It was almost evening when Hephaistion woke. Alexander had simply sat and waited until he came around. He kept himself busy by keeping the fire going and had even made a simple broth with the ingredients that were around. The wolf subdued and clearly in some sort of distress sat head in paws as far away from Hephaistion as possible. The animal had run away when Alexander returned with Hephaistion in his arms. He'd only just managed to persuade it to come back by throwing some chunks of meat at it.
"Here, you should eat something." He said presenting Hephaistion with the broth.
Hephaistion pushed himself up and took the bowel. He ate like a man starved.
"Are you feeling…well?" Alexander asked
Hephaistion paused in his shoveling "Yes." He replied after swallowing but sounded unsure. He set aside the bowel then gave Alexander his full attention "I have decided to help you in the manner as you have asked."
Alexander didn't question he simply let Hephaistion explain himself. "They took from us. They destroyed our home. They must be punished."
"But you fixed it." Alexander announced happily "You made it all better again."
"Yes I did. But it was too much I had to….." he drifted off and glanced over to the wolf.
To Alexander a silent moment passed between them but he knew that they were speaking to each other. The animal stood up and came padding over into Hephaistion waiting open arms.
"I'm sorry old friend." He said out loud rubbing his cheek along the side of the wolf's face before burying his own in the silver gray fur. It was an act of submission that the wolf seem to accept. It gave Hephaistion a lick before going to hunt.
"We should go now." Alexander explained "Catch them unprepared."
Hephaistion looked up and around. Something had caught his attention.
"Not just yet," he replied "There is a storm coming."
Sure enough during the night just as Hephaistion foretold there was a violent storm of thunder, lightning and heavy rain. Hephaistion offered shelter to any animal in need. Alexander watched in awe as in Hephaistion's company natural enemies sat side by side. From his place among them he a handmade flute and sang songs. Alexander recognize that some of them were the ones he had taught him when they were children and hearing them in this surrounding breathed new life into them and that made them haunting beautiful.
When the rain finally stopped three after it started Hephaistion finally came to him.
"It is time. He said "But there are things that need to be done first. You must stay here I shall be back." Before Alexander could protest Hephaistion was gone.
When he finally came back he never spoke of where he had been or what he had done. But the wolf was in tow. Hephaistion turned and came down to the animal's level said something while the wolf sat and listened intently. When there conversation was done the wolf left and Hephaistion turned to Alexander.
" We go now."