Arne stood in the doorway of the hut, bathed in morning light. I rose and pulled the cloak around me more tightly as I went to him. He put his arm around me but did not speak. The mist still curled through the forest and field, but was dying away.
“There are no signs of the Berserkers, though we know they still hunt for us. Erik and Gunnr scouted as wolves.”
I shivered in the cool air. It did not feel like midsummer any more.
“Come back inside.”
He banked up the fire as I stood by with my arms wrapped around my body.
“Arne, the claiming…it is not complete, is it?”
“Not yet. Gunnr dares not Change.”
I rubbed my face, feeling all the weariness of the past few days.
And it was not only me. The warriors were showing signs of strain. Erik rubbing his pained head and getting nosebleeds.
