After the pack of wolves finally wandered off, the two children scrambled down from the tree.
But the moment their feet hit the ground, they were startled by Thorfinn, who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. The easily frightened sister shrieked and immediately hid behind her brother.
Thorfinn quickly shushed them, "Keep it down! They haven't gone far yet."
Hearing Thorfinn's warning, the older boy also tensed up, but he remained on guard.
The boy shielded his sister tightly, a hint of panic in his voice, "Who are you? What do you want?"
Thorfinn sized up the boy. He looked to be about the same age as him, but his courage was seriously lacking—a total chicken. Still, he was a responsible young man, even if his protective instincts might be a little premature.
Thorfinn answered, "I'm from the nearby village. I came up the mountain to hunt some game, heard someone yelling for help, and came to check it out. Seriously, you two are Grade-A morons! If you'd just shut up earlier, the wolves would've been gone ages ago. You don't even know that much? What gave you the nerve to come up here? I can't decide if you're brave or just plain stupid!"
Hearing the thinly veiled disdain in Thorfinn's voice, the boy couldn't help but get mad. "You're no better, Mr. Braveheart! You rushed over to save us, only to hide and do nothing! And with a bow and arrows, too? You should take that thing home and use it as a kindling stick!"
What's the point of a bow and arrows? Facing that many wolves, the few arrows he had wouldn't be enough. He'd just enrage the pack and sign his own death warrant, a total 'YOLO' moment. But Thorfinn wasn't about to argue with a kid.
Thorfinn chuckled softly, "Ooh, got a little firecracker in you, don't you? Hope your skills are as big as your mouth. I'm heading back. If you can't find your way home, follow me. Don't go and die out here in the wilderness, become a lonely ghost, and end up as wolf chow anyway."
Hearing Thorfinn's words, the boy finally lowered his guard. After all, the guy didn't seem like a bad person. Despite his age, the boy was decent at reading people. Even if he was being a bit of a keyboard warrior with his words, his body was honestly following Thorfinn's lead.
Morgan and Morla were a pair of siblings from a nearby village. The sister, Morla, also possessed the gift of the Skinchanger. The siblings' parents had passed away early, leaving the two to rely on each other. Years of depending on the kindness of others had made the two kids very sensitive. Even though Thorfinn spoke with contempt, they sensed the genuine goodwill he was showing.
After a while, the sister, Morla, spoke up, "My name is Morla, and this is my brother, Morgan. What's your name?"
Thorfinn looked back at her. Morla was still peeking out from behind her brother. Thorfinn smiled, "Thorfinn, my name is Thorfinn. It's nice to meet you, Morla."
Even though she was young, Morla was already remarkably pretty. Her deeply set, expressive features, a sensual mouth, and big, watery, Barbie-doll eyes made for a perfect, beautiful combination—a future stunner.
Hearing Thorfinn's words, Morgan immediately grew wary. His little sister was his only family, someone he would protect at any cost. Morgan put on a look he thought was menacing and warned, "Don't even think about messing with us! We're not some lambs for the slaughter!"
Thorfinn merely gave a small laugh and ignored Morgan's pointless posturing.
Just then, Morla shrieked again, "Brother! Brother! A Shadowcat!"
Morgan instantly tensed up. The siblings were ready to turn tail and run if things went south, but to their surprise, the Shadowcat had no intention of attacking them. Instead, it affectionately rubbed against Thorfinn's leg.
This new discovery shocked the Morgan siblings. Morla cried out in surprise, "You're... you're a skinchanger?" Morgan's eyes narrowed, a clear flash of distaste toward Thorfinn.
Seeing the siblings' panic, Thorfinn explained, "This is Alpha. He's my animal companion. Like Morla said, I'm a Skinchanger. I only just found my companion. You don't have to be scared. Alpha is very obedient. He won't attack anyone without my command."
Morla also had the Skinchanger gift, and it seemed her talent was quite good. In fact, she longed to become a Skinchanger, but the lack of an animal companion had kept her from truly awakening her ability. The reason they had risked coming here was to find an animal companion. Morla knew... only by truly becoming a Skinchanger would she have a chance to challenge "that man."
Therefore, unlike her brother, Morla actually had a good impression of the boy in front of her. She knew that if she wanted to become a Skinchanger quickly, this person was her best opportunity. His experience and friendship were things worth pursuing for these siblings, for whom even survival was a struggle.
Morla spoke, "We understand." She then tugged on Morgan's clothes, giving her brother a meaningful look.
