I squatted up in the rafters of the lodge with my knees against my shoulders as I whittled at a piece of soft wood. The shape of a horse head was beginning to take form. Tugging the short blade towards me, I blinked away the cloud of smoke from the fire pit as it wafted towards me. The giant door banged against the wall as Beorn entered. He grumbled to himself, stomping towards the table. Throwing the load of freshly cut logs onto the floor, he tossed one into the heart of the flames. It spit embers onto him. He growled and rubbed at the thick covering of black hair covering his forearm.

I wondered how long it would be until darkness fell. Beorn was always ornery at the end of the day. A night stalking the woods for prey in his bear form with his clan would be good for him.

"Cub!" He roared.

I jumped from my perch, unwilling to keep him waiting while he was in one of his moods. Leaping to the ground, I tucked the little knife into the belt at my waist.

"Keep yerself to the lodge this night." He instructed, "I have gathered you plenty of wood. We have seen sign of goblins on the borders. Lock yourself in and do not open the door till I return at dawn, you hear me?"

I nodded silently. His face softened as he peered down at me. He reached out, ruffling my messy cap of hair with thick fingers.

"Why have they been venturing closer lately? The wargs and goblins?" I asked, sitting down at one of the huge benches by our supper table and swinging my legs absently.

He knelt to the ground, stacking the logs neatly beside the granite fire pit.

"I cannot tell you, Cub." His booming voice turned suddenly contemplative, "But fear not, we will drive them away soon enough."

I barred the door as soon as Beorn left, pulling the huge plank across the entrance and bolting the massive iron locks. Climbing up into the rafters, I tugged the one loose plank from the edge of the ceiling and shimmied up onto the roof of the lodge. Bats flitting across the violet grey sky to the west. Night had fully descended upon the eastern forest but I could still make out the forms of the bears gathering under the trees heavy with early summer. They swayed with blood lust as the largest of them rose up on his hind legs. Immediately, I knew it was Beorn. He let out a bone jarring roar before hitting the ground, causing the birds in the branches above to scatter against the appearing stars. The bears sped off through the forest, letting out chilling snarls that echoed across the land.

I tucked my feet under me and laid my cheek on my knee. Closing my eyes, my usual numbness was interrupted as a blinding memory rushed back to me. It happened from time to time and always left me breathless. This time I was looking across a broad, desolate field towards a solitary peak, as black as death against the bright white horizon. Gasping, the memory left as quickly as it had come. I opened my eyes, blinking into the night.

Somewhere in the distance, I could hear the unearthly scream of a hunted goblin. I shivered and edged towards the loose board. It had been a strange day and sleep felt like the only remedy to forget the unease settling in my belly.