They had made it through the swamp, two more members of their party had left them but the quest was not yet complete and all those able must go on, no matter the difficulties.

Rowan lay shivering. His clothes were damp and wet sticky mud clung to him everywhere. He knew he could easily freeze on the mountain if he was not careful. Rowan thought of his mother, his sister Annad, and most of all, his bukshah.

Suddenly another blanket was placed over him and Rowan looked up to see strong John looking down at him in concern. Before he could say anything the large man lifted the blankets and climbed under them with him.

"Just get over here before you freeze," John instructed the boy, his arms open in invitation.

With his teeth chattering Rowan climbed into the big man's arms and lay his head on his broad chest. Strong John's thick muscled arms wrapped around his petite frame, holding him tight against the firm chest.

Rowan could feel the warmth of the big man slowly creeping into his cold skin but he could not relax. Something about this made him blush, he buried his head deeper into John's chest in attempt to hide his embarrassment, the drying mud scratching his cheek.

Such affections were frowned upon in Rin. For someone to need to be held was a sign of weakness and the only people who were this close with others were very young children and lovers who lived together. Strong John was neither his parent nor his lover and he was far too old to need such comfort. The others on the mountain did not huddle together, Marlie and Allun each lay alone, the only reason John held him was because he was a child.

Rowan wanted to assure John he did not need him to care for him and share his body heat, to prove he was not a useless child, a burden to the mountain party, but he did need it. Rowan had been freezing and already he was feeling warm, even the dampness in their clothes had grown warm instead of chilling from the cold air and spreading the chill into his body.

Rowan could not help but think of the last time John had held him like this. The night his father, Sefton had died, strong John had been the one to catch him as he fell screaming from his bedroom window. Just like he was now, John had clutched him to his chest and held him tight like a terrified child. The only difference between then and now was that neither of them was screaming, Rowan held in his terror of facing the mountain and John was not crying out with grief for his best friend.

But something else about this was different. Rowan could not put his finger on it but as strong John rubbed soothing circles into his back he felt the tension leaving his body along with the cold and he felt himself relax against the older man. Slowly, Rowan drifted off to a surprisingly peaceful sleep.

A deep rumbling sounded in Rowan's ear, gently pulled him from his doze. "Hush, the boy needs his rest if he is to keep up with us," strong John's voice said, in a far softer tone than Rowan had ever heard him use. "And before you tease him Allun, Rowan has braved every task the mountain has thrown at us with at least as much bravery and twice the effort we have. He is too small to last these cold nights alone, and I'll not have you belittle him for that when he all but kills himself each day to keep up with the strongest and toughest people in Rin."

Rowan blushed again as he heard John's words. He knew he was the weakest person in the party and he hated it being pointed out, hearing strong John defend him was possibly even worse. All day people would think of his shortcomings but they had been forbidden to voice them, which seemed even more humiliating than them complaining.

And worse was the knowledge that even strong John, who had just spoken so highly of him did not say them out of respect for Rowan, but out of love for his mother.

It was humiliating to have this man babying him and commanding others not to point out his obvious weaknesses for no reason other than to spare his mother the shame of having such a useless child.

"It is fine John," Rowan spoke, slowly pushing his body, still heavy with sleep, off of the large man who had comforted him in the night. "I am awake and will be fine to continue in a few moments."

The cold morning air attacked his weak, frail body and Rowan instantly craved strong John's warmth, but would not dare admit that to the adults.

"Well I'm not," Allun said in response to Rowan's comment. "I will need at least another ten minutes to properly wake up and a good breakfast before I am ready to travel."

Rowan knew Allun only said this for his sake, to give him time to prepare for the long journey ahead but he simply smiled at his mud-soaked companion before stretching and reaching for his pack, embarrassed for having so desperately clung to strong John the night before.

~SophieAngel69