'Shit. He's back.' Theo gulped a little as he turned towards the voice, he saw the same thin man with two tankards filled with beer on one hand and on the other hand had a big leg piece of some animal. It looked well cooked and big
'He looks so malnourished; how can he eat that?' Theo wondered.
Edward walked towards Theo and sat on the floor near Theo's log.
"You need to enjoy it by chugging it like a real man." Edward said as he took a big bite of the meat and chewed it before chugging down the beer in one gulp.
"Kaah…." Edward sighed with joy, he wiped his mouth a little and "Burppp-" he burped.
"Woh." Edward shook his head and said "See? This is how real men do it."
"No, that's bullshit. Edward you eat like a Tribal Barbarian. You have no table manners at all." The man who was standing in front of Edward in the line said as he was walking towards Edward and Theo.
"Riley…When?"
"Oh shut up Edward, are you 10 years old? Why do you keep using that line?"
Theo hesitated a little before questioning, "When what?"
"Shit. You shouldn't hav-" The man, Riley, said before he was cutt off abruptly by Edward.
"When did I ask? Hahahaha" Edward laughed as took another bite out of the meat.
"Oh Lord." Riley face palmed in disappointment at the behavior of his friend,
"Sorry, I couldn't introduce myself. I am Riley. And this idiot is Edward. He's a glutton although he doesn't look like one." Said Riley,
"I..have a *Chew* Fast meta *Chew Chew* Metabale~sm."
"It's Metabolism you idiot."
Edward nodded with food in his mouth as Riley corrected him.
"Yea that's what I meant" Edward said after swallowing his food.
Edward took another bite of the meat and waves it at Theo,
"So… Are you better now?"
"Edward was the one that saw you lying unconscious near the riverbank. He went and told the Leader who got the captain with him and saved you.
"Oh, so you were the one-" Theo said as he was trying to stand up so he could thank Edward properly,
"Yeah. That's the reason we're bothering you." Riley said with a slight chuckle.
"Oh no no no. Not at all" Theo said frantically he shook his head to deny that they were bothering him. Although mere moments ago he thought differently.
Edward waved at Theo "The captain And the Leader were the ones to help, I just told them about you." he said as he glanced towards the captain and the leader. Both of them were talking about something.
"Either way. Thank you. Is there any way I can help you?" Theo said while slightly bowing his head.
"Yes." Edward said with an extremely serious expression.
Looking at the serious expression of Edward, even Theo's face became serious as he asked, "How can I help you?"
Although he was saying that out of formality Theo would really help Edward if it was possible. Edward looked friendly and Theo would feel happier if he got his first friend here.
Edward pointed at the second barrel near the open white beer barrel and said, "that's the red weed beer. Help us steal some fro- MMM MMMM" Edwards mouth was covered by a hand.
Theo looked at Riley who covered Edwards mouth and whispered in a low tone. "Look. There."
As both Edward and Theo looked at the direction Riley was pointing at they met the fierce and deadly eyes of Cyrus, the captain.
Cyrus smiled in a way that wasn't a smile and said, "I'm going to work especially hard this time for your new training regime."
Edward gulped and looked paler than normal as he looked away.
"Yo-you bastard it's your fault." Edward said as he pointed at Riley.
Edward started whispering as he said "Why didn't you cover for me you dumbass? We could have stolen another one from the leader's cart."
Riley shrugged and snatched a tankard from Edward before chugging it down in one gulp.
"Khaahhh. Refreshing."
"What happened to table manners?" Edward asked.
"That only applies when you eat. You eat like a beast."
"I'm not eating on the table; I'm eating on the floor."
Riley sighed with a defeated look.
"Hahahaha" Theo started laughing as he felt as the sorrows and suspicions from before fading away.
Edward and Riley looked at Theo who was laughing and they started laughing too.
Theo sat back, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he listened to their banter, he felt a stark difference from how he felt in that shithole of a cave. Although he couldn't join this conversation between them; It just didn't feel lonely anymore.
Theo looked around at the joyful and relaxed atmosphere of the people. He took a few more sips of the beer and emptied it.
