I can't fight my growing nerves as we climb down the hill towards his house. My friend's house.

Cub's house.

Rain still pours down, the gates growing closer... and closer... with every step my apprehension only grows... will he hate me? Will he even believe it's me?

I shake away the possibilities as the wagon slows to a stop outside the gates. It'll be fine. Cub'll be fine. One hand reaches for the key in my pocket. But I can't just unlock the gates. It's rude. 

I half-fall off the wagon to get to the bell before Martyn does, slipping in the mud. 

'Wait... please...' I insist. Martyn glares at me.

'I'm not waiting in the rain any longer!'

He rings the bell.

My stomach twists. I stare up at the windows...

There. 

A figure silhouetted, just staring for a second before disappearing. I'm going to see him again. I'm going to actually see him again...

The door bursts open. 

A familiar tiefling runs into view, white coat billowing behind. And I can't stop myself any longer, unlocking the gate and breaking into a run.

He stops. I barrel into him, hugging him. After a moment Cub hugs back, his confusion, his disbelief... every emotion running through him clear.

'...Scar?'

The words stick in my throat. 

'Hey Cub.' Is all I say. 'H... hey...'

'Can we go inside?' Martyn interrupts. 'Or are we still out here the whole reunion?'

'Y... yeah. Yeah of course... come in. All of you.' 

I follow Cub into his house again, Grian not far behind, hurrying. 

'Is there a place for Fernando?' . I turn to see Ren encouraging the horse into the courtyard.

'Yeah... yeah just around to the left.' Cub calls back. I hear the numb shock still in his voice, turning to face him again. 

He's still soaking from the short time spent in the rain, but otherwise unchanged... same green eyes, same gold, blue and white clothes... same blue tail and ears.

'Well... hey, Cub.' I repeat. 

'Hey... Scar.' 

We just stare at each other, both fighting to find the words. Cub gives a short laugh, running a clawed hand through his black hair. His eyes shine with tears in the candlelight.

'Oh my goodness this is real.'

'I'm real.' 

'I thought... I didn't want to believe... what were you even doing out in the rain? Who are these people?' The door slams behind as Ren enters. 

'They're...' I glance around at Martyn, who's moved to stand next to Ren, and Grian clearly looking for stuff to steal. 'They're friends. Haven't known them long... just... a day or so...'

'We're on the run from Pearl's army. Scar here said you'd give us food, shelter and supplies.'

'Supplies?'

'Someone stole Pearl's dragon egg. These idiots jumped on our wagon and now we're forced to join them in getting it back.' I'm about to argue with Martyn before realising he's right.

'And... we thought you... might want to join us?' 

'There's... there's dry clothes upstairs. There's a cupboard on the landing and... you should know where to find your stuff, Scar.' Cub steps back. Avoiding the question, but still just in shock. 

'Thanks.'

'And I'll... I'll get some food for everyone. I need time to... prepare.' 

Cub runs off, into the kitchen. For a moment I just watch him go. I've never seen him this lost for words before, not to the point of needing time alone to process it... 

And I know I feel exactly the same.

'I can show you where everything is... the living room's through there and... as he said there's clean clothes and towels upstairs.' I take up the task of explaining, leading the group of us upstairs, trying to find a time to get away, be alond.

'This place is big...' Murmurs Martyn as we hit the second floor. I can only nod back, opening the spare clothes cupboard on the landing. 

'There's stuff in here. I... my stuff's... over here.'

I break into a run towards my room, not hesitating before entering, slamming the door shut behind with my tail. Clothes still cover the ground, bed unmade.

Exactly as I left it.

I sink to the ground, grabbing a shirt I discarded there some 6 months ago and hugging it close as I fight sobs of... joy? Guilt? Relief that Cub's not upset? I don't know. An overpowering smell of nothing and everything hits me.

The smell of home.

I don't know how long I just sit there crying, but I must be the last one still up here when I slowly stand, swapping my ragged clothes for a new shirt and some soft turquoise wizard robes I never really wore before. A faint laughter rises from downstairs as I pause, glancing around the room one last time before heading out. 

The sound grows as I climb down the stairs, into the living room where Ren, Martyn and Grian are deep in conversation about something, a lot happier and friendlier now they're safe and dry. Grian doesn't appear to have changed outfit, but is wearing a particularly fluffy towel over the top, fiddling with something he's stolen.

'Cub will kill you if he finds you've taken anything.' I snatch it off him, pocketing it and falling onto the sofa next to him. 'He's done it before.'

'Scar, you're bound to have some good stories... how did you get some of your injuries?' Grian asks. 'We've just heard about Martyn being hit by a goat...'

'It was a very violent goat! And it did not like my singing!'

'Well...' I try to think of a one-up. But it's been too long. The quests with Cub... the chaos... the danger...

'What about the one across your neck? That looks pretty nasty...' Martyn saves it for me. I fake a laugh as I remember the terror of the moment.

'Cornered by bandits. Took me hostage. Cub had to pay something to get me back...' I reply, just as he enters, as though magically summoned, holding a whole cake.

'Future loyalty if they were in trouble.' He explains. 'That's what I paid... now I promised cake so...' He puts it on the table. A million memories of eating cake with Cub come back to me and I fight tears again. Grian sits up, attentive.

'Cake?! How rich are you?' 

A shrug back.

'It's mostly inherited. Last one left in the family... got to inherit all this.' 

'And we stole stuff.' I add. 'A lot of stuff. That made us rich.' More memories rise in my mind. I smile as I suddenly remember. 'We stole a clock from the crown prince Bdubs!' 

'No way... A: how did you get in, B: how hasn't Queen Cleo found you and broken your legs?'

'Well... it didn't get out of the Clocktower because someone talked to the guards instead of running from them.'

'And someone forgot the way and got us seen by the guards in the first place.' I shoot back. 'Besides, it was too small to look good with the rest of the collection.

'You're insane...' Grian shakes his head, laughing. 'You're completely insane, Scar.'

'Oh, I know... and Cub knows too.' 

I look over, laughing.

And stop as I see him fighting tears.

'Cub... do you need more time alone?' I shuffle closer. He blinks. 

'I'm... yeah... I just... need to... check something.'

It's all he says before running from the room.