Finland cups the wolf-man's cheek and strokes the skin back and forth with his thumb in a gesture he hopes conveys the promise he intends. "But I'll come back!"
"Come back," the wolf-man echoes.
Finland calmly takes the wolf-man's hands in his own and puts them beside him so that he can slip out from underneath. He tucks the man in and tells him, "Later, I'll be back later. Get some rest."
"Come back," the wolf-man repeats.
He turns his back on the wolf-man - on his wolf - and starts walking.
But he only makes it a few hundred paces before he catches the near-silent tread of feet and a huff of air now and then that isn't his own.
Finland turns, to find the wolf-man, who has followed him this far and stayed a careful few paces behind, swathed in the cloak that covered their bodies but otherwise naked. "No," Finland says sternly, "I said stay there!" He points back to the fire, the only noticeable landmark of where they laid. "You have to stay there. I'll be back later with more food for you."
"Food," the wolf-man repeats. "Food, eat."
"Yes, exactly!" Finland replies, delighted to finally get somewhere. "Food that you can eat. But later."
"Later food eat," the wolf-man says.
"Yes," Finland says. Thank the gods, he's finally understanding. The wolf-man shuffles his feet and looks away. Finland turns his back and continues along.
This time, the wolf-man is more careful, because Finland doesn't even realise he's there until Finland spots Sweden, who is out and evidently looking for him. Finland hears a snarl and looks back to see the wolf again, right behind him, his teeth bared. He could swear the wolf-man's ears are pulled back, even though that's not something humans can do.
"You see?" Finland says. "My friends. They're waiting for me, wondering where I am."
"Friends," the wolf-man replies. "Not friends."
"Not your friends. Go back to the fire. Warm, heat, the blanket, the furs? Go back there."
The wolf-man appears to understand. "There," he says, and then, to Finland's mortification, "where you and I -"
"Yes," Finland interrupts harshly, his cheeks flaming hot. "Yes, there. Just go!"
The wolf-man gives him a very angry stare. "Later, you come back," he says, and only then does he turn and walk away.
Finland watches him leave and makes sure he's out of sight before he runs over to rejoin Sweden.
Subsets of sets (3c/4)
"Come back," the wolf-man echoes.
Finland calmly takes the wolf-man's hands in his own and puts them beside him so that he can slip out from underneath. He tucks the man in and tells him, "Later, I'll be back later. Get some rest."
"Come back," the wolf-man repeats.
He turns his back on the wolf-man - on his wolf - and starts walking.
But he only makes it a few hundred paces before he catches the near-silent tread of feet and a huff of air now and then that isn't his own.
Finland turns, to find the wolf-man, who has followed him this far and stayed a careful few paces behind, swathed in the cloak that covered their bodies but otherwise naked. "No," Finland says sternly, "I said stay there!" He points back to the fire, the only noticeable landmark of where they laid. "You have to stay there. I'll be back later with more food for you."
"Food," the wolf-man repeats. "Food, eat."
"Yes, exactly!" Finland replies, delighted to finally get somewhere. "Food that you can eat. But later."
"Later food eat," the wolf-man says.
"Yes," Finland says. Thank the gods, he's finally understanding. The wolf-man shuffles his feet and looks away. Finland turns his back and continues along.
This time, the wolf-man is more careful, because Finland doesn't even realise he's there until Finland spots Sweden, who is out and evidently looking for him. Finland hears a snarl and looks back to see the wolf again, right behind him, his teeth bared. He could swear the wolf-man's ears are pulled back, even though that's not something humans can do.
"You see?" Finland says. "My friends. They're waiting for me, wondering where I am."
"Friends," the wolf-man replies. "Not friends."
"Not your friends. Go back to the fire. Warm, heat, the blanket, the furs? Go back there."
The wolf-man appears to understand. "There," he says, and then, to Finland's mortification, "where you and I -"
"Yes," Finland interrupts harshly, his cheeks flaming hot. "Yes, there. Just go!"
The wolf-man gives him a very angry stare. "Later, you come back," he says, and only then does he turn and walk away.
Finland watches him leave and makes sure he's out of sight before he runs over to rejoin Sweden.