The boy huddled on the ground of the cold court stone was not what Eric had expected to see after being summoned by the king. 

Eric and Clanker stood to the king’s left, staring at the boy, perhaps sixteen years old, covered in bruises and a thin, torn tunic. The boy’s hair appeared shoulder-length, but Eric had trouble judging since the boy was lying on the floor. 

The boy’s body shivered with emotion, a quiet and low whine coming from him. For some reason, it reminded Eric of a dog with its tail between its legs.

“This thief has been caught trying to steal from the crown!” King Arelgore said with disdain. “Claiming to have been sent by his people in the mountains to seek aid.” The king’s words were laced with a thin layer of hatred that surprised Eric.

The boy on the floor seemed no more dangerous or deserving of hatred than any other Eric had seen on Auron so far. Eric looked around the court and also saw other nobles with similar looks in their eyes. 

“Clanker,” Eric said. “What’s the deal with the kid?” 

“The king has yet to speak,” Clanker said, shrugging. “I know no more than you.”

“No. I mean why do all the nobles look at him like that?” 

Clanker looked around the room slowly noticing what Eric was talking about. 

“Ah,” Clanker said. “I do believe it has to do with the boy’s nature. Though, I can’t be certain.”

“Nature?”

The king suddenly turned to Eric, hand outspread to him. 

“Hero,” King Arelgore said. “What do the people of your world do with thieves?” 

Eric looked around in panic as he watched all eyes turn to him awaiting his answer. 

“I mean,” Eric said. “That’s a hard question to answer. My world is very…divided. Many nations with their own leaders, laws, and people who believe differently than their neighbors. Some nations have stricter laws than others.”

The king seemed dissatisfied with what Eric said, turning to the court to begin speaking again. 

As King Arelgore spoke, Eric noticed the boy look up and stare at Eric. The boy’s eyes pierced Eric’s thoughts for a moment. The eyes were a hauntingly beautiful, inhuman golden yellow with large pupils. 

They reminded him of a wolf’s eyes. 

Ah, Eric thought, realizing what Clanker was saying about his nature. He’s wolfkin or whatever Sophia called them. Shifters? Then, Eric also noticed what else he saw in the boy’s eyes. 

Pain, fueled by a lifetime of trauma, but edged by hope and a way out. 

The king began to speak to his ministers to his right, words too quiet for Eric to hear. 

After a moment, the king suddenly spoke. 

“The shifter will be put in the dungeon!” The king said. “And will rot there until death for his crimes against the crown.”

Eric looked at the king in shock, heart beginning to race. He then turned to see the soldiers rush up and heft the boy, who was still whimpering, to his feet. When they did, Eric got a good look at him. 

If compared to a wolf or dog, this boy was the runt of the litter. He didn’t stand more than five and a half feet tall, his body thin and lacking much muscle. 

Rose’s words returned to him again, reminding him of the kind of person he wanted to be. 

Just be good.

“Wait!” Eric yelled out. The king turned in shock, face suddenly dark. “May I perhaps suggest a different punishment?” Eric said to the king. After a long, quiet moment, the king waved to his men, who threw the boy to the hard stone ground. Eric winced for the boy as he hit hard. 

“I don’t fully understand what this young man tried to steal,” Eric said to the court. “But I believe it to not be worthy of such a severe punishment.” That comment earned a few hushed gasps and conversation. “As an alternative, I propose the boy be given to me and my party as a sort of servant for a time until the crime is satisfied as decided by a ruler with such grandeur as yourself, King Arelgore.” 

The king glared at Eric, seeing the compassion that he was attempting to bestow on the boy. And for some reason, that made the king angrier. Though, he didn’t lash out, nor say no, but sat there staring at Eric. 

The court was silent as it awaited the king’s decision to grant the altered verdict.

Finally, the king spoke with a hesitant tone. 

“I suppose this can be allowed.” The king waved for his soldiers to again hoist the boy up and dragged him to Eric, dropping him again to the hard stone at Eric’s feet. As the soldiers moved to do so, the king spoke.

“Such a crime may take much of this creature’s life to satisfy. I look forward to being the one to decide.” The king smiled, the anticipation of seeing decades pass of this boy in servitude giving him joy. Eric had no intention of giving that joy to the king. 

Eric winced again witnessing the harsh treatment, then saw the boy looking up at him. That hope that Eric saw earlier had vanished, a kind of defiance replacing it, which surprised Eric. 

Is he not grateful?! Eric thought. I just saved his life!

“Begone, hero,” King Arelgore said. “Take your slave with you and be about your business. I have things to attend to.” 

Eric nodded, then motioned for the boy to stand. The three then slowly walked out of the court and headed towards the party’s quarters. 

***

Sophia looked at the boy with an appraising eye. 

“So,” she said. “You got a slave?” 

“For the eighth time,” Eric said, groaning. “I was trying to help him. Though he doesn’t seem to think so.”

The party had assembled in the sitting room of their quarters and had the boy seated in one of the chairs while the party stood around him. His earlier defiance had disappeared and he slumped in the seat, looking down and avoiding the party’s eyes.

“He’s a pitiful-looking thing, isn’t he?” Bearick said.

