The cave had fallen silent. Only the fire remained awake.
Its dying embers glowed faintly beneath a blanket of ash, casting an amber light that danced across the rough stone walls. Beyond the cave entrance, the forest stretched into darkness, where towering pines swayed beneath the weight of fresh snow. The wind slipped between their branches with a long, mournful whisper.
Kaavi stood motionless near the entrance. His sword remained half drawn.
Behind him, Gavril had already risen to one knee, one hand wrapped firmly around the handle of his axe. The traces of sleep that clouded his face only moments ago had disappeared entirely.
Veyl quietly guided Viktor a single step behind him.
The boy tightened his grip around the knife Kaavi had given him. His pulse pounded loudly enough that he wondered if everyone else could hear it.
The footsteps grew louder.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Crunch.
Then...
A figure emerged between the snow-covered pines.
Short. Broad around the waist.
A heavy pack rested upon his shoulders, making him lean slightly forward beneath its weight. A thick woollen cloak, patched more times than it could be counted, hung almost to his boots. Snow clung to the edges of his hood and the ends of his beard.
The man stopped the moment he noticed the drawn sword.
He blinked.
Then slowly raised both hands.
"Easy now," he said with a nervous chuckle. "I was hoping this cave would still be empty."
No one answered.
The silence lingered.
The stranger looked from one face to another before letting out a quiet sigh.
"I suppose I'd look suspicious too."
He carefully slipped the straps from his shoulders.
The heavy pack landed in the snow with a dull thud.
"I'll leave my things right here."
He took two deliberate steps backward.
"There."
"No weapons."
"No sudden movements."
"Just an old merchant trying not to freeze before morning."
Gavril's grip around the axe remained firm.
"Find another cave."
The man laughed softly.
"If there was another cave within half a day's walk, I'd already be sleeping in it."
He rubbed his gloved hands together before looking toward the forest behind him.
"Besides..."
"I've spent enough nights arguing with wolves."
"I'd rather not add another."
Even now...
No one smiled.
The merchant scratched his beard awkwardly.
"Tough crowd."
Kaavi finally spoke.
"You know this cave."
The man nodded immediately.
"Been using it for years."
"When the roads are clear, I push farther."
"When snow starts falling..."
He gestured toward the cave.
"This place becomes home for a night."
His answer came too quickly.
As though he had given it dozens of times before.
"What are you carrying?" Kaavi asked.
The merchant glanced toward the pack.
"A little of everything."
"Leather."
"Needles."
"Herbs."
"Some jewellery."
"A few cooking pots."
"Whatever one village has too much of usually sells somewhere else."
He smiled.
"Merchants aren't very exciting people."
"We mostly spend our lives walking."
Gavril snorted.
"Walking doesn't make you trustworthy."
"No," the merchant admitted without offense.
"It doesn't."
Another silence settled between them.
The wind sighed through the trees outside.
Finally, the merchant bowed his head slightly.
"If you'd rather, I leave..."
"I understand."
He reached for the straps of his pack again.
"I'll keep walking."
Even Viktor found himself hesitating.
The man didn't sound angry.
Or desperate.
Only tired.
Kaavi's eyes remained fixed upon him.
Measuring.
Waiting.
The merchant made no attempt to rush him.
No pleading.
No bargaining.
Only patience.
At last, Kaavi slid his sword back into its scabbard.
"You'll sleep near the entrance."
The merchant stopped.
"You don't move from your bedroll after everyone lies down."
A nod.
"You don't touch our belongings."
Another nod.
"And if you leave before sunrise..."
Kaavi's voice remained calm.
"...you wake me first."
For the first time since arriving, genuine relief crossed the merchant's face.
"Fair enough."
He offered a small smile.
"My name's Samuel."
He placed a hand against his chest in a polite greeting.
"And you've got my word."
Gavril muttered under his breath.
"Means less than a loaf of stale bread."
Samuel chuckled.
"I've been offered worse reviews."
Without another word, he lifted his pack and carried it toward the cave entrance, stopping several paces inside exactly where Kaavi had indicated.
He worked quietly.
First laying down an old canvas sheet.
Then a rolled blanket.
Then removing a small pillow stuffed with feathers that had long since lost its shape.
Before setting one of his smaller satchels beside the blanket, he glanced toward the others.
"Careful with this one."
He smiled sheepishly.
"Glass bottles."
No one answered.
Samuel seemed perfectly content with that.
He simply settled himself upon the blanket, pulled his cloak tighter around his shoulders and leaned back against the cave wall.
Outside... the wind continued its lonely song through the pines.
Inside...
Only the fire crackled between strangers sharing the same shelter.
One by one, the cave returned to silence.
Gavril lay back down with a grumble.
"...Wake me if he snores."
Samuel laughed quietly.
"I've been told I whistle more than I snore."
"...That's somehow worse."
Even in the darkness, the corner of Veyl's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
Viktor finally relaxed his grip around the knife and slid it beneath his blanket, though his eyes lingered on Samuel a little longer before closing.
Kaavi remained awake.
Old habits rarely allowed deep sleep beside unfamiliar faces.
The fire burned lower.
