When Arnaud returned to the cave with the roasted rabbit, the delicious aroma filled the air, immediately waking Arturo up. The child sat up, rubbing his eyes with his hands and sniffing the air with delight.

"It smells delicious, Arnaud!" he exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear.

Arnaud returned the smile and offered him the roast. Their names were now known thanks to their sign exchange. Arturo didn't hesitate to snatch it from his hands and take a big bite. His little eyes lit up and he let out a moan of pleasure as he savored the meat.

However, after swallowing the mouthful, he made a weird face and looked at Arnaud with a frown.

"It needs salt, like the one grandmother Maria used to put…" he said, tilting his head.

The vampire blinked, confused by that unfamiliar word. Slowly, he pointed to the rabbit and then brought a finger to his mouth, mimicking eating.

Arturo nodded, laughing at his friend's mime.

"Salt! Tastier... hmmm," he repeated, making the same gesture.

Arnaud smiled and shrugged it off. The child sank his teeth back into the roast, devouring it voraciously despite the lack of seasoning.

Thus began the passing of days for the vampire and the little one. Arnaud would go out hunting every night, bringing prey that he would then cook over the campfire to feed Arturo. Gradually, he memorized the words the child used to refer to food, improvised cooking utensils, and everything related to those domestic tasks he had forgotten centuries ago.

For his part, Arturo seemed to thoroughly enjoy his new lifestyle. He laughed and played with Arnaud, inventing absurd games and teaching him words from his language through gestures and clowning. The vampire, despite his natural tendency towards seriousness, couldn't help but be infected by the child's ringing laughter, letting himself be carried away by those moments of innocent fun.

On one occasion, while Arnaud was trying to light the campfire, Arturo approached him from behind and tickled his ribs, causing the vampire to jump and scatter the embers all over the cave floor.

"Arturo!" he exclaimed, feigning anger, while the child doubled over with laughter.

Determined to take revenge, Arnaud pounced on him, mercilessly tickling him. Arturo squealed and writhed, begging for mercy between fits of laughter.

Soon, they both ended up rolling on the ground, laughing uncontrollably, completely forgetting the task that had initially occupied them.

Another time, while Arnaud was out hunting at night, Arturo decided to "decorate" the cave in his absence. When the vampire returned with his prey, he found that the child had covered the walls with scribbles and drawings made with charcoal.

"Look, Arnaud! That's you!" Arturo exclaimed, pointing to a strange doodle with fangs and bulging eyes.

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Arnaud blinked, surprised, and then burst out laughing at the portrait the child had made of him. Shaking his head, he approached and affectionately ruffled Arturo's hair.

"Little artast, eh?" he said, using the few words he had learned from the child's language.

Arturo nodded proudly and continued to show him his "works of art," chattering incessantly in his mother tongue while Arnaud listened attentively, gradually grasping more and more of the meaning of the words.

Little by little, through those shared games and moments, the vampire learned Arturo's language, managing to communicate better with him each passing day.

However, there was something that began to worry Arnaud: the conditions in which they lived were not the most suitable for a small child. The cave lacked the most basic amenities, such as a bathroom or clean water for washing. Also aside from Arturo's share, Arnaud wasn't finding enough food for himself.

One night, while Arturo slept soundly, Arnaud went out to walk through the forest, reflecting on their situation. The child needed a more hygienic and safe environment, away from the hardships he had had to endure in his native village.

He then remembered the few times he had visited human towns in the past. There were some more advanced places, with solid houses and access to resources like running water and cultivated food.

Perhaps, if he could find one of those towns, he could provide Arturo with a better life, closer to what a child his age deserved. He would just have to avoid the beasts of the strange road, as humans didn't seem to have changed much. Although... the weapons seemed to be different as well.

Determined, Arnaud returned to the cave and sat next to the little one, tenderly caressing his hair. Arturo stirred in his sleep and smiled, snuggling against the vampire's chest.

"I promase you a better lif, little one," Arnaud whispered in the language he now understood better. "I'll take you to a place where you can live as the child you are."

The next morning, when Arturo woke up, Arnaud asked him to sit down to talk. The child looked at him, confused, and tilted his head curiously.

"What's going on, Arnaud?"

Arnaud knelt in front of him and explained, in his halting but increasingly fluent language:

"Arturo, go town, live there," Arnaud said with difficulty, trying to explain his plans to the little one with his still limited vocabulary.

But the child shook his head, folding his arms and frowning. His little eyes filled with distrust.

Arnaud sighed, guessing the reason for Arturo's rejection. Slowly, he knelt in front of him and took his small hands in his own.

"No, no abandon. I stay with you. But town better for you," he insisted, looking at him intently.

Arturo averted his gaze, biting his lower lip. For too long, he had been abandoned and betrayed by every adult in his life. The mere idea that Arnaud, his new friend and protector, could leave him too, terrified him.

"Promise?" he murmured, his little voice filled with fear. "You won't leave me alone in the town?"

Arnaud's heart sank at the sight of the child's vulnerability. Gently, he took his face in his cold hands and forced him to look him in the eye.

"Promise, Arturo. Never abandon you. You and me, together always," he stated with conviction, using all the words he knew to make himself understood.

Gradually, Arturo's distrust began to dissipate. He nodded slowly, swallowing hard.

"Okay, sir. We'll go to the town," he finally accepted.

Arnaud smiled, relieved, and affectionately ruffled the child's hair. He stood up, gesturing for Arturo to follow him.

Along the way, the vampire continued to reassure the little one, repeating over and over his promises never to abandon him. Arturo listened in silence, clinging to those words like a castaway to a liferaft.