Kao got better.

     After the following night, the villager returned on time this time. I could see the new determination. He was doing this for more than simple responsibility, but for my well-being. That part was clear. And for someone who had previously lived the life of a jobless, goalless villager, he sure has a lot of new things thrust onto his plate.

     On top of the chores and taking care of me, he also had wood to collect and stone to mine. He had essentially taken my place in five days time. I acted as his mentor for the most part, there to give him advice and help however else I could.

     Though it was clear how physically and mentally taxing all of this was, Kao got better.

-----

     Thunder growled overhead. Sheets of rain spilled from the darkened sky. It was dusk. Kao would be returning with dinner soon. I sat in the doorway, stroking Butter's feathers with my still gloved hand. The little rooster sat happily, eyes closed and head steadily approaching the grassy floor. Stamps sat by the dying fire inside. Only Pewd and Patthew remained outside. Both of them grazed under the trees' provided canopies, sopping wet. I leaned my head against the door frame and slowly rested my eyes.

     "Bu-bock!" Butter slipped from under my hand, yanking me back into the land of the awake. My eyes flashed open, scanning the forest for whatever my rooster had barked at. And then, I saw it. A dark, catlike shadow scurried through the treeline. I squinted at the shadows, realizing it was not a cat, but a fox.

     "AY!" I yelled, waving my arms so it could easily see me. That thing was headed straight for my chickens! "GET AWAY!" The creature froze, gaze shooting an unblinking stare my way. I grasped tightly onto the door and started to pull myself upright. My legs stung. I didn't care. The fox hurried its pace. Butter screamed for the hens to run. And just like that, the chase was on. I stumbled inside and grabbed my cane in my elbow, in the process of biting off the bandages that entrapped my left hand. The whole while I heard a flurry of frantic clucking behind me.

     Right as I stepped outside again, I in horror saw the fox had a hold of Patthew's leg. That's when Butter had it. He bolted out into the rain after the two of them. I followed almost as quickly, still ripping away at the bandages with my teeth. The fox retreated into the forest with the still struggling Patthew in tow. As I entered the forest, the bandages at last fell off my left hand, and despite the pain I grasped firmly the cane using it.

     It was hard to walk in this state, much less run in this state! Luckily, I had fortified my bandaged feet with planks of wood so that my weak ankles weren't as much of a problem.

     I followed Butter and Butter followed the fox. Occasional patches of rain would hit me through gaps in the thick forest leaves. I lost sight of Butter and resorted to frantically spinning around for sight of him again.

BA-BAaAAaA!

     I followed the noises of fighting. The thunder rumbled overhead as if it knew what a terrible position I was in. I hastily shoved past trees and through bushes, at last to find the birds and fox. Patthew had been dropped and was now with a terrible limp tried to scramble away. Butter stayed behind, fighting off the fox. His large claws sprung for the fox's face. Again and again, he couldn't stop or risk getting killed himself. He gave the red dog no chance to fight back. Instead the carnivore had to stay on the defensive, or risk losing one of its eyes. I was...quite impressed actually. But right as I approached, the fox dodged Butter's latest attack and lunged forward.

     "NOOO!" I leapt in with my cane and whacked the fox off of Butter. I kept shouting. "GET- GET OFF!" The fox fell onto its side at last and scurried away with a limp. I puffed and panted as slowly my anger subsided. Looking down at Butter, I saw blood all over his face and torso. He painted frantically, beak open and gasping for air. I hummed a pained sound, dropping my cane to the ground.

     Using my freed hand, I untied the bandages from my other hand so both were free. Crouching down, I propped up Butter's head delicately and checked that he was alright. To my delight, nothing looked fatal. The worst injury was his missing left eye. Tears sprouted in my eyes from both relief and sorrow. He has several other puncture points, so it would be good to tend to his wounds as quickly as possible. I carefully lifted the bird to my chest and rested his little head on my shoulders. My hands no longer bandaged, I stroked my fingers through his feathers tenderly and whispered, "You're such a good boy..." I then stood up and searched for Patthew. Butter's breathing settled. Feeling safe, he allowed himself to get some necessary sleep. After a couple minutes, I found Patthew hiding in a bush. I clicked my tongue, signaling that it was me. The big black hen limped out from the bush towards me, and I picked her up too and held her under one arm. The hen was much more aware, head twitching every which way to get a good look at every little shadow, as if it might attack her.

     I walked slowly without my cane and a chicken held in each arm. At the very least, I could be grateful neither of my little birds were taken away from me.

-----

     It is hard to bandage a feathery creature. I ended up using some water, salt, and wheat to form a paste that would glue tight the little rooster's biggest cuts. I did the same for Patthew's leg and bandaged it up. Hers was by far the easiest to take care of. As for the rooster's missing eye, I pressed some wool to that side of his head and wrapped it to his head with some bandages. As sad as it was for him to be so greatly injured, there was also something cute about a chicken with something on its head. Butter was too wobbly to protest any of the care he was receiving, and Patthew was trying to walk off her injury only a second after it being wrapped.

     I fed the two some pumpkin from the market to help them recover faster and fed the other two separately so they won't get jealous. All-in-all, I was beat when Kao at last returned with our supper.

     After I filled him in on everything, the villager and I sat in silence around the furnace. After so much rain, water started to leak in from the front door, so it has to be stopped up with mud to keep the house from flooding. And because of the way the door opened, this meant the two of us were essentially trapped inside until the rainwater subsided.

     It became eerily silent, the two of us just staring down at our food as we ate. Then, Kao picked up his journal.

     " 'Wish I could have break days.' " I exhaled a singular laugh.

     "Hah! Me too." In all seriousness, though, I could see the toll working for me had had on him. Kao was constantly dirty for some reason, either it be mud or wood chips or coal dust. Every day, the villager collected new scrapes or bruises on his once flawless skin. Callouses formed on his hands, and, after only a week it was really beginning to settle into him too that this wouldn't be temporary either.

     ...

     " 'How long until this ends?' " He asked. A pain to answer, since...

     My head lowered. "...Until I die."

     The villager's eyes widened. Frantically, he wrote, " 'So all of this is for NOTHING?! You're just going to DIE anyways?!' " I could feel the bit of anger emanating off of the paper. My head lowered further, eyes closing... Did he really think this was an easy thing for me to accept..?! The one who had lived so long, triumphed over so many. I fought entire armies of monsters single handedly and yet my death would be slow and pathetic, forced to latch onto this NITWIT for survival!?!

     I growled. "You don't have to stay if you don't want to! I'm not keeping you here. In fact, I can manage fine on my own!" ...What was I even saying..? "...Just take care of the chickens for me. That's...all I ask." I scooted away until my back braced the wall where I continued to sit in still silence. The villager watched me for a moment with those unmoving green eyes of his. "..Wha-t?" I muttered, voice breaking.

     The villager stood up and walked over to me. He slid his back down the same wall mine was against and sat silently beside me. It took a little bit, but eventually the villager pulled out his journal again.

     " 'Truth is, I never cared about how the other villagers saw me. That's why I never got a job. That, and I had no one to teach me a trade. ... I did, however, always feel bad about not having a purpose. Felt I was wasting my life away every day. Hated myself for it.' "

     " 'Now, though... I have a purpose. It might not be glamorous, or even all that fun. But...knowing I get to help you, no matter how long it may be, is reward enough for me.' "

     " 'I'm staying. And I'm going to cure you, too.' " Kao smiled up at me, so genuinely. I met his eyes with a little smile as well. It was nice to know he was getting something out of helping me at least.

     But...

     I remember making the same promise...to an old friend.

     ...But I couldn't keep that promise...

     How then could I expect to do any better?