Thorfinn didn't notice the sudden shift in the siblings' attitude. Even if he had, he wouldn't have cared. It wasn't that Thorfinn underestimated them, but with Alpha's help, dealing with two kids was more than enough. After all, a year of dedicated training hadn't been for nothing.
Thorfinn retrieved the two rabbits and two large fish he'd hidden earlier, and the three people and one cat set off for home. Along the way, the Morgan siblings began to talk more with Thorfinn, and the three slowly became familiar.
Seeing how easily Thorfinn found the food he had hidden, Morgan couldn't help but marvel. Even a seasoned hunter would be considered impressive for that kind of haul in the wilderness. For the first time, Morgan sensed that this boy was not ordinary.
However, Morgan didn't know that in recent years, various animals had been unusually active in the nearby mountains and forests, which lowered the difficulty of hunting. Getting a successful hunt had become easier, even if this was just the calm before the storm of cold, darkness, and death.
Morla gradually let her cheerful and lively personality shine. She genuinely liked Thorfinn, the cute young guy. The pretty and adorable little beauty was certainly likable. Moreover, Thorfinn was also good-looking, and his long-term training always perfectly revealed a hint of masculine strength. He exuded maturity for his young age.
By the time Thorfinn was near his home, the sky had already darkened. This was a late return compared to his usual. Darie and Renard were both a bit worried, and at Darie's urging, Renard was about to head out to look for Thorfinn.
Just then, Thorfinn returned. After greeting Sunny and Snow, Thorfinn quietly lifted the tent flap. After a moment of eavesdropping on the family, he smiled at his parents and Orrik : "No need to go looking! Father, Mother, I'm back!"
Seeing Thorfinn back, Darie quickly went over to him, looking him up and down. "Thorfinn, where have you been? May the Old Gods bless you for coming home safe! You're back so late this time! I thought you had run into some danger."
Renard also stepped forward and lightly punched Thorfinn in the chest. "You little rascal! You had me worried sick for ages." Orrik was the only one who pouted on the side: "I told you Thorfinn would be fine. He's way more cautious than I am. He never makes a move without thinking twice."
Thorfinn retorted to Orrik, "I'm not as 'adventurous' as you—getting chased up a tree by a wild boar." Orrik immediately got grumpy, the joy of Thorfinn's return instantly vanishing into thin air.
"Gods, you're still bringing that up? I'm way smarter than I used to be! Seriously, Thorfinn, I caught a wild rabbit and a white fox today. How was your haul?"
Thorfinn laughed, "At least better than yours. I was late because I ran into a pack of wolves and saved two people, but they don't seem to be from our village. It's almost dark outside now. I think we should let them stay with us tonight."
At that moment, Renard and Darie finally noticed the movement outside the tent.
Facing Thorfinn's family, the siblings were inevitably a bit reserved, but they were very good at winning people over. Morla was the first to step forward—who could resist the request of a super cute little girl?
Morla: "Hello everyone, I'm Morla, and this is my brother, Morgan. We're from a small village in the southern forest. We met Thorfinn on the mountain today, and he saved us..."
Darie's eyes lit up when she saw Morla. She really liked this adorable little girl. Truthfully, Darie had always wanted a daughter, but unfortunately, Thorfinn and Orrik were both boys. A wildling family living Beyond the Wall was already struggling to raise two young boys. Raising a third child would have been too much of a strain, but thankfully, Orrik and Thorfinn could now contribute to the household through hunting.
Perhaps it was due to this personal shortcoming, but seeing the two children, Darie's maternal instincts kicked in. She decided to at least let them stay the night at their home.
Darie smiled, "Thorfinn said you don't seem to have anywhere to go for now, so why don't you stay with us tonight! Thorfinn and Orrik both had a good catch today, so you two are in luck for a good meal! Come on in, kids!"
Faced with Darie's warm invitation, the siblings couldn't help but smile happily. It had been a long time since they had received such a warm welcome. After all, Beyond the Wall, kindness and survival were often contradictory, and only Thorfinn's family, with their abundance of stored food, dared to host outsiders like this.
The Morgan siblings had no reason to refuse this act of goodwill. Even if they were initially scared by Renard's large frame, they realized after getting acquainted that the big guy was actually very gentle. The siblings had gotten to know Thorfinn's family.
That night, everyone gathered to enjoy the food. Morla and Morgan also shared their experiences, and Thorfinn's family gradually learned the siblings' story and past.