It has been nearly a week's worth of moons since that horrendous day. As Michael was enjoying the bliss of unconciousness, he could feel a light wide pressure on one of his shoulders. The young man's body immediately jolted as his eyes widened, his hand reaching quickly under his pillow.

Azhul began lightly snorting and oinking at the human as he could now see her, her right hand lightly grasping his wrist as the human's hand was under the pillow. The medallion, that helped him understand the Tuskir, hanged by the bed's post next to him and although he couldn't understand her, she always seemed to say the same thing, each morning that she woke him.

The large sow would look Michael directly in his eyes while seemingly repeating herself in a soft and gentle tone, the young man's breathing calming down with each second passing. After a few moments and proper calmness returns to him, Azhul seems to ask something based on tone at which Michael simply nodded.

The large Tuskir woman then simply let go of his wrist, at which point Michael pulled out gently a small hunting knife. He tucked the blade then under the straw of the bed and he grasped the medallion from his bed's post, pulling it over his head.

"There we go. Everything's as right as the Brood Mother left them when you went to sleep. It's mornin' and I thought you'd like to be up. Ya slept well?" Azhul asked in a soft spoken tone. Although the large woman wasn't too much into unwarranted yelling, she never has spoken much like this, at least not before this past week.

"Phew... heh... Y-yeah. I still awaken in the middle of the night in a cold sweat... but it has been a bit better. The nightmares are... at most annoyingly vivid, b-but... meditating with Urla has helped." The young man said as he got up and sat the bed's edge, taking in a slow deep breath that he then held for a bit and eventually exhaled. His right forearm now had two scars on opposite sides and his left side of the back had a, not too gnarly, pink scar. Boy, was he glad he only had to deal with a mild infection, praise druidic crafts and some basic herbal alchemy. Also thank god, his biology was compatible with their remedies.

"You are handling it well. Others with Warrior Terrors managed it worse in their lives. It is a clear difference compared to the first few moons after we brought you back. Although, your fever finally subsiding most likely helped, too." Azhul added as she sat down next to him.

"Ah, come on. It wasn't that bad, was it? All I did was wander about the village." The young man said as if trying to disregard those first few days.

"In the dead of night. Prowling like a predator. You reeked of sweat and were feeling like a fire at the touch. You nearly made Oinna's soul leave her body when she stumbled upon you while going to relieve herself. The Hay-yen we are holding captive, were scared as if they saw a Daeman when they began noticing you watching their holding cell, and you muttering that you keep hearing them sneaking about didn't do anyone any favours to put our minds at ease." The large sow added with a slightly amused series of light snorts. This wasn't in a mocking manner, more at the hilarious claim of the young human that it wasn't too bad of a thing.

"I-... yeah. I got nothing to retort to that. I am sorry I didn't say anything about the nightmares from the start... I didn't think they were anything serious until they kept repeating." Michael said as his eyes stared at a wall inside his shack of a home. His unfocused gaze was clearly envisioning something else, which was quite easy to tell, it made him restless and uneasy. "Uhm-... Azhul... do you mind if we do the thing?" He asked awkwardly as he looked at her.

"The embrace? No, not at all. It is the least I can do, after you helped us keep alive for the others to come and save us." The large Tuskir woman said, holding open an arm. She had done this before, mainly to restrain the human when he was being erratic during the night. Still, it seems to somehow be soothing for him? It feels a bit embarrasing, but nothing weird.

"A hug. We call it a hug. Embrace is not wrong... it's just... that sounds... uhm... way more personal? Also, you don't owe me anything. You could have made it home and the only reason you didn't, is because you had to watch over me with a dagger in my back. If anything... I owe you and the rest of your folks for taking care of me." Michael replied as he leaned into Azhul, wrapping his arms around her, which got a slightly squeaky oink out of the massive sow.

Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.

"I am curious to ask, how this helps you? Em-... hugging is something indeed a bit more intimate for us... but... differently." Azhul added while looking down at the human wrapped around her.

