Chapter 373: A Mother’s Approval
The evening bonfires crackled and blazed with bright orange flames, though it did very little to stave off the biting winds that blew through Vulture Woods. Even now, in the early days of summer, little warmth reached this deep into the forest, so close to the frigid Rupture Mountains.
Even so, dozens of Sylvan folk sat around the fires, roasting meat and vegetables or simply gathering for company after a long day of survival in the scarlet forest. Stryg was no different. He sat next to a bonfire, knees up, and his arms wrapped around his legs. Others talked and laughed with each other, regaling stories of the past, but Stryg sat in silence. He was alone, the other Sylvan folk had given him a wide berth.
It almost feels like nothing’s changed, Stryg thought glumly.
The white petals of Blossom slowly pulled around his shoulders with a comforting snug grip. It was odd, even to him, how the cloak somehow always seemed to know what he needed.
Stryg’s eyes wandered around towards the other fires, at the other goblins talking amongst themselves as they waited for the cooks to finish preparing dinner. He spotted Gathi sitting with other gatherers. They were all laughing about some joke, save for Gathi, who smiled with a small wince.
White bandages were wrapped around her thin green neck and she scratched at them whenever she tried to talk.
Why is she…? Oh. Right.
He suddenly remembered how their reunion had ended; with a pebble thrown straight at her throat. He had just assumed the healers would have taken care of her injury by now, but they didn’t have healers here as they did in the academy. There was only so much mundane medicine could do.
Gathi noticed his gaze and her yellow eyes widened. She hurriedly looked away in shame.