A Time of Blood (Of Blood and Bone #2) - John Gwynne Page 0,53

you to wake up…” Cullen grinned.

“You should have left me, made for Dun Seren,” Keld said, frowning. “Byrne must know of what is happening in the north.”

“I wasn’t going to be leaving you anywhere, not while there was breath in your body.”

“This is too importan—” Keld started to say, but Cullen held up a hand.

“‘We leave no one behind,’ remember,” Cullen said, a surly expression twisting his mouth. “It’s part of my oath, so if you think I’ve done wrong, you can take it up with Byrne when we get back to Dun Seren.” He stood and took their bowls. “I’m going to wash these out.” He paused at the tent flap. “Maybe I should have left you, but Hammer’s refused to move for six days, too. Hasn’t even stood up since we got here. And Rab’s gone to Dun Seren. Byrne will hear of Gulla whether we make it back or no.” He turned and stomped off before Keld had a chance to speak.

The huntsman looked at Drem and gave him a wink.

“He’s a good lad, our Cullen,” Keld said, “but he needs a bit of encouragement to use this sometimes.” He tapped his temple with a finger.

“I think he was right,” Drem said with a shrug. “Rab should have reached Dun Seren by now.” He paused, looking at Keld. “Would you have done any different? I don’t think you would.”

“Ah, maybe you’re right, lad,” Keld said, sighing. “This knock to my head, and running away from half-breeds and traitors.” He shook his head. “Makes me angry.” He stood slowly, stretched, Fen rising from his spot by the fire.

“Best go and see Hammer, then, see if we can convince her to join us in a walk.”

Keld limped out of the tent, still carrying the remains of his squirrel breakfast. Drem tried to support him, but the huntsman gave Drem a dark look.

“If I can’t walk out of a tent without help then I might as well throw myself back into the river,” he growled.

Cullen returned from the riverbank and followed as they made for Hammer. Fen padded ahead of them. Drem could see the wolven-hound was favouring his right foreleg, limping a little, but his ribs seemed to have set well enough, which he was relieved about.

“Hello, lass,” Keld said gently, as he drew near to Hammer. The bear was sleeping, snoring loudly enough to shake pine cones from boughs in the trees around her. She roused at his voice, raised her head and gave out a rumbling sound that wasn’t quite a growl.

Keld crouched down beside the bear and wrapped a fist in the thick fur of her cheek.

“It’s good to see you, lass,” Keld said. He leaned into the bear, pressing his forehead against her long muzzle. Hammer dwarfed him, her head roughly the size of Keld’s crouching body, but as Drem stared at them he thought there was something almost vulnerable about the bear. She made snuffling noises as she sniffed Keld.

“I miss Sig, too,” Keld said, and more rumbling echoed from the bear’s deep chest. “She was the best of us, and no denying. And I can see you’ve had a hard time of it.” He stroked one hand along scabbed cuts that scarred Hammer’s muzzle, then ran his hand down to her shoulder, his fingers probing as he did so. She didn’t complain, which Drem thought was a good sign.

“Some squirrel?” Keld said, offering Hammer the remains of his spitted breakfast.

Hammer took the food, hardly more than a morsel for her vast maw. Keld gestured with a hand, and Drem ran to their tent, fetched a whole squirrel and hurried back, giving it to Keld.

“You’ve had a hard time of it, lass, I’ve been beaten up, too,” Keld was saying to the bear.

Fen rubbed his body against Hammer’s side, whined and licked her mouth.

“And Fen, too,” Keld said.

“Here you go,” Keld said, pulling more pieces of meat off the skewer, bones and all. “We’re in a bit of a mess, you, me and Fen,” Keld continued, “but we can’t just give up, now, can we? What would Sig think?”

More squirrel went into Hammer’s mouth, bones crunching.

Keld stood up.

“Come on, girl, let’s go home,” he said, and gave a tug on the fur of her cheek. “Let’s do it for Sig. Make her proud.”

Hammer raised her head, looking at him with her small, bright, intelligent eyes, then looked at Fen. The wolven-hound barked at her.

A rumbling sound deep in Hammer’s belly, then a slow shifting,