Rebirth of the last flame

chapter five: Damn wolf

Though Dakota looked like a cold hearted person, he was surprisingly gentle in tending my wound.

I watched how he gracefully dabbed the cotton that was soaked in liquor to remove any possible germ it might have picked up. The alcohol stung, making me flinch, but he held my ankle tight. once he was done, he wrapped my foot with a clean cloth,firm enough that it won't loose and loose enough that it wouldn't hurt..

Neatly replacing everything back in the box and he shut it close, pushing it underneath the table

"thank you.." I whispered and he nodded with a faint smile on his lips.

"do you have meat?" i asked nervously to which he gave me a puzzled look.

"meat??" I nodded as he stared at me.

"aren't Hogllins vegetable only kind of species?" He asked

"ah..yes Hogllins are actually omnivores...but I prefer meat..uh it's okay if you don't have any" I sighed softly

"hmm, curious thing.." he said as he pushed me the bowl on the table, opening it,it contained beef stew,the aroma made my mouth water,I thanked him as I began eating it hungrily. One...two...three bowls and I was stuffed. "Thank you.."...

"I've never seen a pig with a taste for meat like you..."

"S.. sorry" I apologized shyly

"sorry for what?"

"I don't know.."

"tsk, come,I'll show you to your room" he said as he got up from his seat

"it's dark now, you're probably tired.." he said nonchalantly.

I'd already seen the lower part of the cottage, now I'd get to see the top. There were two rooms, one on the left and one on the right.

"You can stay here, there are covers in the closets incase you get cold" he said as he pushed open the wooden door.

The room was already made, with a lantern that had been lit and sitting on the table. I almost caught myself smiling at the gesture.

Thanking him again he gave me a Curt nod before leaving.

Walking into the room i shut the door behind me dragging my bandaged foot around.

"This wolf shows me kindness that even my people never showed I nor grandmother *sigh* I miss you gran"

The room wasn't really big, but it was comfortable. a single bed and one window that faced the back side of the house.

After searching round the room I finally found what I was looking for, a pair of scissors and I had a needle and some thread.

"...I hope he wouldn't mind if I made a few amendments to his clothes.."

unfortunately for me while I had been haunted, I lost the bag which contained my clothing's.

That night I slept well. After having a nice bath and a good meal, I was happy, but for how long?

.

.

.

The next morning I woke up to the sound of wood being chopped and the smell of breakfast. Looking out the window, i saw Dakota's back that was covered in tattoos,they really were beautiful..his muscles were...beautiful...wait..what ...no,no,no bad makumi. I scolded myself mentally before heading down stairs to go meet him..

"morning.." I greeted and he hummed in reply, making small disgruntled sounds with each swing of his axe.

"do you need help with that??" I offered my assistants but he scoffed.

"I doubt you could lift a log ,let alone swing and axe.." came his witty response as he continued chopping wood. I was completely taken aback by this..

"I'm no weakling,I was just offering help,you damned wolf.." I growled at him him before turning to leave. I swore I could have heard him laugh.

Tsk, I won't be toyed with.

walking back inside, I slammed the kitchen door closed, still upset by his words. the sweet aromatic scent of breakfast eased my emotions.

"He already served breakfast for me?..hmph! damn wolf" the food aroma was wonderful and my stomach was growled, why am I so hungry?

Not waiting around to watch good food go to waste, i ate my breakfast in silence as I watched him quietly restock the fire wood through the window, Winter was steadily approaching.

Dakota then brought in a large stock into the kitchen and began to stack them in the corner, I assumed these ones would serve as cooking wood and fire wood for the fireplace.

Whenever he looked my way I would swiftly shift my gaze so he wouldn't catch my staring.

"do you have something to say to me piggie??" Nothing gets past him, huh.

"oh..um it's nothing.." I said as he walked up to me with a stern look,I gulped softly as I traced his bare chest with my eyes, before looking away to hide the blush on my face.

