Shiro enters the forge and Rex looks at him surprised, Shiro smiles and looks around the forge where everything was messed up, Rex was putting the table back in place.
—Step a hurricane here?
—It was me...-He says, looking away.
—Hum, you can go back to forging, let me fix it! -Said Shiro smiling and wagging his tail.
Rex says yes with his head down, Shiro is silent and unlike Umbra, he doesn't confront Rex, after a few minutes Shiro finished tidying things up and found a bone in the corner of the cave.
—Can I keep this?-He asks pointing to the bone.
Rex looks at him, Shiro was looking hopeful and his tail was swaying frantically, it was impossible to deny him.
—Yep.- Rex sighs as he goes back to his dagger "it was my last red dragon bone!" he thinks.
Rex looks out of the corner of his eye at Shiro who now seemed to enjoy the bone like a dog, Rex lets out a breath through his nose and smiles. The sun was up when the cook calls everyone to eat, Shiro runs to the fire pulling Rex not giving him a choice to go or not.
Cook and Venator see Rex approach with Shiro.
—Shiro went to cheer him up, I'm more relieved!-Says Cook smiling at Venator.
—That's what it's for, isn't it?!-Says Venator holding the skewers to deliver to everyone.
They both smile, Venator goes out handing out skewers of meat to each other, everyone sat around the fire, the icy wind made the fire even cozier even during the day, the boys talked while they ate, Rex on the other hand barely touched the food, he was lost in his thoughts.
—Won't you eat?-Shiro asks looking at Rex's skewer.
—Take your eye, it's mine!-Says Rex biting the meat not to hand it to Shiro.
—Ha, if you don't want to, you shouldn't force yourself to eat, you can give it to me!- Shiro says trying to catch.
—Out over there! This is mine!-Says Rex starting to laugh.
The boys look at Rex trying to hide it but the sudden silence made Rex notice that everyone was looking at him.
—What?
They all smile in relief.
—We were worried, you weren't doing very well.-Said Lepus smiling gently at him.
—Was pretty crazy! It was scary!-Says Nerium laughing with wide eyes at the fire.
Magi and Bellator each move to one side of Nerium.
—We made a cake! To cheer you up! Isn't that right Cook?-Says Venator excited to cook.
Rex is surprised that everyone was concerned, but smiling to let them know they cared so much made him happy.
Cook delivers slices of cake to each one, everyone seemed excited, cake was rare at the camp, the conversations were animated and because they ate so much during lunch the rest of the day was very lazy and unproductive, most just rested in the river or talking at the fire, Rex went down to take a nap beside the river where most of the boys swam, Shiro was at his side going back to drawing. The silence and peace of that place made him forget his disturbing past, made him forget that there were soldiers outside wanting to kill them, made him forget the dangers and difficulties of getting food, that day was for rest, nothing most. His face falls over Shiro's shoulder who watches him and smiles as he goes back to drawing.
The days went by so fast that the boys only realized that winter had arrived when the first snowflake fell from the sky, Rex looks up watching the snowfall. The boy puts on the hood of his cloak, he didn't get along with the cold so he started to spend even more time in the forge, the hottest place in the camp, and thanks to this fact the small cave was almost always full since the boys they preferred to be there than the freezing cold outside.
—I think we should do something about the cold, Rex what do you suggest?-Asks Caerula Rey who was sitting at the wooden table.
Everyone was standing there or playing in the corner of the cave, Shiro was playing with a bone that had not yet been completely consumed, The moans were playing with their swords, while the others were centered watching the elders like Caerula, Stitcher, and Lepus talk, when they got together. Directed to Rex everyone was quiet to hear him.
—There is? Why was everyone suddenly silent?-Rex asks turning to them.
—Did you hear me?-Caerula asks.
—Sorry, what did you say?-He asks now paying attention toCearula.
—We still have three months of cold with the immigration of the monsters to the north, we are almost out of food, the cold is preventing us from leaving and this will not improve...
Rex looks at everyone, he remembers last winter, it was just him, Shiro and Lepus, the difficulty of finding food was not so great, any giant insect was a party for them for weeks, but now there were twelve, and for a big one time they asked him what to do.
—Ah…I don't know.-He says sincerely.
—If I knew a spell that would prevent the cold from entering the camp, it would help me… But this spell is from fire monsters.-Says Lepus thoughtfully, Caerula looks at him and nods, Stitcher just watches them and lowers his head with regret.
—Venator...you were too young to have learned that...don't you-Says Stitcher with difficulty formulating a big sentence without stopping to think carefully about the words.
—Ha? Foxes don't know human magic, the fire monsters he's talking about are others, we're not all the same!- Venator says with his hands on his hips looking upset with Stitcher who shrinks embarrassed.
—I didn't know, I'm sorry.-Stitcher looked like he was going to cry, Venator feels sorry for him and approaches him patting him on the back, needing to climb up and stand on the stool to reach them.
—It's okay!-he says smiling at his friend.
—But the idea is not bad, Rex!-Calls Caerula, Rex who was watching everything jumps where he was when called, and turns to him.—Do you know any fire monsters? Or where to get a book with this magic?
Rex is thoughtful and everyone looks at him, he seems to have remembered something and smiles kindly.
—It has a place, but it's not pleasant.-He says with a painful smile as he says those words, as if saying them he remembers everything he hears.
—We need the magic, I'll go with you!-Says Caerula getting up.
—M-Me too.-Says Lepus getting up.
—All right, can Stitcher finish forging this weapon? It's very simple from now on I've already explained how it ends, isn't it?
—All right, can Stitcher finish forging this weapon? It's very simple from now on I've already explained how it ends, isn't it?
Shiro listens and goes to Rex's side leaving the bone, the twins see each other and look at each other, the two smile at each other and raise their hands.
—We're going too!-Says the two together.
—Will it be okay with such a large group?- Caerula asks.
—As it's winter the draconians aren't there now, so I don't think there's a problem.-Says Rex taking his dagger from the table and holding his hair, he looks at Shiro who leaned on his shoulder, the boy smiles at his friend.
—Aren't you forgetting anything?-Rex asks Shiro, Shiro stands still for a while and remembers to get his things.
The boys laugh as Shiro rushes to get the cloak and mask, Shiro slips to the ground when he suddenly turns to pick up his bow that has been placed in the corner of the hut outside.
The group leaves the camp, Rex guides them through the trees, they jump unnoticed by the hibernating animals and the monsters that remained there. Snow monsters now common in the forest were far more menacing than what they were used to so it was best to stay out of their way. Rex lands at a large ruined gate, he looks at him swallowing hard, the gate opened onto a small village in the neighboring kingdom, which was totally in ruins and covered in soot and strong smells of corpses, Shiro notices right under the mask crow that Rex was not right to go back there, the boy touches the shoulder of his friend who seems to come to.
—I can go with them if you want to stay here.-Shiro said making the boys look at Rex, none of them noticed until Shiro said that Rex didn't look too good to go in there.
—I need.-Says Rex taking a deep breath.-It's to help us, you don't know where this is...
—hum, if you're sure about that.-Said Shiro turning to the gate.
Rex swallows hard, his companions nod to show that they will follow, Rex enters the village.