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When the Tarnished awoke in the Church of Elleh, he found Blaidd crouching over him like a furious sleep paralysis demon.

He blinked and rubbed his eyes.

"Hi."

"You--"

The half-wolf glared and seized him by what remained of his blood-stained shirt. He was huffing breathlessly, as though he had just sprinted across the entirety of Limgrave. Which seemed accurate, judging by the still-wet blood of Godrick's soldiers covering his front. The Tarnished felt Blaidd's gaze tear through him in a frustrating mix of pity and anger.

"You died. You died, right before my eyes," Blaidd's hot breath tickled his neck. His grip tightened. "And now you're here. Laughing. "

"Your skills of observation are astounding," the Tarnished grinned.

His smile faltered as the half-wolf dropped him onto the grassy dirt floor of the church. A small crossbow and short sword clattered onto the ground alongside him, no doubt looted from the corpses of Godrick's soldiers. Blaidd crossed his arms and shot him a stern look.

"Get up. You will learn how to defend yourself," he growled. "I refuse to watch you treat your life like expendable currency."

"Are… are you going to train me?"

"Do you see anyone else who will put up with your antics?"

Blaidd's glare bore into him, his face thick with a sense of frustration he could not quite identify. It made his stomach twist in an uncomfortable knot to have someone so displeased with him.

The Tarnished gulped and gingerly picked the short sword off the ground. Embarrassingly, it felt rather heavy and unwieldy in his scrawny arms, but at least it will fare better than the splintered remains of his club. He gave it a few test swings and grinned.

"Finally, something with a pointy end! I suppose I can finally take someone down with me the next time I-"

_"Will you stop that?" _

The Tarnished glanced up with a start. Blaidd's voice was sharp and cutting; his brow furrowed again in that unfamiliar frustration. Is he worried about me?

"I don't see why you're being so cross about this," the Tarnished muttered impatiently. "Death is cheap. I could die a hundred times and return all the same."

"That doesn't make it right."

"Why does it matter?"

"It matters to me. "

The Tarnished went rigid. He stared up at the half-wolf, who glared back in a fiery mess of worry for his own safety, and sank down to the ground with an uncomfortable warmth in his chest.

"...when do we start?"

---

Blaidd winced as the lad dodge-rolled into another pebble and began shrieking, once again, about how sand and rocks were riding up his ass crack.

Over the course of their afternoon training, the boy's oversized cotton shirt had been shredded into ribbons, leaving him clad only in his tiny loincloth. Blaidd was convinced the lad was cursed to never retain a modest outfit.

Though, to his credit, the lad hadn't uttered a word of complaint and threw himself into his training with the vigor of an eager-to-please puppy. Blaidd drilled him long and hard, barking orders for proper dodge-rolls, parrying exercises, guard counters, and '--will you please keep your damn bits covered?!'

If he were being honest, Blaidd would grade the lad's performance as less than mediocre. He struggled to grip his short sword throughout the drills, and his swings lacked any weight behind them. His aim with a crossbow, however, was superb. The lad had somehow managed to pierce a goat through the eye from almost 40 yards away while sprinting down a hill, crossbow in one hand while the other desperately struggled to hold his loincloth in place.

"Well done," Blaidd said as he hoisted the slain goat over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. "This takes care of supper for tonight. Go fetch Kale and tell him to get a fire going."

The lad's face flushed from the praise and he quickly scampered off towards the Church of Elleh.

It felt strange, having someone look upon him with such admiration. It was embarrassing, but Blaidd wasn't entirely sure if he disliked it.

---

"Absolutely not," Kale snarked and slapped Blaidd's hand away from the rows of skewered meat.

"I can cook."

"I've tasted your 'cooking' before, dogboy," the merchant smirked. "And I prefer my meat uncharred and chewable, thank you."

Blaidd watched him rummage through his bags and retrieved an assortment of herbs and spices he had no names for. His stomach rumbled impatiently.

"It can't be that difficult."

"Oh, you'd think so! But imagine my horror last month when I returned to my camp and found my hard-earned game reduced to shriveled and blackened coals!" Kale laughed and winked at the Tarnished. "Don't go admiring this oaf too much, lad. Can't have you catching his bad habits."

"Blaidd seems decent," the lad said through flushed cheeks. "I like him."

"Ah, that's how he gets ya! But soon, you'll find stray dog hair covering every inch of your wares and wonder if it's worth putting up with the big oaf."

"I'm getting my summer coat."

"You've been continuously getting your summer coat for the past two years--"

The half-wolf took advantage of Kale's distraction to inch towards the meat skewers, but yelped as the merchant repelled him with a pair of hot tongs.

