FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The 2nd part to the series!

Sweet series I got commissioned from Nick_Bane

Hope you like it!

Eddie's scowl deepened with each step he took after the wolf. Despite its enormous size, it darted between trees as silently as a shadow, and it was a living hell trying to keep up with its almost erratic movements. Everything from Eddie's knees down protested every step of the way following the wolf's zigzagging.

He hadn't walked hiked that far ever. There was no real comparison to anything he'd ever even experienced. The wolf-thing that lead him on dragged him at an already uncomfortable pace; adding in the complications of dodging to and fro between the trees and trying to keep an eye on the blur of fur in the dark was just extra headache. After a while though, he did manage to get a pattern, and stick with his guide far more easily.

Maybe it had just been an hour--maybe two or three, Eddie didn't keep track--but when they got where they were going, the wolf just stopped in his tracks. The change was so abrupt Eddie nearly walked right into the beast. "We're here."

Eddie scowled some, taking an abrupted step back before looking around. There was nothing that he could see, owed to the suffocating closeness of the trees surrounding them. They made the darkness somehow more tangible--even more sinister to such an extent that Eddie's grip tightened over his rifle. He didn't dare lift it, just in case something that could see him recognized the gesture as a threat.

"We need only wait a moment longer, Elder." the wolfmanthing said to Eddie, who scowled in his direction.

"_Eddie," _he said insistently. "And what exactly are we--"

He gave a slight yelp of surprise, jumping away from the wolf as a mighty lurch came from just in front of them. Eddie didn't know how to describe it--almost as if a rusty, heavy door was finally being forced open... If said door was covered in dirt.

He turned his head, blinking a bit at the sudden, soft light near the wolf's feet. Eddie squinted, returning his gaze as the wolf stepped closer to him, then put a gentle paw on his shoulder.

"We must go inside," the wolf said quietly. "It is not safe in these woods after darkfall."

Eddie nodded curtly, glancing down at the soft, golden glow. Near as he could tell, there was a reinforced plate that was being lifted--something almost like a storm-shelter on steroids, but nothing that sounded like heavy machinery, or hydraulics.

After only a few minutes, the wolf nodded down a narrow, only-barely-illuminated staircase that descended toward a soft, golden glow. Eddie glanced up and around for a moment, just what was around him. All that was visible in the new light was the patterns of bark in the trees; but that didn't tell him much of anything.

A gentle nudge from the wolf reminded him to descend the staircase, and Eddie obliged without shooting the animal any sort of dirty look. To Eddie, the staircase was enormous, and he almost remarked on such until he turned his head to glance to the wolf behind him.

Seeing the wolf duck his head, and hunch his shoulders to try and narrow himself for more comfortable passage down the hallway made the staircase feel suddenly suffocatingly narrow--and straight out of some budget-horror movie. Eddie's eyes meandered the uneven dirt walls. Plant roots were exposed, and some even chopped off in an attempt to prevent the gnarled branches from snagging on creatures obviously far taller than himself.

The descent stopped just as soon as Eddie began to feel conscious of the tightness of the space. He stepped off of the rotted, wooden slats that were placed directly into the ground, and onto a far wider walkway that was in infinitely better shape. Wood had been set into the dirt, almost as if to make a formal sort of ramp that continued on a gentle slope downward, and around a corner. The source of the warm, yellow glow came from sconces set directly into a wall; but it wasn't fire that kept the light going. Eddie took a step forward, squinting toward the fixture.

The fixture itself was a bulb of glass--or so it looked, wrapped delicately with wire of some sort that Eddie didn't dare touch. Thousands of tiny little flecks danced inside of the bulb, knocking against one another and sparking. The glow was somehow soft enough that it didn't hurt to look at, but each of the reactions happening quickly enough that the light didn't even seem to flicker.

"Tsosin flies," the wolf murmured from just behind Eddie, careful not to startle him. "They aren't actually flies--no one knows what they are called... Only that the discoverer of them, Tsosin, had the idea to use them for light."

Eddie nodded, then turned to face the wolf. "Seems like a good idea," he muttered, trying to sound supportive. "Where did he discover them...?"

The wolf nodded down the curve of the ramp, the smallest hint of a smile crossing his features. Eddie turned his head to look further down the pathway, and the wolf stepped forward as if to lead him further down.

"This way, Eld--," the wolf began, before stopping himself. "Eddie."

