Page 15 of A Bridge to a Troll's Heart
“Off you go, then.” Arlo waved toward the trail to Fern Pack. “Hurry up. Your sister awaits, and your news will make her day.”
“Oh…I thought, well, I could stay for tea before I go if you like. I’m pretty fast, so there’s enough time.”
“Maybe on your way home, then, eh? I’ve got loads of chores to do today.”
Toby cocked his head to the side. “But I found you sitting idle with your feet in the water.”
“It’s important to have clean feet before one begins their chores.”
“Is it?”
“Of course,” Arlo lied, ignoring the mud on his feet and hoping Toby would too.
“If you say so.” Toby sighed. “Good-bye, Arlo. I will see you this evening.”
“Good-bye, Toby. Thank you for the statue.”
“You’re welcome.”
Arlo forced himself not to watch Toby leave. He didn’t want to know if he’d dampened the wolf shifter’s spirits by sending him away without the visit he’d expected. But he was overcome with emotion, enough that his chest clenched and his throat went dry. Never in his life had he received a gift as special as the perfect miniature wolf he held in his palm.
He opened his hand and stared at his prize. A tiny little Toby with a tiny little snout and a fluffy poof of a tail. He turned the creature over to inspect it from every angle. A longing bloomed from within to see the real Toby in his wolf form. He’d never thought to ask before, but the thought consumed him now.
What would his fur feel like under Arlo’s fingers, and would Toby even allow himself to be petted? What would he look like running on all fours, chasing a rabbit or galloping across Arlo’s bridge?
Ignoring his chores, Arlo holed up in his den to build a place of honor for wolf-Toby. He wanted to be able to see and reach the carving from his bed, so he dug farther into the wall to make room. He toiled the entire day away. By the time he finished, hunger clawed at his belly, and sleep beckoned. He placed the carving into its new home, grabbed an apple from the fruit dish, and settled on his bed to stare at the wolf.
He must have fallen asleep because when he awoke, darkness had set in, and the nightjars twittered their calls in the distance.
Oh no!
Arlo jolted upright, sending the apple core rolling off his chest and onto the floor.
Toby would have been and gone already, and Arlo had missed his chance to see him. Why hadn’t the wolf shifter woken him up? What if he hadn’t come by after all and something had happened to him?
Arlo's heart seized at the thought. He scrambled from his bed, intending to—
Well, he didn’t know what he intended to do.
He couldn’t go check on Toby. He’d have to leave his bridge for that, and trolls never left their posts. Though he had fallen asleep early and missed Toby’s crossing, which he ought not to have done, and that mistake had led to this one, so perhaps he should leave his bridge after all.
What would his mother say? She would be so disappointed in him if she knew…but she would never know because she’d never leave her own bridge so maybe—
Arlo noticed a note pinned to his curtain, which hung down, though he was certain he’d left the fabric pinned up.
Dear Arlo,
I always thought you would snore, but you don’t. Did you know that? I couldn’t bear to wake you, all curled in your bed, but I didn’t want you to worry. The wolf looks great on its new shelf. Well done.
See you next time,
~Toby
Arlo heldthe note to his chest and took a deep breath. Toby was fine. He’d come and gone and surely by now was safely at home in his own bed.
Good.
Except Arlo didn’t feel good at all. He had missed a visit and a chance to ask Toby to shift into his wolf form, and even worse, he had no way of knowing when his friend would be back again. And he felt bad for essentially shooing him off earlier when they could have had some time together.
