It’s cozy. Plush quilts and a fireplace for comfort, xe even provide a fresh vegetable stew saying, “I’m fortunate to live in relative abundance.” The unit are allowed to use the washroom to rinse off with hot water; Seton’s overjoyed and offers money to use xir soap. Xe doesn't have the medicine to cure Ashford but is able to give a concoction that will put off complete degradation for sometime. Xe are also able to assist in all their other injuries giving fresh salves and bandages; removing and adding stitches where needed. After a month of nonstop outdoors travelling, this cabin provides a heavenly safety.

“Your pronouns?” Mher asks Alden.

“Xe/xir, and yours?” xe ask.

“They/them,” xe nods to the rest, “All he/him.” They’ve piled up quilts on the floor and insist Emmett gets the couch, the four settling in for bed while Mher talks with Alden. Weapons are kept in a ‘shed’ outside.

“No source sachet and Wallard soldiers?” xe brings the topic back to xir suspicions xe had originally.

“Our source sachets were stolen from us- my community- and Wallard holds them in exchange for our servitude.”

Xe narrow xir eyes. “Why not coordinate stealing them back?” Xir glimmering eyes are locked on them.

“...A member of our community betrayed us; we were split up and unable to communicate in private… It all happened very fast.” Mher’s guard is near nonexistent in the presence of another Alderkin, comfortable confessing.

“Is it okay to tell… uh,” Foxyn looks to Alden.

“Alden. Xe/xir,” xe complies.

Looking at Mher, Foxyn asks, “Which one do I…?”

“It’s okay to tell xir, xe are sedentary,” Mher gives an exaggerated example and checks if Alden has something to add or correct.

“I chose this location because I prefer solitude. I’m not inclined to go out of my way to share information with Misthyr.” Xe sip tea quietly adding, “Typically any kin who come across my talismen are redirected to a small town nearby.”

“But you’re giving aid to Wallard. Doesn’t that put you at risk with Misthyr?” Foxyn asks.

“I’m Alderkin not Misthen. I’m free to do as I please,” xe says with a hint of resentment.

“Sorry, but would they really overlook this?” Foxyn doubts.

“I now understand Wallard does not treat their Alderkin kindly, but I’ve had no trouble with them here.”

“Do you know why some have sided with Misthyr?”

Xe furrows xir brow and reads their expression, “I hadn’t heard any in this community had joined them.”

“I encountered a couple soldiers that gave the impression they’d joined by choice. I suspect it has to do with our involvement with Wallard. If they interpreted it as us picking a side and participating then it could lend to reason that they joined Misthyr to stop us. I just want to convey to them that is not the case.”

Xe are unreactive taking in Mher’s theory. Xe addresses Foxyn, “You’re the group’s leader?”

Startled, Foxyn looks at Ashford then back to Alden awkwardly answering, “I’m temporarily in command.”

Xe looks upon Ashford with pity and Mher questions, “Is it alright for him to sleep?”

“At this stage,” Xe pauses thinking over his condition, “It’s better to have a full night’s rest to fight it, so that he’s not too weak during the day. The concoction should help, but you should seek the cure immediately.” The statement seems directed at both Mher and Foxyn. Foxyn nods.

“Do you know the recipe in full?” Mher asks. Xe sets xir cup on the windowsill, flick open a cabinet, and pull a few tomes from the back.

“I don’t have it memorized. I believe it’s in one of these.” Xe holds one out for Mher to take.

They hesitate and Foxyn takes it instead. “I’m the best at reading…” he trails off after realizing it’s in a different language that doesn’t use his letters.

“You weren’t taught?” Alden asks Mher.

Mher guiltily grins, “I didn’t take to it… I can write my name and I know some letters.”

Xe sighs and writes down a set of words in the Alderkin’s language. “Find a page that matches any of these words.” Mher and Foxyn place the page of words between them and prepare themselves to flip through their respective books. Alden pulls out a candle and Mher quickly pulls out one of their own to trade. Alden’s smells like pine and cedar. Peacefully, they read while the others slumber; snow falls silently outside well lit by the moon. Mher and Foxyn look between the books and page often until Foxyn holds a page up to Mher for their opinion.

They present it to Alden who says, “That’s it. Let me write it down for you in your language.”

“Thank you,” Mher and Foxyn chime simultaneously. Foxyn relaxes back into his chair and closes his eyes in tired relief.

“Thank you… for trusting me on this,” Mher says shyly.

Foxyn has a look of reflection before saying, “I’m… sorry. It’s very difficult for me to trust new people. I know none of the things that went wrong are your fault… It’s just something I have a hard time with, but… I shouldn’t have yelled at you over any of those things.”

