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Hemming had apparently not been talking about getting himself a cloak, but getting Calder one.

Calder had initially been shocked when Hemming had turned to him and asked if he wanted a fur lined cloak or a thicker fabric, and after they had quipped back and forth about Calder not needing a cloak, the old woman had finally given up and handed Hemming a thick fur lined cloak that was a deep grey blue.

Calder refused to put it on, saying that the cold did not really bother him and that they could give the cloak to someone else.

At least, Calder refused until Hemming gave him a look that made Calder's mind melt with the heat of it; Hemming successfully wrapped him in the cloak at that, and Calder did not say anything else in favor of hiding his blush in the fur.

"Look at you, Calder. You look like a wolf with all that fur." Hale snickered suggestively when the band- pack- had met up again.

Calder made a pouty noise in his throat and crossed his arms under the large weight of fabric and reindeer pelt.

"He does not think he needs it. Did everyone get all we need?" Hemming chuckled and nodded towards the items that Nadir was holding, he had the biggest hands out of them besides Hemming after all.

"Yes." Nadir held up the bags with a little shake.

Calder could clearly see that one of the sacks was full of salt, and by the looks of it there was one containing potatoes and another holding maybe four rounds of bread. There were more, but he could not see what else they contained.

"Good, we will go back and fetch the sled before continuing. I think our best option is to go back into the forest and angle south in order to miss the mountain." Hemming explained and made a gesture with his hand to show their plans of curving around the mountain.

"They say the coast is not far from here, maybe a days walk. Going south will land us at a fjord that follows east to the sea." Hale said and Hemming nodded.

"Then we will hope that the land settles near the coast, mountains will be tough with the sled and a babe." Hemming hummed and crossed his arms. "Let us go gain ground while the weather is good."

Calder followed quietly and took in the sight of storm clouds coming from the north. Maybe they would find somewhere for shelter nearby; the mountain was sure to have a cave or two.

It was most likely going to rain instead of snow with how quickly spring was approaching. Eostre would be soon, but Calder was unsure if the pack celebrated these holidays.

The farm would usually only do a small thing for the spring goddess; a feast devoid of any rabbit or hare, and colored eggs that were given to a loved one. Calder had never received an egg, though he had given many to his mother.

Even though the blót was named after Eostre, Calder always took to making offerings to Freya and Idunn instead; his mother hated his beliefs that a goddess could influence the harvest. She only cared for Odin and the importance of strength.

Calder frowned at his thoughts; his mother had really discouraged his emotions, not allowing him to feel anything but obedience towards her.

"There is a small hollow in the mountainside up ahead; we will need to stay there for the time it takes for the storm to pass." Hemming announced as they walked through the forest while on the edge of the rocky peaks to the left of them.

There was indeed a shallow cave carved into the stone, easy to access from where they were heading.

It was cold, and damp, and smelled slightly of soil. But, it could keep them sheltered from the rain that was approaching.

It had already started to darken the skies, and Calder could distantly hear thunder. He smiled softly at the soothing rumbles, knowing that Thor would keep his slumber very smooth tonight.

When they entered the cave, Calder almost yelped when two pitch black ravens rustled on a higher plateau of rock.

He scoffed and continued in with the rest, sitting on the dry ground with a sigh once they were deep enough to not get wet from any rain coming in.

They had set up a fire from the wood that Hale had made sure to grab while it was dry, and Calder had set out a blanket to sit on when the rain started.

It started out steady, only barely making noise; but after a minute it morphed into something harsher.

Calder felt happy, even as the rain and thunder sounds startled Eira. He could not seem to care for anything but watching the water pour.

The longer he watched, the more distant he became; all he could see, hear, smell, was the rain and the scent of petrichor.

He could not feel when he stood, walking out towards the mouth of the cave. Calder barely remembered to unclip his cloak and start shucking off his tunic before he stepped out into the rain.

Calder could swear that this had not happened before, but he did not care enough to think about it.

All that was there was the raindrops pelting his bare skin. Calder sighed out at the relief he felt.

The rain came down harder than before as he stood, tilting his head up and closing his eyes to feel the water dance against his face.

His grimy blonde hair was soaking and Calder could almost feel the dirt being washed from it.

He was not cold, only there. In the moment, with a storm climbing down in a race against itself to reach the ground and nourish the earth.

Calder did not feel anything but the water, until a warm hand grabbed his shoulder and he gasped.

"Calder, you need to come back!" Hemming shouted over the sound of the heavy rain.

Calder frowned and took a look back out at the rain before nodding quietly. What the fuck was wrong with him?

His boots squelched as they returned to the innards of the cave. Hemming picked up the cloak and wrapped it around Calder's shoulders, though he did not feel cold.

"You need to get out of your boots and trousers so they can dry by the fire." Hemming spoke in a hushed voice, and only then did Calder realize that everyone was asleep.

