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"Goodmorning, my sweet."

Hemming smiled even though Calder could see the confusion written on his face.

"Did Lagina go hunting?" Hemming asked and shot his eyes around to look at the bones, meat, and pelt in various placing around the clearing.

"No." Calder huffed and stood from where he was still sat on the ground. "This is your second gift. I killed an Elk."

Hemming's eyes widened and Calder enjoyed the warm blush that filled his cheeks.

"You killed an Elk; and butchered it. Have you slept all night?" Hemming frowned and picked up one of larger leg bones.

Calder also frowned and nervously rubbed a finger against the carved antler he had clutched in his hand.

"No. But I do not need as much sleep anymore; I do not sleep when I go to the ocean."

Hemming sighed quietly and threw the bone back to the ground, facing Calder as he stood only a short distance away.

Calder felt his heart beat anxiously when Hemming only hummed and sent an unreadable look towards Calder.

"Do you- do you not like it? I know we are not exactly low on food, but I thought it would show that... that I can provide." Calder swallowed, keeping his gaze to the ground.

Hemming stepped forward to bring a hand up to Calder's cheek, tilting his face up to press a soft kiss to his forehead.

"I love it, my sweet. I only wish you would have rested; especially if you did not sleep while in the sea the other night." Hemming explained with a gentle but pained look.

Calder sighed out, relieved that he had not hunted and cut up an Elk for a whole night for nothing.

"I did not think this was something you would do. It is not an unwelcome surprise though, this will be helpful for years to come." Hemming grinned, sending an incredulous look to the rather large pile of meat and bones.

Calder smiled and pressed a quick peck to Hemming's lips before pulling back and picking up the same bone that Hemming had let drop.

"That was the point; to show I can hunt even if the rest of the pack has an advantage." Calder smirked and tapped the end of the bone against Hemming's chest.

Hemming chuckled and grabbed the bone, just holding his hand around it so that Calder could not tap it again.

"It must not have taken long to track and kill, if you butchered it so quickly during the night." Hemming said with raised eyebrows.

"Lagina helped. She smelled the blood when I returned and I asked her if she could assist me." Calder smiled, sending a look to where Lagina was busying herself in scraping the membrane and flesh from the pelt.

Calder was glad that she had helped with this; it would have taken well past morning without her help. The Elk was a large animal after all.

"That was kind. I am glad to find you two have spent time together, it warms my heart to see my pack so close." Hemming stated with his own smile. "Though, they will have to leave soon for the village."

"Ah, yes, I suppose they do." Calder nodded and tossed the bone back into the pile once Hemming had let go.

Calder had kept the unfinished comb in his hand, but slid it into his waistband as Hemming and Nadir followed him back into the house.

The pack was awake, and Halina had a suckling Eira against her chest as she sat on one of the bed frames that Calder had finished.

He had only finished one, but there was a second frame that was all but done besides the boards that would go in the center to hold the mattress. Each would have to have a solid center in order for a thin mattress or furs to be held correctly.

Hale was packing a few bags full of clothes, and there was a pile of rolled furs and pelts sitting near the door that was likely for trade.

"Goodmorning, Calder. I did not hear you come in last night, did you sleep in the water?" Padma questioned from their place stirring a pot of stew.

"Uh, not exactly, no. I was butchering an Elk. For Hemming's courting gift." Calder explained with a small smile and a chuckle as he sat on the bed next to Halina.

There were only furs, of course, but it seemed to be sturdy enough and Calder felt a thrum of pride at his work.

"You hunted for him? That is so sweet." Halina cooed from beside him and Calder laughed and nodded.

"Well, it was the point to be sweet." Calder smiled, rubbing his thumb against Eira's cheek as she ate.

Everyone had become accustomed to seeing Halina feed the babe and no one had minded sometimes catching a glimpse of the woman's breasts. Especially Calder, who had never really cared for breasts anyway.

"Hemming, we are ready to leave. Once we eat we will follow the coast north and hopefully get all we need." Hale spoke up and threw the bag he was filling atop the pile of furs.

"Good, We will be expecting you back within in the week; for now, eat what you can and grow your strength." Hemming smiled softly and gestured to the stew that Padma had begun dishing out into bowls.