"And, what exactly should I call you...?" Eddie asked, stepping after the wolf as it began to stride further down the pathway. The path down further opened to an enormous room--larger than Eddie's house had been. The ceiling was fifteen, twenty feet high and the room was just that wide, and even longer still. At the far end of the empty room, there stood a pair of wolves who looked not-unlike the one that lead Eddie toward them. Each of them had a long, dangerous looking spear in their paws, but didn't make any move to engage the wolf or Eddie.

"My name is Tobriatis," the wolf said quietly over his shoulder, bringing the human in closer to the doors. "They will call you Elderfolk--because that is what we know you to be."

"Tobriatis...?" Eddie asked, stumbling a bit as he tried to pronounce it. The combination of long and short vowels just didn't feel natural to him, and he wet his lips before stepping into clearer view of the guards. "Mind if I call you Toby?"

The wolf said nothing for a moment, then glanced over his shoulder to Eddie before murmuring. "If that is what you wish."

The guards said nothing to Eddie, only looked at him, then bowed before the doors seemed to swing open all their own. Toby lead Eddie the first few steps into what Eddie knew would be the wolf's home-village, and what he saw took his breath away.

They stood on the top ring of what Eddie could have only described as a sanctuary, glowing with that same, golden hue. Above them, some thirty feet give or take, the roots of plants reached down through the dirt toward a sort of grid-network of rope bridges that had been anchored directly to the walls. Eddie could see staircases leading toward the bridges above him, but they were little more than logs the size of Eddie's arm, shoved deep into the dirt walls. Each of the staircases were distanced just far enough apart to make traffic to and from the rope bridges easy, as well as give the walls an aesthetically-pleasing, swirling pattern dotted with sconces that helped to break the monotony of the dirt that surrounded the area.

He stepped forward in wonder, letting his rifle hang freely at his side by virtue of the sling. The entire pattern of the wood in the walls guided Eddie's eyes naturally up each staircase, over the rope bridge, and then back down. As he stepped forward, his eyes fell to a chest-high wall, made of brick. He leaned over to see what was beyond the wall, and felt himself gasp in astonishment.

The village was built, near as Eddie could tell, on a system of six tiers, each progressively smaller than the last. Furthest below him, on the bottom-most tier, Eddie thought he could see children at play in the grass, near an idyllic well between a set of round doors, and more of the odd stairs. The swirling pattern continued upwards through the next tier, where slightly-older kids were. They weren't playing in that second rung however--Eddie ventured a guess that they were learning trades, by the adults standing over them, and seeming to teach them to work with their tools. The next rung were elderly folk, and the rung directly above that, what Eddie could only describe as young couples. Water was moved up and down the tiers, courtesy of a rather basic looking fountain system that also doubled as irrigation for plants. Undoubtedly the plants were for fresh air, as Eddie couldn't see a skylight, or any sort of ventilation system.

"This way." Toby said softly, stepping up behind Eddie and gently placing a paw on his shoulder.

Eddie followed him, his mouth agape in wonder as he looked around. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen before, and it continued to take his breath away. He didn't even notice, or care to think about the sticks that groaned underfoot as he followed Toby down the flight of stairs.

The ring directly below the first appeared to be a sort of military barracks--sconces still lining the perimeter, and tunnels dug deep into the dirt, shored up with wooden beams and a sort of roof. Eddie could clearly see beds also lining the walls, each its own little enclosed den. The thought of a mausoleum crept into the back of Eddie's mind, and he could only shiver at the thought.

"This way, Eddie." Toby muttered, nudging the boy from behind.

He became vaguely aware that the village was going quieter, as more eyes began to center on him. Eddie tried to not give it too much thought, but managed to catch one or two curious glances from elders or soldiers that looked his way. Toby walked forward just as rigid as a board, leading Eddie down the whirling staircase to the lowest depths of the village.

"Wait here." Toby ordered, his tone still trying to be gentle as he left Eddie in the middle of the grassy gnoll at the lowest point of the village.

Eddie looked up in childlike wonder at the village as it sprawled above him. The staircases, the sconces, and now he could tell, even the bridges above were all part of the same choreography. The lights and the staircases alike patterned to make the room feel as if it was spinning outward from the center of the village. The bridges above seemed sporadically hung with lanterns at first, until Eddie noticed a more familiar pattern, squished off to one side; the lights that hung seemingly randomly from the bridges so high above marked stars in the night sky, and their placements. Eddie only knew that because recognized the Big Dipper, crammed against one of the far walls.

