The meal passed by in a bit of a blur for Daegal. Yes, he recognized that the meat was delicious, and the care that Eira put into it made him feel warm, but his mind was simply not invested in the moment. He was thinking about what would happen a day from now, and hour from now, even a minute from this moment as he cast a glance at the men of the village once again.

  While these men had relaxed a little after spending so much time in the same place, there was still a frosty air around them that had nothing to do with the current temperature outside. He did not feel welcome here, and unfortunately the two ladies could not assuage this feeling no matter how hard they tried to treat him like he belonged. His presence in the village was also hurting Fiora, and to a lesser extent, Eira as well. The more the two of them interacted with him, the more the other people in the village distrusted them. He couldn’t keep this up.

  As they finished their respective meals, Daegal saw his opportunity to leave. He cleared his throat, which garnered the attention of the two ladies in his company.

  “I, uhm, thank you for the meal, Eira, and for your kindness. I think it is time for me to leave, though.” Daegal stood, which garnered a reaction from the onlookers who became more alert at his movement, further emphasizing his reason for wanting to leave.

  “You’re leaving already?” Eira asked with a little concern. “It’s still so early in the day, though. We’ve hardly had a chance to catch up and learn about you.”

  “I...” Daegal hesitated to move faster than a snail's pace as he tried to talk his way out of the situation. “I believe I am causing everyone else stress by being here.”

  Fiora scoffed at that. “Forget them. They’re just ungrateful and acting like children scared of shadows. We want you here, you deserve to be here.”

  “But...” He sighed, shoulders slumping. “I don’t need to be here anymore, right? You’re safe, I can go, and people can get back to their lives without me scaring them. This is what’s best for everyone.” Even as he said that he felt a pang of disappointment. There was a part of him that wanted to stay, but the pain of rejection was still there, driving him to avoid the feeling.

  He turned away to make an exit but barely got in two steps before Fiora grabbed his wrist, stopping him. Looking back at her, he saw that her expression had changed, becoming much less assured and even bordered on anxious.

  “Daegal, I... I would feel a lot better if you stay.” She let out a slightly shuddering breath as she pleaded with him. “I know I don’t look like it, but I am scared. So many horrible things nearly happened, and the people who did it are still out there. I’m worried that they may come back, and if you’re not close by, then you might not make it in time if they do.”

  That was a valid concern, one that was now implanted into him as well. Yes, he had made it this time, but even so, it was a close call. She wanted the surety of safety his presence brought, a fact that was mirrored in his own desires. He tossed around the options in his head, the opposing sides of him clashing together quite violently during the deliberation. Eventually, his desire to protect Fiora won out over his discomfort from the distrustful and threatening stares.

  With a deep sigh, he consigned himself to this path. “Okay... okay, I’ll stay close, for a time. Although, I don’t know how the other will react to that.”

  “They’ll get used to it,” Fiora reassured him with a casual wave of her hand. “I’m sure that we can show them the benefits of having you around, and not just for saving our skins, so don’t you worry one bit. I’ll be doing everything I can to convince them that you belong here, and I suggest you do the same.”

  “Wha- me? I don’t... Fiora, I can’t... talk...”

  “I know it might be hard for you, but can you promise me that you’d at least try?”

  Try...

  He slowly took in a breath before exhaling just as slow. As he steadied his nerves, he hesitantly nodded his head. “I’ll... try.”

  Fiora smiled encouragingly at him. “Thank you, Daegal.” She turned to Eira now. “Do you think you can help me find a place for Daegal to sleep? I doubt he’d be comfortable in a normal bed that’s half his size.”

  Eira thought for a moment before coming up with a potential answer. “Perhaps we ought to ask Gregory if Daegal could use his barn. He’s likely to have room since some of his animals went to market recently.”

  “That could work, but you think he would be willing to let Daegal in?”

  “I’ll give him a quick smack on the bottom if he doesn’t,” Eira threatened, brandishing her cane. “Honestly, giving Daegal a simple roof over his head during his stay here is the least of what we all owe him.”

