Over night the wolf had devoured the meat meant for Atef and Aebor, so a good portion of the morning was spent foraging for food while exchanging scornful glances with the animal. They had little luck, finding only some berries quite a distance away from the desolate area they started in. Nowhere near to feeling satiated, they walked on, signaling to each other anything peculiar that could be a source of nourishment. Atef, being the one not knowing much about the forest, was doing most of the pointing and all of looking foolish when it would turn out that he doesn’t know or recognize the most basic flora. However, he was playfully beginning to earn Aebor’s trust and another gesture towards this goal was him turning the badger’s skin into crude loafers, held together by the longest sinews he could carve out of the badger’s body. She looked ridiculous, but her feet were at least a bit safer. She expressed her gratitude with a courteous nod and a big smile but the language barrier and his inexplicable knowledge of only certain words kept their relationship at the level of awkward glances, pointing and a plethora of smiles which had different positive meanings based on their intensity. “Thank you,” “wow,” “amazing,” “I appreciate this,” had all different smiles attached to them, so a smiling language was starting to develop between the two. Backed up by a frowning one as a counterbalance. Simple “yes” and “no” and “there,” “go” were still present in their shared vocabulary but it lacked a flavor, a color to it which would laden emotions into their fledgling relationship. Firstly, for the sake of developing trust, then for knowledge and revelation and past those… who knows. During sleep, Atef again saw the star, distant and glowing in his dreams, pulsating with its every call and he set his mind to reaching it. They were following its faint dissipating trail which was visible only when Atef would close his eyes and see the motes of light seared into his eyelids.

The forest became dreamy, populated by tall trees with treetops hugging the trunk as if that’s the only place they would find solace and protection. Flowers have long ago turned into fruits which, in turn, were slowly undergoing the glorious processes that will gift the untold number of birds, apt climbers and diligent scavengers with their sweet and nutritious innards, ensuring that their seeds are spread far and wide in the everlasting forest’s real-estate competition. Much more sunlight was punching through the narrow canopies improving the mood of the two towards the wolf. They even called him to their side which it accepted but didn’t immediately comply. Appearances were to be kept, and the wolf was no one’s pet to be cajoled.

Moving about in this pristine environment, which offered Atef plenty of opportunity to poke around some more and learn a thing or two about nettles, ant colonies, bees and stag-beetles, the wolf started to notice that the edge of the forest was closer than it remembered. It triggered the unpleasant instinctive fear and revulsion. It didn’t like the edge of the forest, it was unsafe for its kind and only worthy the risk when the winters were tough and chickens were easy to grab in their coops. The wolf turned back towards Atef and the girl that made it as wary as it did her. Neither paid attention to the growing threat of reaching open space where anything and everything is in eyesight. Atef was shaking his hand fast to try to alleviate the burn from the nettle, establishing that this finding was his least favorite today, while Aebor gave him a smile that was supposed to soothe the pain. “Obliviousness, thy gift is sweet” cogitated through the wolf’s mind in beastly terms and concepts. “Although it was their domain, would the two of them be accepted by their kind?” - the wolf proceeded to wonder. It knew for a fact it would be nothing but a perilous danger zone for it, but them? The boy and the girl were looking the part, though the wolfish wisdom carried in the beast’s soul revealed to it long ago that their society is so much more than just appearance; the humans’ howls and growls paid as important role as their looks. More than one close calls with hunters who were shouting and coordinating the trap was wolf’s experiential proof of this concept.

- Grauuuuuuuuhhh, end! – the wolf signaled by stopping and pointing its nose with its tail straight, looking overall like an arrow pointed towards the tree line which was coming to an end.

The boy caught the word and gave the wolf another significant look of wonder. Nothing still made sense and it was disturbing to have these flashes of inexplicable without anyone being around to tell him what the pit was going on!

He pointed to Aebor that the end of the woods is approaching which the girl accepted with the air of slight distress. Her hand made a barrier symbol and the other simulated walking until the barrier. Atef’s glance at the wolf informed him only that the wolf will stay behind them from now on giving up the vanguard to them.

- Hey, hey, you there! – rocked the forest about four hundred paces later when they have assumed this new formation. Atef and Aebor immediately hid behind trees, their hearts pounding in infernal distress.