He shook his head hard and exhaled, pinching the bridge of his nose. There was too much to take in all at once--and Eddie knew he was going to drive himself insane if he so much as tried to get it all in his head in a single sitting. He drew in a deep breath, the boy turning his head down to the grass beneath his feet. He flinched visibly at his legs reminding him that he'd been standing for entirely too long, before he felt a gentle tug on the sling.

"Hey!" he yelped, twisting hard as someone tugged at his rifle. He looked up just in time to watch a streak of fur skitter away from him. Eddie wet his lips as he watched the direction of the gray and tan streak, and felt his heart sink a bit at the sight of a crowd of pups, all huddled together some distance away.

The village went silent as the grave, and Eddie could feel every eye in the area fall to him. He wet his lips slowly, showing both of his hands as if to surrender, before moving slowly to a knee. "Which one of you grabbed my rifle?" Eddie asked, doing his damnedest to soften his tone.

Not a single one of the pups moved. Eddie ran his tongue over his teeth, trying to figure the best course of action before pulling the rifle off of himself entirely. He yanked the magazine free, and cleared the rifle before setting it on the ground next to him. He picked up the spare rifle cartridge from the ground, swinging his backpack off of his shoulder in the same movement.

Eddie groaned softly as he lowered himself to sit on the backpack, and finally take his weight off of his aching legs. He rubbed his thighs deliberately, sucking a bit of air between his teeth as he glanced nervously around. No one's gaze had left him yet, and Toby was nowhere to be found. Shit.

He closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath before tilting his head back, and exhaling hard. He remembered back when he was a youngster--he'd first made the same mistake that the pup had. He'd grabbed Uncle Stephen's rifle to get his attention when he was only five years old--and his uncle had scared the shit out of him then.

"I'm not mad, I promise. And you aren't in trouble," Eddie began, leaning forward and lacing his fingers together, just as his Uncle had, way-back-when. "You just startled me is all, and did something that could have got yourself hurt really, really bad, or worse."

Silence still plagued the area, but Eddie could feel the tension loosen a little bit. He exhaled, then reached down to pick up his rifle. "This rifle is not a toy--it's a tool. And it's a really, really dangerous one at that." Eddie explained, turning the rifle over in his hands. He was careful to not put his hands anywhere near the trigger well, or on the pistol grip as he turned it over, trying to show the pups just as best as he could.

"When these little things right here," Eddie began, picking up the bullet and holding it aloof so that the pups could see it as well. "Come out of the end of this barrel--" Eddie sat the rifle across his lap, then tapped the muzzle break. "They come super fast, and they don't stop for a good, long while. You won't even see them coming before they've done all the damage they can do."

He felt his stomach lift a bit--that small blossom of hope as one of the pups separated from the knot, and began to cautiously step forward. He approached Eddie slowly, getting down on all fours and slinking forward, sniffing the grass cautiously as he approached. Eddie didn't make any sudden movements, or sounds, instead waiting for the pup to come to him.

Modesty clearly wasn't a factor in their society--and the pup was just as naked as the day he was born, but Eddie didn't pay attention to that. He tried instead to resist the instinct to reach down and pet the pup right between the ears as he approached close enough to sniff at Eddie's pant leg.

The wolf peered up at Eddie, then blinked his big, brown eyes before slowly moving his muzzle a bit forward to sniff some at the rifle. The pup's neck was stretched just as far as it would go--obviously to allow the wolf the chance to skitter away if Eddie moved too quickly.

"Nothing to be afraid of..." Eddie said softly, still not daring to move a muscle as the wolf pup began to slink a tight circle around him.

"You're one of the Elderfolk?" the pup asked. Eddie didn't know how to respond, instead letting the question hang in the middle of the air until the wolf had completed his circle, then sat directly in front of Eddie, crossing his legs.

"So I've been told." Eddie nodded, trying to sound as diplomatic as he could.

"Otarun, leave the poor man alone." A voice called from behind the cluster of cubs. They all scattered at hearing the sound of the voice behind them, each darting to a separate place in the lowest tier. The pup in front of Eddie was gone in a blink as well, leaving him to sit alone in the grass.

Toby came forward, accompanied now by another wolf that just looked, in a word, _weary. _The new wolf's muzzle and face were as gray as Eddie had ever seen, and he leaned heavily on a stave for support. His shoulders were draped in long strips of various hides, and belted around the middle in a sort of piecework tunic that fell down to his knees. His chin was home to a long, flowing, braided beard that hung heavily with golden rings to keep the ends of the braids from fraying. The older wolf reached forward with a paw, and beckoned Eddie forward.

