Unwelcome Homecoming IV

As Lokir rushes off into the forest without me I decide to just sit by the fire and wait for him to return.

I hear a faint shout from where Lokir ran off to before complete silence.

A few minutes later I see Lokir shambling back into the camp with a dead, soulless look in his eyes.

"So... How'd your giant hunt go?" I ask him, knowing full well the horrors he's just witnessed.

"I don't want to talk about it…" Lokir replies absentmindedly as he shuffles past the campfire.

"You sure? What about Inigo? Weren't you going to save him from the giant?" I ask still messing with him.

"Boss… Shut up… I'm going to sleep…" Lokir says shambling over to his tent.

"But aren't you hungry?" I ask for a final time.

To which Lokir replies by showing me his middle finger and closing his tent flap.

Afterward, I see Inigo and Lydia return with disheveled clothes and a couple of rabbits as they move closer to the fire. And I notice a distinct limp in Inigo's steps reminiscent of a certain event that preceded the last giant hunt.

"Sooo… Want some rabbit, my friend?" Inigo asks trying his best to ignore what just happened.

"I'd love some, though something seems to have made Lokir lose his appetite… Any clue what that might have been?" I say giving him a knowing look.

"Uuh…" Inigo starts to say before Lydia interrupts.

"It may be because he saw me fuckin' my pretty kitty's brains out, my Thane." Lydia says matter of factly much to Inigo's dismay.

After realizing his silence on the subject, Lydia turns to look at him before it clicks for her.

"Oh… I'm sorry, was I not supposed to tell him?" Lydia says tilting her head at Inigo with a sad and confused look.

"No… He knows, my love… But I'm still… Afraid…" Inigo says with a sigh.

"Do not worry, I will protect my kitty from whatever scares you!" Lydia says with earnest determination before wrapping Inigo in a big bear hug.

Forcing me to hold back a mixed awe and a snicker before I call out, "That is adorable, and it makes me glad to know my *cough* kitty *cough* has someone so strong to protect him."

I see Inigo grimacing at having his pet name revealed before he replies, "It is okay, Fluffy. I'm sure you will be strong enough to defend yourself eventually."

Inigo strikes right at my heart with that attack, causing me to clutch my chest.

"My Thane! Who wounded you?! Are we under attack?!" Lydia asks in a panic before releasing Inigo from her grasp and rushing over to see who attacked me.

"I'm fine, Lydia. Just messing with Inigo. I think it's best we all head to bed soon though. We should be making it to Lokir's hometown soon." I tell her, reassuring her that I'm fine as I head towards my own tent.

"As you order, my Thane. Come, Kitty!" I hear Lydia say before I hear Inigo being swept off his feet.

And with that, we all lay down for the night and get a good rest.

I'm awoken to the smell of cooking rabbit as I see Inigo and Lydia snuggled up together by the fire as they cook while Lokir seems to be sleeping in.

"Mornin' you two, have a good night's rest?" I ask as I sit down and take a portion of the rabbit's meat for myself.

"It was most excellent, my friend. And you? How was your sleep?" Inigo asks with a cheerful smile while Lydia just smiles and nods.

"Not bad, not bad." I reply as I hear Lokir start to shamble around the inside of his tent as he wakes up.

"What about you, Lokir? How was your rest?" Inigo asks as he prepares a portion of the rabbit meat for Lokir.

"It was alright, though had some pretty strange dreams about khajiit the size of giants, though I'm going to chalk it up to being nervous about heading home after all this time." Lokir admits as he takes the meat and thanks Inigo with a nod as he digs in.

"That is quite a strange dream, indeed. And even if I could be, I don't think I would want to be the size of a giant… As for you heading home…" Inigo pauses as if thinking hard to find the right words to express his jumbled thoughts.

"We all do wrong, but few of us experience life in such a way as to make us truly repentant for the wrong we have done… While your family may be important to you, know that even if they cannot see the new man you have become, know that you will always have us at your side." Inigo says sincerely causing Lokir to smile.

"Yeah, brother. We're your family now whether you like it or not, so get used to seein' us around." I add, hoping to reassure him.

"Thank you, both of you. Your words mean more than you could know." Lokir says, with relief evident on his face.

And with that, we quickly finish breakfast before packing up the campsite and getting back on the horses to travel the rest of the way to Rorikstead.

We get to the village as the noon sun is just reaching its peak and are greeted by a chipper young man who takes a break from tending his crop to welcome us.

"Greetings, travelers! What brings you to our quaint little village?" Erik asks, while resting his hoe on his shoulders, before noticing Lokir and furrowing his brow as if trying to remember something.

"Just visiting, my companion's relative to settle a few outstanding and overdue grievances." I say, trying to draw Erik's attention away from Lokir.

"Wow, your adventures must have taken you quite far, I envy that... In fact, maybe you can help me with something?" Erik asks hopefully.

"What is it you need help with?" I ask as if not already knowing the answer.