EPILOGUE Part 1 (Gar & Rika)

~ GAR ~

The morning after their return from defeating the bears, Gar was woken by a sharp intake of breath and the thud of the furs being thrown onto his stomach by a surprisingly strong human hand.

Rika hissed as she pushed herself up to sit and swung her legs over the side of the platform, but he simply reached back and caught her hand before she shoved off the high bed.

"Relax, I already added new coals an hour or so ago."

She took a deep breath, then her arm relaxed under his hand. But she still didn't lay down.

"Don't make me punish you, you aren't supposed to be walking on that knee," he growled.

Rika gave a soft laugh.

She'd twisted her knee trying to flee the bears at one point and almost gotten herself killed for her trouble. When he'd heard the story, he hadn't been sure whether to be in awe of her courage, or call her an idiot and ground her.