"Come, Elderfolk... Allow me to have a good look at you." The wolf asked. His voice was that of a wolf far younger--no telltale signs of stammering or warbling. IT didn't take Eddie even a second to guess that this was the village chief.

Eddie stood up, leaving his rifle on his backpack for now. He felt strangely naked as he approached the old wolf. Despite the aging beast's hunch, the creature was still head and shoulders taller than Eddie. He reached down with a single paw, placing it on the human's cheek--rubbing almost-affectionately with his thumb before nodding. "You are indeed, Elderfolk," the wolf confirmed. "If you would do me the honor, please, come with me."

Eddie nodded carefully, stepping quietly, and quickly behind the chief. He could still feel the gaze of everyone's eyes upon him, and he turned his shoulder to glance back at his backpack and rifle.

"Worry not, Elderfolk." The chief murmured softly, as if sensing his concern. "The tribe knows better than to put their nose against things they do not understand. The pup that approached you will be taught accordingly."

Eddie glanced back to the chief, then cleared his throat softly. "I'm not sure I like the sound of that..." he admitted, his mind mulling over what the wolf could have possibly meant.

"It is nothing insignificant, but nothing dangerous, Elderfolk." The chief rumbled softly, turning his wizened features to Eddie with a small smile.

"I hope not--," Eddie began, only for the chief to stop him midsentence.

"Do not fret over him. It is nothing that hasn't happened to other pups in times past." The chief chuckled good-naturedly.

Eddie nodded, wetting his lips before adjusting the pistol on his belt one final time. The chief led him across the tiny, grassy gnoll to one of the few doors on that lowest level.

The door, which Eddie thought had crawled straight from Lord of the Rings, was almost perfectly round. As Eddie approached, he realized that it wasn't several planks nailed, or glued side-by-side, but rather a single piece, cut from an utterly enormous tree. Unpainted as it was, Eddie took a moment to try and count the hundreds of rings where the treebark had been. He didn't get very far into his little venture before--rather than swinging the door inward, or pulling it outward, the chief put an open palm against the door, and pushed upwards, rolling the door into a narrow slit that had been carved into the dirt beside it.

Eddie stopped midway through the door as the chief lead him through, stopping to examine the slit the door slid into. He gave a small chuckle, then shook his head at the port-hole like structure. Polished wood kept dirt or other debris from falling into place, and he thought he could even see some sort of latching pin mechanism crammed in the back of the hole. If Toby hadn't cleared his throat to signal him to follow more closely, Eddie may have stayed and marveled for a while longer.

Eddie stepped forward into the main part of what he could only call a den--there didn't appear to be any doorways or other rooms. There was only wooden braces, mimicking the same, rippling swirl that was outside. Herbs and other heavily scented branches clung to the wood, allowing their branches to hang low enough for leaves and the like to be plucked as necessary. The scent was heady--overpowering, even, despite being underground, the air even had a crispness to it, like he was in an orchard in the morning, just after the dew had set in.

The interior of the cave was, otherwise, almost exactly what Eddie figured that it would be. A stone hearth was set in the far side of the wall from the door, a metal pot, the whole nine yards, but there was no fire. Otherwise, there was another, wider outcropping, shoveled out and stacked high with things that Eddie could only assume were pelts for some sort of mattress.

"You honor us with your presence, Elderfolk." The chief bowed low, placing a forearm across his belly. He still leaned on his stave for support, and Eddie felt a small pang of guilt for the wolf's gesture. Even though Eddie could do nothing to have stopped him from bending, he flinched as he heard the old wolf's joints pop.

"I've got a whole _list _of questions--," Eddie cut in as the Elder opened his mouth to speak again.

The wolf fell silent, then nodded. Toby retreated to the sidelines to search only for a moment, before leaving the chief's den. "I am happy to answer any questions that I can." The chief nodded, gripping his stave in both of his massive paws as he turned a weary smile in Eddie's direction.

"First--," _and most obvious, _Eddie added to himself. "Where exactly am I?"

The wolf blinked, then cocked his head as he leaned forward. "Excuse me, Elderfolk... But... 'where are you'?" The chief's gaze met with Eddie's as he looked into the boy's eyes, his face now a mask of concern. "Do you not have your Wayfinder?"

Eddie wet his lips, and the chief's back straightened. "How did you get here, then?" The old wolf asked, sounding far more concerned than he had been. Thankfully, Toby appeared with a trio of chairs, sitting each down meaningfully--one behind Eddie, another behind the chief, before sitting down heavily himself.

