Pain. That was the first sensation I registered as I slowly regained consciousness. My body ached all over, a dull, throbbing pain that seemed to radiate from every muscle and bone. I blinked my eyes open, the dim light revealing a wooden ceiling above me. I was lying in a small, straw-filled stall, surrounded by the smells of hay, horses, and other farm animals. A large basin of water stood nearby, reflecting the soft glow of the morning sun filtering through the cracks in the barn walls.

Where am I?

I tried to move, but my limbs felt heavy and uncooperative. Every slight movement sent jolts of pain through my body. It was then I noticed the bandages wrapped around me, covering my wounds and bruises from the brutal encounter with the hunters. Memories of the iron cage and the rough handling flashed through my mind, and I shuddered.

Suddenly, the door to the barn creaked open, and a boy stepped inside. My heart raced as I recognized him. It was the same boy who had freed me from the cage and carried me away from the hunters' camp. He was small, no older than ten, with short, messy black hair and bright blue eyes.

He approached me cautiously, his eyes filled with concern. Instinctively, I adopted a defensive posture, growling softly. Despite the pain, I wouldn't let my guard down around a human, even if he had saved me.

The boy stopped a few feet away, unfazed by my growl. He set down a small bundle he was carrying and carefully unwrapped it, revealing an assortment of food: apples, pears, a piece of sausage, some cooked meat, a small portion of rice, and a tiny fish.

"I didn't know what you eat," he said softly, pushing the food towards me. "I brought a little bit of everything."

"I hope that auntie won't realise that a sausage is missing... The rice and that bit of meat is from my dinner. Oh, and the fish - a mister gave it to me as he was sure he wouldn't sell it! Lucky me! And apples and pears... I kind of took some from an orchard not far from here. I... I didn't steal... they were on the ground and they don't look too well already. So... so I got you lots of stuff, you see!" He was babbling a lot of words at once but looked proud.

I was shocked by the variety and the effort he had put into gathering it. He didn't seem afraid or hostile; rather, he appeared kind and caring. Tentatively, I sniffed the food. The apples and pears smelled sweet, the sausage and meat savoury, and the rice and fish somewhat familiar yet different from what I was used to... well I surely ate it in my previous world but not in this one.

The boy watched me, his eyes hopeful. Despite my mistrust, I couldn't deny the hunger gnawing at my stomach. I decided to eat a little from each offering, showing him that I appreciated his efforts. The fruit was a delightful change from my usual diet, and the rice was surprisingly tasty. The boy smiled, relieved to see me eat. He left quickly to let me eat in peace and to go back to work from what I realised.

*

Over the next few days, the boy returned frequently to check on me. I learned his name was Alexius as I heard someone call him earlier. He worked hard, tending to the farm animals and completing various chores, but he always found time to visit me. Each time he brought some food, and I could see the exhaustion in his eyes.

One afternoon, Alexius approached me with a fresh set of bandages and a bowl of water. He hesitated before speaking.

"I need to change your bandages," he said softly. "I promise I won't hurt you."

I watched him carefully but allowed him to proceed. His hands were gentle as he removed the old bandages and cleaned my wounds. He worked in silence for a while before speaking again.

"My name is Alexius," he said, not meeting my eyes.

Oh, I know little guy. But I guess he wouldn't realise that.

"I've never seen anyone like you before. I always wanted a friend, but I'm not allowed. I promise I won't hurt you or keep you here. Once you're better, you can go."

He paused, looking at me with a sad smile.

"But you probably don't understand a word I'm saying, do you?"

I tilted my head, then nodded. Alexius's eyes widened in shock.

"You... you understand me?"

I nodded again, more vigorously this time. The boy's face lit up with amazement, but he quickly finished re-bandaging my wounds and hurried away, clearly overwhelmed by the revelation.

As the day passed, I found myself thinking about my family and my forest home. I missed them terribly, especially my mother. But Alexius's kindness and determination to help me touched my heart. Despite his own hardships, he took care of me, bringing food and changing my bandages, risking being hit, yelled at or starvation.

The next day, as Alexius brought me another assortment of food, he looked at me with a mix of curiosity and sadness.

"I'm sorry I ran off the other day. I just... I didn't expect you to understand me."

I shook my head to show I wasn't upset. To his surprise, I divided the food, pushing half towards the boy and keeping the rest for myself.

"You need to eat too," I said, gesturing for him to take some, although for him it must've sounded like some growls.

He hesitated but then began to eat, devouring the food hungrily. It pained me to see how thin and tired he was. I resolved to help him as soon as I was strong enough.

*

As I regained my strength after a week, Alexius and I grew closer. He continued to care for me, and I began to trust him more. One evening, after a long day of work, he sat beside me in the stall, looking weary but content.

"You're getting better," he said with a smile. "Tomorrow, you'll be strong enough to go back to the forest."

I nodded, feeling a mixture of relief and sadness. I longed to return home, but I would miss Alexius.

"What's your name?" he asked suddenly. "I can't keep calling you 'hey you.'"

I tried to communicate, but without words, it was difficult. Alexius began guessing, starting with simple names, but I shook my head at each one.

"Ferdinand!" He said but I made a face as if I was throwing up.

