Submission (#7475) Approved

“Damn it, how did this happen-?”

“Li Hua!”

“Get the healer!”

“Clear the sofa, he needs to lay down!”

“What do we do?”

“.. Yi-...Yiling…”

The faint voice of his friend made Yiling stop in his tracks. He was frantic, his white fur all bristled and he felt his breath being more shallow than it should be.
This wasn’t right.
This couldn’t be happening.
No way.

With anxious eyes he followed Nico into the living room, who carried a pale Li Hua to the sofa, while Mary darted into the kitchen and Harun was out the door, alerting the local healer that one of their kittoms had fallen ill.

Nico carefully placed Li Hua on the sofa and grabbed a blanket - despite the fever and the usual warmth of Ahza, Li Hua was shivering and panting and Yiling monitored his friend closely.
“What’s wrong with him?”, Yiling asked quietly and Nico growled slightly desperate. “Hang on a second-” The black elnin looked around and was about to get up when Mary returned from the kitchen with a bowl of cold water and towels.

“Here, these will help...” The smaller adult appeared next to his husband and Nico nodded and grabbed a towel, dipping it in cold water. Mary set the bowl next to the sofa on a small side table and looked at Nico, expecting answers.

“Will someone tell me what is going on!? Please-!” Yiling was losing his patience and mind; his heartbeat was loud in his ears and he wanted to help, but he didn’t know what to do.
Why was no one talking to him?

“It’s gonna be okay”, Mary tried to calm Yiling down and gently placed a paw on the kittoms back, gently rubbing up and down, but Yiling shook him off and his eyes narrowed. Mary sighed and allowed Yiling to grab Li Huas paw instead. The kittom softly called for his friend, but Li Hua didn’t react.

“This shouldn’t have happened. I didn’t pay enough attention” Nicos’ voice sounded strained, like the elnin gritted his teeth. “We were visiting a shrine just outside the city, near the dunes and waterfalls in the desert, right next to a giant skeleton…, but I noticed too late that the shrine was corrupted and Yiling got too close and we stayed too long. At first it seemed fine, but halfway home he suddenly got much worse, and then I realized he had Dusk fever. I rushed to get him home, but still…”

“It’s okay. We can treat him, we have everything here and Harun is already on his way to get the healer. You did everything you could. It was an accident.”
Mary knew how much Nico took it to heart when something happened to someone else under his care.

Yiling hissed quietly and looked at the adults.
“But- but— will he be okay again?”

“Of course, don’t worry. It’s gonna take a few days, but eventually he will recover without issues. Actually, you can help us out if you’d like. I’m sure Li Hua knows you’re there for him.”

“I can help?” Yilings ears perked up and Nico nodded softly.

“Yeah, that is a good idea.”

[...]

The sun hung low over the desert horizon, casting a warm, golden glow through the dusty windows of the house. Inside, the heat of the day had subsided but the warmth still lingered in the air and the last rays of sunshine made the floating dust particles sparkle.

Nico was sitting beside a low sofa where Li Hua tossed and turned, slipping in and out of consciousness. His fur was dull and matted with sweat, although Nico tried his best to clean the kittom.
Yiling sat on the floor next to Nico and right next to Li Huas head; his gaze full of worry as he stared at his friend.

“How’s he doing?” Yiling whispered, breaking the silence.

Nico glanced down at Li Hua’s face, soft with fevered sleep. “He’s resting. His fever’s still up, but I think I heard the door not long ago… Harun and the healer must be done talking.” Nico looked up, and his golden eyes met Harun, who appeared in the doorway - and behind him, the local healer elnin, a wise-looking figure with white fur, who was gathering her tools after finishing her work on restoring Li Huas mana. She had a quick conversation in the room next door with Harun and Mary.

“He’ll be alright,” Harun said softly, standing beside the healer, watching as her Pomu put the tools away.
“The fever is strong, but it should be more manageable now. She has helped boost his mana, so he should regain strength again in the next couple of days.”

Yiling’s ears perked up. “Can he have something sweet now? He kept asking for sweets before…”

Nico chuckled quietly and the healer glanced at the kittom, her voice gentle but firm. “In moderation for now. Something light to lift his spirits wouldn’t hurt. Once he is a bit stronger, he can have more.”

As she turned to leave, Nico gently ran his paw over Li Huas forehead, brushing away the damp hair. The fever seemed to go down just a little, but Li Huas eyes remained closed. The young kittom stirred slightly, his lips parting in a sleepy murmur.

“…chocolate…”

Yiling looked at Nico. “He said chocolate! I heard him!”