Lagina had come in not long after and was getting her own bowl of stew. Calder did the same and remained seated next to Halina.

He ate slowly, and when Hemming got his bowl, last mind you, he came to sit next to Calder. It was strange to Calder that most all of the time, Hemming had made sure everyone ate before him; something that was the opposite in real wolves.

The stew did its job and filled the packs stomachs, though, Calder felt a tad bit sad when he realized that the pack was going to be gone for a decent amount of time.

There would be none of Hale and Hemming's jokes told around a fire with too much ale in their stomachs. No Padma and Hale talking quietly about healing as if no one was listening in, Hale all too eager to listen to his mates passion.

There would be no Nadir making sure everyone was fed as they took breaks between working, nor Lagina sleeping as a wolf and cuddling up with the nearest person while she slept.

Calder tried his best not be melancholic; he knew that they would be back in no time, but his heart still ached that his pack was going to be so far away.

Hemming seemed to notice his distress as Hale and Nadir loaded the trading items onto the sledge and reached out to grasp Calder's hand. Calder appreciated the gesture and sent a weak smile to his mate.

Before they shifted, each of the pack gave hugs. Calder let himself draw two runes against each of their spines. Something he was sure held no power, but made him feel better.

Algiz was for protection, and Inguz for familial love. So that his pack, his family, was safe and cherished in their journey.

Calder watched as the four wolves walked off north towards where the whole pack had first entered so long ago. This left Calder, Hemming, Halina, and Eira, alone at the house for the first time.

"We should deal with all this meat." Halina started, gesturing to the pile with her free arm. "Calder?"

Calder inhaled quickly and nodded, already thinking of where he would put a smoking fire.

He turned to see Hemming was still staring with a hardened face at where the others had left; Calder could see the sadness.

"Hemming? Would you like to help me smoke the meat?" Calder asked gently, knowing that Halina had returned to the house to do something or other.

"Yes, of course, I'm sorry." Hemming sighed lowly and stared over at Calder.

"They will be okay, I promise." Calder murmured, placing a light hand onto Hemming's bicep.

"I just... I have not been without them for so long. Even Padma has been traveling with us for more than five years. The pack has never been apart for more than a few hours in years." Hemming exhaled out, his face becoming more distressed.

Calder sighed through his nose before pulling his mate into a hug.

"The days will pass quickly as long as there is something to do. Now, come help me build a fire and skewer the meat." Calder said and gave Hemming a small pat on the back prior to stepping back into the house to fetch the metal skewers.

He heard Hemming walk off towards the pile of smaller branches that had begun steady declining since Calder began using them to build.

Calder dragged the pile of raw venison to one side of the house, the side that held a door that no one especially used.

The door faced the sea and was on one of the short sides of the rectangular house; Calder assumed it would be easier to put the meat somewhere accessible but also where he would not have to look at it.

Hemming did what Calder asked of him and brought enough wood for a small fire, the flames would need to die down quickly in order to smoke the meat properly.

Calder let Hemming skewer the meat onto the metal prongs while he fashioned a small spit to hang over the fire, not wanting to use the one in the house in case they needed it for later.

Hemming was quiet, but Calder did not mind as they slowly let the fire burn to smoke but hot enough to cook the meat.

Calder leaned against Hemming's shoulder as they waited. He was sure that both of them were thinking of the same thing.

When the fire finally dwindled low enough, Calder placed one of the skewers to hand over the fire; it would take probably the whole day for just the medium sized hunks of venison to reach the point of being ready.

Calder dusted off his trousers and got to work silently, using even longer sticks to make sure the smoke hit as much of the meat as possible; most of the meat now hanging from multiple rungs instead of just the one.

He had just bent down to place a few twigs onto the fire when a scent made his mind numb.

It was spicy, yet sweet, and Calder froze as he stood and looked over to Hemming. The scent was coming from his mate.

"What is that smell? Why do you smell like that?" Calder questioned, brows furrowed and a few twigs still clutched in his palm.

Hemming stared back up at Calder with a red hue to his cheeks, shifting slightly from where he was still sitting on the ground.

