Lunansholt: The tale of the beginning of the wolves

CH 8 Protecting Leif

Once the sun sets Thornben looks at his sleeping mate and moves quietly out of the bed so as not to wake her. He kisses her first on her forehead then her belly. He smiles, putting his ear to her belly and hears a faint heartbeat which makes him smile even harder. They are about a month into the pregnancy, with pregnancy now only being six months long they won’t have long before the pup is here.

After a minute of imagining his son, since his mate is adamant it’s a boy, would look and act like, he moves to check his pack to ensure he has everything he needs. When he moves away from her side she twitches and he freezes, waiting to see if he woke her. After a minute of silent breaths, he hears snoring again and smiles while moving toward the back door. He listens first before opening the door for any village members nearby, only after hearing small animals nearby and sniffing, smelling no people or wolves close by did he exit through the door, quietly closing it to ensure no sound was made.

He jumps onto the roof scanning the route between his hut and Leif's then leaps through the shadows. Five seconds later he's walking through Leif's backdoor quickly grabbing Kona from behind and covering her mouth, so she doesn't scream and alert anyone nearby. He whispers quickly near her ear. "I'm Thornben I was sent by Harald to guard you and Leif." She nods her head calming her racing heartbeat, after her breathing has slowed as well she finally says, "I'm Kona."

He lets her go and she turns to properly address him, "How is he doing?" He moves to Leif’s side feeling his forehead, it's hot more like wolf hot than a fever hot. He looks at his friend finally starting to believe Harald about Leif being a wolf.

Kona moves forward, "He’s doing well." She hesitates on whether to continue but after a while gathers the courage "I obviously don't know as much as the healer does, but I have a feeling he is in this coma because he is healing from the energy used when he crawled back from death’s door."

Thornben looks at her and nods not at all shocked by her assessment, "I think you’re right. I have seen wolves go into a deep sleep after overexerting themselves, but they all wake eventually. I know how close Leif was to death I heard his heart slowing and his breathing coming slower and slower. I truly believe that if his wolf hadn’t come when it did, he would have died."

"So, you know that he has a wolf now?" Thornben looks at her, "Harald told me that he had one, but I wasn't sure I believed him. Looking at Leif now I know it to be true, I can feel his wolf’s power and already it’s impressive."

Thornben gets up checking the hut for any ways a person could sneak in locking all the windows and doors. Once he’s satisfied they’re safe from intruders he checks with Kona, "Do you have everything you need for the night?"

She nods, "I don't need anything. Leif is healing himself so I’m mostly just here to babysit and feed him."

"How is he eating when he's like this?"

Kona chuckles, "Leif's wolf won't allow them to die so he takes over to eat, but when Leif does fully wake he will be starving."

Thornben nods, "Where are you sleeping?" Kona points to a small platform with straw on it on the ground in the kitchen. Thornben nods, "I guess I’ll have to share a bed with sleeping beauty here." Kona giggles and moves to grab his pack to set aside for him, but Thornben stops her. "You're here to care for Leif not me. You carry on with your duties as if I am not here."

Kona stops and nods, "I’ll go to sleep then. If you notice anything with Leif before I do be sure to wake me."

He nods peeking through a window to make sure there isn't anyone around and when he's satisfied they are alone he goes to lay in the bed beside Leif. He turns his back to Leif thinking of his beautiful mate as he drifts off to sleep.

Morning begins to light the ground when Kona awake. She moves from her side flat onto her back yawning while she stretches. She looks up at the ceiling and groans low. She twists her body to crack her back and neck and looks at both Leif and Thornben still sleeping. She rises then slides her makeshift mattress under the table and leaves to relieve herself outside going straight to the longhouse for breakfast. She turns into the kitchen where her friend is kneading several piles of dough and walks towards her. She smiles waving and runs to her friend while her friend waves back with flour covered hands and wipes her face leaving a line of white powder on her cheek and on the tip of her nose causing Kona to giggle.

"What are you doing here so early Kona?" She smiles about to tell her friend but quickly catches herself telling her she was only grabbing food for the sick and herself." She clears her throat fidgeting while her friend digests what she said, "Do you think I could have extra for myself today? I’m starving after a late night helping the healer." Her friend nods, "Of course you can. This pile of bread just came from the fire, it’s nice and warm still. Take as much as you want and the oats in the pot over there just finished as well. Be careful when you eat it it’s still hot."

Kona loads a tray with the food and drink then moves to the doorway to leave when she turns to thank her friend but runs right into Astra and her friends. Kona bows low to them and tries to move around them but one of them grabs her roughly on the arm. "Wait where are you going with all that food?" Astra asks and Kona stops, wincing from the grip tightening on her arm and answers quickly, "Bringing food for the healer and the sick at the infirmary." Astra looks at her and the food and scoffs. "Gods I hate thralls. They're always so weak." She dismisses Kona with a wave of her hand, and the group of girls continue to the dining hall.

Kona moves with a quickness to Leif's hut and once she's inside Thornben already awake, guarding the door watching after she comes in. After a minute he's sure she wasn't followed and moves to the table where he grabs one of the bowls of porridge and fruit and begins eating. Kona grabs another bowl and moves to Leif. She spoons the porridge into Leif's mouth until the bowl is empty wiping his mouth with a rag then moving to the table to feed herself.

The day goes by without any trouble but at midday there's a knock at the door then a hard banging. Thornben moves quietly to the window seeing Astra trying and failing to pull the door open. She is clearly starting to get more and more upset based on how red she’s becoming when Kona finally asks, "Who's there?"

Astra throws her head in the direction of the voice and angrily asks "Who is in there?"

Kona smirks, "A thrall ordered to care for Leif through his fever until he wakes up."

Astra growls as she loses her patience, "Your name slave! I want your name!"

"Why? So, you can try to command me to let you in?"

"So, I can go to the healer and let him know that his thrall is being disrespectful to her superior!" Astra says wearing a smug smile on her face and her hands on her hips obviously thinking that the thrall would be too scared to disobey her now.

Kona chuckled, "Who do you think told me not to let anyone in?"

Astra squeals in frustration stomping her foot. "I bet Harald won't be happy to know a thrall is being rude to the packs future Luna!” She seethes crossing her arms over her chest.

"Oh, I didn't know that a mateship was announced. Even more reason not to let you in. I would hate for you to catch a fever before you can officially be mated." Kona looks over at Thornben and can see him stuffing his face into a pillow to stifle his laughter.

"I will be back slave. I won't allow anyone to disrespect me. You can't stay in there forever, bitch."

She stomps away as Kona and Thornben laugh hysterically when they hear someone clearing their throat. They both turn to see Leif with a smirk and an eyebrow raised. "What are you two doing?"