  “Well, we won’t get anything accomplished standing around here.” Fiora looked around at the crowd of people, just to be sure. “Gregory isn’t here, so he must have been fighting the fires earlier. He’s probably making sure his animals are alright, and I bet we’ll find him at his barn, which is perfect for us. Let’s head there now!”

  Fiora confidently strutted toward the barn in question, apparently wanting to get to work on securing Daegal a place to sleep immediately. Eira followed along at her own pace, and Daegal took up the rear, nervously shuffling behind them. Before they got too far, however, Fiora’s dad intercepted her.

  “Fiora! Where are you going? What are you doing now?” He wanted to get closer, but Daegal looming behind the two women kept him at a few meters distance.

  With a sigh, Fiora answered her father’s urgent questions. “Dad, it’s alright. I’m just going to talk to Gregory about letting Daegal stay in his barn. Oh, right, I guess I should introduce the two of you. Dad, this is Daegal, my friend. Daegal, this is Emil, my dad.”

  The two of them awkwardly stared at one another for a moment, both at a loss for words. Eventually, Daegal figured that he should do as he promised. Slowly raising a hand, he presented his palm.

  “H-Hello.”

  Emil remained silent for a few seconds longer as he tried to process the familiar gesture being given by a foreign entity. He blinked and realized the silence that he was allowing to exist. With a deep breath, he took a chance and believed in his daughter.

  “Yes, hello. I’ve... I’ve heard that you and my daughter have been speaking with one another for a while now. I’m... well, still not sure what to think of you, exactly. However, you have not harmed my daughter, and, in fact, you saved her, and myself. It would be rather remiss of me to not grant you the benefit of the doubt. I will do my best to judge you based on your actions before all else. I hope that we may come to an agreeable relationship with one another.”

  Emil spoke clearly as he had made up his mind, and Daegal was not at all prepared for that. It made a little sense, he thought, that Fiora’s father would be more open to him. She had to have developed her reckless curiosity from somewhere, even if she took it to the extreme.

  “I, uhm... thank you?”

  Emil nodded his head. “If you don’t mind, I will follow along with you just to make sure that nobody becomes aggressive with my daughter.”

  “Dad, you don’t have to,” Fiora complained. “Nobody will be stupid enough to act up with Daegal around.”

  “But I will regardless,” Emil replied firmly. “I cannot simply leave your safety in the hands of another, no matter who they might be.”

  That may have been his stated reason, but Daegal couldn’t help but feel that Emil was coming along because he didn’t trust him. They only just met, so it wasn’t too surprising, but it still hurt, just a little. And so, their odd little group started walking again, moving toward the outskirts of the village where the farms and pastures were located.

  Daegal was able to see more of the village along the way and even passed through a small market. There were many smells that were foreign to him as he walked, and his curiosity made a small appearance amidst the general knot of anxiety he had in his chest. They came upon the barn they were looking for soon after that, and it certainly was much bigger than the houses, and the double doors in the front would allow easy access, however, the smell was... pungent, to say the least.

  Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

  Eira walked up to the doors and gave a series of raps on the wooden surface with the head of her cane. “Gregory? Are you in there?” she called out.

  A voice from deeper inside responded to her after a second. “Is that you, Eira?”

  “Of course it’s me, you silly man. Open up, would you? I’ve a favor to ask.”

  The man’s voice got closer as he walked toward the door. “What’s all this about then? As an aside, do you know what to that monster that stormed into the village? I hadn’t heard much since we finished putting out the fires, but...”

  The words in Gregory’s throat died as he unlatched the door and opened it. A middle-aged man with a short beard, brown hair, soot on his face, and dirt on his hands froze in place. His gaze was immediately drawn to Daegal as he stood behind everyone else. Gregory’s jaw hung low, but before he could descend into panic, Eira intervened.

  “Yes, we’re actually here to talk about him. Gregory, this is Daegal, now allow me to explain things before you go shouting any nonsense.” She then gave him a quick explanation on everything that had happened in the last hour. The man listened, at least, but he hardly took his eyes off Daegal the entire time. As Eira’s retelling of events came to an end Gregory let out a deep breath, rubbing over his head as he processed it all.

  “Christ almighty, I would hardly believe it if it wasn’t standing right behind you this whole time.”