"Oh, off with you!" the merchant brandished his tongs threateningly. "Supper won't be ready for a while. Go wash up and make yourselves decent. I refuse to serve two bumbling, blood-soaked bums. You're stinking up the camp!"

Blaidd and the lad exchanged sheepish looks. He had a point. The half-wolf's front was still crusted over with the dried blood of Godrick's soldiers, and the Tarnish's throat and chest were tinged pink from his once gushing throat injury. He sniffed himself gingerly.

"I don't smell."

"Ah, and I hear you can cook too."

---

There was a small spring a short walk away from the ruined church. The Tarnished lad gingerly dipped his toes in the water before announcing that the water was perfect. Blaidd scarcely had a moment to blink before the lad shed his smallclothes and leaped into the water with glee.

Not an ounce of modesty in this one.

Unsurprisingly, shedding full plate armor was much more time-consuming to remove than a tiny scrap of loincloth. His fur cloak came off smoothly, but Blaidd grumbled as he struggled to undo the countless buckles fastened across his back. Perhaps this was why so many knights dragged a squire alongside them.

"Do you need a hand?" the lad asked, poking his head out of the water.

"No."

"Don't be stubborn_._ I can help."

Blaidd was about to bark a retort when the lad was suddenly behind him, beads of water dripping down his exposed, sun-kissed skin. With practiced precision, he felt the straps of his armor loosen and come undone in a matter of moments. The lad carried the assortment of pauldrons, breastplates, and gauntlets to the lakeside and began scrubbing them vigorously with bars of soap that Kale had insisted they take.

The half-wolf stared curiously. Had the boy been a servant in the past? Or perhaps an armorer's apprentice? The fluidity of his movements betrayed a life of practice in such work.

"What are you waiting for?" the lad glanced up. "Hurry up and get out of those clothes. They could use a decent scrubbing too."

"I don't need a nanny."

"Never claimed you needed one," the lad mumbled impatiently. "Look, just let me help. It's the one thing I'm decent at."

Blaidd gave the boy a sympathetic look before slowly pulling his cotton shirt over his head. It soon joined the lad's scrubbing pile, along with his trousers. The lad's grin widened as he watched the half-wolf fiddle with the strings of his loincloth.

"Oh, how the tables turn," the Tarnished teased.

But then his eyes nearly bugged out of his head as Blaidd's loincloth dropped to the floor.

"--well that's hardly fair."

Blaidd's ears drooped against his head. He quickly sank into the water and crossed his legs.

"It's rude to stare."

"You can hardly blame me. Look at the size of that--"

"Eyes to yourself!"

He splashed a wave of water at the boy with an indignant huff. The lad only laughed and returned to his scrubbing.

Blaidd certainly did not feel his cheeks flush with heat. And he certainly was not wagging his tail. He had experienced plenty of dalliances in the past, of course, but most of the ones involving humans ended… poorly. If they ever managed to reach the stage of physical intimacy, most expressed intimidation or disgust at his wolven body. None agreed to bed him.

He wasn't desperate for intimacy. Of course not. But the feeling of being held in a warm embrace, of being wanted; it was a sensation Blaidd couldn't help but yearn for. And it has been far too long since he last shared such warmth with another. Not since Darriwil.

_Darriwil. _

A painful lurch clawed through Blaidd's chest. In the past, Bloodhound Knight was his constant companion, a comrade-in-arms by day and a gentle lover in the night. And now he was naught but traitorous prey to be hunted down.

How has it come to this…?

Blaidd yelped as he was suddenly drenched over the head.

"Oi, what's taking you so long? I've already finished my scrubbing," the Tarnished lad grinned as he hung the half-wolf's garments on a nearby tree to dry.

Blaidd grumbled and grabbed a bar of soap.

"Fur takes forever to wash."

"I can help you with that too!" the lad offered and armed himself with yet more soap.

"Marika's sagging tits, can't I go a minute without you hovering over me like an overbearing hen?" Blaidd snapped.

The lad recoiled with a hurt look on his face. Blaidd instantly regretted it.

"I'm… sorry. Got a lot on my mind," he apologized quickly. "You -- you can help with my back. If you'd like."

The Tarnished nodded and quietly settled behind him. Blaidd busied himself with scrubbing the blood off his front while the lad soaped through the fur on his back. The boy's hands were firm but gentle; messaging through the knots of tension in his muscles with surprising effectiveness.

Eventually, he felt the boy's hands trace the large fresh scar painted across his back.