Calder looked outside towards the rain and noticed that the sky was darker, even with the storm above.

"What-"

"I know, just go sit and take it off. The cloak will cover you." Hemming murmured and reached down to pick up Calder's tunic.

The younger man frowned and did as told, blushing as he undid his trousers in front of Hemming, even if there was a layer of fabric and fur to cover him.

Hemming made sure to lay Calder's clothes and shoes against the surface near the fire, propping his socks up on two sticks.

"Perhaps we can think of it as washing my clothes." Calder grimaced a smile and wrapped himself tighter in the cloak in an effort to conceal any skin.

Hemming did not laugh at that, and only offered the same pained smile that Calder did.

"How long was I out there for?" Calder finally whispered and stared at the fire.

"Long enough for it to become dark. We thought it best for you to be allowed time to yourself." Hemming crosses his arms and came to sit next to Calder. "We tried calling to you, but it was like you could not hear anything."

Calder made a sharp noise and ignored the tears that were forming. Why did he do that?

"I do not know why I did that. It just seemed right. Like I had to do it."

Hemming only nodded, and Calder's heart sent a shock of pain through it at his silence.

"I'm sorry. Hemming, I do not know what is happening." Calder whimpered and felt a sob spill out.

Hemming immediately put an arm around Calder's should and leaned his own head against the others.

"Me either, Ástvinur." Hemming muttered and allowed the younger to cry against him.

Calder was only distracted by the term of endearment for a second, his tears rolling down his cheeks and joining the water that had been streaking from his longer strands of hair.

He had always enjoyed the water, he had even talked to Halina about it; but the pull he felt to it now was more than he had ever felt. It scared him how much he needed to be in the water. Any large body of water he saw, he just wanted to let it absorb him.

He was now terrified to reach the coast in fear that if it was the same as how he felt with the rain, Calder would walk out into the sea and never come back.

Calder only stopped crying when he felt he could not muster enough energy to continue.

Hemming still had his arm around Calder, but the younger also did not have enough energy to stay sitting up, so he ducked out from Hemming's arm and laid down on the chilled stone floor; curling to his side so that the cloak would stay put during the night.

Calder felt Hemming thud down beside him and closed his eyes, letting the heaviness of sleep fall on him.

__________

"... do not know, I retrieved him soon after you all fell asleep. He does not know anything, the same as you and I."

Calder frowned at Hemming's words. They were talking about him.

"You know there is more to it then that, Hemming. There is a reason that those ravens follow him around."

Calder certainly did not like waking to Hemming and Nadir discussing what is wrong with him.

"I am sure we will find out soon. The ocean will likely tell us what is happening. He is not a threat; if anyone wants to question my mate you come to me."

The growl that Hemming let out was also something that Calder did not enjoy, he had to desperately try and hold in the flinch he wanted to let out.

It would make sense he supposed, that Hemming was the pseudo alpha of the pack. But Calder did not know much of how a pack worked or what a mate was in terms of Ulfhednar. He only vaguely remembers talk of wolves and their mating partners, was this the same?

Calder almost laughed at his foolishness but remembered that he was supposed to be asleep.

He opened his eyes weakly and tightened the cloak around his frame before sitting up with a yawn. Did that seem convincing enough?

Calder looked around the room to take in the others faces; they were all wearing the same concerned looks from when Calder had the nightmare a few days ago.

"I realize that what I did last night was strange, and I would like to say that I do not know what came over me." Calder said and directed his eyes downwards to where the fire was still burning.

"We know, Calder. We were worried about you is all." Halina smiled softly from where she sat across the fire, Calder's boots were sitting in front of here against the fire.

Calder nodded quietly and wiggles his uncovered toes against the stone.

"So! I heard Hale say that Padma was his mate? What is that, exactly?" Calder asked in a falsely chipper voice, trying to steer the conversation onto something else.

"You know what? That is a question for Hemming to answer, I think. It is still raining so we might as well go run a bit and wash out our coats." Hale said and jumped up.

"Could you hold Eira, Calder? She is pretty tame, and you have not held her yet." Padma stood also, carrying the babe to where Calder was sitting.

Calder's eyes widened; he could not hold a child, what if he dropped her?

"Ah, I do not think-"

"Nonsense, all you have to do is support her head with your arm-, like that; perfect. Have fun boys." Padma settled the baby into Calder's arms and walked off with their partner and the other wolves.

Calder stared at them pathetically as they left; oh gods, she was so small. What if she did not like him and started crying?

"You are doing fine, Calder." Hemming chuckled and reached out a finger for Eira to clutch onto.

Calder stared at the babe in his arms, his own light blue eyes meeting with Eira's dark blue.

He adjusted his position so that him and the babe were more comfortable before turning to look at Hemming with a grin.

"So what is a mate?"

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