  “Please Gregory, he’s a him, not an it,” Eira gently reminded him of his manners.

  “Oh, right,” Gregory looked at Daegal with a little concern. “I meant no offence, of course. I, uhm, apologize for my words.”

  “It’s... okay,” Daegal hesitantly replied, though Gregory did misinterpret the hesitance as simmering anger.

  Gregory nervously cleared his throat. “W-What was this about a favor, Eira?” he quickly changed the subject.

  “Yes, we wished to ask you if you might allow Daegal to use your barn as a place to sleep. He’ll be staying with us for a little while to ensure those slavers do not make another appearance.”

  “What?! No! No, I can’t have... him, in my barn!”

  “And why not?” Eira asked with a disappointed glare.

  “My animals for one thing! They’ll be scared half to death, and I have no guarantee that he wouldn’t just eat them!”

  Daegal was a little offended that Gregory assumed he would just make a meal out of any animal he came across. He wasn’t feral, and he realized it would be quite rude to eat something that didn’t belong to him and wasn’t freely given.

  Eira raised her cane and pressed it against the man’s chest. “Well, why don’t you simply ask him instead of talking like he isn’t here with us right now?”

  Everyone turned toward Daegal, making his stiffen slightly under the sudden attention. He already knew the question and making them repeat it would just be more awkward.

  “I w-won't eat your animals.”

  “There, you see?” Eira confidently said with a broad smile. “And as for scaring the animals, why don’t we go in a see how they react? You owe him that much considering he saved all our skins, and that includes yours.”

  Gregory opened and closed his mouth a few times like he was trying to come up with an argument. In the end he let out a huff as his shoulders slumped in defeat.

  “Something tells me you’ll never stop badgering me until I do. Fine, but if my animals panic you have to go somewhere else.”

  With an agreement reached, the door to the barn was opened and everyone shuffled inside. Daegal looked around the interior and saw many separate stalls. On the left side there were low hinged doors that kept a handful of horses safely contained within. On the right there were pens that held groups of pigs and a few cows in their own separate spaces with doors that led to the outside in the back. Other than that, there was a second floor up in the rafter where bales of hay were stacked

  As Daegal moved deeper into the building, the horses did react to his presence, snorting, prancing, and generally exhibiting nervous behavior. The cows and pigs on the other hand didn’t react in the slightest, content to chew on their food as everyone walked by. While Daegal did make some of the animals anxious, he did not inspire panic. Gregory’s complaints were now for naught as it was proven Daegal could exist amongst the animals, provided he didn’t get too close to the horses.

  Gregory wasn’t exactly happy, but he did keep to his agreement. Daegal wasn’t sure how he felt about this. Yes, he had a place to stay, but it wasn’t exactly the most desirable location, and his nose was certainly complaining. There were downsides to having stronger senses, after all.

  With their business concluded here, they were allowed to continue with the day. Daegal didn’t have much else to do around the village, and it was strange to be around so many people, especially those who were openly afraid of him. He managed to convince Fiora to allow him a trip back to his home. He had left his cloak there since he moved out in such a hurry, and he wanted at least that for tonight. He was already getting cold, and the sun was still high in the sky. It wasn’t likely that the raiders would return so soon anyway.

  He may have lingered in his home for a while longer than need be. He was not exactly eager to linger in a place where he was stared at with distrust and fear. In his cave, his home, he found peace but also felt the loneliness that had consumed his life for the last decade. Nothing was simple anymore, and he held his roommate, that simple straw doll in his hands. It had been his companion and sole confidante for the better part of ten years. And though he recognized it was simply a fragment of his own mind he was talking to, it was still the only thing that he could have called friend in all that time.

  “I don’t know what you would have said to me about this situation, but I think you would have wanted me to go. Maybe you were the part of me that was lonely, that wanted a connection. Well, I doubt I’ll be lonely from this point on, but I’ve yet to decide if I’ll be happy. I suppose I can only do what I can, and try. In the meantime, try to behave yourself, oh, and watch after Adelaide’s drawings for me. I don’t know when I’m going to be back.”