"I don't know." Eddie said, sighing as he reclined.

"What do you remember?" The chief asked, easing his creaking frame onto an equally creaky chair.

"I was with my family this morning," Eddie began. "We were on a hunting trip near the Appalachian Mountains, and then I was rolling down a hill." He said, indicating the minor wound on his leg.

"And after that?"

Eddie shrugged, then looked over to Toby. "I walked for almost ten hours, and then he found me in a campsite I'd set up on the fly." He explained, his gaze turning between Toby and the Chief.

"Tobriatas, is this true?" The chief asked, his tone heavy with concern.

"So far as I know it to be, yes," the younger wolf nodded. "I do not know of what happened before then, however."

The chief nodded, his gaze returning to Eddie. The old wolf's eyes narrowed, as if he was suddenly looking at a highly-unwelcome outsider. It made Eddie uncomfortable enough to rest his hand on his thigh, just in case he needed to grab for the pistol on his belt.

"I admit Tobriatas," the chief turned his head back to the younger wolf. "When you brought him with you, I had feared the worst for the hunting party. But rest assured, you have done the right thing."

"Thank you, Chief Emyr." Toby bowed his head graciously.

"But you, Elderfolk--," the chief turned, and Eddie's hand instinctively moved a bit closer to the grip of his Shield. "You are welcome to stay here until such a time that the other Hunters return. You are our guest here, and regardless of your circumstances, as bizarre as they sound, we are duty and honor bound to return you to the Great Ones as quickly as possible." The wolf nodded as if to punctuate the statement.

Eddie nodded, adjusting himself in his chair. He didn't like the sound of that, but what real choice did he have? After all, maybe these Great Ones--

He stopped himself mid-thought, gnawing the inside of his tongue as an image of the Wizard of Oz shot through his head. He inhaled sharply to prevent himself from giggling out of turn, but it didn't escape the notice of the chieftain.

"Something wrong, Elderfolk?"

"Eddie, please." Eddie said, almost automatically.

"Eddie is...?" The chief asked, leaning forward in his chair once more.

"My name. Eddie." He repeated, offering a hand for a handshake. The chief looked down at Eddie's hand, as if considering it for a moment. He nearly lowered his hand, until the chieftain reached forward to shake it softly--but he didn't seem remotely familiar with the gesture. Eddie's hand closed around the wolf's fingers, but he didn't press it further than it needed to go.

The wolf released Eddie's hand quickly, withdrawing it and looking at it for a moment, as if to make sure that it was even still attached. Eddie didn't make a sound, instead, sliding back toward the seat he had previously occupied.

"What is your wish for the tribe, Chief Emyr?" The younger wolf, whom Eddie refused to know as anything but "Toby" asked.

"When the rest of the hunter's party has returned, you shall accompany our guest to the halls of the Great One." The chief said simply, looking now to Toby.

"Understood." Toby bowed his head low, then looked to Eddie.

"How long is that going to take?" He asked, glancing to Toby and Chief Emyr.

Toby shrugged nonchalantly, then glanced toward the chief. "Two, perhaps three days? It widely depends on the hunt."

Eddie felt his stomach drop, but he forced himself to nod. He turned his head to look back out the still-open door. Pups had gathered around the outside, each one of them sniffing close to the entrance, but trying to stay otherwise out of sight. He was grateful that no one was making any movements, or eyeballing his rifle or backpack.

"Two or three days, huh...?" Eddie asked, suddenly very aware of how exhausted he sounded.

"Aye." Toby said softly.

"And you should accompany Tobriatas," the chief said quickly. "If for nothing else than to stay with what you are most familiar with." Eddie nodded, then turned to the other wolf.

"Toe-bree-hate-us?" Eddie sounded out the other wolf's name carefully. The wolf nodded, looking down at the human.

"Yes?"

"Do you mind if I call you 'Toby'?" Eddie asked quietly.

"You've already asked that, Eddie," Toby nodded slowly, an almost amused smirk crossing his features. "And I've already said yes."

Eddie looked down sheepishly, then nodded. "Sorry... Guess I'd forgotten in all the moving around and scenery." Toby looked rather pensive for a moment before turning away, facing the open entryway to the den.

"You've walked far today, it sounds." The wolf said softly. Eddie nodded, rubbing some at his thighs. The burn of the day's exercise was beginning to set in, but Eddie kept his mouth shut about it. It was better that he ached, rather than have to degrade himself by asking for help even walking.

"Yeah... Though, I hate to impose," Eddie started, looking to the Chief now. "Is there a place that I could set up a bunk for myself?"

