Haria pushed the door and took a step inside, but Rion didn't follow. He stood frozen before the door.
She stopped midstep, turned towards him with a puzzled look and asked, "What's wrong, Rion?"
He somehow managed to open his lips to answer, but no voice came out; the images of the last time he heard that voice were too vivid for him to speak.
His heart quickened, and cold sweat broke across his body; the fear of that day was clawing at him once again.
Seeing his body tremble, she picked him up in her arms, patted his back and asked with a distraught expression, "What's wrong, Rion? Did something happen?"
"Calm down, Child of Haden," Varok spoke from inside.
The words reached Rion's ears, and as if it were a divine command, his body stilled, his breathing eased.
"Place him down," he commanded, and Haria followed without a word of defiance.
She placed Rion down and stepped aside, worry covering her face.
Rion fell onto his knees and took a few quick breaths before lifting his head to look at the man-beast with trembling eyes, Varok stood by a table with his arms folded behind his back.
Rion's body trembled slightly when their eyes met.
"Do you fear me, child of Haden?" Varok questioned, and took a step towards him.
Rion lowered his head and answered with a shaky voice, "I-I d-don't."
"What makes you tremble then?" Varok questioned again and took another step.
Rion didn't answer and Varok stepped forward.
"Why did you sneak out of your parents' eyes if all you can do is tremble before me?" He questioned and stepped again.
Just like before, Rion gave him no answer, and he took another step towards him.
The wood creaked under his step, and for Rion, that sound was like a clock of disaster and dread.
"Did you come here expecting to be treated like a princess?" He questioned.
Rion frowned in thought, 'There was no sound... did he not take a step?'
He lifted his head, and the figure of Varok entered his vision.
"Answer me. Child of Haden," Varok ordered.
A shiver ran down Rion's spine as he mumbled in his head, 'I'll die if I don't answer him.'
His lips parted to answer, but before he could, A calm voice resounded within the hut, "Now, now. That's not a way to speak with a child."
Varok turned towards the voice and snorted. "He is Haden's child."
"Oh? I wouldn't have known after you called him 'child of Haden' thrice within the past two minutes," the man replied sarcastically.
Rion raised an eyebrow and lifted his head to look at the person who dared to talk like that to Varok the Beast.
As he lifted his head, his eyes fell on a lean man who sat behind a table. He had long black hair with red ends that reached his shoulder; his orange eyes gleamed with kindness that bordered on Lara's, and unlike other members of the tribe, he wore a leather tunic.
"You are awake?" He questioned with a wide smile stretching across his face.
Rion turned his head towards Haria and gave her a nod before standing up. He shivered slightly as he looked at Varok from the corner of his eye.
He dusted himself off and answered, "I was never asleep."
"Haha! Is that so? My bad, truly, I thought you fell asleep after the first question of the Den Lord," he replied and chuckled to himself.
"Den Lord?" Rion asked, his eyes darting towards Haria.
Haria didn't reply and just pointed at the kind-eyed man.
Rion turned his head towards the kind-eyed man and thought, 'Who is this man?'
"I believe that introductions are in order," he said, clapped once and stood up.
He gestured at Varok with both his hands and spoke in a cheerful voice, "This here is the esteemed Den Lord. You can think of him as the chief of Redwood Den."
He gestured at himself and raised his nose in pride before he spoke, "I am Marin, the vice lord. The sole second-in-command of the Redwood Den and the most sane person you can find here."
Marin spread his arm and questioned with a kind smile, "Who are you, little warrior?"
Rion blinked a few times before he answered, "I am Rion."
Marin sat in his chair and spoke, "Rion, what a fine name. Well then, Rion. Welcome to the Redwood Den—"
But Varok cut him off, "He hasn't reached the age of ten."
Marin raised an eyebrow, shifted his gaze towards Haria and questioned with a frown, "Group leader Haria, is that true?"
Haria gave him a nod and spoke, "I want to recommend him for the fang trial."
Marin leaned back in his chair, turned towards Varok and asked, "What do you think, Den Lord?"
Varok glanced at Rion, "Not bad," he muttered and vanished.
"Not bad... not bad, he says, haha!" Marin laughed before he added, "Group leader Haria, you should get our litter warrior ready for his fang trial in the next week... I am quite excited."
Haria smiled and pulled at Rion as she spoke, "Let's go."
She pushed open the door and stepped out. Rion nodded and followed behind her.
The room turned silent until Marin asked, "Was that the right decision, Den Lord?"
"Are you questioning me?" Varok replied as he appeared behind him.
"Of course not, how could someone lowly like me dare to question someone as esteemed as you?" Marin replied with a shake of his head.
Varok snorted at his words.
"But I do fear the Dragonslayer more," Marin added.
"I don't think you'll be able to fear him after I kill you," Varok threatened.
"I think the same," Marin agreed with a serious nod.
"Rion chose to pick up weapons, not us. We may have an effect, but the choice is ultimately his." Varok spoke.
Marin nodded at his words and muttered, "So, did you not know his name before today? That makes sense, why else would you call him something like 'child of Haden'..."
"You really don't fear death, do you?" Varok asked and pointed his claw-like fingers at Marin's neck.