"...must have been one hell of a fight," the lad murmured curiously.

"Not quite." Blaidd hoped his bitterness didn't bleed through to his voice. "Darriwil the traitor attacked my master. It was rather unexpected; he had served us loyally for years. I leaped in the way and was struck down."

"Is that why you're hunting him?"

"Darriwil fled like a coward after I fell. It had taken many months of recovery, but I am finally well enough to finish what he started."

"But you were… friends? Right?"

"...perhaps," Blaidd sighed and splashed water across his face. "Enough about me. What about you, mate?"

"Hm?"

"How did you get here? You're not like most Tarnished I've met in the lands between."

The boy laughed.

"I've asked myself that question every day, since the moment I was denied my rest," he murmured. "The Greater Will must be desperate if they called upon a useless bugger like me. Or maybe they just have a sick sense of humor."

There was a bitter sneer to his voice, a strange contrast to the lad's usual carefree demeanor. Blaidd frowned but remained quiet. He hadn't meant to pry. The Tarnished continued scrubbing through the fur on his back, a prolonged silence hanging between them.

"I was a squire," he finally said, and paused. "That's a lie. I served a group of knights. They needed a little helper on their travels. You know, someone to carry supplies, cook the meals, fiddle with their armor or some such."

"And you served them?"

"I did," the boy spoke slowly. "But I was mostly there for… well…." His ears turned red. "The knights grew rather lonely after spending so much time away from their family and wives, you see. And I--"

"Ah," Blaidd realized.

"It wasn't all bad," the lad insisted. "They were kind for the most part. And I liked helping them. It's just… I dunno. I thought I would be doing something….. more.

As for how I got here…. the knights and I were trekking through a mountain pass, thick with snow. It was winter and traveling through the area was a bad idea, but the knights were a stubborn bunch. A blizzard ended up hitting the mountain and we were trapped there for weeks."

Blaidd blinked and looked up.

"And that's how you died…?"

"Sorta," the lad grinned bitterly. "Food stores were low. I woke up one day and found that the knights had left without me. Smart decision, really. I wasn't contributing much to the group. I just remember struggling through the snow until I grew too tired, too cold. And then I fell asleep and woke up in The Lands Between. Never ended up doing anything worthwhile with my life."

Blaidd fell silent. He turned back to gaze at the Tarnished. The lad was young, just a few years into the cusps of adulthood. A man, yes, but too young to be abandoned to his death with such apathy.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. It was a gentle end."

The Tarnished hummed absentmindedly under his breath as he began massaging behind Blaidd's ears. Soft hands, unscarred by the toils of battle, caressed gentle circles against his scalp. The half-wolf closed his eyes with a low murmur, leaning into the warm touch.

"You know… there is a way you can still help people."

The lad's face flushed and his gaze roamed between Blaidd's thighs.

"I-I um…I'd be happy to! If you w-want--"

"Not like that!" Blaidd said quickly. "I meant that you've been brought back by the guidance of grace. Plenty of second chances to go around. And plenty of people in the Lands Between could use a helping hand."

"Oh."

The half-wolf wasn't sure if the boy sounded disappointed. He was equally unsure of how he felt about it.

"Not sure how much help I'd be. There's only so much laundry one can do."

"Be creative. You'll figure something out."

The Tarnished finished rinsing down his fur and smiled. Blaidd let out a yelp as the lad suddenly embraced him from behind, wrapping his thin, scrawny arms around his burly chest. He had half the mind to shake him off but thought better of it.

"Thanks," the boy murmured.

---

The campfire had grown cold as the moon rose above them. They had returned to the Church of Elleh smelling fresh and cleaned, both their cheeks flushed with heat. Kale had squinted at them suspiciously with a smirk. 'Knew you two would hit it off.'

Bloody busy-body.

After an admittedly well-cooked supper, they made their beds and went to sleep. There was a grueling battle waiting for them tomorrow at the Evergaol.

Darriwil.

Blaidd curled up underneath his fur cloak, eyes squeezed shut. But sleep refused to take him. Tossing and turning for what felt like hours, he resigned to glare at the stars above with great disdain.

In the past, on nights like, Darriwil would tease him incessantly; calling him a restless pup or some such. The Bloodhound Knight's breath was often thick with the sweet scent of ale as he snuggled underneath his covers and pulled him into a warm embrace.