  Daegal offered a weak smile to the doll as he gently set it down amongst the wooden slabs. He left one more fresh offering of flowers along with it, making sure that things were nice and tidy before he left for one last time. He spared a glance behind him, looking at his home and his roommate.

  “Thank you for being there for me.” With that, he turned back to the world outside. He had wasted some hours in the silence of his home, and the sky was shifting to an orange hue. Daegal needed to get back to Fiora before she started worrying.

  The walk back was quiet, and the village was the same as he left it. Walking out of the trees and into the open still felt unnatural to him. He moved slowly so he wouldn’t look threatening, but not so slow that it looked like he was stalking. Some of the villagers noticed his return, and they scurried out of the way and back into their houses like rodents before a torchlight. Some of the men that remained out in the streets eyed him suspiciously, holding tight to their work tools as if they would have need to defend themselves at any moment.

  Daegal kept his head down as much as he could from his towering height. He was looking for Fiora, trying to pick out her scent from within the whirlpool of smells that surrounded him. As he searched, he was stopped when he saw a group of five men trying to drag the remains of the raider’s cart, that he had broken, through the village.

  The heavy iron bars and sturdy lumber that made up its construction made it difficult to move, and without one of the wheels, the men were having to hold it up while pushing it forward. They were struggling, that much was certain, especially with certain parts of the ground being wet and soft. Daegal watched for a moment, considering. Fiora wanted Daegal to try to change their opinion of him, and to do that, he needed to interact.

  With a slow breath, he approached the group as they set down the cart again, taking a break and breathing heavily. His hands were fiddling with one another in front of him. One of the men pushing the cart saw him walking their way, and his reaching drew the attention of the others who froze in place as they all stared.

  Daegal stopped moving, still quite a distance away. It was awkward to try and talk like this, but he figured he didn’t have much of a choice if he wanted everyone to remain calm.

  “D-Do you need any, uhm, h-help?” Daegal awkwardly asked.

  The men were stunned for a moment, not knowing what to do in reaction to his question. Eventually one of them worked up the nerve to even speak.

  “I... w-what?”

  Daegal swallowed a lump of anxiety as he tried to convey his desire more clearly. “I saw you s-struggling a bit to move that cart. I could help you move it where it needs to be, i-if you want?”

  “You... want to help us?” the man asked with suspicion, like this was surely some pretext to a deeper desire.

  “Y-Yes.” Daegal nodded quickly.

  The group of men all looked at one another, some exchanging a few words in a low voice. Daegal sat still, awaiting judgment from them. When they did turn their full attention back to him, he braced for rejection or refusal.

  “If you want to lift it for us, fine.” Daegal blinked, not expecting that response. “Just keep your claws to yourself and don’t try anything funny now.”

  Snapping out of his surprise, Daegal quickly nodded his head again. “R-Right, of course. Uhm, p-pardon me then.”

  He approached them as they shuffled out of his way, standing to side as they waited to see what he could do. Daegal really wanted this to work, so he took his time to get into the right position, back facing the cart as he squatted down slightly. Reaching back, he grabbed the bars of the cage before standing again, pulling the cart off the ground and balancing it on its one remaining wheel. It had some heft to it, but he could easily hold it like this for a while.

  “Where do you need it?”

  The men were slightly baffled by the casual nature with which he lifted the caged cart, but they recovered quickly enough.

  “Uhm, the smithy. We need to take apart the cage. It’s, uhm, this way.”

  The man pointed and slowly started walking in that direction. Daegal followed his lead, dragging the cart behind him as he went. The trip only took a few minutes, and soon enough he had delivered the makeshift prison to where it would be dismantled. He dropped the cart and thought that would be the end of it, but just as he was starting to turn away, the man who had been speaking with him spoke.

  “Hey, uhm, thanks for the help, I guess.”

  The appreciation resonated within Daegal, and he was elated that someone would say such a thing to him. “O-Of course, anytime.” He gave a shy wave to the men who didn’t exactly reciprocate, but that was fine. He had made progress, helped people, held a conversation with strangers, even if it was just brief exchanges. It wasn’t much, but he was trying, and he would continue to try so long as he was allowed to.