The chieftain nodded solemnly, then looked to Toby. "There is extra space in the barracks, is there not?"

"With the hunters gone, yes," Toby nodded. "I am certain that the other hunters would be honored to house the Elderfolk with us."

"Is that agreeable with you, Elderfolk Eddie?" Chief Emyr turned to Eddie. The boy nodded, then the chief slowly dragged himself to his feet. "Then it is settled. I trust that you would like to go to bed more immediately?"

"I am beat, I'm not gonna lie." Eddie said, perhaps too quickly. The chief nodded after a moment, and Eddie silently chastised himself for using another turn of phrase that the wolves didn't understand.

When Toby stood to leave, Eddie's mind screamed at him to not move. Choking off a mighty grumble of disapproval, he took to his feet and limped after Toby. Even though his muscles screamed in protest, he kept close to the wolf as he walked in easy, long strides.

The pups scattered once more as soon as Toby and Eddie were free and clear of the Chief's den, and Eddie even giggled a bit at the sight of the streaks of fur, running toward the outskirts of the lowest tier once more. He stopped as he stood over his gear. It hurt to bend over and pick everything up, but he had to move fast in order to keep up with Toby.

The stairs felt far more grueling as well, now that the initial wonder of the location had worn off. While Eddie still looked around at the hanging vines and various herbs that clung to a lattice he hadn't seen before. He was tempted to marvel a bit more, but a decidedly unhappy twinge in his calf reminded him that it was time to get off of his feet.

By the end of the fourth flight of stair-logs, Eddie was trying his damnedest to make his limp as unnoticeable as possible. Toby didn't even seem to notice, nodding toward a blessedly-close den at the crest of the final set of stairs.

"There's an alcove that has some rather heavy furs, if you'd like. They will help cushion the dirt." Toby said, nodding in the direction of one of the lower bunks. Eddie nodded, tossing his backpack unceremoniously into the dig out.

The furs in question were neatly rolled, and bound with leather straps to keep them snug, and space-conscious. They were thicker than most of the other pelts that Eddie had ever laid hands on--softer than most of them too. It was as downy as fox fur, thicker than a coyote pelt, but the size of the roll was more typical of a cow--and a big one at that. Eddie had to guess that each pelt weighed fifteen, maybe even twenty pounds.

He was glad he wasn't a slouch on the weightlifting side of things. Eddie did his best to not let Toby see him struggle with the deceptively heavy whatever-they-were-skins. He tossed the pelts next to his backpack before turning to Toby, who said nothing as he watched.

"Is there a special way to set this all up?" Eddie asked, glancing to the small outcropping. Toby shook his head and chuckled softly.

"Not particularly. However is most comfortable for you." The wolf said as he grabbed a pelt of his own, unfurled it, only to use it as a cover against the dirt on the bunk.

Eddie nodded, then wet his lips. He pulled his backpack from the bunk, then covered the dirt with one of the pelts. The pelt was larger than most of the sleeping bags that Eddie had ever owned, sprawling in a tiger-stripe sort of pattern over the tiny area. He exhaled slowly, setting his backpack on top of the pelt before climbing on top of it.

Once he was finally off of his feet, Eddie knew for a fact that he couldn't be convinced to get back up, but his brain refused to let him fall asleep immediately. Despite his exhaustion, his gaze was locked upward toward the roof of his miniature cave.

To his surprise, it wasn't dirt directly above him, it was plywood. Or at least, it looked like plywood. His eyes searched along it, up and down the interior of his bunk. It was reminiscent of an old camp bunk, really, but quite a bit bigger. Almost the size of a full mattress, above Eddie was a sheet of plywood, reinforced by what looked like rough-hewn two-by-fours. The construction made Eddie curious as what came first, the wood and slats, or the dirt.

He shook his head at the thought, glancing one last time over to Toby, who had curled up in just about as standard of a 'canine' fashion as a seven foot tall, bipedal wolfman could.

Eddie couldn't help but chuckle softly to himself at the sight of the giant ball of fur. Toby had even tucked his tail over the top of his muzzle to keep his nose warm. Eddie adjusted himself on the pelt, thinking for a moment before sitting up with a small groan.

The last move he made for the night was to pull out his emergency blanket from his backpack, and withdraw that little red tin, one last time. Eddie wet his lips, but didn't dare open it, instead setting it next to his head as he stared up at the ceiling of his bed.

He laid still for almost a half an hour before, at long last, he managed to convince himself to sleep.