Page 59 of Warrior of the Wild
“We’re not normal people. Normal people don’t have to try this hard to stay alive.” Iric holds the spit out to him.
Soren takes it and blows onto a portion before tearing into it. A week ago, I might have been disgusted by sharing a spit with two boys. But there’s a sense of camaraderie, oftogetherness, that I haven’t felt since leaving home. Oh, how I miss Irrenia.
“My sister’s salve,” I interject suddenly. “Where is it?”
Soren looks down at the spit. “We had to use the last of it on you. Your wound was deep, and the blood pumping out of the injury kept washing the salve out. I had to apply generously.”
“Do you still have the canister?” I ask.
“Of course.” Soren hands me the spit and fumbles through a pile near Iric’s mattress. Eventually he comes away with the empty container.
Having taken a bite, I pass the spit back to Iric before receiving the canister from Soren.
“It might be silly, but—” I start.
“There is nothing silly about wanting something of your sister’s out here,” Soren interjects.
Iric points to his mattress. “You see that blanket? The gray one covered in holes? It’s practically useless for keeping warm, but my mother made it.”
I nod, glad they understand, and press the canister against my heart.
“I want to go home,” I say.
“It’s not so bad out here,” Soren says. “The food is good, and the fires are warm.”
“The company leaves something to be desired, though,” Iric says.
Soren rolls his eyes.
“I will never be content out here,” I say. “No matter how comfortable you’ve made living in the wild. I told my sister I would try to return home. I intend to keep that promise. And I will not risk my soul by dying any other way than by attempting my mattugr.”
“Not this again,” Iric groans. “Don’t be in a hurry to die. Your life is not worth so little.”
“I’m not in a hurry to die,” I argue. “I’m in a hurry to defeat Peruxolo.”
Iric scoffs.
“I made himbleed,” I say. “And I’ve learned more about his power. I think I’m getting close to learning how to defeat him.”
“You made him bleed?” Soren asks. “I missed that part.”
“I threw a rock at him. It struck true.”
“Well done,” Iric says. “You can stone him to death. And somehow manage to do it before he kills you with his power.”
“You’re very unhelpful,” I snap.
“You nearly died. If Soren hadn’t been there, you’d be a pile of picked-clean bones outside the god’s home. And you want to get excited over a couple drops of blood?”
“Well, I don’t see you making any progress. You haven’t even bothered to learn how to swim. That’s just sad.”
“But I’m alive and well. At least I don’t have strangers offering to help me piss in the woods.”
“Alive and well. And a coward bound for hell.”
“Whoa, now,” Soren says, stepping in. “Let’s stop with the insults and—”
“Oh, shove off,” Iric says. He thrusts the spit into Soren’s chest, smearing grease against his shirt. “I’m not hungry anymore. You can stay here with your new beau.”
