Wolf’s Bane

“Nah… My father wanted me to be something I can never be,” Eron said as he placed Di’s things inside his tent for safekeeping. “My brother was pushed to be perfect, and the only one that really cared for me, I had to leave behind…”

“I see… was… uh… was it a lady? You don’t have to answer if you don’t want to, of course,” she said, feeling her cheeks turning a bit red as she rushed through her last words…

Her thoughts: “Why do I care if this person is a woman or not? A man like him was probably surrounded by girls all the time! Diwana… What are you thinking now? He’s nicer than what you’re used to and now you’re thinking more than you should dare to. Remember your place… and also… remember your curse…” She was almost lost in her thoughts, getting sad again, when his words surprised her.

“Oh, yes. Indeed, she is a woman. My brother’s wife… everybody saw us more brother and sister than they would see my brother and I as siblings. We’re so close that we call each other twins… Well, I call her Twinny, and she calls me Twin, so… hehe, maybe you’ll think it’s silly, or weird… Truth is, back there, she was the only one that believed in me…”

Now it was he who looked sad, and she was somehow… happy…

Her thoughts again: “Why would he be opening up to me like that? He’s telling me about his family! And not only that but who still matters to him from back there… Maybe he liked her, but when she got married to his brother… Oh… Jesus Christ Diwana, he trusts you with some of his past and you’re thinking of all that drama about his admissions? What’s wrong with you?! No more of those stupid telenovelas for you…!”

For a few more seconds, Diwana continued to scold herself, still not happy with the way she was reacting to his trust. And yeah, he was trusting her and she should do something right about it, to show her appreciation.

“Well, maybe she can come and visit you… But I don’t think if you consider her your sister, you would really like to have her here, right? I mean… I don’t believe you’d let yourself worry about your twin if you’re so close… You might… uh… want to find a… place to stay… rent somewhere or something…” she shyly hinted…

“That would be good… I’m not really into getting visitors, but I think it would be good to find something more proper to live in than just a tent,” he said distractedly, still a bit clueless about what she meant since she did react coldly to his past request to rent a room in her house.

“Yeah, especially with a wolf… or a werewolf… on the loose…” she looked at him intently, waiting for him to get it…

“Yes, the problem is that I don’t think I know anyone that could be renting, or wanting to rent particularly to me… so…” he said, and immediately his brain came back to reality…

His thoughts: “What the hell, Eron, are you missing the opportunity you were waiting for again?! I hope she doesn’t take it wrongly and can forgive your temporal stupidity since you’ve done that yesterday already!”

Eron looked at her, realization now clearly stamped all over his face.

“You know… I… happen to know… a woman that has… a large enough house… and also is uh… renting…” she hinted again, but thinking “Come on Diwana! My God, can you be less obvious about your offer? He will think so many improper things about you for sure…”

“Miss Diwana, do you mean that you’d consider renting to me now?” Eron finally risked saying.

“After getting to know you a bit better, and seeing how you live… and, of course, the current dangers of living out here… well, I can’t be so heartless, can I?” she said, changing colors like a chameleon, and trying not to be too obvious. “Besides, I believe I should apologize to you… I’m sorry about how I left your camp yesterday, so suddenly and… yeah, you were really kind and even shared your food with me, and I just ran away… I am very sorry about that.”

“Please, don’t worry about it,” he answered, now going back to his tent to look for a clean shirt to go to work in, and “accidentally” leaving the scrap of newspaper that she gave him in his belongings to check later.

“Oh, but I…”

“I was actually a bit concerned about if I had offended you in any way, so I should apologize as well,” he interrupted her, as he finished getting ready in front of her, so naturally that any person who saw it would think they’ve known each other for the longest time… maybe even that they knew their nakedness so well that they were no longer shy…

And, in a way, they did.

“I also apologize for rejecting you as a possible renter before. I… feel more comfortable now… It’s weird of me, I know,” she responded, a bit unsure for a moment… “But please, accept my apology and come with me to my house… I mean… to find a room… to rent… of course… I could never forgive myself if anything happened to you because of… I mean not because… you don’t deserve that… kind of treatment from me.”

Eron made an effort to try to hide his smile. Her last few words not only made him funnily think of how much of a lusty man he was in her presence, and how he could misinterpret her words, but also, there was a warmth that her care brought out in him.

And that emotion, whatever it was, he didn’t want to stop feeling.

“I’ll be glad to go and check you… r… rooms, Miss Di… I mean, Miss Diwana. Your… home… I mean, the rental… I am very thankful that you reconsidered, and of course, we can talk about the details on the way to the lumberyard, just give me a moment to finish fixing this place, and I’ll help you with your bag and basket.”

“Yes!” Diwa blurted out loud, then she realized what she had just done and tried to lose the exuberance she was displaying in her voice and face. “I mean… Thank you, Eron. I appreciate the help a lot.”

“It’s the least I can do after you took such a big detour just to check on me,” he answered with a shy smile that surprised her.

“I can’t believe he’s being shy with me… nah, how could that be possible with a charmer like him… Oh, Diwana, what will I do with you?” she thought while seeing him move around organizing his belongings and backpack that he’ll be bringing to work. “First the dream, and now the daydreams… and yeah, he looks amazing even doing the simplest things, too.”

In a few moments, Eron was ready. He slung his backpack onto his broad back, then brought Diwa’s bags out again.

“Miss Diwana…”

“Yes, Eron?”

“May I ask you something?”

“Of course. I’ll do my best to answer you.”

“Do you believe in werewolves?” he said, looking straight at her as they started walking out of the camp side by side.

“Oh… well, that’s part of the history of this place,” she said, trying to match his stride, both with bright smiles as he eagerly listened to her animated talk. “In the past, the village had this mayor who…”

They were so into the conversation – and into each other – that they were not even aware of who was looking at them right at that moment.

Not too far, and hiding like the creep and coward that he was, Mad Max spied on them, sending furious looks their way.

“I see that my warning was not enough to persuade you huh, new guy?” he mumbled, still fearing they could hear him. “Then, I will have to find a way to make you understand that I’m serious when I tell you to stay away from her, you damned pretty boy.”

He was still whispering to himself as he crawled out from his hiding place, and tried his best to follow the two without being seen. “You just wait and see… And don’t say I didn’t warn you…” ​