Nirrin (Forestfolk, Book 3)

Chapter 29a

I somehow managed to get a little sleep before sunrise. Upon waking, I looked over and found Sember already gone, probably on her daily run. Remi, however, was just sitting up, yawning. His hair spiked up in hilarious directions.

"You know how Galen likes to tell people you're half monkey?" I looked directly at his hair. "I think it's more like half porcupine."

"Ha-ha." He looked up as if he could see his own hair and began some frantic finger-combing. "Better?"

I thought about Fen's armor-banded head, and how he never had hair problems. I'd miss him if I left.

"Hello!" Remi waved at me. "Is it better or not? I don't want to look like a large, spiky rodent in front of people I barely know."

I glanced at him distractedly. "Yeah, it's fine."

I'd definitely miss Foresthome and my friends if I stayed.

He gave his head a final smoothing. "What's with you? Where'd you go?"

I stiffened. Did he hear me leave last night? "What do you mean?"

"Just now. You said I looked like a porcupine, and then you started daydreaming or something."

"Oh, you know." I waved a vague hand through the air, relieved I didn't have to explain last night's drama. "I have a lot on my mind."

"Yeah, if I hadn't seen all this with my own eyes, I'd have thought you were spinning another one of your outlandish stories."

"They're not outlandish stories! They're good stories. The kids like them."

He nodded in agreement. "They do. It'll be good to have you back." His brow pinched as if he had a sudden thought. "You are coming back with us, right?"

"I think so?" I cradled my head in my hands. "Gah, I don't know!"

He scooted over to me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Hey, whatever you decide, you know we'll support you, right?"

"Even if it's the wrong decision?" I hated the quaver of uncertainty in my voice.

"Wouldn't be the first time."

I slapped his arm. "You're supposed to say I'm never wrong."

"What kind of brother figure would I be if I said that?"

I took a deep breath to steady myself for the upcoming day and patted his knee. "Thanks, Remi."

Once outside, Remi headed out to search for more food for the group. I found Minocken stoking the embers of a campfire. His whiskers twitched when he saw me. "Sleep well?"

"Not really." I settled onto the ground next to him. My dress was already ruined, so a little extra dirt wasn't going to matter.

"Big day yesterday," he said, looking into the faint glow of the embers.

"I know."

He poked the coals a little longer before asking, "Your friends . . . are the people in your Foresthome all like them?"

My head listed to one side. "Like how? All Gifted?"

His brow crinkled and he shook his head. "No, I mean . . ." He rubbed the back of his neck in thought. "Your friends, Sember and Remi, they didn't stare at me or Fen. They actually talked to us. Joked with us. Like we were normal."

"That doesn't happen a lot?"

"Hardly ever. Maybe even never."

I felt so bad for him. No wonder he defaulted to hostile behavior. "I'm not going to lie and say everyone's fantastic, but they do give people the benefit of the doubt. They won't fear you unless you give them something to be scared about."

He looked at me then, his expression serious, and upturned his hand so that his claws pointed up like menacing thorns.

"Okay, I see your point." I glanced at the claws. "Many points. But you're judged for your actions. I think as long as those stay out of people's throats, you'd be fine." I paused and thought about his line of questioning. "Wait, did you want to come to Foresthome?"

"No!" he said quickly, dropping his hand. "I was just curious." He retrieved some wood from a nearby pile.

I regarded him while he busied himself arranging the pieces. I wasn't used to this talkative version of Minocken. "You're different."

He glanced at me. "What do you mean?"

"When I first got here, you snubbed me at every opportunity. I was somehow your mortal enemy." My nose wrinkled at the memory. "But yesterday you were actually chatting with us. Without any snide remarks or death threats."

He chuckled. "I don't recall ever making death threats to you."

"Okay, fine. But the resentful guy I first met wasn't there yesterday. Plus, you seemed okay with the idea of Fen and me together. Maybe even supportive. That's definitely different from the guy who used to tell him not to talk to me."

"Yeah, well . . ." He kept his eyes on the embers and rubbed his hands absently on his pants. "I'm allowed to change my opinion of people. He's different with you around. Happier. I want that for him."

"Me too," I agreed. "And thanks for giving me a chance."

"It's not about chances." He met my eyes then. "You proved yourself."

My eyebrows went up. "I did?"

"Stop fishing for compliments, but yeah. Fenrook saw it long before I did."

I smiled. "Well, thanks. Speaking of the big guy, where is Fen, anyway?" I looked around, but I didn't see him.

"Still sleeping."

"Not an early riser?"

"Never has been."

"Can I go talk to him?"

"You can try. We share a tent, and he never wakes up when I get up."

I stood and brushed the dirt off my butt. "You're nice when you're not snarling at me."

He smirked. "Don't get used to it."

I grinned, gave his shoulder a quick squeeze, and headed for Fen's tent.

He's actually a nice guy when he's not being clawful and catty. Let's give him a vote.