Page 14 of Raw

“Seems longer the older we get, huh?”

She laughed softly, making those gray eyes shine brightly. “Not really. I’m just taking in my surroundings. I missed this place.”

“Do you remember every single part of it?” I asked.

“Mostly. I would’ve known the way up to the camp, but Jason wouldn’t let me leave on my own.”

“I know you would’ve made it. Though, Papa wouldn’t have been happy about that either.”

She gave me a quick nod, and after a while, she smiled. “I remember that one time we spent winter break with Papa, and we would run down to the river and break the ice to see if we could catch fish. I never managed to break the ice, but you always did,” she told me.

“I remember. And then I always let you tell Papa that you broke it,” I said with a grin.

She chuckled. “You had to, or else I wouldn’t have talked to you for the rest of the day.”

She was stubborn, but not in a way that bothered anyone. Maybe it was determination rather than stubbornness.

Whatever it was, Vespyr was her own person, and I was proud of her for everything she had done and achieved in life.

“Come on. It’s only ten more minutes and we’re finally home.”

She smiled, leaning against my side before starting to walk ahead of me, moving her feet quickly to reach our destination faster.

*

“Papa!” Vespyr called as she saw him kneeling by his tent, fixing the hole either a squirrel or hare bit into a few nights ago when we were out hunting.

“Vespyr, my sweetheart!” Papa replied, grinning widely and getting up to let her run into his arms.

Their bond sometimes seemed stronger than the one I had with her, which was practically impossible, but since they were so much alike, there was no denying that they had their own special connection.

Just like Mama and I did.

“Look at you! All grown up and graduated,” he said, kissing Vespyr’s forehead and holding her at arm-lengths after hugging her tight.

“So proud of you, sweetheart. Mama doing okay?”

Ves nodded, then shrugged with a frown on her face. “I tried to convince her to come, but she didn’t want to. I really would’ve wanted her here with us. I know she misses you.”

Even with that thick beard covering most of his face, I could see his jaw clench.

“I miss her too,” was all he said to that matter before smiling at Vespyr again.

The hate I had felt months ago because of him still lingered in my chest, and with all those fallouts we’ve had in the past months, I was starting to feel things toward him I never felt before.

None of those feelings were positive, but I hoped to keep them to myself so Vespyr wouldn’t suspect anything.

Being here was her dream, and I wouldn’t ruin it for her.

“Fennec and I went hunting last night,” Papa said, nodding toward the already field dressed caribou.

It was wandering around our camp for days, but before we went after it, it had disappeared.

It couldn’t have gone far, and sure enough, we found it by the river not too far away from camp.

It was an easy hunt. Still, it always made me feel good to know that even without Papa, I would be able to survive out here.

“Oh, my! That’s a big one!” Vespyr called out as she walked toward our dinner.

---