"It is embarrasing. I... uhm... don't tell the others, please, but... sigh... it just reminds me of when I was younger and smaller and I didn't feel well and either one of my parents or my grand mother would try to help me calm down. I don't want to make this uncomfortable so I can-..." Michael said as he began to let go of Azhul and pull away slowly, but the large arms around him, just yanked him lightly back in.

"Did you hear me complain? You said this helps you and I don't mind it. Now, wraps back around me those furless noodles you call arms." The large tuskir woman said at first in a serious tone, before letting out a few oinking giggles and huffs.

Michael let out a chuckle of his own, as he returned the hug once more. 'Huh... This could be nice. Emotional support boar.' He thought while now leaning into it a bit more. This was comfy, Tuskir fur was just thick enough where it was neither too much nor too less.

'Woah... he lets off so much heat! I didn't even realize before. By the Hunt Father, please let this one stick with us. I am definitely dragging him with me on a cold hunt, it would make camping so much more comfortable.' Azhul thought to herself for a few moments before dwelling on what Michael said. 'So. This reminds him of family. That is good. Huh... that is a weird difference in how we see it, but if this is what it means to him I really have to not get flustered here.' Although the large sow understood well what this embrace meant for him, it was hard to not get flustered, due to knowning what it meant to herself and her people.

Eventually the two naturally separated the hug they partook in, Michael then standing up and stretching. "Alright. That was enough to help me get my spirits up a bit. I've got a few plans for today and the near future and it's time I actually shared something more useful, that I know of, with you all." The young man said with a light enthusiasm in his tone.

Azhul got up as she then popped her knuckles and wrists. "Well. We did make copies of your fishing stick with left over wire from your traps that we couldn't wrap back around the weird roll you had for it. With four of them now and several of our people testing them... There were quite a few happy voices about how they are nifty tools. The enthusiam died slightly when we told them about how to get bait, but when you can laze back and hook a fish... It doesn't sound so bad."

"We're gonna have to figure out when it is ok or not to fish. Last thing we need is to kill off the fish in the water because we hooked one too many before they could lay eggs. Anyways. Besides the point. Today I want to see if I can help with making the Tuskir arsenal better and start looking into what types of metal you are working with." The human said while putting on his t-shirt that now had a stitch mark on the back left of it.

"Also don't forget you promised Oinna to help her understand your body better. The more she knows on how you work the easier it is for her to help treat you." Azhul reminded him as she began heading towards the door. After opening it, she reached out and pulled a wooden box in, which she then dropped onto the wooden floor lightly.

"What's with the crate?" Michael asked while strapping on his boots.

"A few things we had laying about and thought you could use." The large sow replied with a proud huff.

Michael looked into the wooden box and his expression light up. Studded leather bracers, hand wraps and a belt with pouches. They looked simple, most likely made to be functional, but that was the Tuskir aesthetic in general. "O-oh wow. Thanks! I-... I am excited to put these on!" The young man as he tried to quell his inner nerd. 'Oh god! Despite the horrible trauma adventuring might inflict on someone, moments like this make it almost fun. I almost want to hum a level up tune.' Michael thought excitedly as he took a handwrap roll. He then began putting it on his hand like he would do his kickboxing hand wraps, from way back when. He then began sliding on the bracers and tightening them, leaving the pouch belt for last.

"Well... after we clearly saw, as scary as you are in a fight, you can quite easily get hurt. We were thinkin' a bit of protection wouldn't be bad. We'll see what else to add to your equipment as we figure out what suits ya. But for now, it is a start. Now, you're lookin' a bit more Tuskir like." Azhul said with a few proud oinks and snorts.

"Yeah... it is a good start." The human replied all ready, as he then headed for the exit with Azhul. The sun shined brightly and there were light clouds in the sky. The breeze was hanging in the air making the temperature just perfect between hot and cold. The village air was already smelling of meat and the light sounds of talking all over made it quite the lovely village scenery. It was time to go on living.