"Oh come on... it's not such a bad name... Or... you mean it doesn't match it?" When he asked, I nodded yes.

Finally, he began going through the alphabet, naming letters. I realised he doesn't know lots of them and not in the correct order.

"A? D? R? E? F?"

When he reached "O," I nodded. Thankfully he knew that one. He continued, "P? Q?"

I shook my head. "J... R?" he asked tentatively.

I nodded again. "Or," he repeated. "Okay, Or it is."

The short of my name felt right, and I nodded approvingly. Alexius grinned, pleased with himself. "Or it is, then. Nice to meet you, Or."

As the evening grew darker, Alexius lay down beside me, his body exhausted from the day's work. He began to talk softly, sharing bits and pieces of his life.

"I live with uncle and auntie," he said. "They took me in after my parents... well, they're not around anymore. Someone paid them to take me, and well... but they say they don't get enough money for such a dirty little troublemaker like me... The Uncle makes me work hard, but I don't mind. It keeps me busy."

I listened, feeling a pang of sympathy for the boy and anger at the couple. They were just using him... He reminded me of my own loneliness before I found my wolf family. And the one from my previous life. Despite his hardships, Alexius seemed resilient and kind-hearted.

"I always wanted a friend," he continued and I remembered him saying it once at the beginning of our meeting. "Someone to talk to, to play with. But my uncle says friends are a waste of time. He doesn't know about you. He'd be mad if he found out."

I nuzzled his hand, trying to comfort him. Alexius smiled weakly and closed his eyes.

"Thanks, Or. You're a good friend."

My heart swelled at his words. As he drifted off to sleep, I lay beside him, feeling a deep sense of connection. For the first time in this new world, I had found a friend who understood me, even if our communication was limited. I crawled in closer to cuddle in with the boy and fell to sleep.

*

The next morning, Alexius gently lifted me from the stall, wrapping me in a blanket to conceal me. He moved quietly, careful not to wake anyone. As we reached the edge of the forest, he set me down and unwrapped the blanket.

"I'll miss you, Or," he said softly, tears glistening in his eyes. "Be safe."

I nuzzled his hand, a gesture of gratitude and affection. As I turned to leave, I heard him sniffle, and when I looked back, I saw tears streaming down his face. My heart ached, but I knew I had to return to my family.

"Thank you, Alexius," I whispered, hoping he understood my little grunt. Then, I sprinted into the forest, the sounds of his quiet sobs fading behind me.

As I ran, I felt a surge of determination. I would find my family and return to Alexius. He had saved me, and now it was my turn to save him. The bond we had formed was strong, and I knew I couldn't forget him.

Reaching the familiar paths of my forest home, I slowed my pace. The pain in my body was still present, but the urgency of finding my family drove me forward. I moved carefully, my senses on high alert for any signs of danger or familiar scents.

As I approached the den, I heard the familiar sounds of my siblings barking and my mother's soothing voice. Relief washed over me, and I stepped into the clearing, my heart swelling with joy at the sight of my family.

"Orphelin!" Lorish exclaimed, rushing to my side. "My baby! Where have you been? We've been so worried!"

Her eyes were all puffy if that's even possible for a wolf - it looked as if she was barely sleeping and crying a lot. I nuzzled her, feeling the warmth of her love and concern.

"I was captured by humans, but I escaped when some creatures got out and there was chaos."

I decided not to mention Alexius. Not yet.

My little brothers and sister came running with cries of relief. They grew a lot during this week and were even better at talking. Orsus started crying very loudly.

"I am sorry big brother! It's my fault! All because of me! I am so sorry! I always bring you trouble!" So I've spent at least a few minutes trying to explain that he's no trouble and that it's not his fault, and I love him, and I'd always be there to save him, so it's ok.

Mom looked at me, her eyes filled with a mix of worry and pride.

"You are so brave, my little baby dragon. I'm so glad you're safe. We've been looking for you... Orsus didn't explain a lot, but we couldn't find the humans anywhere. Your Dad got the message too... I'll have to contact him and let him know you're safe." She raised quickly. "We wouldn't want him to burn the whole forest while looking for you," she smiled playfully and went away to call for the birds who were our neighbours and used to help us with news and communication.

My siblings crowded around me, their tails wagging with excitement. I felt a sense of peace and belonging, but my thoughts kept drifting back to Alexius. I decided not to tell them about him, fearing they might not understand.

"I found my way back as quickly as I could. I was a bit wounded... I missed you all."

My little sister nuzzled into me.

"I'm so happy you're back big brother. We wanted to help looking, but they wouldn't help us!"

Thank you, Gods, they couldn't go... More fur to rescue...

We spent the rest of the day together, sharing stories and catching up. My siblings were thrilled to have me back, and we played and laughed like old times. It felt good to be home, surrounded by the love and warmth of my family. Something my human friend didn't have.

As night fell, I lay surrounded by my family, the comforting sounds of their breathing lulling me to sleep. I knew that the challenges ahead would be tough, but with the support of my family and the bond I had formed with Alexius, I felt ready to face anything.

I closed my eyes, my last thoughts before sleep claiming me were of gratitude for my family and a promise to return to my friend. I wouldn't leave him alone... I would not abandon him.