"Can't sleep again, luv?" the larger wolf grinned. His hefty, claw-tipped hands trailed down Blaidd's belly as he nuzzled his warm neck. "I know just the thing to tire you out~"

_Blaidd always scoffed indignantly, but never stopped him. _

Darriwil's hot, wet tongue teased across his sensitive ears as his hands wandered beneath his trousers. The larger wolf seized Blaidd's growing bulge, coaxing a breathy gasp from his throat. His hips thrust forward against the delicious friction, member throbbing firmly in the Bloodhound Knight's grip. Blaidd could feel himself melt into a moaning puddle as Darriwil's other hand grasped his chest roughly, clawed fingers tracing light, teasing circles around his nipple.

_"That's a good pup. Moan for me," Darriwil growled. _

Blaidd whimpered at the sensation of something hot and hard grinding against his asscheeks through his thin cotton trousers. His trousers were quickly undone and soon Blaidd was a shivering, mewling mess as Darriwil's hot flesh caressed the entrance of his pucker.

"So eager to please," Darriwil groaned. "Such a sweet, good pup."

"Blaidd?"

His eyes snapped open.

Through the dark of night, he could make out the Tarnished awkwardly standing next to his bed. He clutched at a thin blanket wrapped around himself, his tiny frame shivering against the cold night air.

"Um, sorry, did I wake you?"

"Nah. Couldn't sleep."

"Oh," the lad sniffed. "D-do you mind if I join you under the covers? The fire went out and I don't want to wake Kale to light it up again."

Blaidd froze.

"Um."

"Oh. It's alright!" the lad said quickly. "I can run out and grab more firewood real quick."

"No no, it's fine!" Blaidd cleared his throat loudly. "As long as you're comfortable with -- um, well -- I'm not very……decent, right now."

The lad stared at him blankly for a moment, then let out a small chuckle.

"Pleasant dreams, huh?"

"I was awake!"

"Ah, I see. Sorry for interrupting your nightly ritual, my guy--"

"Keep that up and I'll let you freeze," Blaidd retorted as he raised his fur cloak and scooted aside in his makeshift bed.

The Tarnished smiled in appreciation before joining him under the covers. The lad fit snuggly with plenty of room to spare. Blaidd noted that his flesh felt cold to the touch, even through his thick fur and cotton shirt.

He grumbled and threw an arm over the lad's tiny frame, pulling him close to his chest. At first the Tarnished let out a surprised yelp, but soon settled down and buried his face comfortably into the half-wolf's soft chest fur.

Blaidd jumped slightly at the sensation of the lad's thighs brushing up against the still hard bulge in his trousers. The friction caused his cock to throb involuntarily with heat and arousal. He sucked in a sharp breath and prayed to merciful Marika that the lad wouldn't notice.

Apparently Marika was feeling extremely petty that night because the Tarnished immediately began feeling up the strange hot object wedged between his legs. Blaidd let a whimper as wandering hands gave his member an experimental squeeze.

"Oh! I'm so sorry, was that your--? I didn't mean to--" the lad squeaked, face flushed. "I-I can leave if you want--"

Blaidd let out a sigh. He pulled the panicking lad close and gently nuzzled his neck with a low grumble.

"'It's fine. Unless you're uncomfortable…?"

The lad relaxed and shook his head quietly, leaning into the warmth of the half-wolf's neck fluff.

"I-I'm good. This isn't the first time I've shared a bed with…. well, you know."

Blaidd felt the lad try to close his legs, which only managed to squeeze his throbbing bulge firmly between his thighs. A shaky breath escaped his throat as he pushed back the primal instinct to thrust forward.

He gave the boy's exposed neck a tentative lick, his hot tongue leaving a steaming trail against his shivering flesh. It has been far too long. And the lad's moans were so sweet and delectable. He could smell his arousal and need permeating from his trembling form. Blaidd fought the urge to absolutely ruin him right then and there.

"You know," the lad said slowly. "My offer to help you from earlier today still stands."

Blaidd slowly slid his massive hands down the Tarnished's back, caressing his smooth skin and firmly cupping his asscheeks. He chuckled and licked his chomps.

"Tempting," he growled. "You're quite the needy little brat."

"Says the guy with the massive knob between his legs. How do you fit this thing in your trousers?"

"Magic."

"It's a wolf thing, isn't it? I hear you folk got like a sheath or something for your bits."

"Why don't you take a look and find out for yourself--?"

A sudden deafening 'CRACK!' echoed through the ruined church, jolting the two of them out of their stupor. Blaidd whipped around just in time to see another cracked pot sail over their heads and shatter against the wall behind them.

"I'm so glad you two are hitting it off," Kale said loudly. "But could you lovebirds keep it in your pants until I'm out of earshot? If I hear any diddling, I'm gonna start chucking fire pots in your general direction."