Over the next several days Nathan and Griffin were constant companions during the day. Griffin showed great patience with Nathan's efforts to hunt, while Nathan let Griffin ramble on as much as he wanted. As the days passed he slowly improved and even Axel was impressed by his achievements.
[I'm surprised. You're no longer floundering about like a drunk chicken.]
"Why are you so mean? Would it kill you to say something nice?"
[No, but where's the fun in that?]
A short whistle interrupted them and Nathan glanced up at Griffin.
"Ready to go home, boy? I think we have enough meat to last us a few days." Griffin looked towards the sky and spoke softly, almost to himself. "Good thing too. Looks like a storm is coming our way."
Nathan instantly began to panic. "A storm? Again? What do we do about shelter?"
[We follow the dragon and stay with him.] Axel spoke with tone that sounded like he thought Nathan was an idiot for not thinking of it first.
Over the past several days, Nathan hadn't had the courage to go inside the large dragon's cabin. He worried about being trapped and unable to get out. "He's been great the last few days, but are you sure we can trust him?"
[I do. In more ways than one.]
**********
"Think he'll actually come inside this time?" Griffin asked Kael.
[I think so. I don't think he likes the rain any more than you do. If you keep pushing the fact that a big storm is coming I think he'll come in just to avoid it.]
"Well, well, well. Look who finally believes that he can understand us," Griffin remarked smugly.
[His reactions lately have left little else for me to believe.] Karl rolled his eyes, refusing the acknowledge defeat.
They both laughed as they looked over at the wolf that was running around nearby. "Come on, boy! Let's go home!" Griffin called.
Nathan's head whipped around and immediately ran over to Griffin, his tongue hanging out.
Griffin continued to chuckle, "Having fun there? Come on, if we leave now we should be able to make it home before the rain hits." He wasn't sure how but the wolf gave him a look that could only be described as disgust as he huffed.
**********
An hour later they came upon Griffin's cabin, a beacon of shelter against the darkening sky. Griffin walked right up and unlocked the door, holding it open while looking at his furry friend. "Well? Come on. It's nice and warm in there."
Nathan paused about 50 feet away. "Last chance, Axel. Are you sure this is safe?" He warily eyed the door and the man next to it.
Axel chuffed. [For the last time, it's safe. I'm 80% sure of it.]
"80%? What about the other 20?"
[That this was all a ploy and he plans on hanging your pelt in front of his fireplace.]
Nathan rolled his eyes, "Oh, thanks for that. I feel so much better. Sigh. Well, I guess there's only one way to find out." Nathan took another moment before sighing again deeply and walking through the door.
**********
The time the wolf spent debating on whether to trust him or not, Griffin stood there, quietly holding the door open. "I really hope he comes in. I'll be worried about him if he takes off now."
[Please don't tell me you plan on forcing him into the place if he does. Cause if you do, I'm officially labeling you as a psycho.]
Griffin rolled his eyes. "I wouldn't do that but I wouldn't be able to rest easy until I saw him again safe and sound."
To his relief, the wolf chose that moment to slowly make its way into the cabin. Griffin smiled to himself as he followed the wolf in and closed the door. He watched as the wolf walked along the wall, looking around before picking a spot to sit near a window.
"Give me a minute, boy. I'll get the fire going and we can warm up and have something good to eat."
He turned towards the empty fireplace and noticed that he didn't have any firewood left in the wood bin. "Crap. I thought the bin was still full. I'll be right back, boy. I just need to run out to the shed and get more wood."
He watched as the wolf stood up from where it'd been sitting and walked over to the door before looking over its shoulder at Griffin as if to say, 'Well? Let's go.'
He couldn't help but chuckle again as he grabbed the bin and proceeded to open the door and head to the shed that stored all his tools and extra wood, the wolf hot on his heels.
Bin refilled, Griffin led the way back to the cabin, proud that the wolf only hesitated for a second before walking back into the building, reclaiming its spot by the window. Griffin walked over the stone fireplace and went about getting a fire started.
Once there was a fire blazing, Griffin made his way over to the small kitchen in the open space, causing the light crystals on the nearby walls to illuminate, and started prepping ingredients to make a stew from the rabbits the wolf had helped him catch. He continued to watch out of the corner of his eye as the wolf slowly made its way over to the roaring fire and sniffed the rug there before turning in a circle and laying down, its head between its paws, eyes closing in contentment.
After throwing everything into a pot, Griffin made his way over to the fire, trying hard to not startle the fuzzy creature taking up residence on his rug.