickly fogging in the air. Flecks of blood dripped from his mouth and fell to the snow.

The warrior cursed loudly and held her nose.

The second woman swore. “It’s a dog!” She raised the end of her spear at him in shock as she retreated.

The other Suuroo had stopped fighting the moment Cas began clawing at his opponent. They stared at him, horrified. See’nie and Oc’wa watched the humans carefully.

A man’s spear began shaking. “I-I thought they were just pu-push-overs?”

The second woman shook her head. “I’m not doing this. One Gwae is not worth it!” She spun and ran into the darkness of the trees.

The rest exchanged looks while quick breaths of fog escaped from each of them. Cas’ gaze travelled from one to the next, focusing on the slightest movement.

He started instinctively as they turned and bolted. The first woman swung her spear behind them to ward off the dogs but Cas whistled and they stepped back, allowing the Suuroo to escape.

Cas and the dogs waited and listened to their retreating sounds. Once he was sure they were gone he took a couple of long, deep breaths.

Something moved and he spun. The girl froze halfway to her feet. Seeing is was just her, the tension in his shoulders loosened. He breathed out and the girl fell back onto the snow.

He glanced at the dogs and pups as they slowly returned. Once he was satisfied that no one had been hurt, and that the frightened dogs were being cared for by the others, he stepped closer to the girl.

He tilted his head and made a quiet sound. She glanced but didn’t respond, although he thought he heard a slight whimper.

He grunted in realization, remembering that he had to vocalize his intentions.

He said aloud, “They’re gone now. Are you alright?”

She sniffed. He saw her hands tremble on the spear and he carefully lowered himself to kneel on the ground. Startled by his movement her eyes flashed to him. She opened her mouth but Oi’ua stepped forward and forced herself on her lap. She tensed and inhaled in surprise, but the bear of a dog only lowered her big paws and then her head. She quietly huffed and closed her eyes.

The girl stared. Cas watched and waited patiently, although the cold was turning his hands pink. On his lap he curled his fingers in until they were shielded inside his sleeves.

The girl slowly lowered her mitted hand. The other loosely held the spear, now jammed between her and Oi’ua.

She paused. Her flicked up to Cas.

He smiled. When she didn’t say speak his smile slowly faded in confusion.

His brows rose in sudden understanding. “I’m sorry.” He quickly licked and wiped his lips, hoping to get rid of most of the blood.

Her lips twitched and his smile returned.

“It’s… thank you.” Her voice was soft and quiet. “Can I pet your dog?”

He stared, blinking. “My…? Oh. Oh, no Oi’ua isn’t mine.” He smiled again. “She wants you to pet her.”

She sniffed again but this time a small smile spread across her lips. Her grey eyes drifted to Oi’ua and she began petting her.

His chest warmed at seeing her take comfort in Oi’ua. He watched until a black curl of hair grabbed his attention. It had fallen from under her wool hat and reminded him of what the Suuroo had said.

A crease formed between his brows. He softly asked, “Were they after you because you’re Gwae?”

Her hand paused as she glanced up at him. He waited and tilted his head with a small noise.

She bit her lower lip. Oi’ua opened her eyes and gazed up at her. The other dogs came near but not too close. They picked spots on the snow, curling up into another dog pile to keep warm while they waited for Cas.

The girl ran her hand along Oi’ua’s head again. Oi’ua closed her eyes and shifted her rear legs into a more comfortable position.

“…I think so,” the girl whispered, sure in her words. “The Suuroo don’t like… us anymore.”

Cas opened his mouth to ask why but closed it again. The girl glanced up at him, like a dog who had been hurt and was closely watching every movement.

He hummed and shuffled forward. “Well, you’re safe now. They’re gone.”

She hesitated. He smiled as he crossed his legs.

“Tha-thank you,” she said.

He nodded.

They sat for a little while longer. The dogs shifted once, and the moon had taken a step across the sky by the time Cas’ feet and fingers were becoming worryingly cold.

He grunted. The girl looked at him and he raised a hand in peace, smiling again. He went to rise to his feet but they gave out from under him. The girl gasped and jumped forward. Oi’ua scrambled out from between them and the girl caught him.

Cas grunted and grabbed her shoulders. He made a noise, then remembered himself again and said, “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Are you okay?”