Eric knelt down and tried to look the wolf boy in the eyes, but only ended up staring at the top of his head.  He looked the boy over and realized that he really couldn’t see much that would have told him the boy was any kind of wolf or shifter. Perhaps he was hairier, but would not have guessed with his current understanding of Auron without having been told that he was a shifter. 

“Do you have a name?” Eric asked. The boy mumbled something, but Eric couldn’t hear. “Could you repeat that? I can’t hear you.”

“Josiah!” The boy suddenly yelled. 

“Ooh!” Clanker said. “The puppy has some fight in him.”

Eric turned and glared at the skeleton. 

“Careful,” Eric said. “I might just give your forearm to him as a treat,” Sophia grunted at the comment. “Josiah, my name is Eric. This is Sophia, Clanker, and Bearick. They are my party members. We’re hunters and stuff.”

“That’s awe-inspiring,” Sophia said. 

“What?” Eric asked. “I don’t know what else to say…”

“Are you the hero?” The boy asked. Eric noticed how deep the boy’s voice was, surprising him.

“Well,” Clanker said. “That depends on who you ask.”

“He is, wolfkin,” Bearick said. “The Hero of Splinters.” Eric glared at him, earning a large smile from Bearick. 

“Why did you take me?” Josiah said. “I am wolfkin, not a good servant.”

“Kinda figured you’d rather serve than rot,” Eric said. “Besides, it’s not like it’s going to be that hard for that long.”

“You wouldn’t happen to have brought bone polish, perhaps?” Clanker said. The group turned and stared. “I saw another familiar that had polished bone and liked how it reflected the light. Maybe you stole some and have it with you?” 

“Not now, Clanker,” Sophia said. 

“What did you try to steal?” Eric asked. “Or was that not true?”

Josiah let his head droop, eyes staring at the ground.

“I…let my desires control me,” Josiah said. “And tried to steal a golden fork from off the king’s table while I waited for his audience.”

“Well,” Bearick. “That would certainly anger any ruler.”

“You were already in the castle?” Eric asked. “Why?”

“I came to ask for help,” Josiah said. “My people are in danger.” 

Eric shared a look with Sophia.

“So why didn’t you go to the hunter’s hall, then?” Sophia asked. 

“I do not know what that is,” Josiah said. “I have lived in the mountains with my people my whole life, rarely venturing into the city to try and barter for needed goods or seed for planting if we run low one spring. I have only heard night stories of hunters and been warned by my family…” Josiah stopped speaking, seeming to glaze over after mentioning his family. 

“So you came to ask the king for help?” Bearick asked. “But you never got the chance because you tried to steal a fork.”

Josiah slightly nodded.

“What kind of danger?” Eric asked. 

“My people,” Josiah said, coming out of his daze. “Are not so easily cowed by a foe, being strong warriors. But, when there are so many of them…” 

“A monster hoard?” Sophia asked. “What kind?”

“We don’t know,” Josiah said. “Our people do not seek this kind of knowledge, of monsters. We only kill, eat, and grow our people. Monsters don’t trouble us much, and those that do get roasted over a fire. But there are so many of these…”

“Describe them,” Sophia said. 

“They have a similar form to a wolf,” Josiah began. “But they are smaller, more teeth in them, no hair on their bodies.”

“Sounds like a crag hound,” Sophia said.

“More teeth in them,” Eric said, repeating Josiah. “So they have lots of teeth?”

Josiah frowned. “This is more expression, as your people would say.”

“Aggressive,” Clanker said. “Correct?”

“That’s the word,” Josiah said. “I am sorry. I try to learn more of the common tongue, but I’m not as good as many leaders of my people.”

“Well,” Sophia said. “You’ll get a lot better in our party. How old are you kid?”

Josiah frowned at her comment but answered her anyway. 

“I have lived eighteen years,” Josiah said. “As the common people would say.”

Eric looked at Josiah wide-eyed. 

“You are small for your kind, correct?” Clanker asked. 

“I am a strong warrior of my people,” Josiah said, defiant eyes now looking at Clanker. “But yes, I am smaller than my brothers…” the glazed look returned. 

“I want to be clear with you,” Eric said. “I do intend to keep my word with the king and keep you with us, but not as he intends. I don’t need a servant, but would like your help as a part of our party. That being said, going and helping your people would be a good next step for our party as we go about our goals. Will they try and take you from us?”

Josiah looked at Eric, slowly realizing what he had actually done for him, what Eric had intended to do by taking him as a servant. 

“Forgive me, Eric,” Josiah said. “I now see your true intentions with taking me on in your party. I am grateful that you are giving me a chance for life. And if I can be true with you now, there is no one left that will oppose you keeping me.” He said the last comment with a sad tone.

“Very well,” Eric said. “Then I think we should venture to meet with your people and try to help them. Are we all ok with that?” 

Sophia and Bearick nodded.

“Can I please actually spend time in the library when we return?” Clanker said. “I have been thwarted several times now.”

“Yeah,” Eric said laughing. “I think that can be arranged. How far have you traveled, Josiah?”

“It took me some time to reach the city, but I can guide us there in perhaps three days. It is not so far, but more up.” He pointed to the ceiling, making a kind of walking motion going up a set of stairs, higher and higher. 

“Well,” Eric said. “I guess we should start packing. Again…”