The Forest

Twenty-Five.

It took some searching around the camp to find Lyk's camp he had made himself. I didn't visit here often and didn't ask Thorin where it was.

I felt awkward walking through Thorin's camp especially without Court by my side.

A lot of Thorin's pack members were in wolf form. It's something I noted of Thorin's pack compared to Court's. More of Thorin's pack remains in wolf form than Court's.

Which is slightly intimidating. The wolf-shifters in their wolf forms can be much more dangerous than in their wolf forms. I'm already considered an outside amongst Court's pack but in Thorin's pack I didn't have the status I have with Court.

With Court's pack all of them know I belong to Court so none of them bother me. Here I am just another human to them. Thankfully, they all left me alone.

I traveled through the camp looking around for Lyk before finally spotting him out in front of a fire with a bunch of pelts behind him.

I smiled before making my way over to him. Lyk was roasting some meat over the fire. The flames reflected off his ginger hair with streaks of grey throughout them.

From what I've seen wolf-shifters age at a slower rate. They still age but my grandmother looked much older at her death than Lyk looks now. I also don't know how old Lyk is or how old my grandmother was.

Truth be told I don't even know my own parents' age.

It was never a conversation that came up.

Lyk looked up and smiled upon seeing me.

"Hello Ruby." Lyk greeted me.

I waved awkwardly before going over to him. I sat down on the pelts next to him and gave him a smile.

I hadn't talked to Lyk much since we had moved. There were so many things on my mind. I had lost the only home I had known, realized all sorts of creatures existed and had my whole life uprooted once more.

This was different than when Court took me. There I had the comfort of a cabin and no worries of anything attacking us.

The biggest, baddest thing around was Lyell and he feared Court. Or respected him, I'm not sure which.

He never pressed things where Court was concerned. The first time I met Lyell he had scared the shit out of me but hadn't pushed further once Court came into the picture.

"What brings my lovely granddaughter over here?" Lyk asked.

"I came to see how you were doing." I told him.

"I am doing just fine; would you like something to eat?" Lyk asked.

"No, I've already eaten." I told him.

Lyk nodded. He removed the animal from the fire and began tearing up the pieces.

"So, what have you joined me here for? Is there something you need?" Lyk asked.

"I was curious on if you have spoken to my father at all." I admitted. 

I came clean with the reason I am here. Lyk is a nice person to be around, but I didn't enjoy coming over to this side of camp especially without Court by my side.

But Court was out in the endless meadows working on containments and shelter for the animals. This left me to my own devices which I didn't mind.

But typically, I spent it sorting through Court and I's things or attempting to make a meal for us.

We lacked the oven Court used to own which took out my biggest talent. I had always enjoyed baking and it was something my mom had taught me how to do.

We had an oven back in our small modest home in the village. It wasn't anything grand nor did it work as well as Court's did, but it was nice.