He hummed and grinned. “Just my legs. They need to wake up.”

“Oh- okay.”

She helped him to sit with his legs across the snow. Together they worked to rub them until he could feel again.

His teeth clenched. He caught her look of worry and he laughed awkwardly. “I hate this feeling.”

“Me too. …its like nine-hundred needles.”

He laughed again. “It is! Or like puppy teeth!”

A laugh escaped her and he beamed. Her spear had been put aside and her hand no longer trembled. She didn’t spook when a dog moved.

“Do you want to come back with us?” he asked.

Her smile fell on her pale face. “Go back?”

“To Reygo. We’re visiting and its nice and warm in the chief’s house.”

Her eyes glanced to the forest in the direction of the tribe. “No, no. I’m… I’m going somewhere else. I-I don’t think I should stay at the chief’s.”

His brows turned up. “Why?”

“I um… I-I should go.” She rose to her feet and he followed.

“But shouldn’t you rest?”

She bent to pick up her spear. On her back her wool bag was dusted in snow.

He walked over and brushed it off. She jumped and he winced at his mistake, but when she didn’t protest he kept going.

Once it was clean he stepped back. “Those Suuroo were scary. If you don’t want to be a guest maybe you could come rest by the fire.”

She hesitated, worrying her lip between her teeth again. Oi’ua glanced up at her. Co’rae pawed the ground at her feet.

She swallowed. “Okay.”

He dashed to grab his mitts and pulled them on.

He happily led them into Reygo. Once again Az’ree trotted ahead to avoid the sounds of the metalshapers. The girl looked at him in confusion and Cas pointed to his ears and then toward the clanging sounds. Understanding flashed across her face, which was quickly replaced with concern for Az’ree. Seeing it, warmth spread through Cas’ chest and fingers.

The noise of a yawn distracted him. Behind them O’a’s footsteps were sluggish and her head hung low. Su’bee bent to pick her up by the scruff, Cas turned and took the tired pup instead. He held her close against his chest, and then searched for Co’rae before picking her up too. He stepped closer to the girl and invited her to take a puppy.

She glanced wide-eyed at them. A small breeze blew her lock of hair around.

“Are you sure?”

He nodded. His smile grew as she fumbled with her spear. She fiddled with it, trying to figure out how to hold both, but soon enough she figured it out and held both the spear and the grey and white Co’rae in her arms. Once she was settled they continued up the slopes.

Cas watched her expression soften bit by bit as she looked over the puppy. Co’rae suddenly shifted in her arms and she inhaled, but Co’rae only sought to get more comfortable. Once she relaxed again the corners of the girl’s mouth lifted upward.

Cas’ cheeks hurt from smiling.

As they neared the fire he jogged ahead and spun next to it.

Waving his free arm, he said, “Sit here, I’ll be right back!”

He turned, made it a few steps, then spun again and jogged back to her. With an apologetic smile he took Co’rae from her arms and cradled both pups against his chest.

Inside the roundhouse were far less people than before. A few guests were sleeping while others ate and spoke quietly. They glanced at him as he ran in.

He spotted his aunt and the others by the beds.

Ns’ere raised a brow as he dashed toward them. She had removed her cloak and thick outer tunic.

“There’s someone outside,” he said, panting with excitement. He set the pups down on a bed as carefully as he could and ran back the way he came. “I’m gonna help her!”

Ns’ere raised her cup. “Of course!” she praised him with rosy cheeks and a big grin. “Let us know if you need us!”

“I will!” he called back as he ran out the door.

He only made it a couple of steps outside before digging his heels into the packed snow. Giggling at himself, he returned inside and sought out the food, cleaning his hands first with soap and warm water at one of the wash bowls.

At first bewildered, Ns’ere and the others laughed.

“Would she like to come in?” Aer’eece kindly asked.

Cas quickly dried his hands and shook his head. He gathered up two metal bowls and wooden cups. “She doesn’t want to come in, so I’m bringing her food.”

“Good boy,” Ns’ere said. “Here, take this blanket to her.”

He made a grateful noise and accepted it. He folded it tight and briefly placed it on a bed while he left to fill the bowls. The cook scooped a heaping ladle of stew into each. The thick and hearty mixture of hazelnuts, root vegetables, and boar meat had soaked up the water.