- Come on, don’t be shy, I have packed the snake away! Didn’t expect anyone coming from the forest to see me pissing my soul out.

- Whadda you want? – came from Atef’s hideout.

- To say well met! Funny seeing a lad and his girlie in the woods. Are you lost?

- No. We just passing! – Atef responded giving a signal to Aebor to stay put and that everything is alright.

- Great then! Tell you what, today is a happy day! My kinsman is getting married and we made a short stop before we continue on to the next village. You can join us for some food and drink before you go on your way? It would be our honor.

- Could they be kind like master Togrin was? Or brutal like the bosses? – Atef feverishly pondered, distrust enveloping and clouding every fiber of his being. His hand was upright in hold position for Aebor to see.

- Whadda do, whadda do? Mess, mess, all always mess!

- If you aren’t interested suit yourself, I am just being a good harpan! I’ll be on my way then!

- Whadda your name, friend?

- Usleim. Yours, friend?

- Atef. I’m with a friend lady. Aebor.

- Elf. That’s unusual in these parts! Where did you find her?

- Nah elf, Aebor!

- My good man, Aebor means elf.

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Atef shot a look at the girl. He didn’t comprehend what an elf was, apart from the ears. She looked to him same as he did, again, apart from the ears.

- Huh, so Ulseim, you say Aebor is elf?

- Yes, seems like you haven’t seen one before. Come you two, there is plenty of food and talk just out of the woods.

Atef finally relented, taking advice from his stomach which gave the final, over-the-edge nudge to the sense of caution. Getting his hands on something edible after the last night’s debacle was worth the risk. Besides, if they try anything he will just flame them.

Stepping out of his hideout he extended his hand to Aebor, or whatever her name was. She hesitated, shaking her head no, but Atef insisted. Peaking over the edge of the tree, she saw that the man was slowly getting out of the woods waving for them to follow. She cast another look of uncertainty upon Atef asking him to turn his back and disappear into the forest. She was ready to even face the uneasiness of the wolf being around rather than risking it with strangers. Atef insisted, it was in the direction of his light, his mysterious goal. Reluctantly, she grabbed his hand and they started walking. The wolf stayed behind, laying low, figuring out if this was the end of whatever was its and boy’s relationship over the previous two days and nights.

- So, no Aebor. Elf! Elf they say you’re.

- Aebor.

- Yes Aebor means elf in my tongue. My tongue, elf. Canna you pick that up?

- Aebor. Elf!

- Golly, you finally know something!

- So, name, you? – he said, feeling again that strange twirl of the tongue and weird utterance in his speech.

- Erleia.

He smiled. She smiled. Holding hands, they stepped out of the forest finally knowing each other’s names. The reveling party was greeting the return of the pisser with hails and cheap jokes.

- What did you dig up in the forest Usleim? Who are those two? – a merrymaker shouted pointing for the rest of the crowd.

- A boy and an elven girl. They were coming from the forest.

- The more the merrier! Have them over for a drink! – proclaimed Iusufal, bride’s brother.

Atef and Erleia were closing the distance, soaking in the disposition of the crowd, looking for any signs of things that could go awry.

- Look how sweet they are! – belched out Gorla the bride, extending her arm to get another cup of brandy poured for her. Her veil was hanging on the side of her headdress, stained with the reddish hue of the brandy the whole party was getting drunk on. Across the two closely parked carts, the two dozen revelers looked like a giant blob consistently mixing and moving, eating, drinking, talking, kissing. They were all youths, only a few years Atef’s senior.

- Where do you hail from? – Iusufal wheezed out, as soon as the duo arrived, fighting away a friend who grabbed his face, kissed him and then proceeded to do the same with the next one he could get his hands on.

- Ehm… small farm, yonder over there, behind them woods – replied clumsily Atef.

- Welcome then, today I am marrying my sister, so as the custom proclaims, you are welcome to eat and drink with us. We have plenty and the suns are still climbing so we have some time to kill.

- Thank you master – Atef blurted out and then immediately fell silent as he realized what he’s done.

Iusufal looked at him with wry smile, seeking how to interpret the boy’s words, their looks, and the fact that elves were almost exclusively slaves in these regions.