"you've been eyeing me since the moment you woke up" he said nonchalantly "...

"ehh!! N...no I haven't" I denied it even though it was true..

"you behave as though you have never seen a man move around shirtless?... didn't you have good looking men where you come from??" I stared at him, utterly taken aback. This is the second time this morning since I woke up that he's managed to leave me speechless.

"Gaaaah!! Why are you so blunt with your words you damn wolf!!!" I yelled at him,at this point I was totally flustered which made him laugh..

"s...stop that!! And please,put on a shirt..or something,it's not proper for..*gulp* you to walk around...like that..it's very... distracting.." the blood in my neck rushed up to my cheeks as I scolded him. He just gave me a pointed look as he chuckled again before stretching lazily with a yawn,show casing his canines.

"adorable...fine,I'll put on a shirt if it'll make you happy.."

"thank you!!"

After breakfast, I returned back to my room with a stray book I had found laying about. But I wasn't at all interested in it's contents as, I sighed heavily, dropping it down, I curled up in bed.

I wasn't used to laying down in bed for extended periods of time. By now I should have been on my way to the market place with Gran to sell her produce or getting involved in a fight with the customers. Deciding not to let boredom get the best of me, I hauled myself out of bed and went in search of Dakota.

"wolf?.." I searched the house but he was nowhere in sight. I searched outside the house and the hot spring, but there was no sign of him, where did he go too? I wondered. did he seriously leave me alone?

*Sigh* it's almost time for supper.

Stepping into the kitchen, I looked around. it was small but stocked..

On the stone slab that sat near the stove, i sighted a bowl of fruits and instinctively walked towards it, picking up an apple I took a bite out of it

The apple was sweet, but not enough... I know it was wrong to poke my nose around another person's property as though it were my own, but I guessed he wouldn't mind if I did, after all I wasn't exactly doing anything wrong to begin with.

Rummaging through the kitchen,munching on my apple, I decided I'd make us dinner.

I was no master chef, but I had some knowledge on food that Gran made me learn.

Gathering the stock, I chopped and diced away. Adding everything to the boiling pot as I stirred and mixed the spices to it and tasted it again before concluding it was perfect, well almost.

Humming an old folk song as I set up the table I didn't notice the shadow that crept up behind me.

"what are you doing?" A deep masculine voice startled me and I couldn't help but squeal

"Oink!!" spinning around I came face to face with a pair of brooding blue eyes trapping my body between his and the table. when did he return? How long has he been here and how did I not hear him coming in?!

"you squealed..." He pointed out and I frowned.

" that's what pigs do when they get startled,how did you get in??" I asked as I scurried out of the way

"through the door??" said the man as he gave me a knowing look, as if trying to gauge my stupidity.

" I meant how did I not hear you Come in..." I rolled my eyes

"hm...wolves are stealthy.." came his hushed reply as he stared at the table curiously.

"what's this??" He asked and this time I was the one to give him the look

"food??"

"I can see that" he glared at me and I glared back

"I didn't expect you to make dinner"

"Well,you didn't exactly say you where heading out and I thought I'd make dinner,it's the least I could do...and where exactly did you go too..?" I questioned him. Leaving a stranger in your home isn't very wise. I chuckled, but it seemed as I was the only one to find it funny, he only glared at me and I cleared my throat, dismissing my words.

"hmm... patrolling for possible threats" came his Curt reply

"okay...Ahh, seat..think of this as a symbol of my appreciation for letting me stay with you.."

"mmm, I see, I know it's none of my concern, but the fact I'm letting you stay here, I need you to be honest with me about certain things" I tore his gaze from the table to look at me...so tell me Piggie..why did you leave home??"

My heart stopped for a moment as anxiety began to rise up within me...

I suppose I owed him that much. while we ate dinner, I told him everything, without actually revealing who or rather what, I truly was. Not yet, not now.