Helmer couldn’t recall the last time he had been so happy. Certainly, in the years since he had joined the army of King Jupiter he had not known such celebration. It wasn’t that First Warren had no festivals of its own, or that his family never gathered for such meals. But since becoming a soldier, Helmer had always been conscious of the fact that he would soon be leaving for his next mission.

Sitting with Sigrid and the children, however, Helmer found himself able to let go of any such thoughts. The jubilation of the younglings was infectious, and their open-hearted welcome touched him deeply. And the obvious affection between them and Sigrid was also touching to see. Helmer found himself marveling at his golden-furred friend all over again.

It was undoubtedly this preoccupation that kept Helmer from noticing the new arrivals. Sigrid saw them first, and upon seeing her expression Helmer followed her gaze with his own.Two middle-aged rabbits, a buck and a doe, stood looking at them. Helmer had never seen a pair quite like them before.

Of the two, the doe was the larger and stronger looking. Though she was clearly no longer in peak shape, there was an old grace in her movements that was not so different from that of an old fighting buck. In contrast, the buck was average height. He also looked as though any weapon heavier than a knife would drag him to the ground and keep him there.

Both rabbits wore fond expressions that became warm smiles as they saw they had been noticed. They came around the table, and Sigrid rose. Helmer did likewise, but stood back as Sigrid advanced. Somewhat to his surprise, Sigrid embraced each of them before turning to Helmer with a smile.

“Allow me to be introducing mine parents, friend Helmer. This is being my mother, Gunvor, and mine father, Odo. Mother and father, this is being Lieutenant Helmer of First Warren. He is being one of King Jupiter Goodson’s officers.”

With a bow, Helmer extended a hand to shake. He was unsurprised that Gunvor had the strong grip of a rabbit who had long handled weapons. Sigrid had, he remembered, mentioned that her mother had been a Guardian herself once. More surprising was that Odo, despite his slight frame, had a handshake that was every bit as powerful as his wife’s.

Noticing Helmer’s expression, Odo smiled. “You is never being taking a weaver by the hand before, Lieutenant Helmer?”

“You are the first, Master Odo,” Helmer admitted.

Chuckling, Gunvor gave her husband a nudge. “I remember the first time Odo was being taking my hand. Knowing he was being a weaver, I was not being expecting it either. It made me curious, and…”

“They was being married six months later,” Sigrid said tiredly. Helmer’s lips twitched at her tone and her parents’ slight looks of chagrin. Clearly, the story was one Sigrid had heard often. Often enough that it had ceased to be endearing and become somewhat tiresome.

“Glad to know a strong grip has more benefits than just making it harder to drop a sword,” Helmer said kindly. Sigrid and her parents all smiled at the remark. Chairs were pulled up for the older rabbits, and they sat beside Helmer and Sigrid. As the meal continued, the four shared stories of their respective lives in First Warren and in Tarvan Bluff.

Speaking with them, Helmer saw Sigrid’s parents in her, and she in them, in dozens of ways. Much of it was small-mannerisms, turns of phrase, and shared features. But there was also a sense of kinship, impossible to define and equally impossible to refute. The sight of it warmed him, and he thought briefly of his own family.

But Helmer’s thoughts, and eyes, soon returned to Sigrid. He was struck again by her beauty, and found a new depth to it. In their acquaintance to date, he had seen her largely in her role as a Guardian. She had of course impressed him with her skill, diligence, and patience as she prepared him and the other First Warren rabbits for their entry into Tarvan Bluff this day.

Looking at Sigrid with her parents, Helmer was struck by her fascinating duality. Yes, she was a skilled warrior and officer. She was also kind and caring in a way he had rarely seen. He felt a sudden, intense gratitude that fate had brought him here.

Perhaps sensing his gaze, Sigrid turned and met his eyes. The two held the look, and wore matching soft smiles. Neither of them saw a rather different look pass between Odo and Gunvor. It was only a sudden noise of music that caused Helmer to turn his head.

Children were all around them suddenly, pulling on their hands to bring them to their feet. Then they were drawing the adults outside to the courtyard. A group of musicians had gathered there and were warming up. Helmer recognized some of their instruments, but others were unfamiliar.

It suddenly occurred to Helmer that the children and others were ringing the courtyard. There was a gap directly in front of him, leading to the empty center of the gathering. Many eyes were turned towards him expectantly. Puzzled, he looked to Sigrid and her parents.

Odo chuckled. “It is being a Leaping Week custom, friend Helmer. Visitors to the settlement are being the first to be dancing.”

Helmer muttered, “I’ve never been much at dancing.”

Sigrid regarded him for a moment. Then she drew her sword and offered him a smile. “You is knowing how to be fighting, yes?”

Helmer stared at her a moment before his expression shifted to a grin. Drawing his own sword, he followed her out into the clear space. As the crowd watched, murmuring with a mixture of surprise and confusion as the pair faced off. Odo suddenly looked concerned, but Gunvor seemed to sense something that her husband did not.

