by Toni Cox
Female did well. Wolf better. I feel gratitude.
It is I who should be thanking you. Without you he would not have survived those terrible injuries in the first place. Thank you.
Do not deserve your gratitude.
The thought felt like a mumble in Maia’s head, accompanied by feelings of embarrassment. She now focused all her attention on the Riven. Although she could not see his Eläm, she could feel his feelings when he spoke to her. A novel sensation.
You saved his life and for that I am grateful. This man means a lot to me and I have come a long way to find him. Please, accept my gratitude for that.
Maia could hear that sound like bark rubbing together even over the crackling of the fire. The Riven had made it before and she now thought it might be his way of speaking. So far the Riven had made that sound every time he, grudgingly, agreed to something.
Food. The Riven moved his head, looking toward the pot and then pushed a wooden bowl towards Maia.
In response, Maia’s stomach rumbled. Thank you.
The Riven moved backwards and came to rest on a log some distance from the fire. With her stomach still growling, Maia picked up the bowl and then ladled some of the bowl’s contents into it. The smell made her mouth water and she quickly sat down to eat.
From the inside of her coat, Maia produced her travelling utensils. A knife, a fork and a spoon, made from silver, all folded up neatly into a rectangular casing. With her fingernail, she prised the spoon free and dipped it into the bowl.
She was a little apprehensive about the Riven’s cooking. It was obvious he did not use fire often, so she did not expect much from the mixed mushroom’s he had cooked for her. Then, she took her first mouthful, and she closed her eyes in appreciation of the exquisite taste that flooded her mouth.
The mushrooms were perfect. Cooked, yet still firm, seasoned with only forest herbs, some of which even Maia could not identify. It was the best mushroom ragout Maia had ever eaten; not even her mother’s came close to this perfection.
Your mushrooms are the best I have ever eaten. I feel stronger now. Thank you for your kindness.
The Riven tilted his head to the left, the movement accompanied by the grinding bark sound. Maia felt a sense of accomplishment from him as his words resonated in her head.
Not better food than mushrooms. Wolf show me how to cook them.
Startled, Maia almost dropped the bowl. Blaid taught you how to cook?
Wolf was man last moon cycle. Man eats cooked food. Wolf eats raw food. Both like meat. I like mushrooms.
Maia almost smiled; that was the most the Riven had said to her. Blaid had lived with the Riven. As a man. How long had he been here? Why was he here? She wished she could ask Blaid.
The thought made her look at the sleeping wolf. His feet twitched in his dream.
No food for wolf. The Riven sounded defeated, sad. Cannot kill. Wolf not eat mushrooms.
Matters became clear in Maia’s mind. While Blaid had been a man, the Riven had fed him his cooked vegetables. But, being who Blaid was, he craved meat and decided to change into his wolf form to hunt. He might not have been strong enough to hunt, though, and thus started to starve. With not enough nourishment, his wounds ceased healing, which is why he was now in the state he was in.
Did you call me here to help Blaid because you cannot kill animals for him?
Cannot kill. Belura protect.
Belura? Is that your name?
Belura. The Riven pointed at his chest.
I understand. Thank you for looking after him the way you have. I will make him food now. May I use your utensils to cook meat?
You may.
Maia retrieved her bag and took out her dried meat. If she wanted to make a meat broth from it, she would have to cut it small and cook it for long, but the nutrients Blaid would get from the broth would give him strength.
She set to work, finding a pot to cook in, a board to cut the meat and a spoon to stir with. Maia was surprised to find that the Riven had a fair amount of items in his cave, from woven baskets to carved spoons. He also had a vast selection of herbs and dried vegetables and, after asking for permission, Maia added a lot of these items to her broth.
During her preparation, Belura observed her carefully, asking questions from time to time. His curiosity fascinated Maia. Although he looked terrifying, especially in his true form, he was a creature of the forest and Maia felt a kinship develop between them.
While the broth cooked, the Riven left the cave and Maia was alone. She sat with Blaid for a while, stroking his shaggy fur. Then she rose and took a walk around the cave. She went to the very back to have a look at the spring that bubbled out of a crevice in the wall and trickled over some rocks into a shallow depression. From there it ran down a narrow channel and then disappeared into the ground.
She drank of the cold, clean water, then went to the other side of the cave. Here, away from the fire, Maia noticed the glow-worms again. They hung from the many roots that penetrated the cave ceiling and lit the space enough for her to see. This side of the cave Belura used as his sleeping quarters and she did not linger there.
The cave had many nooks and rock shelves, each of which the Riven had filled with items he had either made or found in the forest. Belura had an obvious fascination with stones, as he had an impressive collection of igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks, including crystals, diamonds and other precious stones. Other shelves held skulls of forest animals, bones, odd-shaped roots, and intricately made wood carvings.
When Maia re-entered the space she thought of as the living quarters, the silver glow from the worms faded, replaced by the red glow of the fire. She checked on her broth, gave it a stir and then went to sit next to Blaid again.
This is the strangest situation I have ever found myself in, she told Midnight. He is the most fascinating creature I have ever met. I almost think he is more forest than creature.
Pure. Soul of the forest.
