Later that afternoon, as the wind and rain continued to beat against the side of the cabin, Nathan was content to just lay in front of the fire and listen to Griffin read. They'd only been up for an hour before the dragon was done with the chores that needed doing for the day. The wood bin had been refilled, and although Nathan wasn't happy about following him out to the shed he'd considered it the best time to go to the bathroom. Dishes from the previous night had been washed, and another hearty stew had been put together to slow cook throughout the day.
With nothing else to do Nathan thought they'd spend the day in silence before the dragon had sat down in his chair, a book in hand. "Want to listen to a story, boy?"
Not waiting for any kind of response, he dove right into a tale about a great hero who saved the world from a demon king.
Nathan loved listening to Griffin read. His low, gravelly voice soothing as he gestured enthusiastically, almost acting out the scenes of the book.
[If I didn't know better, I'd say you were falling in love with the man,] Axel's quiet whisper interrupted a daring battle scene that Nathan was excited to hear the outcome of.
Startled, he flinched at the interruption. "Love? Why would you think that? I just haven't had a chance to hear any stories in a long time."
[Yeah right. He could have been reading an instruction manual on growing mushrooms and you would have been just as deeply enthralled.]
Nathan quietly muttered back, "It's not my fault his voice is amazing. Deep and husky."
[Uh huh. Like I said, you're falling in love.]
Rolling his eyes, Nathan returned his attention to Griffin, not realizing the dragon had stopped reading and had been watching him since he'd flinched.
"Everything okay, boy? You need to go outside?"
Nathan stared at the man, conflicted as he thought about Axel's comment. Slowly, he rose to his feet and traipsed towards the basket next to the chair and pulled a large blanket out with his teeth.
**********
Thinking the wolf just wanted something extra to lay on, Griffin grabbed the blanket and spread it out where he had been laying. "There you go. Is that what you wanted?"
Griffin watched as the wolf wormed its way under the blanket, completely covering itself before its nose peeked out the other side. As he waited to see if the wolf would settle, he was startled to see the covered lump rising in height while shrinking in length.
Startled, Griffin shouted at Kael, "What's going on? What's happening?!"
[I think we're about to witness something that should no longer be possible.]
"What's that supposed to mean?!"
With Kael staying silent, Griffin could only sit there and watch what was happening.
In less than a minute the wolf he'd been getting to know was no longer there. In its place sat a small boy. Naked as the day he'd been born with little more than the blanket to cover himself.
While his face was delicate, pale skin, high cheekbones, thick lashes and full lips, his ribs were visible on his thin frame, his black-tipped honey blond hair hanging limp.
There was no sound other than their quiet breathing.
As Griffin sat there in stunned silence, the boy slowly opened his eyes revealing unique, mauve pink irises ringed in the same bright blue of the wolf he knew.