The guardian and his last chance. Realization

VIII

“Eric it is time for me to start my journey again.” I said with a small smile.

Eric looked down at Clarice and their baby girl. “Stay one more day, it would be our honor.”

“I need to get going.” I said shaking my head. The past four days, I stayed at the B&B. Each morning I prepared to start walking again. Then Eric came and asked of me to stay one more day. Wanting to thank me for his wife´s and daughter’s life. They even offered the room for free. But that was the limit for me. I insisted to pay or work for houseroom. I could see that Clarice opened her mouth to complain. Holding up the forefinger on my right hand, I stopped her in her tracks. “I have enjoyed these past nights. It was really good for me.” She frowned a bit, leaning in to Eric. He wrapping an arm around her small shoulders in response. “I have not slept that well in ages. So thank you, for having me.” With a warmer smile on my lips, I threw my rucksack up on my shoulders. “Sincerely, I hope that we see each other again sometime in the future.”  I turned around and walked out. My rucksack is restocked.

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Flashback. 

After the first night in town, I went around town to find an herbalist or natural remedies shop. When I found one small shop, I felt some hope to find the herbs I needed. At the same time, I stepped in to the small shop my hope shattered. It was a f*****g teashop. Tea can be used as medicine, but it needs some extra components. It was not totally a failure. Because I bought tealeaves, refined black tea and red tea. I even asked the owner if there is an herbalist in town. And the answer was what I had already figured out. When I saw that the sun already had past zenith, I swore to myself. Then I headed out. To the forest. Well there I started my hunt for my herbs. Hoping to find enough and of many types. I returned to the Wolf howl just as the sun sank behind the horizon. I asked Eric if I could use the kitchen in the B&B to prepare the herbs. I dried them slowly in the oven. It did take some time. But I had preferred to airdry them. And that wait I didn´t have time for. ABSOLUTLY NOT!

After the second night I helped Eric around the B&B. Mostly some heavy lifting. But I was happy to oblige. Clarice was often at the front-desk. With their daughter in her arms or in the crib they had placed there. She was still a bit sore. I had argued hard with her, that she needed rest. At least a week worth. But she just brushed it off. Ignoring my complaints, stubborn human girl. That evening I borrowed the kitchen again. To Clarice´s shock I said to her, that I will fix dinner for us three. I made a stew. The meat was lean chicken. Carrots, onion, bell-pepper and potatoes. The potatoes I just scrubbed hard. Peeled the carrots. Everything in one big pot. For seasoning I used a paste I made out of red-chili, parsley, and some of the medicinal herbs. For spice I used grounded white and black pepper, salt, cumin, curcuma and a small amount garlic. When food was served, both Eric and Clarice groaned in satisfaction.

“U are a good chef.” She giggled. “With your skills and body.” She said with a big smile. Her tone made Eric glare at her. “Any girl would fall for you!”

I just chuckle. And Eric looked at his wife in disbelief. “What are you saying?”

“What?” she shrugged. “It´s the truth. All girls would want to have someone as Dragol.” I was amused at her statement and at Eric´s shocked expression. “But not me.” She continued. “I have already everything I would want or need.”

They are really a cute couple. We chatted as we ate. Clarice asked me what I had used to make the food. I continued to wash the dishes as I answered her. The medicinal herbs I didn´t reveal. My secret.

The day after the third night, I just helped around the B&B in the morning. And afternoon I gathered some more plants in the forest.

End of flashback

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My step stopped at the roadside. I glanced at the building over my shoulder. I had a smile on my lips. And knew it was showing in my eyes too. “Good bye, young ones.”

Still smiling I followed the road. Step by step. I had started my wandering way again. By noon I will have left the town behind. My steps are light in the sunshine. The jacket is open. It would be too warm to have it closed. The birds are flying and singing. Truth be told, I look forward to leave this town behind me. I had a good place to sleep at. And I had eaten good and filled my stomach. Not even the little hostile looks from the pack´s members, could destroy my mood. I could hear them growl low at me. They all know about the four skins I sold, at my first day in town. They held their younglings close. To show their unhappiness, A few of the males even bump into me. At their breath saying “Sorry.”. And when they thought I couldn´t hear them, they just said. “I wish we could kill the human.” “Yea, he is a wolf-killer.”

I didn´t care. Not even bloody inch or second. Soon enough they will forget about me and I about them. The only good point in living a long life, even longer than vampires. The houses started to thin out. I had come out to the town´s outskirts. There were row by row of fine houses. I felt a twitch in my chest as I saw kids play in the gardens in front of single or two floors big houses. I couldn´t forget my own kids. They also long gone, with the rest of my kin. The wind was picking up. And the scents told me a clear story. A story about humans and wolfs mingle and living together. But I knew that the wolf where hiding their true nature. Even if my family and kin was long gone, life still goes on. That’s the way it will always be. And I will always bear their memory with me. Both the happy ones and the sorrowful. I know that my late wife would want me settle down again, find a new gemstone to protect and rise new younglings. I want that. I really do. Truth be told, I have found new gemstones many times. Mostly it was of nonhuman kin. And most of those kin, it was wolf. As it was, all of those candidates of gemstones rejected me. They did it because they thought I am human. Some even did it for the pack. It´s a sad story really. There were some who wanted to build up our bond, but their pack saw it as a weakness. Those poor girls were brutally killed by their own packs, i sigh at the memories. But the packs who did that awful deed paid for it in blood. For now, I haven´t felt the tug of the chain since the second world war. And so, do I want it atleast for a century or more. Just maybe I can find me a cabin or cottage deep inside a forest or a mountain somewhere, to call home. So far away as possible from all the races in this world. IF POSSIBLE.