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Calder slept easier that night. There was no need for worrying about his wound waking him, for it barely hurt now.

In the morning, Padma took the bandage off and said that they would be able to remove the thread that was stitched between the sliced piece of flesh.

It hurt, but nothing that warranted a reaction from Calder. Only an ounce of pain to continue healing, the price was not a steep one.

Hemming had watched this ordeal, and still contained the strange almost curious expression from the day previous; Calder almost questioned him on the look, but held off on account of not wanting to anger the man.

The band waited for Calder's new bandage to be applied before beginning to pack the camp.

There was not much to pack besides the furs and blankets that were laid across the snow covered ground.

The dishes they had used for food that morning were rinsed with a handful of snow and placed in a sack along with whatever else was in it. Calder had yet to see everything in the bags that were lying across the camp.

Another bag was used to put thinner blankets in, the thicker ones being rolled and placed onto a wooden sledge. Most things were placed onto a sled, and when it was time to leave, the rope was connected to a pack on Nadirs back.

Calder had never traveled before, so this was new to him; He wondered if this was normal for everyone or if this group did things differently.

"You are feeling well enough to walk?" Hemming asked once the band had packed everything, the last step being to put out the fire, which Hale was doing with a shoe.

"Yes, I am fine." Calder smiled as stood excited to finally leave. "I can carry something, if need be."

"No, I am sure we have it covered. Just tell someone if you feel any pain or short of breath."

Calder exhaled a short sigh but nodded anyway. He did not understand their apprehension towards him walking, they should know the injury on his side would not take long to heal.

The thoughts in Calder's mind shifted off his wound after Hemming finally started off into the woods, Calder brimming with excitement as he followed further back next to Halina.

She seemed to be one of the smaller band members; not all thick muscle and strong features, she was more of a saccharine and honeyed feminine, rather than Lagina's stunning strength and proud warmth.

Halina and Calder were both the smaller of the group, thin and fragile compared to the others.

They were stationed in between the staggered line that had formed; Hemming in the front and Nadir next to him, dragging the sled through the snow. Halina and Calder were behind them, and Hale and Padma trailing behind them. Lagina seemed to be in the back, the only way Calder knew was from the third set of footsteps he heard from behind him occasionally.

Hale and Padma chatted quietly, and sometimes Calder would pick up on the discussions of Padma teaching Hale how the human body worked and functioned; Calder listened in on those words too, interested in what the person was saying.

Hemming whispered to Nadir once and Calder could not figure out what he said, but Nadir nodded without words so it must have been something for agreement.

The woods were silent. Calder could not hear any birds singing in the trees, the only sounds being the crunching of snow and talking.

Calder had not heard the ravens in a while either, it seemed to frighten Calder more than he thought it would.

"Why is it so quiet?" Calder whispered to Halina after a decent amount of time had passed.

"The birds have seen a predator. But no need to worry, it is most likely us they deem frightening. Hemming would know if anything else was out there." She said back, forming a gentle smile for comfort.

Calder frowned, but nodded anyway. The birds always stayed tweeting whenever he had been in the woods; maybe with them being such a large group he supposed.

The walk through the forest continued, though. The wildlife hushed around them.

They walked until they met a stream, large enough to cause issue, but small enough that the issue could be solved by finding a shallower spot.

Hemming called out that they would go south to find a point to cross, and to be vigilant of any slippery rocks.

Nobody said anything, not an agreement or confirmation; they just continued on and followed what the man had told them.

Calder found this odd, but not odd enough to raise any questions.

So, they continued south from there and stayed close to the stream; which was steadily getting smaller and smaller.

Eventually, it got small enough for them to cross and the only issue then was having Hemming and Nadir be able to lift the sled across the water.

Calder felt the thrum of adrenal course through his veins when he stepped into the water, they had taken off their boots in order to keep them dry and Calder pulse thudded when his bare skin hit water.

He could not help the small smile that came to his face as the cold nipped at his toes. He almost dreaded having to leave the stream.

But, he did have to, so that his feet would not freeze in the icy chill.

The boots were replaced and Calder looked back longingly at the stream as they passed it and returned to the forest.

"You seem to like water." Halina chuckled when she caught Calder peering over his shoulder.

"Oh, yes, though I suppose it is more of a adoration of a natural body of it. I do not have the same feeling for a water skin or cup of water." Calder smiled softly at being caught, his face flushing slightly in embarrassment.

His mother thought him ill due to the amount of times he had been caught playing in the freezing winter water, the ice only an obstacle for him when the waves of the lake brought the chunks to shore.

"What about it fascinates you so much?"

Calder looked to the ground and grinned shyly.

"The freedom. The way that water can move and go wherever it pleases, no one telling it where it lands." Calder said and shook his head with an abashed chuckle. "The feeling of it against bare skin, cold and unforgiving. The lake never cared who was in it, even as it produced storms that blew their way across farm. Water kills and nurtures. I guess I have always treasured that thought."

Halina did not speak for a moment, thinking over what Calder had said. He tried not to feel nervous at her silence, feeling as though he might have gone too deep into his own thoughts.

"I am sorry. I just get a little involved with descriptions of things I like. The lake was always a home, and I am thrilled at the aspect of meeting the ocean." Calder said with a small sigh.