The cave grew darker.
Before long, only the sound of slow breathing and the whisper of winter remained.
Morning arrived quietly.
The storm that had lingered through the night had finally passed.
Beyond the cave entrance, the forest shimmered beneath untouched snow. Sunlight filtered through towering pines, turning frost-covered branches into threads of silver. Somewhere high above, a woodpecker broke the silence with steady knocks against an old trunk.
Inside the cave, the fire had long since faded into cold ash.
Kaavi was already awake.
His blanket had been folded neatly.
Only faint footprints leading outside hinted that he had left hours ago.
Gavril opened one eye.
"...Too early."
No answer.
"...Figures."
He pulled the blanket over his shoulder again.
A few moments later, footsteps crunched through the snow outside.
Kaavi returned carrying several split branches beneath one arm and a small pot filled with fresh snow in the other.
Without a word, he knelt beside yesterday's ashes.
Dry bark. Twigs. Kindling.
His hands moved with quiet efficiency.
The first spark caught almost immediately.
A thin ribbon of smoke curled upward before the fire slowly returned to life.
Warm orange light once again filled the cave.
The smell of burning pine drifted through the cold morning air.
Veyl was the next to wake.
He stretched quietly before rolling his blanket.
Unlike Gavril, he never complained about mornings.
Viktor stirred shortly afterward.
He rubbed his eyes.
For a moment, he looked around the cave as though trying to remember where he was.
Then his eyes settled upon Samuel.
The merchant remained asleep near the entrance.
Curled beneath his thick blanket.
One arm draped over his pack.
Gavril finally sat up with an exaggerated groan.
"My back..."
He rubbed his shoulders.
"I'm getting too old for caves."
Without looking up from the pot, Kaavi replied,
"You said that months ago."
"I meant it."
"You also said you'd retire."
"I was young."
Kaavi glanced at him.
"You were thirty."
"I was a different man."
A quiet snort escaped Viktor before he could stop it.
Gavril pointed dramatically.
"See?"
"The boy understands me."
Viktor quickly looked away.
"...Sorry."
"For laughing?"
"...Yes."
Gavril blinked.
Then burst into laughter.
"No, lad."
"If anything, laugh more."
"It'll keep me humble."
Kaavi shook his head almost imperceptibly while stirring the pot.
The conversation faded into comfortable silence.
Soon the familiar scent of simple porridge began filling the cave.
Dried mushrooms. Wild herbs. A few strips of smoked meat.
Nothing extravagant.
Just enough warmth to begin another day.
Near the entrance, Samuel shifted beneath his blanket.
He blinked against the morning light before slowly sitting upright.
For a brief moment he looked genuinely confused, as though he had forgotten where he had fallen asleep.
Then recognition returned.
"Morning."
His voice was rough with sleep.
"No wolves carried me away."
Gavril grinned.
"I'll admit..."
"I'm a little disappointed."
Samuel laughed.
"I'll try harder tonight."
He stood slowly, stretching until his back gave an audible pop.
"Oh..."
"That's a sound you only start appreciating after forty."
Gavril pointed toward him.
"Finally."
"Someone speaking sense."
"You youngsters think sleeping on rocks builds character."
Kaavi calmly replied,
"It builds back pain."
Samuel chuckled.
"See?"
"He's wiser than both of us."
Kaavi ignored the comment.
Instead, he quietly filled another wooden bowl.
He placed it beside the fire.
Nothing was said.
Samuel noticed.
His eyes lingered on the bowl for a heartbeat.
Then he inclined his head.
"...Thank you."
Kaavi simply nodded.
"No one should travel hungry."
The words were plain.
Samuel accepted the bowl with both hands.
Steam drifted upward as he rubbed his fingers against its warmth.
"I owe you breakfast."
"You owe us nothing," Kaavi replied.
"You accepted our conditions."
"That's enough."
Samuel smiled faintly.
"Not everyone sees it that way."
For a while...no one spoke.
Only the sounds of wooden spoons gently scraping bowls echoed through the cave.
Outside...
A pair of ravens landed upon a nearby pine.
One let out a low caw before both birds disappeared deeper into the forest.
Kaavi's eyes briefly followed them.
Only for a moment.
Then he returned to eating.
Samuel noticed the glance.
"You fond of ravens?"
Kaavi answered without hesitation.
"They're intelligent."
Samuel nodded thoughtfully.
"They are."
"My grandmother used to say they remember every face they see."
Gavril smirked.
"If that's true..."
"I hope they forget mine."
Samuel laughed.
"What did you do?"
"I'd rather not tell."
Even Veyl let out the faintest breath through his nose.
Samuel looked pleasantly surprised.
"There it is."
"I knew someone else around this fire knew how to smile."
Veyl lowered his gaze and continued eating.
Gavril pointed his spoon toward him.
"Careful."
"Getting him to smile twice in one morning is asking for miracles."
Samuel raised both hands.
"I know when to quit."
The cave settled into another comfortable silence.
The kind shared by travellers who had nothing urgent to say and nowhere else they needed to be just yet.
Outside...
Winter waited patiently beyond the mouth of the cave.