Focusing on Sigrid, Helmer raised his blade in a salute. Sigrid returned the gesture, a gleam in her eyes. Then the two moved into ready positions, their movements an impressive display of synchronization. If not for their differing appearances, they might have been each other’s reflections.

Until their blades met.

The ringing clash took Sigrid back to her first encounter with Helmer. But if anything, the dance in which they engaged this time was even more awe-inspiring. The same instinctive harmony in their fighting rhythm was present once again. Now, however, it was enhanced by the familiarity they had developed over the past weeks.

As the two fenced, the faces of the onlookers were filled with wonder. Many had seen Sigrid’s sword at work before, either in combat or in training. Never before, though, had they seen a swordsrabbit who seemed to match her in skill so perfectly. Sigrid’s father Odo was slack jawed, while her mother Gunvor wore a pleased smile.

Incredible as it might seem, Sigrid felt a sense of great safety in the midst of the clash of blades. She trusted in her own ability, and in Helmer’s. Though they hadn’t known each other long, she felt a confidence in her friend. Helmer would not hurt her; indeed, she sensed that he would gladly give his life to see her safe.

Just as she would do for him.

With a swiftness that almost made her sorrowful, the exchange found its end. The two blades touched a final time and lingered as she and Helmer locked eyes. In unison, they returned their swords to their scabbards. And the crowd gave a great cheer in honor of the performance it had just witnessed.

Bowing to the crowd, the two moved out of the center of the courtyard. The band quickly struck up a tune, and other rabbits hurried out to take up their own dances. Gunvor spared Sigrid and Helmer a wave before she and Odo strode out into the crowd. Sigrid returned it before leading Helmer over to a table where water had been set out.

Helmer grabbed a beaker for each of them and handed one to Sigrid. Much to her amusement, he took a quick gulp before dumping the remainder over his head. Sigrid opted to pull out a kerchief, splash some of her water onto it, and then dab at her neck and face as she sipped. Grinning at her, Helmer stepped away before giving his head a shake, sparing her a spray of loose drops of water.

Sigrid gave an answering smile as Helmer moved once more to her side. A companionable silence settled between them as they watched the other dancers. Fondly, Sigrid watched the many younglings as they spun, shuffled, and leaped. Then she chuckled as her parents wove through the throng, her mother seeming to tower even more than usual over her shorter husband in the midst of the children.

“Your parents seem to be enjoying themselves,” Helmer remarked warmly.

“They usually does,” Sigrid answered in the same tone. Her eyes turned to Helmer, and she caught a sudden wistfulness in his gaze. Wondering at the change, she gave him a friendly nudge. “And is you being enjoying yourself, Helmer?”

“Very much,” he replied, his smile returning. But there was still a look in his eyes that showed that his heart was saddened by something. When Sigrid continued to stare at him, he gave a sigh. Clearly, he wasn’t used to being open with his feelings.

“I’m reminded of my own parents. They were much the same way when I was young. But my mother has been gone for years. And my father…I don’t think he’ll be with us very much longer.”

Putting her beaker in the hand that still held her kerchief, Sigrid used her free hand to take one of Helmer’s. He didn’t pull away, and for a long moment they stood silent. Finally, Sigrid spoke gently. “I am hoping I might be meeting your father someday.”

When Helmer smiled, it was a smile such as Sigrid had never yet seen from him. The black buck was inclined to smirk, or to half smile. He had regarded her with humor, and with admiration. But the look on his face in that moment shone with quiet gratitude.

“He’d like you, Sig.”

No one had ever addressed Sigrid in such a fashion before. It was not the way of the rabbits of the north. But she recognized it for the sign of affection that it was. And so she responded after the manner of her home.

“And is you being liking me, mine Helmer?”

Unprepared for the question, Helmer briefly turned bashful. Sigrid guessed that no doe had ever asked him such a thing before. But as he met her eyes and repeated his earlier words, there was no hint of dissembling in his gaze. “…very much.”

Sigrid felt a thrill at the admission. It was the sort of emotion she hadn’t experienced since she was an apprentice Guardian, not yet hardened by training and loss. She felt as though she should respond with some similar sentiment, but she couldn’t find the words. But from the way Helmer smiled softly, she saw that he knew that she returned his admiration.

The two turned their attention back to the dancers, filled with a quiet contentment. At times they cheered, and at others they laughed, as the other rabbits celebrated. But the two didn’t venture out into the square again themselves. Once had been enough for them both.

Caught up in the happy mood, Sigrid didn’t notice the strange rabbit watching until Helmer touched her arm. He nodded towards the entrance to the courtyard, and then she saw. Unlike some others who stood watching, the stranger’s expression was bored, even contemptuous. It was the clear look of someone who had been set a task he thought beneath him.

Perhaps he sensed their eyes upon him, for suddenly their gazes met. If the buck was startled, he didn’t show it. His expression, if anything, became brighter. As though he was actually pleased that someone had taken notice of him.

For a long moment, the strange buck just traded looks with Sigrid and Helmer. Even as dancers moved between them, his focus never broke. When he gave them a sudden smile, Sigrid felt a chill. The stranger’s teeth were sharpened into points.

Like those of a wolf.