After The End: Part 2

Anur leaned down against his wolf's neck, frozen fingers clutching at the straps of the leather riding harness. The wind howled around them, whipping sleet into his eyes. Anur cursed, muffled by the layer of woolen scarves covering his lower face. He'd only meant to be gone an hour or so, just long enough to check the game traps, but this storm was making it near impossible to get home. Anur winced, thinking of his little sisters and brother alone in their tent. At least he'd set up the tent and wagon well within the entrance of a cave. They'd be sheltered from the worst of this storm until he got back. So would their wolf pack, the llamas and the goats, unless one of the goats was particularly stupid and decided to make a break for freedom in this weather. 

Anur’s wolf growled, voicing her own displeasure with the storm. He patted her side firmly. 

“I know, Kita. Your paws are as frozen as mine and you want that rabbit I promised you. Just get us home and we'll get you warmed up and fed, girl.” 

Kita’s ears twitched. She huffed out a bark before springing forward again into the storm, her powerful legs moving like a plow through the deepening snow. Anur laced his gloved fingers through her harness again and clung on. Unbidden, his mind wandered to the stranger currently sleeping in their tent. Letari, he remembered they were called. The stranger hadn't told him so themself, but even half dead he’d recognized that striking face from the wanted posters. 

Anur wondered whether or not Letari technically still had a bounty out on them, now that the government issuing that bounty had been dismantled. Well, unless bounty hunters came looking, it wasn't really his business. He had enough to worry about just keeping what was left of his family alive. 

Anur was jolted out of his thoughts by a pleased rumble from Kita as she skidded to a stop. They'd reached the cave. Anur sighed in relief, then jumped down from the saddle, ignoring the ache of standing again after sitting for so long. 

He led his wolf inside the cave mouth and relit his lantern. There hadn't been much point in trying to keep it lit out in the storm, but in here light was vital. Soon enough he spotted the tent, with their fire pit and wagon near it. The usual pile of sleeping livestock clustered around the wagon wheels. Anur unwrapped the scarves from his head, breathing in the dry, stagnant cave air. It was good to be back. 

“Aava, Bennu, Pree!” He called towards the tent, shaking the snow off his clothes. “I'm home, and I brought dinner.” 

His younger siblings burst out through the tent flap, chorusing his name at top volume as they ran to tackle him in a hug. Aava was the first to let go of him, charging over to Kita for a reunion wrestling match. Anur gently held her back. 

“Easy, Aava. Kita’s tired. Getting back took a lot out of us both.” 

“Fine.” Aava grumbled. “What’d you bring for dinner?” 

Anur cracked a smile. “Rabbit for the wolves, and the two biggest wood-hens you’ve ever seen for us.” 

He slung the leather bags down from Kita’s harness, hauling out the dead game. The little ones’ eyes lit up. Kita licked her chops, hauling her rabbits over to the rest of the pack for a shared meal. 

“Pree, go get the last of those carrots, two onions and the sun beans from the wagon stores, will you? Aava, do you have your big knife?” 

“Of course I do.” She said, pulling it out of the sheath on her belt to demonstrate. 

“Good. I’m going to need some help skinning and gutting these.” 

Aava nodded in agreement. Butchering was never pleasant or easy work, but she knew as well as he did that it had to be done if they were going to eat. 

“What about me?” Bennu demanded. 

“You are going to go get a bucket of water from the cave springs so we can make all that into stew. Take a lantern, it’s dark back there. I’ll need someone to grind the dried peppers, too.” 

His siblings scampered off to their tasks. 

“And what should I be doing?” an amused voice asked. 

Anur’s head snapped up to see Letari leaning against the outside of the tent, smiling. They were wearing his old clothes, the outgrown ones he’d been saving until Aava could wear them. They looked devastatingly good in that blue tunic. 

“You’re awake.” He said, like an idiot. 

Letari nodded. “Thanks to you, yes. You’re Anur?” 

“That’s me. How do you feel? Anything hurt still?” 

“I’m fine.” They said, a little too quickly. 

Anur sighed. “I’m only asking so I can help. You nearly died, I’m not going to think you’re weak for being in pain.” 

“I’m not in pain.” Letari said carefully, as if avoiding a different subject. “And I have been for most of my life, so that’s impressive on your part.” 

At Anur’s questioning look, Letari shrugged. 

“Mage aches.” They said, referring to the pain many mages felt in their joints and muscles when they used their powers. “How long have I been out for?” 

“About a month.” 

Letari’s eyebrows went up. “That long?” 

Anur nodded. 

Letari walked over to Pree, who was staggering back towards the fire pit under an armful of vegetables. She must have overheard him mentioning the peppers, because she’d brought those out too and was on the verge of dropping them. 

“Do you need some help?” 

Pree set the food down in an untidy stack near Letari’s feet before scowling up at them. 

“No.” 

With that pronouncement, she scampered off again for the beans.

Letari turned back to Anur. “So, want me to grind those peppers?” 

“You don’t have to help.” 

“I know.” Letari said, running a hand through their mop of blue-black hair as they surveyed the ingredients. “But you look exhausted. Besides, I’m not too bad as a cook.” 

Anur gave a grateful smile. “Alright then. There’s a grindstone on one of the tables in the tent, olive oil and a few more spices under the wagon seat.” 

Letari grinned back. “Good, because I’m starving.” 

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