Wykren comes back the next day. The day after that. And after that. Each day he spends with me. Checking on the wound. I sleep on my side as asked. I hear him call for me again. I try to stand and stumble... I feel a little weak and warm...

“It's too dark in here.” A nudge. “Hey, you ok?” Another nudge. I let out a weak growl. I feel a tap on my muzzle. “It's dry. That can't be good...” He struggles around me. “You didn't touch it, did you?” I feel him wander around my fur. I kick him off me.

“Ouch. Ok ok, I get it. Wait here. I'll make something for you...” He struggles to climb out. I stand up and give him a nudge.

“Oh, thanks, gorgeous.” He crawls out and I lay down again.

“Here. Drink this.” Wykren puts something next to my nose. I open my jaws and he pours the warm water inside my throat. It tastes horrible... I let out a growl.

“There there.” I feel him pat me again. “I'm sorry. I'll take care of you. Don't worry, girl, I'll make it better, promise...” His voice drowns out and I pass out again...

“Emerald! Emerald!” Something touches me. “Emerald! Wake up! Please!” Oh. Wykren... I open my eyes.

“There you are! Don't scare me like that! Here. You need to drink this again. I think it's helping... But you need to eat something too...” I let him pour the bitter water down my throat again. I try to get up but can't. I growl in the dark.

“I'm sorry. The wound is pussing a little... I feel it...” A sharp pain flashes where he touches. I growl again.

“It hurts? I'm sorry. I'm trying to clean it a bit. Bear with me... This is all my fault... I just wanted to help...” I feel his light touches on my flesh... I'm hungry...

I struggle in the darkness to clean her up... I should have stayed with her... I should have kept an eye on her... If only Mom were here... No. I got her into this mess, I'll get her out of it too. Her skin doesn't feel as hot anymore but she's breathing a bit heavy and she hasn't eaten in a few days...

“Rest up, ok? I'll go catch something...” I climb back out with the help of the rope that I tied around the tree roots. Catch something... I sure like to talk big... I sigh. I'm not even that good of a hunter... Dad always does it... I sigh again. I take my little bow and go deeper into the woods... She needs meat. Fish isn't enough... Anything would do... A bird... A mouse... A deer... A rabbit... Anything! No! No time to feel discourage. I got her into this mess, it's my job to make sure she gets better. If she wants to eat me later - fine. I deserve it. I lay in the bushes, waiting... I'll be here till morning... Focus! I keep waiting... And waiting... And waiting... I feel my body get numb. Bugs are crawling all over me... Ugh! I hate this! It's more boring than polishing gems!!! A rustle. Huh! What was that! Where was that! Ah damn it! I try to trace that something that made the sound... There! I fire. A squeak and a thud. Alright! I quickly get up and run over to my catch! I sigh... Catch... More like a snack... I pick up the poor and dead baby rabbit... It'll have to do, for now. I bring it back with me to Emerald's tree.

“Does she eat these whole?” I ask myself. No. I shake my head. I'll have to skin it. She's weak, so no bones either. I give my thanks to the rabbit and get to it... I never liked this part... Not having the right tools with me right now isn't making this any easier... Maybe I should cook it? No. I'll just cut it into smaller pieces. She should be fine this way... I wrap the meat pieces up in some cloth and slide down the rope.

“Hey, girl. Look. Food. Please eat...” I nudge her a little. “Please?” I hold a piece next to her nose. It twitches and her warm tongue licks it off my hand. I wait a moment to make sure she doesn't choke and hand her another piece. She takes it.

“Good girl. Good girl...” I feed her the rabbit a slice at a time.

“There we go...” I pat her. “Let me bury the rest of the poor thing and I'll be down back with you in a sec.” I climb out and gather up whatever remains of the rabbit. I take it a little bit further away, dig a hole and bury the bones. I thank the nature for taking her creation back and return to Emerald. I slide back down the rope and snuggle up against her. I was too childish to believe I could pull it off at first try like that... Idiot.

“I'm so sorry.” I tell her fur...

I wake up from a strange, suffocating feeling. So... Heavy... So... Hot... I feel the thing on top of me. Fur... Oh! I let out the last of my breath. I can't... Breath... In...

“Eme...rald...” I tap her... “Get... Off...” She squirms a little but doesn't move. “Please... Move...” I try to wiggle myself from under her. No go. I squirm and writhe for an eternity till I manage to slip out. I crawl over to her in the dark.

“Hey, hey, you ok? Hey?” I nudge her. A low growl. “Ok, wait here.” I tell her and climb out. It's barely day break... I yawn and shake my head. Gotta catch her something else... A low growl comes from my own body... Me too, I guess. I start my quest for meat, again...

I spend the next few days curled up with Emerald... Nothing I do works... I need help... But I can't... I notice my dirty clothes... It won't do her any good if I too, starve myself here... I go back home to wash up. I gather up whatever I can find that she might eat. I need meds too... I have no clue if any of the ones that we have here would help... I gather up whatever coins I have and go to the local healer again. I open the door.

