2

The boy was seated on The guest bed. The arrow lay on a tray, having just been removed. Erick wrapped the bandages around the guys thigh, then handed him some honeysuckle. "Suck on it, it will keep your mind off the pain."

"Nice place you have here. My dads place is horrific."

"Who's your dad?"

"Bulfred, leader of the werewolves."

Erick dropped the plate of honeysuckle he was holding, the boy raised open eyebrow. "Do you dislike my dad?"

"You can say that. Everyone in our nation does, since he stated that war would happen."

"Yes well, he's a loving father all the same."

"What's your name?"

"Matrix. Pronounced MA-trixed. Everyone gets it wrong."

"I'm Erick. Pronounced as it sounds."

"Naturally. Elves have very generic names."

"Thanks for making me more self conscious about my name."

"No problem buddy."

"We aren't buddies Matrix."

"You sure? You just removed an arrow from my thigh. I think I can consider you my friend."

"I put the arrow through your thigh. That doesn't exactly make it seem more like a budding bromance."

"Bromance?"

"Brotherly friendship, I think. I honestly don't know."

"Well, I best be off." He boy said, trying to push himself off he bed. He managed to stand up, only to collapse on the ground, moaning.

"You are far from walking, Matrix."

"Come on, I'm a werewolf. Weakness oof...doesn't apply to ugh...us."

Erick grabbed Matrix under his arms and pulled him onto the bed. Matrix sighed. His face was pale from loss of blood. "Here. I'm going to let you sleep. It's better than letting you not, uh, die from blood loss. It should help you regenerate blood quicker."

Matrix nodded. Erick held up his index finger. "One sec."

Matrix nodded, then turned to look outside.

Erick shut the door and turned toward his room. He walked over to it. He opened the secret compartment again and pulled out a bottle of white, creamy liquid. He poured some into a soup bowl and put it back. He walked downstairs and grabbed some potato soup and put it into the bowl. He mixed it up, and then turned around.

Standing behind him was his father. "Son, who's the soup for?"

"Matrix, he needs to rest."

"Ma...Matrix? Son of Bulfred! What's he doing here?"

"He came to recruit you for the war in any way possible. I think we should heal him. Better to do that then make an enemy with the head of the enemies, right?"

His father nodded. "As soon as he's better though, I want him out of here."

Erick smiled. "Thank you for understanding."

Erick walked past us father and up the stairs. When he got back to the guest room, Matrix was staring at he door. "I heard you conversation with your father. Gift of being partially werewolf."

"Partially?"

"Unlike my fellow werewolves, I'm only gifted won't better smelling and hearing in human form. I have no wolf form."

"Oh, that must be upsetting."

"Yes, but I'm the most gifted assassin in my nation."

"You aren't here to assassinate my family, are you?" Erick said cautiously.

"No, I was sent here to get your father to join the war, but, I owe you my life. I guess."

Erick set the potato soup down on the nightstand. "Eat this. Now."

Matrix sighed, then nodded. He grabbed the bowl of creamy soup and ate it in mere seconds. He must have been starving. He sighed happily, laced his head on his pillow, then fell asleep.

Erick sighed, then walked back to his room, exhaustion filing his body. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was asleep.