Cas looked to the side and grunted.

The cook frowned in confusion.

Cas asked, “Spoons, please?”

The woman handed him two metal spoons. He made a pleased noise and nodded in thanks.

He turned to leave, but she asked, “Ah, wait, child. Where are you eating that?”

“Outside.”

She nodded and held out her hand. “Right. Here. You get wooden spoons instead or you’ll freeze your mouth to the metal.”

His eyes widened and he quickly swapped them.

Moments later he stepped outside again, this time fully making his way to the girl. She had sat by the fire, encircled by Oi’ua and Oc’wa. The light from the fire danced across them as she ran a mitted hand along Oc’wa’s fur.

The girl looked up as he approached.

He said, “They made stew—it smells really good! And my Sunt Ns’ere grabbed this blanket for you.” He moved the bowls to the snow and passed her the wool blanket. Together they unfurled it and laid it across her lap. Then Cas handed her one of the bowls with a spoon.

Without another word he got up and left again for the house, missing her look of surprise and sadness.

Another moment and he returned with the two wooden cups. There were filled with a warm mead and water mixture. He offered one to her. She stared at him and he tilted his head in question.

She inhaled and quickly accepted the cup. Cas smiled and picked up his bowl, juggling both it and his cup as he sat down on the snow next to her. He held the cup between his legs and dug into the food. The stew instantly warmed his mouth and worked its way down throat, into his belly where it sat comfortably.

The girl began slow, but soon picked up the pace and finished not long after him.

Cas removed his mitts and wrapped his hands around the still warm cup. The heat seeped into his palms and fingers like a welcome-home hug. He sipped at the mead, comfortable in the silence of the crackling fire and a new friend.

The girl shifted once, then a second time. He glanced at her. She held her cup in her hands without giving it much attention. Her eyes darted to anyone who passed by. She relaxed when they disappeared into a building, but would tense up again when someone else came out.

Cas made a noise and her eyes flickered to him. He tried a comforting hum but she didn’t react.

Out loud, he said, “It’s okay, you’re safe here.” He looked to the side in thought. “I think Reygo and Gwae like each other.”

After a pause, she nodded. Her eyes drifted downward and Cas nearly whimpered at the sadness there. “They… they used to be good friends. Then…” she inhaled shakily.

He waited. He lifted his hand but stopped himself and returned it to the cup.

She shook her head. “They weren’t friends for a long while, but they’re friends again now.”

“That’s good. Even if they weren’t I’d protect you.”

Her eyes shot up to him. He smiled.

Her expression wavered. “Why?” she asked softly.

His eyebrows furrowed as he pondered her words.

Eventually, he said, “I don’t understand.”

She frowned. “Why would you help me?”

“Because you’re my friend.”

Her mouth opened and closed. “But-but you don’t even know my name. This isn’t your tribe—I’m not your guest!”

He shrugged. “That’s okay. What’s your name?”

She stared at him for a long moment.

Weakly, she said, “…Madga. It’s Madga.”

“Hi, Madga,” he said with a bright smile. He pointed at the dogs around her. “That’s Oi’ua and that’s Oc’wa. And I’m-”

“I think I should go.”

“Whuh-what?” He jumped to his feet with her. The dogs looked up at their sudden movements and stood.

The girl swallowed. She firmly returned the bowl and cup. “I’m sorry for bothering you.” She glanced at someone passing by. Her breath stuttered in her chest. “I shouldn’t bother you any more.”

He frowned and whimpered. “But you’re not bothering me.”

Her eyes flickered to him. She shook her head and stepped away to pick up her spear and bag. “Sorry.”

Cas stepped forward but stopped. He held back another whimper, the bowls and cups cradled to his chest. He held her full cup in one hand.

Reluctantly, he said, “Okay. But be careful, please.”

She hesitated. She didn’t look at him as she nodded and shouldered her bag. She turned away, using the spear as a walking stick.

He watched as she left. The dogs sniffed his legs and Oc’wa glanced from him to the girl.

Cas started as a thought came to him. He opened his mouth and took a deep breath, but ultimately swallowed it. He didn’t want frighten her.

Instead he smiled. He softly said, “I will see you again, Madga.”