Yet he is also the most frightening being I have ever encountered.
His defence.
Fear? She nodded to herself.
Yes.
Blaid whined, interrupting their thoughts. Maia spoke quietly to the wolf, stroking his head. Then, he opened his eyes and, after a few moments, she thought she saw recognition in them.
“It’s me. I am here. I am making you food. Are you hungry?”
Blaid’s tail wagged weakly and Maia quickly rose to check on her broth. After tasting it, she decided it was cooked enough and she ladled some into a bowl. She carried the steaming bowl over to Blaid’s cot, and used her Air magic to cool the hot broth enough so he could drink it straightaway.
At the smell of it, the wolf’s ears perked up and he struggled into a sitting position. Maia helped him, draping her arm around him to hold him steady, while he lapped up the broth before him.
Maia couldn’t help comparing Blaid to Wolf, even if Blaid’s wolf form was black and twice the size of Wolf, and an almost maternal instinct to protect him settled over her. She tried to shake the feeling off - this was not how she wanted to feel about Blaid - but he was so weak and helpless that she could not help it. Love was about caring also.
“There you go. How do you feel?” Maia asked as Blaid lapped up the last of the liquid from the bowl.
In reply, he licked her face and wagged his tail. She laughed, just as the Riven entered the cave.
Feeling better?
Yes.
Blaid’s weak reply to Belura’s question startled Maia. Why had she not thought to communicate with him like that? He was Death, after all, and if she could communicate with Midnight and the Riven, it made sense that Blaid would be able to do so as well.
Mate is good. Good female.
Maia’s eyes widened at Belura’s thoughts and Blaid’s tail wagged again. She could now hear his mental chuckle in her head.
“Oh, it is time we get you back to strength so we can have a proper talk. When I set out to find you, this w
as not what I expected. You sure have some explaining to do.”
Blaid whined, but the tail kept wagging. Shaking her head, she reached out and stroked his fur. She couldn’t help it. She felt so protective that even the thought of what Blaid had discussed with the Riven about their relationship could not stop her from caring for him.
“Oh, stop behaving like a puppy and try again,” Maia scolded Blaid, who sat on his haunches in front of her, his tongue lolling out of the side of his mouth.
Blaid retracted his tongue and turned in a circle, his tail smacking into her legs. Maia narrowed her eyes dangerously and clenched her jaw. They had been trying for the past hour for Blaid to change form, but he simply could not concentrate enough to perform the change.
“You are strong enough. Now focus or you are getting mushrooms for dinner.”
Blaid whined and sat down again.
“I cannot help you. I cannot change form, so I do not know how it is done. This part you have to do yourself. Concentrate.”
The Riven sat silently on the other side of the cave, watching. He had tried to help in the beginning, but then retreated to leave them alone. Maia now looked at him for help, but Belura only shrugged.
“I know you can do this, Blaid. Do you not want to hold me? Would you not like to kiss me?”
During the seven days she had taken care of Blaid, she never once thought about them in such a way. Now, desperate for a reason for him to change, the thought sprung up in her mind and she blushed at the way it had spurted out. She was about to say something to undermine her questions, when the air in front of her vibrated and the black form of the wolf began to shimmer and shift.
Maia took a step back and watched with widening eyes as the wolf before her transformed. She had not seen it before, always imagined it to be quick, instantaneous, but it was almost as if it happened one body part at a time. It looked difficult and painful.
Blaid’s fur retreated, his forelegs became arms, his back arched to take on the shape of a man, the tail shrank and then Maia turned away as she realised that Blaid was naked underneath his shaggy wolf fur.
The sound of Blaid collapsing made her swing back Naked and shaking, he lay moaning on the ground. Maia rushed over to her cot to grab her blanket, and draped it over Blaid’s naked form. Gently, she tucked it in around his shoulders and then lifted him into a sitting position and held him in her arms until his shaking stopped.
“So, may I kiss you now?” Blaid asked, his voice raspy from not having used it in so long.
Maia laughed and held him tighter. “First, you need a wash and then clothes. Then, more food. I think vegetables are on the menu tonight.”
Vegetables. Belura rose, took one of his baskets and left the cave.
“See what you have done now,” Blaid said, and coughed. “It will be mushrooms, with mushrooms and a side of mushrooms tonight.”
“What’s wrong with mushrooms?” Maia asked, laughing and feeling slightly giddy at the thought of Blaid in her arms.
“Urgh, I’d rather eat more of your broth than any more mushrooms. That is all I ate when I first came here.”
She stared into his eyes. He was real. He was in her arms.
He touched her face. “I know.”
Clearing her throat, she said, “Come, let’s get you up.”
Taking him firmly by his shoulders, she lifted him to his feet. He was unsteady for a moment, but then straightened his spine and stood firm.
“Ah, it feels good to stand on two legs again.” Blaid turned in her arms to look at her. “Thank you, Maia. I still don’t quite understand how Belura managed to get you here, but I am glad he did.”
“So am I,” she said, pulling the blanket into place around his body.
