Autumn’s nose twitched first.
Something was burning.
She did not wake up yet.
She sniffed the air...something acrid...thick...it was burning too close.More smoke curled under her nose.
Her brow twitched.And then she felt... a poke.
Then another on her cheek.
Then again. The poking grew persistent...as if testing...Curious?!
"Look at her. So small."
"Skin like fresh milk. Never seen one this soft."
"Her hair is like a pup’s. Short, but pretty."
A calloused thumb brushed her forehead.
"She is delicate, even," said another. "Like a tree sprite. A ghost one."
Autumn’s lashes fluttered, but she still couldn’t lift her eyelids. Her limbs were heavy. The world swayed like a boat on low tide.
"Wait. I think she is twitching," said the first voice...a little bit more excitedly now.
Autumn felt hot breath right on her forehead.
Then a second later...her nose.
Her eyes snapped open.
The face hovering just above hers was massive...ruddy skinned, thick bushy brows, a crooked nose clearly broken too many times, and a mop of unkempt copper brown hair. He stared at her like a child stares at a frog in a puddle.The face loomed less than a few inches from hers.
His eyes...holy shit, his eyes...were the exact same shade of brown as hers. The same shape. The same long lashes.
For a heartbeat, they just stared at each other.
"...My eyes," Autumn croaked, confused.
"Yep," the large man whispered, nodding enthusiastically. "Exactly the same. Shape and colour."
Someone behind him gasped. "By the Moon! They are identical!"
Another chimed in, "She could be your clone! Except, you know... Less hairy. She is pocket sized. "
Autumn’s confusion swiftly bloomed into terror.She shrieked and shoved him with all her strength.
"GET THE HELL AWAY FROM ME,YOU PSYCHO..."
He didn’t even blink.She screamed louder and lunged forward, slamming into the big man’s chest.
He barely budged. "Whoa ho! She’s got a punch.I like that! " he laughed,pretending to stagger back only a step as she tried to scramble upright.
The massive guy caught her easily...like catching a falling pillow.
"Gotch you, girl!" he said,still smiling broadly like he had just snagged a wayward bunny.He looked less terrifying with his smile on...More like an overgrown Golden Retriever ,full of energy.
"Let me go! Don’t touch me! Don’t you dare...!" Autumn kicked and flailed.
He didn’t seem to mind at all. Her tiny fists pounded against his bulky arms like wet tissue hitting a tree trunk... basically useless.
"Careful now," he cooed like she was throwing a tantrum. "You are still woozy. Been out for... oof, what, two suns? Give or take?"
He plopped her back down onto the cot, made of tied branches and pelts...some fabric for cushion. Her heart was hammering.Two suns??? What was that supposed to mean?? Two days? Two years?
Autumn looked down at her stomach... tried to pat down her lower abdomen... feel her babies... it still felt, well ’full’... But no movement... like they were completely at ease... or were they even there?
And then that smell hit her hard again.That damned burning stench.
Thicker ,dark smoke swirled in the air, rising in lazy curls from blackened pyres scattered across the clearing. Their fires were low now, but still alive...like creatures breathing in embers. It looked like a massive, smoke choked stretch... like a Viking cremation ground.
Was that...burning flesh?
She tasted it in her throat.
"Please," she gasped, shrinking back, her hands shaking. "Don’t kill me. Please. I am pregnant... please... have mercy..."
The large man tilted his head.
"Where am I?" she sobbed. "Who are you?Please...I beg you...!"
But the man had already turned, scratching his beard thoughtfully.
He lumbered over to one of the smoldering pyres and squatted.
She watched in horror as he reached right into the ashes and dug out something charred and curved.
He brought it back like a hunter bringing an offering to a queen.
Hopefully not human... Autumn noticed, it had hooves.
"Eat!" he said brightly, holding it out to her like a dog offering a slobbery stick. "You will feel better, my dear!"
Autumn stared at it. She didn’t move.
Her stomach, however...betrayed her.
Grumble.Followed by two louder ones.
The man’s smile widened. "See? Even your belly agrees!"
"I... I can’t..." she whispered.
"Can’t now?Why would that be? " he challenged, confused, still cheerful though. "Go on! Just a nibble. Won’t bite ya. Well... not anymore." He smirked... no giggled. Holy cow!
She hesitated, tears pooling again as she looked around. She slowly started remembering the night at Velor’s castle... that feeling of dread which had arrested her soul... that helplessness... and... Kieran...his face...and...
Thud! Her heart skipped a beat...she felt all alone once more... utterly alone and...
Suddenly, the man shoved a chunk into her mouth.
She spluttered. Chewed out of sheer survival instinct.
And...Okay.It wasn’t awful.
Kind of spicy. A bit like charred lamb. With a sour and tangy aftertaste...
He laughed heartily. "There you go! That’s the spirit!"
One of the others clapped. Another offered a piece of what looked like jerky.Autumn looked around at the faces encircling her.
Bearded. Wild. Scarred... some missing several features... an eye... A part of their nose or ear lobe... Heads half shaven... or braided with teeth... straight out of horror books...
Some had feathers in their hair. Some wore bones.
They were all smiling. Too wide. Too eager. And it looked clearly out of place... awkward.
She gulped water from a crude stone cup the man offered next.
Then, she managed to gather enough courage to ask again, though in a whisper, " Please, just tell me who are you? What is this place???"
The man blinked, then leaned in slowly, his smile now stretching with pride.
His teeth weren’t... all straight.
But it was the first time he looked anything close to gentle... tender... almost loving. And that was ridiculous.
"I am Alpha Thorgar of the Skarthheim pack...leading member of the Ancient Alliance," he proclaimed as if introducing a new war cry.
The ones gathered around Autumn let out an unified, " Hoooo! " in merry acknowledgment.
Then he pressed his massive palm to his chest and grinned as though he were revealing a lifelong secret.
"And you..." he paused dramatically.
"...you are home, my sweet bear."
"Home... with Daddy."