Nico nodded, standing up slowly. “Alright, let’s make him some chocolate, then. Come help me and Mary in the kitchen. I think Mary is already preparing something…” There was a sweet scent slowly creeping through the house, gently emerging from the kitchen. Yiling had noticed it a while ago and he was wondering where it was coming from. Nicos words encouraged him; and he got up quickly and followed Nico to the spacious kitchen while Harun said goodbye to the healer at the front door, the warm air heavy.
As he waved the healer goodbye, the sun finally set behind the high dunes on the horizon. But the streets of Devara were buzzing; it was as if the city woke up a second time; now completely different. The soft murmur of the countless waterfalls mixed with the voices of elnins heading to the night market nearby.

When Nico and Yiling arrived in the kitchen, Mary was already standing next to the table; his paws were busy mixing ingredients for the sweets.

“Li Hua asked for chocolate, didn’t he?” Mary asked, his tone knowing.

Yiling nodded eagerly. “Can we make chocolate muffins, and maybe chocolate-covered fruit too? He loves both!”

Mary chuckled. “Of course, darling. We’ll make sure he gets a treat when he wakes up.”

Nico moved beside Mary, instinctively grabbing more ingredients. They didn’t need a cookbook, Mary knew the recipes by heart. All things chocolate were his specialty and the smaller dark elnin took lead, like he often did.
This wasn’t their first time working together in a kitchen; they both moved seamlessly around each other. Mary handed Nico cocoa powder, and he set to work mixing the batter for the muffins. Yiling, determined to help, climbed up onto a stool and watched closely.

“What can I do?” The kittom asked.

Mary passed him a small bowl of melted chocolate. “Why don’t you help dip the fruit? We’ll use some strawberries and bananas. Just make sure you don’t eat all of them before we finish, alright? And be careful not to burn yourself.”

Yiling giggled, picking up a strawberry and carefully dipping it into the glossy chocolate that Mary had already melted on the stove top. “I’ll try, but no promises!”

Harun leaned against the kitchen door frame, watching the scene with a soft smile. “It’s good to see everyone working together. Li Hua is going to love this when he wakes up.”

Mary looked up at him and then nodded softly, his paws deftly working to spoon batter into muffin molds. “Nothing like homemade sweets to help a kittom feel better. How’s he doing now, Harun?”

“He’s still asleep, but I think he’s more comfortable,” Harun said, crossing his paws as he watched Yiling concentrating on the fruit, to make sure they didn’t stick together. Mary saw it as well and smiled at the kittom. “You’re doing so good, Yiling. Those look perfect.”

Yiling beamed with pride. “Do you think he’ll like them? I want him to feel better.”

Marys voice softened as he patted Yilings head gently after he put the bowl on the table. “He’s lucky to have a friend like you. You’ve been looking after him so well, and I know he’ll feel better when he wakes up and sees what you’ve made.”

They worked together quietly for the next half hour, the smell of warm chocolate slowly filling the evening air. The muffins puffed up in the oven, golden and rich, and the dipped fruit layed on the counter, setting in the cool air. Yiling placed the last chocolate-covered strawberry carefully onto the plate, admiring their work.

“Can I go check on Li Hua?” Yiling asked, hopping down from the stool.

Nico nodded. “Go ahead. I’ll bring the sweets once they’re ready.”

Yiling rushed off, his paws light against the stone floor. Mary watched him go, then turned back to Nico, his brows furrowed.

“It’s good to see them so close. Yiling has been so worried, but I think this has helped.”

Nico nodded, sliding the muffin tray into the oven. “They’re good for each other. And it’s nice to see Yiling focusing on something positive.”

As they cleaned up, Mary kept quietly talking to Nico, repeating his words from earlier, that it was all just an accident and Nico had done so good now. Every once in a while the distant sound of Yilings voice was heard from the living room as he talked softly to Li Hua. Nico placed the chocolate muffins onto a plate, arranging them neatly beside the chocolate-dipped fruit.

“Ready to bring them out?” Nico asked.

Mary smiled, wiping his paws after he cleaned the dishes.
“Let’s do it. Hopefully, Li Hua is awake by now.”

They carried the treats into the living room, where Yiling sat beside Li Hua, who had begun to stir. His pale face had a bit more color now, though his eyes were still heavy with sleep.

“Li Hua,” Yiling whispered, nudging him gently. “We made you some sweets.”

Li Huas eyes fluttered open slowly, a weak but genuine smile spreading across his face when he saw the plate of chocolate delights. “Chocolate…” he murmured.

Nico set the plate down on the table nearby, smiling softly as the kittom reached for a chocolate-covered strawberry. “Just a little, okay? You’re still recovering.”

Li Hua nodded, nibbling on the fruit as Yiling beamed beside him. Mary sighed softly and nudged against Nico when the younger one wrapped his arms around him.
The worst had passed, and together, they would help Li Hua heal - one chocolate treat at a time.