“Maia,” Blaid lifted her chin with his hand to look at him, “after the war, after what your father said, I thought I would never see you again. And now, I …”
“Shh, there will be time enough for that later. Let’s get you washed and dressed and then I will cook us dinner. Here,” she led him to her cot, “sit while I heat water for you.”
Obediently, Blaid sat on her bed, watching her. Maia tried not to notice that the blanket was not large enough to cover all of his nakedness and moved towards the fire.
Over the past few days, they had been communicating with their minds and, although she already knew a lot about how Blaid came to be here, she did not know all of it. There seemed to be issues neither Belura nor Blaid wanted to talk about and she did not push the matter.
She knew Blaid had been injured and Belura brought him here to look after him. With Belura’s extensive knowledge of healing plants, he managed to save Blaid’s life, but the healing had been a slow process. Belura said that Blaid had not wanted to heal because he had been injured in his mind. Blaid had not wanted to get better because he could not be with her. Maia understood, because she had been similarly affected by his absence and his apparent unwillingness to be with her.
During these discussions, Maia also learned from Blaid what had been said that day on the battlefield, and the rage she felt towards her father now simmered just below the surface. She was not ready to talk about it yet, which was why she stopped Blaid from finishing his sentence.
While she heated water over the fire, she went to find Blaid’s clothes. When she first found them, she was horrified. She could see where Belura had cut to get them off Blaid’s body, but there were other cuts made by whatever had attacked him.
Maia had worked on his clothes every day since and they were now ready for him to wear again. He had no underclothes though. She assumed Belura had thrown them away as most people soiled themselves after having sustained such injuries, but she had not dared ask him. Instead, Maia used one of her shirts and made new underclothes.
She now laid his clothes next to him on her bed, and went back to the fire to check the water. It was warm enough and she removed it from the fire.
“Will you be able to wash yourself?” she asked as she set the pot down in front of him and laid the wash cloths next to him.
“Some help would be nice.”
Blushing, Maia picked up a cloth and dipped it in the water. She didn’t know why this was so awkward for her; she had seen Blaid naked on more than one occasion. Removing the blanket from his shoulders and draping the ends over his lap, Maia began to wash his back and his arms.
Blaid sat with his eyes closed and although Maia could feel his enjoyment, she could also now sense his weariness. The change had taken a lot of energy from him; energy she had fought to re-instil in him over the past seven days; she now felt bad for expecting him to wash himself.
The Healer in her took over then and she approached the matter with clinical precision, and not as the borderline sexual act she had been thinking about.
While she was washing Blaid, Belura came back in and sat on his log. Without paying them any attention, he started to peel carrots, then potatoes and finally he chopped some mushrooms. Belura’s presence helped Maia to concentrate on washing Blaid and soon she did not feel embarrassed about it. She only drew the line at his private parts, which he had to see to himself.
Finally, she helped him dress. When he eventually stood in front of her in his black leathers and boots, she could hardly believe he was the same man.
“The people always believe we are invincible,” Blaid said, noticing her stare at him. “They do not realise we are just as mortal. Thank you for restoring my dignity to me.”
Blaid swayed then and Maia rushed to his side to help him sit. He might appear steady and handsome in his gear, but he was far from strong. After making him comfortable, she went to take the peeled and chopped vegetables from Belura and started cooking.
“I did not realise how far Belura’s cave is from the edge of the forest. Are you sure you can make it?”
“Yes, the exercise will be good for me.”
A fortnight had passed and Blaid became stronger with every passing day. They took short walks around the cave to
get Blaid’s muscles working again. Finally together, Blaid was only too ready to heal and made every effort. He was fast becoming the man Maia used to know.
This morning they decided to fetch some of Maia’s things from the edge of the forest. Although Midnight reassured her that they were safe, she longed for a change of clothes. She had only taken provisions for a few days, almost a moon cycle ago. Belura had something to take care of, so Maia packed lunch and they left just after sunrise. Belura gave them directions and, once they found the Vampyre road, they made good progress.
The forest felt friendly today and Maia thought there was more light and the greens were brighter. She could even hear the sounds of the animals in the forest while on the Vampyre road, whereas before, their sounds had been muted.
“Belura feels well disposed towards you,” Blaid said when she mentioned it to him. “He is the one that asks the forest to be dark or light. When he is afraid, it is dark. When he trusts you, it is light.”
Maia frowned. “You have mentioned something similar before. How does he get the forest to do what he wants?”
“Belura is to the forest what we are to our people. It took me a while to understand the extent of his powers, but it is all just Earth magic. He is the protector of the forest and because of whom he is and what he does to protect the trees and flowers, and the creatures, the forest responds to his requests. I believe he has roamed all over the Grildor-Bron Mountains, as he has extensive knowledge of the entire range, but he has made the dark forest his home. He has shaped it, grown it and turned it into what it is now. It is his castle. It protects him too.”
“Are you saying this part of the forest used to be like the rest of the woods around the mountains?”
“Yes. Only when he decided to settle here, did the forest become the dark forest.”
“I do not remember a time when it was not the dark forest. Even the ancient histories speak of it. Belura must be as old as the forest itself.”
“I believe so, but time means little to him. I asked him when the Vampyres first invaded his forest and he said it was during a time of great confusion.”