Rind.

They reached the tree line before sunset on the 13th day. At least, Gustin figured it was sunset. It seemed really more like dim-light-stuck-behind-some-cloudsset. There was a gray in the air that threatened to overwhelm them, consume them in its numbness. Gustin shivered inside his clothes. Kellan looked back over his shoulder at him.
"Are you ill, human?"
Gus shook his head. Truth be told, he'd felt better - the cold was seeping through his clothes, making his fingers ache and his toes tingle. The strenuous travel had made him tired, the work (mild though his assignments were) had made him hungry, and the weird feelings in his stomach had made him uneasy. The driver looked back over a shoulder at Gustin and exchanged a look with Kuskellanar.
"We stop here. Your mate rests for the night."

That night, they squatted in an abandoned house (carefully inspected by Kellan and the driver first) and lit two small fires. They ate meat from the day before, and some sweet syrup they had managed to find. For bedtime, Kellan made them up a pallet by the larger fire and settled in as close to Gus as he could, his arm falling heavily over his mate's waist. For some reason, that settled Gustin's belly.

+++++

Adotre, on all fours, circled his mate's legs with glee, bumping against him twice, his tail thrashing.
Iorir, for his part, was nonplussed. He just kept striding calmly towards the entrance of the cave, Adotre ferreting about, darting ahead of him until called back.

It was the first day since the bonding that his mate was being let outside to play. The old healer had finally showed up (2 weeks late for the bonding), had given the little Layer a thorough check-up and declared him fit for duty. Pregnant, yes, but fit for duty. Adotre had been ecstatic.
And so, after much discussion and debate, Iorir and the healer had agreed on a schedule of rest, diet, and exercise that seemed to satisfy everyone's fears.
Iorir hadn't wanted to risk the egg.
The healer hadn't wanted Adotre's body to grow weak from bedrest.
Adotre just hadn't wanted to stay inside.

"Ioooorir! Come on!" in animal form, Adotre's voice sounded different; his Layer accent made the words slippery, hard to read sometimes. Only names came through entirely clear.
They had reached the entrance of the cave; cold wind was billowing in and freezing Iorir's skin. He set the torch into a resting place on the side of the wall and shifted, following his mate out of the cave and into the bright, blinking sunlight.
As soon as they crossed the threshold, Adotre broke into a run. Iorir's eyes widened and he bolted off after his mate. It took him more than a quarter mile to catch up to his mate - Layers were slighter, faster creatures and Adotre's pace was difficult to match. But Iorir was a fast wolfe, and he made up to his mate quickly, his long strides closing the distance irrespective of the Layer's headstart. When he got close enough, he snarled.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
Adotre had glanced over at his mate's furious face and stopped running immediately, tucking his tail between his legs and settling down into a little ball of sad fluff in the snow.
"Imsorry."
Iorir was panting, his teeth bared. He leaned closer.
"Healer. Said. NO. RUNNING."
Adotre flattened his ears against his head.
"I'msorrymate! Iforgot."
Iorir growled once more and circled around to stand on the other side of his mate.
"Enough. We're going back home."
Adotre's eyes got big and horrified.
"We'rrrregoing?!"
"If you can't control your urges, then you can't go outside."
Adotre whined, heartily, a pitiful little squeal. Iorir stared at him.
"Isorry!"
Iorir shook his head.
"No. Inside." Adotre looked out over the snow. Iorir growled and stepped closer. "I said inside."
Sighing, Adotre went complacently back towards the caves. He hadn't made it as far as the mounds he'd wanted to get to, but at least now he knew how fast he could get there. That was going to make his escape a lot easier.

+++++

On the 15th day, they reached Sabael. The roads were rougher now, and Gus had thrown up twice on the journey there. Kuskellanar had grunted and worried. But now they had a day of rest; they had reached a trading post in the woods, and the scattered population of the Dack Forest would arrive, spottily, to take things from the driver.
Kellan sat in the back with Gus and worried for how cold his fingers felt, and how hot his face.
"I'm fine." Gus had told him, more than once. They made camp in the traders' cabin that stood empty at the trading post. Kellan built a fire and made soup for his human.

+++++

On the 16th day, when they stopped to load Cargo by the Glen, Kuskellanar felt something change in the wind. Or thought he did - with so much weighing so heavily on his mind, it was sometimes difficult to distinguish what did and did not bear notice. The wolfe stood still for a long moment, silent beneath the woody branches, his nose to the air, the sun filtering down to his coat. He listened, waited to hear back the echoes between the trees. He scented the wind.
For a moment, he believed he was back on Arem'mir.
In the distance, the sound of Gus calling his name captured his attention and he released his hold on the otherworld.
But there had been something.

+++++

"What are you doing?"
Adotre jumped and spun around, looking guilty.
"What!? Nothing!"
the Layer tucked the pallet of food he'd been packing carefully behind his back so that Iorir wouldn't see it. The wolfe raised his nose delicately and sniffed.
"Are you hiding food?"
Adotre decided that this part of the truth could be conceded.
"Yes."
Iorir blinked at him.
"Why?"
Adotre shrugged and tried to look innocent.
"Dunno, but I bet it's the egg, making me hungry all the time."
Iorir scoffed.
"Hunger doesn't make one hide food." Iorir leaned over, and his voice took on a harsher tone. "Hoarding is not allowed in a pack, Adotre."
The Layer dropped his head and sighed.
"OK. OK. Sorry."
Iorir regarded him for another moment, then looked away.
"Adotre."
"Yes?"
Iorir glanced at him, then away again.
"I apologize for my hastiness on the day I took you outside. I know you had not run in some time, and your instincts must have been strong."
Adotre sighed. Iorir hadn't let him back out since then. He'd been confined once more to the cave.
The wolfe cleared his throat.
"Perhaps we could try again."
Adotre's face lit up in delight. Iorir frowned.
"However, it would ease my mind greatly if you would take care to WALK. And also not to wander too far from the den. Until we are more certain of new arrivals in the area, I take no chances with my mate."
Adotre nodded an eager affirmative.
"I swear I'll be good, Airu!"
Iorir raised an eyebrow.
"That remains to be seen. However, at the very least, I think you can go out."
Adotre grinned and stepped close enough to be standing flush up against his mate. He squeezed Iorir close.
"Thank you." he murmured. Then, after a pause: "Can I go right now?"

+++++

It was him.
Kellan knew it was.
He didn't know how, or where, or when he'd arrived, but he'd know that scent anywhere.
Ideste was in the forest.

+++++