"No, it was beautiful. I never thought about water like that. We did not grow up by any lakes or rivers, we used a well for our water requirements. I am also excited to see the ocean; my grandfather always talked about it with such longing... he used to voyage on the sea, bringing back gifts for me and my brothers." Halina said fondly, her face furrowing with a sad smile.

"Then we are both tied to water. You by blood, and me by longing."

Calder gave a comforting smile towards the woman, her head nodding and her smile turning happy.

"Hemming is scared of the ocean. My grandfather told him too many stories of the monsters that lurked beneath the waves; Jörmungandr, Krakens, and Hafgufa. Hemming used to have night terrors about them." Halina chuckled and turned glance to the mentioned man, who had turned to look at her with a glare.

"Well, I am not scared of serpents like you." Hemming bit out and Calder laughed at their arguing.

"Snakes are dangerous! They are small but can kill you with just a nip." Halina cried and pointed an accusing finger towards her brother.

"Snakes are tiny, and only bite you if you step on them."

Calder looked to where Hale had joined the conversation with a knowing smirk.

"That was an accident, and you are worse than him! You are afraid of the noises that go bump in the night; you, the big scary w-"

"Halina."

Hemming had suddenly cut the women's taunts off, a stern look pointed towards her.

Halina snapped her mouth shut and her eyes widened.

"Sorry. Sorry, Hale, took it too far I suppose." She said and Calder could clearly tell that she was not sorry for what she had revealed, but for what she was going to say.

"It is fine." Hale cut out quickly, seemingly also regretting what his sister had almost said.

Calder furrowed his brows but stayed quiet and looked ahead, taking to staring at Hemmings back instead. It was a very nice back. Strong.

No one took the liberty to speak until later in the day, when Nadir handed everyone a few pieces of dried meat and Calder responded with a quiet 'Thank you.'

After that it was silent again, and Calder tried not to think that it was his fault that this had started.

He was the one who made Halina think about the ocean in the first place, and therefore leading her to reveal Hemmings fears. Now, they walked without noise and Calder felt his heart prickle at the absence.

The cold silence was unnerving when the birds had also stayed without songs.

Even though Calder could not see the sun, the darkness had started upon them to add to the stillness.

"We can settle here for the night and continue in the morning." Hemming said once he had pulled everyone to a stop, the area a small clearing and barely could hold the group of seven.

Calder sighed quietly when he finally laid a fur and blanket out on the ground to sleep on.

Even if his wound did not hurt, walking all day certainly was more than he usually did; though the others seemed to not be fazed by the traveling.

Calder did not eat before he laid on the fur and cuddled into the blanket, barely feeling the fire that someone had made as he fell asleep.

At least the owls did not mind the intrusion of their forest and kept Calder peacefully entertained while he slipped under.

_______

The water was freezing, he knew that.

But it was calling for him so sweetly, just a quick swim would be fine, right?

The waves lapping at his ankles as if pulling him in was their only job, and the deeper he got the harsher the waves were.

He should have felt the cold.

He should have shivered from the ice knocking against his ribs.

He should have felt his heartbeat slow at the cold seeping into his lungs as he went farther and farther out, eventually the ground beneath him fell and he could not swim.

He should have drowned.

He should have inhaled the boreal waters and died; the fluid working it's way into his chest and gripping tightly as it yanked him further beneath the waves.

But he did not.

He did not die as the light of the surface faded out. As the only sound was the water bubbling as he sunk.

The water knew him. It welcomed him as if it was welcoming a son back home.

It loved him.

____________

Calder shot up with a gasp, breathing cold air in as he woke.

He could not see anything, the sky was black and dark and there was no fire to guide him back from the dream.

Calder felt around him and was only met with cold snow, his blanket and fur were gone.

The snow nipped his fingers as he crawled, searching blindly for anything, anyone.

A gasp was let out when his hand met warmth and wetness on the body he had found.

Only then did the scent of iron and death reach him.

Calder felt scared tears form at his eyes, reaching for the persons face, anything to find out who it was. As he felt the beard, and the long plaited hair, his breaths quickened.

It was Hemming. It had to be; and his blood was soaking into Calder's hands.

He was crying, his hands grasping for the mans tunic as he sobbed.

What had happened?

What was happening?

Why was Hemming dead?

Calder cried out a yell in agony; why did this hurt?

His voice broke terribly as he screamed, the only sound he could hear was his own voice.

"...Calder. Calder!"

His eyes snapped open and searched frantically for the voice, only to be met with a bright sky and a large male standing over him.

Calder whimpered as he sobbed, he could not focus on the man as the tears blinded him.

"Shhh, Calder it is only me. It's Hemming, my sweet."

Hemming? Hemming was dead.

"No, no, why does it hurt? Hemming, why does it hurt?"

"Do not think of it; it was just a nightmare. You are safe." Hemming's voice called and Calder flinched at the hands that came to cradle his face.

Was it real? Was Calder dreaming? It all felt so real.

"Breathe, my sweet."

Calder tried to focus on Hemming's voice as he spoke to him, but could only focus on the warm hands on his face and the soft spoken 'Breathe'.

His gasping sobs eventually lowered to just soft whimpers.

He was okay. Hemming was okay.

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