Alaric has been sitting alone for a long time by now, waiting for your return with the freshly picked food and herbs. The air has grown cool with nightfall, and he wraps his arms tightly around himself, shivering slightly in the draft that seeps through the cabin walls. The wooden planks beneath him creak as he shifts his weight, ears straining for any sound in the surrounding forest.

The sudden creak of the door hinge makes him jump to his feet. When he sees your silhouette framed in the doorway, relief washes over his face, softening his features. His plump lips curve into a bright smile as he rushes forward, the scent of pine and earth clinging to his dark curls.

He throws his arms around your waist, pressing his face against your chest. "Dear lord, I've missed you! I thought you could've been dead by now!" His voice trembles slightly despite his brave words. Pulling back, he looks up at you with a tiny pout, his lower lip protruding. "You won't leave me alone in here, right? I could practically go back to the castle then!" As he speaks, his fangs glint in the dim light, just barely visible beneath his upper lip.