Nina's eyebrows drew together and she moved around the fire to get a better look. She set her bag down: it had apples, a heavy blanket, sachets of tea, a tin of ginger snaps.

She sank down next to him and pulled one of his hands into her lap, unafraid. She let her fingers brush over his, feeling the bones in his fingers. Slowly she lifted her gaze to his face, the same concerned look there.

"This must be terrifying," she said quietly, full of sympathy but not pity. Geralt told her of his mutations, but feeling his body change like this, out of his control, must have been disconcerting at best and frightening at worst.