They laugh softly, “You worry a lot.” Foxyn goes red in embarrassment. “It’s not like I was friendly out the gate. I only have myself to blame in that regard. I’d say you weren’t as put off by Seton.”

Foxyn mulls over their words, “Seton’s just similar to people I grew up with is all…” Mher looks at him to elaborate. Head turning away with an uncomfortable smile he murmurs, “‘Dredgers’... Pirates.” Mher catches the laughter of surprise.

“Did you really?” Mher asks with great interest.

“Haha, yeah, I’m… kind of a pirate by affiliation, but I only made maps for them,” he says with an odd fondness.

“So Seton’s similar to pirates?” Mher questions.

“I meant they’re both money-motivated,” Foxyn clarifies.

“Hmm… I think he might equate money with survival… or maybe he’s just obsessed like you said.”

Alden presents the copy to Foxyn and asks, “He’s not one of you?” Xe glance at Seton quizzically.

“He’s a mercenary,” Foxyn supplies.

Xe contemplates something before sitting down and taking up xir tea again. “I’m sensitive to emotional energy. It’s overwhelming, so I choose isolation. You’re all very attached and protective of each other,” xe lays it out flatly. Mher and Foxyn both turn red at the sudden acknowledgement. Xe points at Ashford, “He is too. He’s sensitive to how you all feel and very reciprocative.”

Foxyn is touched by that, another weight off his shoulders. He thanks xir and joins the others in rest.

For a short time they discuss local and far off nature, sharing information and talking over light topics.

Certain that the unit’s asleep Alden says, “I think I already know the answer, but no one in your community stole back your source sachet’s for fear of Wallard’s retribution?” Mher nods. “Why not leave decoys in their place?”

“A member of our community betrayed us,” Mher says.

Alden is not particularly surprised, staring at xirs tea leaves. “Why don’t you blame them?”

They freeze, feeling they relaxed a little too much. “...I’d like to believe he was tricked, but…”

“Reality’s at conflict with your optimism,” xe is nonchalant in xir analysis. Xe sets xir cup down. “I suppose it’s better to hold onto hope while you have it though.”

“Hmph, I think I’m a little too optimistic about the outcome,” Mher says ruefully.

Alden looks at Mher then pointedly looks at Ashford; “Do you have a crush on him?”

In sleep he’d relaxed considerably since they met him; stress washed away with memories. “I haven’t known him long, but I think that’s where it was going for me.” Overstepping a little bit they quietly add, “He doesn’t remember it currently, but he was in the midst of facing a great loss.”

“The loss of a partner?” xe asks in clarification.

“I’m not sure. I think they felt strongly for each other, but were kept apart for one reason or another?” Mher had only been able to pick up hints of it, not wanting to ask directly or inconsiderately. Xe leaves it be prepared to head off to bed xerself. Mher stays up a little longer to craft some sachets and salves.

At liberty to add wood to the fire, there’s little to no disruption outside of it. The unit are curled up comfortably, close for the sake of closeness, not out of a protective necessity. A snow blankets the house and the night is still.

They sleep long into the morning and are prodded awake by Alden providing them a meal. They accept gratefully and know they have little to offer as repayment; Mher and Foxyn enjoy the food calmly.

They pack up and make sure to leave the place the same as when they arrived. Alden returns their weapons, and they stand outside the front door. It’s lighter out than the day before and the snow shows the delicate tracks of critters. To be in a place so untouched by war, the unit are reluctant to leave, marvelling at a peaceful life they cannot attain.

Foxyn takes the initiative, waving goodbye to Alden and unfolding his map. Mher follows looking over his shoulder and Seton brings up the rear to keep an eye on Ashford and Emmett. Though confused, it was the least upset Ashford had woken up recently.

For several minutes they walk enjoying the beauty of the woods catching sight of pale chirping birds and dusts of snow falling off branches.

Unprompted, Seton asks Mher, “Can you make soap?”

Mher is smiling before they answer, “If I-”

“Had the materials,” Seton finishes, a rare catty expression gracing his features. “Are they difficult to acquire?”

After some deliberation they answer, “A port city would be the best place to get the materials, but at that point you might as well just buy it.”

“Why buy it when I can get it from you for free?”

“I’d either have to trade or buy the materials myself then?”

“I know some good port towns we could visit,” Foxyn says with a grin and tucks away his map.

Though unspecified, the idea that they’d take a spontaneous trip together spawned a joyful conversation about future destinations and missed creature comforts.