Red

Twenty-Two.

"Easy boy." Court told him running his hand over his neck. Celeste stomped the ground again and Court looked up at the woods as a rusty red wolf emerged and paused before looking over. Celeste backed up as Court turned to me.

"Stay right here." Court told me as he swung himself off Celeste and handed me the reins.

The wolf looked over at Court before its body convulsed, and a large man took his place.

"Lycidas." Court noted and the man turned to him. 

The man had hair the same color of the wolf's fur and bright gold eyes. He looked at Court before taking a glance over at me. His eyes gave away that he was a lot older than he looked. He looked to be around my parents age but lacked the wrinkles my mother had been forming.

"Thorin mentioned you had a human." His voice was deep as he turned back to Court.

Court nodded. Lycidas turned back to him.

"Has Thorin come to inform you the solstice feast will be at your territory?" Lycidas asked and Court shook his head. 

"He has not." Court answered.

"You've been informed then." Lycidas told Court who nodded at that. 

Court turned back to Celeste and came over. He swung himself on as Lycidas shifted back into the rusty red wolf and took off into the woods. I paused as his name rolled around in my brain.

Lycidas. . . the same name from the journal. 

☾

After the encounter with Lycidas Court brought us back to the cabin and put Celeste away in his stall. Once Celeste was away Court, and I went inside.

"Who is Lycidas?" I asked and Court turned to me.

"He's Thorin's great uncle. He's technically one of the elders of the two packs." Court explained and I nodded at that.

He had to be the one from the journal. What was the likelihood of there being another Lycidas especially one of the same descriptions. I had no idea what to do with this information now rattling around in my brain.

"What's the solstice feast?" I asked.

Court turned around. "Solstice feast is the feast for the winter solstice. We have a solstice feast for both the winter and summer one. It's where we throw a big feast on either Thorin's land or mine and celebrate the solstice and new beginnings. This year it's on my land." Court explained and I nodded.

Court pushed his hair out of his face as he turned back to the stove. "Thank you for taking me out on a ride." I thanked him and Court smiled.

"Did you enjoy it?" Court asked.

"Yes, it was fun. I'd like to do it again when you have time." I told him and Court nodded. 

"I'm sure I can plan it out for us to go on another ride. I can even have us stop somewhere and explore a little." Court told me and I nodded with a smile on my face. "I'm going to make beef for dinner." Court told me as I headed back to the room and I nodded before going in and deciding to read a bit more of the journal while Court cooked.

☾

The Diary of A

The best surprise my brother left me with was a beautiful white stallion. I named him Raine before putting him away in the almost built stall and area for him to roam around in. 

Raine is built beautifully. He is tall and is mixed with some draft horse breed. I know he will make life easier around here for me. I won't have to walk to town anymore, now I can ride on Raine there and attach things to him.

I would be buying him a new saddle no doubt. He came with the simple saddle that would allow me to ride him, but I would need one to carry things and to have a more comfortable saddle as well. But for now, the saddle will do.

Lyk visited today as well. He seemed interested in Raine when he saw him. I wasn't surprised to see that Raine was cautious around him. Lyk is a wolf after all.

He calmed down after a bit though. Raine even let Lyk pet him a little before we went inside. I was so relaxed I forgot to ask him about how he acted when my brother was around. He seemed to have forgotten about it.

It was on the back of my mind but not completely gone. But I had been more focused on Lyk than I was on anything else.

He made dinner like he typically did when he came over. I managed to hide the prey meat he had given me from my brother when he had come over. I knew that would easily rouse suspicion in him or make him think I was crazy and hunting prey animals which would attract in the wolves.

They took offense if we hunted the prey in the forest. So, the only thing we ate were the animals we bred up unless the prey wandered into the village.

Hunting the animals in the forest could provoke the wolves into attacking you. I got all this meat from Lyk though, so they have no reason to attack me. My brothers didn't know that though.

I intend to keep it that way.

Lyk left once he finished his dinner. He brought me a present though. He gave me a fur cloak to wear.

"Just don't show it off towards the other humans." Was the only thing he wanted in return.

He didn't tell me where he got it from, but I took a guess either he made it or one of the other wolves made it. I didn't care where it came from though.

The cloak is beautiful. It's made of the soft brown fur which was on the outside and a sleek warm pelt on the inside. I may not be able to wear it out into the village but I'm sure it'd be lovely to wear around the house and to bed when winter comes.

The first touch told me of how warm it is. Lyk is sweet. He's so sweet to me, he didn't have to get me this, but he did. I'm thankful he did. Today has been great. That's all for now.

1691. And here is chapter twenty-two. We got to meet Lyk as well! I have lots of plans. I've been thinking and planning and have some awesome ideas in mind for this. ***