When they arrived back at camp, after a vigorous wrestling match between the brothers, Dorian and Rey displayed their borrowings to their father who, for the first time in a long while, was back at camp. Brady, their father, seemed mildly impressed at their borrowings, but kept his complements to a minimum. Brady even had the audacity to mention that the entire trip should have brought back more food for their stores, which brought a distant hint of disapproval and sadness to the young borrowers’ eyes. His lack of complete praise for his two boys was enough to churn Soren’s insides.

[Figures. I know you couldn’t do better.] Thought Soren bitterly as he stored their food. “Okay. Let’s get you two some rest. Stretch, change, and lay down,” instructed Soren. Within a few minutes, the brothers were tucked snuggly under their blankets awaiting Soren’s arrival.

On days or nights when Soren went borrowing, he, without fail, would make sure to sit with his brothers until they fell asleep. He would sit, back against the baseboard, and let Dorian and Rey lay on him. Then, much like their mother, Soren would hum the melancholy melody of Soren’s father, Aaron, until they fell asleep.

Soren’s eyes lulled as he leaned back and hummed. Dorian and Rey were already fast asleep and curled into the crooks of his arms. As Soren fell into a restful slumber, he made a mental note to start laying out the thread to the different rooms. If his brothers were going to borrow, they needed to know how to get around the apartments.