In Another Life ( OUAT Huntsman Love)

Ch.10 Can't Hold On

Humbert woke up to a very funny sound the next morning. He opened his eyes and took in his surroundings until he realized where the noise was coming from. Kaywinnet was twirling around in the middle of the camp... smiling and giggling as she spun around and around.

"Look!" Kaywinnet exclaimed, "I can stand again! Isn't this amazing! I just thought this was a dream but it seems too real to me! I feel like sprinting in the wild like some rabid deer!"

"Congratulations" Humbert stood up, "I'm very happy that you've got your strength back. Now that you can stand on your own two feet again, we can begin our journey. And it's about time too. I hate staying in one place for too long"

"Why? Is it because humans do it?" Kaywinnet asked.

Humbert gave a low glare to the young woman, "We're not having this conversation again"

"Why not?"

"Because I said so"

"Or is it because you are still pained from the scars of your past?"

"I don't have any scars"

Kaywinnet gave him a slight nod, "Of course you don't"

"Kaywinnet, what is that supposed to mean? Just because we are on this journey together, it doesn't mean that you have to know every inch of my life" Humbert told her.

"Then tell me this, Humbert" Kaywinnet challenged, "Why do I have to tell you everything there is to know about me? Is it written in some stone that women are supposed to tell the men everything while they keep their lips tightly shut? All I was trying to do was make conversation. You didn't have to be so harsh about it. This is why I prefer to talk to beasts rather than humans because they always get so touchy with subjects they can't seem to handle"

Humbert took a small step back as he watched the young woman walk over to her sleeping bag as she quickly rolled it back up. He couldn't help himself but feel sorry for his random outburst at Kaywinnet.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you" Humbert told her, "I don't really know what manners are today. No one really saved me from the woods after my parents abandoned me there"

"Did you try to find your way back?"

"I couldn't" Humbert shrugged, "Everywhere I turned, I went deeper and deeper into the forest. I had a chance to kill a little wolf pup but I didn't take it. I let it get away and then before I knew it, a pack came and took me in as one of their own"

"What happened to the pack?" Kaywinnet asked.

"Slaughtered in the middle of the night" Humbert told her, "Suri was the only survivor"

Kaywinnet opened her mouth to speak but couldn't find any words to form. She looked down to her boots among the colorful leaves as she felt sorrow fill her soul. The way he described every word made her imagine how it could have happened. She could see in her mind Humbert coming back with a kill of his shoulder to see his substitute family lying on the ground lifeless. Kaywinnet could only imagine the hatred he must've felt for men that day. She couldn't imagine what the pain must've felt like that day. Now it was her turn to feel sorry for even pressuring Humbert into telling her about his past.

She bit her lip nervously as she sank back down to the ground. Kaywinnet picked up a stick and randomly started to poke holes into the ground. She was more than happy that Suri was away doing her morning patrols around the camp. Kaywinnet picked up her head as she stared up into the sunlight bouncing off of the glistening leaves. If she could go back in time and thank her family for being warm-hearted and loving like how normal families were, then she would. Kaywinnet let out a sigh as she continued to scribble into the moist ground. She heard the crunching of leaves as Humbert walked over and knelt in front of her.