The air was cold, yet the atmosphere was joyful, the bonfire was warm but not hot. It felt very welcoming to Theo.
'I don't like social occasions but—' he looked at Felix, Cyrus, Edward and Riley.
'Maybe it's the people I didn't like on those occasions. This feels nice. I hope this moment lasts forever. I don't want to deal with this shitty world alone anymore.' Theo hoped as he rubbed his hands together to warm them up.
Unfortunately, little did Theo know, the peaceful night would soon shatter in ways he couldn't imagine.
"How are your kids?" Edward asked Riley.
Riley sighed as he massaged the temple of his head and said, "They're not doing good man… Those herbs can't be bought even if you have the money; They're just too rare."
Edward's face became small as he felt bitter for asking the question in the first place, "Tell me if I can do anything, Their Cool and Manly Uncle Edward can do anything for them." He said with a serious look.
Riley's face had an indescribable sadness as he just nodded.
Theo wanted to know more about this situation, but it seemed inappropriate to ask more in this situation.
"So, you said your name was Theo, right? How did you end up there Theo?" Edward tactfully changed the topic.
"You mean the Dustbriar Forest?" Theo asked as he remembered the name Cyrus called the forest.
"Yea."
Theo told the man only about the parts of surviving and fighting the wolf before falling down into the lake or river. He omitted all the mysterious parts and the part of him waking up in a new body. He also didn't explain how he got there in the first place.
"Hahaha Fought like a real man! Now, if only you drank like one." Edward chuckled as he patted Theo's back.
Edward was about to ask more questions but—- He saw Miss Edna carrying the Red Weed Beer.
Miss Edna gave the tankard with Red Weed Beer to Cyrus and after she did so, she closed the barrel of the Red Weed Beer and kept it in the tent she got it from.
Then she came back and refilled the tankards of Theo, Edward and Riley and whoever wanted a refill.
Theo held the refilled beer in his hand and looked around the joyful area. Everyone was chatting, laughing, eating and drinking.
Theo looked at Felix who was not talking to anyone and was just blankly looking towards his front with his head resting on his hands.
Theo picked up his tankard of beer "Hey. Mr. Felix, here. Miss Edna just refilled it. Please have some." Theo said with a slight smile.
"..."
It felt strange.
Theo looked around and realized, as soon as he said those words, whoever had heard them had stopped talking and stared at Theo with wide eyes.
Even Cyrus who was previously enjoying his Red Weed Beer was looking at Theo with a shocked expression.
A few whispers were heard but the others hushed them as they looked on solemnly.
Felix turned around and his expression was unreadable. Before long he chuckled softly, "Already sharing drinks are we, kid?" he said before adding "Though I would accept, I don't want to drink right now." Felix's voice got lower and softer as he said the last part
Felix smiled a little. "Thanks, Kid." It was a bitter smile, But Theo could not recognize it and said "I figured you could use a drink too," Theo said, shrugging to hide the nervousness in his tone. He didn't know why the atmosphere had shifted so dramatically, but he had no intention of backing down for once.
Felix sighed softly, his expression was somber and eyes melancholic as he shook his head and said, "I drank enough. I promised myself that I wouldn't get into that again."
'A man with a story, I see.' Theo nodded.
"Sorry for ruining the mood everybody, You guys continue to enjoy. I'll be back" Felix said with a slight smile as he walked away into the
'His smile has never looked that fake. Should I talk to him and comfort him….?' Theo wondered as he was about to get up—Cyrus shook his head at Theo, signaling at him.
Cyrus's actions said, 'Don't get up.'
Theo felt bitter for being the one who offered the beer and tried to force Felix.
'I feel so guilty right now. I shouldn't have forced him so much.' Theo thought bitterly.
Sigh
Theo sighed before he took a swig of the beer and finished it.
Edwards' eyes widened when he saw Theo do that. And Riley, who noticed it too, just chuckled.
"Drank like a true man, A man will not be anything but manly." Edward mumbled softly.
"Haah. Fuck it." Theo said out loud as he staggered up.
Theo kept the tankard near the log, the warmth of the bonfire fading behind him as he walked toward the path Felix had taken into the Forest.