- You know what! Bring them along! An elf at my wedding, good omen! – said Gorla stuttering and leaning over the edge of the cart. The contents of her cup spilled almost completely and when she tried to drink from it, her face soured. – More brandy! – she screeched losing interest in the newly arrived. Nothing about them was right and any sane person would establish that with ease, but should one question the bride? The boy was in a rough hemp shirt, muddied trousers, and decent walking shoes, but it was obvious he must be a runaway of some sort, especially because of his crooked, most likely recently broken nose. The she-elf had a skirt torn at the hem, was all dusty and had the most ridiculous raw fur wrappings around her feet. Iusufal pondered for another moment whether to allow such scarecrows to be guests, considering what will be the gossip at groom’s village.

- You heard the boss, climb up – cheekily concluded Iusufal extending his hand to Erleia. The elven girl looked at Atef for final approval and he nodded yes. She responded in the same manner and extended her right arm from behind her back to reach for Iusufal’s hand. The bruising on the wrists was still there, though faint, and the bride’s brother shot Atef a look which claimed he knew. Atef felt a hurricane of fear blowing through his being, but he kept his mouth shut and climbed up from the backside of the cart, where eager hands of the other wedding guests pulled him up in no time. The clamoring crowd that was observing their exchange with Iusufal was now all over them offering food, drink and chit chat.

- Aren’t you a fine couple!

- Look Elizar, he caught himself a she-elf! Tell us, is she your lover?

- Happy day, happy day! They must be by mi side, I’ll steal away attention from the bride!

- Look at how pretty her eyes are on that clay white face of hers!

- What is your name cutie pie?

They were both overwhelmed with all these questions, with all the smiles, with all the offerings. Erleia hid behind Atef who was trying to provide as simple answers as “yes” or “no” to the drunken blob while stuffing his gullet with as much food as he could, passing on some to the she-elf. They even had to put up with all the shouting from the second cart which demanded for everything to be repeated so that they could hear as well. Suddenly, the cart moved. Slowly but surely, the four oxen, that pulled the merry lot, trudged towards their final destination, the village Velelik. The place where the ceremony is to take place and where the happy couple will live together.

Once both were stuffed, the overtures to join in the drinking were repeated. Atef remembered what alcohol did to the bosses deep below, but his curiosity got the better of him and he had a small sip. The drink was smooth, warming his gullet and stomach, so he greedily finished the cup followed by everyone’s cheer. Gorla, the bride handed him hers, jumped into his lap and kissed him to everyone’s amazement and cheer of approval. Erleia was next, and the bride didn’t take no for answer. Erleia puffed as if saying fine, squeaked out a silent yes and drank up the whole cup giving Gorla the softest and most sensual kiss she ever experienced. Everyone thundered in excitement, including Atef who felt a sting of boyish fear confronted with such Erleia’s confidence. Drinks flowed from bottles and after about three and a tad over, Atef began to feel its impact. Erleia was already past that point, humorously communicating with the revelers by the means of gestures and very few words she held command over. His mouth started yapping, telling an embellished story of who they were and where they came from, put in his mouth from somewhere beyond; given that he competently lied about anything which was dangerous to admit or mention. Irrespective of the subjects such as the bride, the groom and how the great the ceremony will be, which he had no interest in, the music of the language flowed within him, enriching him more than ever before. He was starting to learn from it, even as tipsy as he was, remolding the crooked and bent baseline he brought into this world from below, the pit.

Language skill: 69 out of 100 [5d20s] ; +2 to speaking ; current level 12/50 - subpar

The improvement was imperceptible, a word here or there to be used more properly and intuitively, but it was still progress. So he continued listening while speaking very little, soaking in all the excitement the wedding guests were pouring over him. He was happy, they were both happy!

Behind them though, at the very end of the cart, a figure was silent, slouched and miserable. Nonetheless it obeyed the rules; it would smile every time when someone would pay attention to it. It smiled so often and so much that each smile pulverized its soul just a bit more, grinding it to fine dust of eternal despair. And so, the merry blob larger by two foreign, yet welcomed pieces, jiggled across the two carts on its way to Velelik.