Calder squinted his eyes and looked over the man, blushing his own deep crimson when his eyes landed on a considerable bulge in Hemming's trousers.

"Oh. Well, I suppose that makes sense." Calder muttered while looking away with a small smile. He liked that he had caused such a reaction in his mate.

"I am sorry; I should be able to control myself. I will... I will go take care of this." Hemming said and lifted himself awkwardly from the ground; Calder could see the tent more obviously now.

When Hemming made to pass Calder and stalk off into the woods, Calder reached out to stop him with a hand to Hemming's chest.

"I could- I could help? If you wanted?" Calder squeaked, staring up at his mate with a nervous look.

Hemming flickered his eyes from Calder's lips, to his eyes, and then back to the forest. He hummed deep in his throat before nodding only once.

Calder grinned softly and lowered his hand to grasp at Hemming's, pulling him back further into the forest so that Halina did not by chance see them.

"Calder, my sweet, you do not have to if you do not-"

"I never said I did not want to. If I were to be honest, it is not as if I have not thought about doing these things with you before." Calder interrupted, shrugging even though his nerves were high.

"You have?" Hemming smirked slightly and Calder clicked his tongue before finally giving his mate a gentle push to lean against a tree.

"Is that so surprising? You are very attractive, Wolf."

Calder did not give Hemming the chance to answer, only leaning in to meet his lips with the other mans and running a hand down Hemming's chest, lingering against his abdomen.

Hemming responded quickly, kissing back with fervor and placing a warm hand onto Calder's cheek.

Calder's own hand was pressing fingers gently into the taut muscle that wrapped Hemming's stomach; Calder was ecstatic that he could finally feel what he had been staring at without repercussion.

He figured he had better move on and lowered the hand so that Calder's palm was laid against Hemming's cock, the hardness evident through thin trousers.

Hemming paused in kissing to inhale in a hiss; Calder took the opportunity to sink to his knees and begin untying the bow that held the tight pants up.

"Calder, what-"

"My hands are covered in charcoal." Calder explained, hastily pulling his mates trousers down.

The sight was enough to make Calder salivate; his own cock was filling out slightly, though not enough to warrant action.

Calder took his time in giving soft kisses and licks to Hemming's member, wanting to make it feel good as it was the first time doing any sort of sexual acts with his mate.

When he finally sucked a bit at the head, Hemming grabbed at his hair and gave a soft moan that had Calder shiver with want.

Calder smirked and dove into pleasuring his mate, sucking and licking, listening to Hemming's groans and grunts as Calder brought him closer to the edge of orgasm.

"Calder, I- fuck-"

Hemming moaned lowly and Calder swallowed around the cock in his throat, whining when the hand in his hair tightened and sent shocks through his body.

Calder felt when Hemming's body tightened beneath his hands prior to his release, the seed shooting down his throat as Calder gulped it down; the taste had come to the front of his mouth and tongue and he could taste that it was not as bad as he had thought it would be.

He milked the orgasm for as long as he could before Hemming shook slightly and Calder let up.

Calder waited until Hemming finally loosened his grip on his hair before slowly tucking the mans softening dick back into his trousers, tying the bow with a step of happiness.

"Have you... done that before?" Hemming finally questioned with both wonder and a flash of sadness.

"A couple of times; though, it never amounted to anything." Calder spoke quietly, his throat a tad damaged from prior activities.

Hemming frowned, but said nothing on the matter, only running his hand through Calder's hair absently.

"Does that bother you? That I have sucked another mans cock? I should tell you, that is as far as I have gone." Calder asked with a nervous tilt, not wanting his mate to think of him as an Ergi.

Hemming sighed and shook his head, pulling his hand from Calder's hair in favor of pulling his mate up to his chest.

"It would be foolish of me to think I could have you all to myself. You are handsome, and I should not be surprised that other men or women might see that."

Calder grinned and placed a kiss to Hemming's cheek, his beard bristling Calder's bottom lip.

"You do not have to worry for me finding other men attractive, you are the only one my heart yearns for." Calder smiled and pushed a lock of brunette hair back behind Hemming's ear.

"As mine does for you, my sweet."

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