“Hello?”

"One moment!” A voice answers me. “You again! What's up?”

“I need something that would help with puss?”

“Hurt yourself?”

“Yes!” I lie again. “It was nothing at first but now it kinda hurts...”

“Show me.” The healer comes from around the counter. I step back.

“No! I can't!”

“Why not? I need to see to know better.”

“It's not something I can show you...” I mumble... “I fell on my ass and a dirty tool poked through my pants...” I blush. No, this is definitely the worst lie...

I hear a muffled giggle... “I see. Well. Here. This should help.” She gives me a bottle. “Use gauze to soak it with the solution and gently dab around the area... Apply it a few times a day and you should get better soon enough.”

I put the coins down. “Will this do?”

She slides the silver back and takes five copper ones. “Yes.”

“Thank you! Have a good day.” I tell her.

“You too!” The healer waves to me. I come back home and pack a bag. I put in meds, gauze, knives, arrows, rope, a candle and some Spark stones. I take it with me, back to Era. I climb down the rope and tumble around the wall of the lair till I find a tree root to hang the bag off. I take the candle out and light it.

“Lemme see.” I shine the light on her belly. Oh, ew. Puss... I liked it better when I couldn't see it... I messed up big time... I stick the candle into the ground and scramble for the bottle and the gauze. I pour the liquid on it and press on the wound. Era twitches with a rough growl.

“I'm sorry! I'm sorry!” I quickly take my hand of her. “I didn't mean to!” I wait. “I need to do this. Please, Era. Let me...” I try to clean the wound again. Her body rumbles again. I pat it down with quick dabs. “There there, that's all.” I put the gauze and the bottle away.

I drag myself back home early morning. I ran out of water... I step inside the house. It's a mess... I sigh. I've barely even been here... I start cleaning the place up. Dusting, mopping, airing... I bring in water and start the fire too... It would be easier if I could bring Era back here... I yawn, crawl out of my clothes and curl up in the bed... A few hours should do the trick...

“It's past noon! Look at him!” Who's there?

“Well, the place is spotless, though.” Mom?

“Makes you wonder what the hell did he do.” Dad? What a weird dream...

“We're back.” A kiss. Huh! My eyes snap open and my body sits up in the bed.

“HUUUUH!!” I stare at my parents. “You guys... Why are you here?”

“Oh? What a strange thing to ask. We do live here, you know.” Dad gives me a look.

“Disappointed?” Mom adds to Dad's look.

“What! No! I mean! You're early...” I get up. What time is it? How long have I been out?

“Early for you, maybe.”

“We rushed home, we have a lot of work to do.” Mom says. Huh?

“Come on, we need to get started. You won't believe the requests this year!” Dad shouts from the workshop. I shake my head. This is bad...

“Hungry?” Mom asks from the kitchen.

“Ah, yeah, sure!” I answer... Now what will I do? I get dressed and go see Dad. A bunch of weird-ish things lay on his worktop.

“What is all this?”

“Women.” He says. “Each one asked to remake their favorite hair accessories or other items. They even gave us the descriptions and the gems to work with.” I take a piece of paper next to two hair pins. Twist the two together. Add a gem flower at the top, colors for the flower...

“You have to be kidding me...”

Dad laughs. “Blame your clever mother for it. It was her idea.”

“Mo-oom!!”

“Hey, I said it as a joke! I did not know they would eat it up like candy!” She yells to us.

“What did she say, exactly?” I look over some of the other "requests"...

“Custom orders on the go. Bring your items and requests. Have them delivered back in two months.”

“Mom!” I stare at her as she brings in two cups.

“Hey, competition this year was rough…”

“Most of these are a waste of time!” I pout.

“Well lucky you that we have all of these.” Dad set a box down.

“You can't be serious...”

“What? It's a good way to save money and sell the left overs. We'll be able to get some good gems after this.” Dad tells me as I stare at my "practice"... All of the little things I did while honing my skills...

“This is also a good opportunity to expand.” Mom adds.

“Expand to what? There's only three of us?” I pout more.

“We can always hire someone.” Dad says.

“Oh no! You'll just be ripping me off!” I drink the tea and get to work. The faster we do this, the faster I can get back to Era...

“Hey girl, sorry it took me so long. My parents came back early and we have a ton of work to do.” Wykren's voice reaches me from the darkness. A stinging feeling runs through me again...

“You're breathing easier now... Hope that means you're getting better...” I feel his light touches on my fur...

“Listen, I might not be able to come see you for a little while. I hope I am wrong but... I'm sorry... If anything I'll come around at night, ok?” It's dangerous here at night...

“Don't worry. I'll make sure to fix this... I'm not leaving you...” He whispers and leaves...