A New Bond

The tranquil morning sunlight filtered through the forest canopy, casting a soft, golden hue over the humble mushroom shack that Wilburg called home. Midori lay on a makeshift bed, her head and leg bandaged, unconscious but breathing steadily. Wilburg had done his best to provide care for her, even if it meant removing her pants to tend to her wounds.

The Salamander, a voice of reason in the young boy's mind, commented, "Don't be a weirdo about it, Will. She's in dire need of help, and you're doing your best to provide it. Now, let's find a way to heal her wounds."

With Midori's wellbeing at the forefront of his thoughts, Wilburg began frantically rummaging through her bags and his own belongings in search of healing herbs. He knew that the Forest was a treasure trove of medicinal plants, but he had none in his stash.

His heart sank, but then his fingers brushed against a small, green glass bottle filled with what appeared to be expired fairy water. It stunk horribly, and its contents had clearly gone bad. However, in this desperate situation, it was the only option.

Hoping that it might still offer some restorative properties, Will opened her mouth and carefully poured the fairy water into it. The sensation of touching another human being for the first time in years was a strange one, and he couldn't help but get lost in his thoughts about her soft skin. He then shook himself from his reverie and realized that he needed to make her drink the water.

As the liquid trickled down her throat, he felt a sense of unease wash over him. "I guess giving up part of my soul is going to feel like that," he mused.

With his stomach rumbling and his body feeling strangely empty, Wilburg decided to make his way to the kitchen. However, he didn't get far. As he took a few steps, he suddenly fell to the ground, losing consciousness due to the toll that playing the violin and giving up a part of his soul had taken on him.

Midori stirred from her slumber and found herself embarrassed by her nearly bare state, dressed only in her undergarments. She couldn't recall how she had ended up in this unfamiliar place, but her wounds were miraculously gone. A small empty bottle lay on the ground beside her, hinting at what had transpired.

As she called out, "Boy, where are you? Is this your home?" she stood up, walked into the kitchen, and nearly stumbled over Wilburg's passed-out body.

 After a little while, Will sprang up from his bed, his hair tousled, looking disheveled but alert. He caught the scent of something delicious wafting from the kitchen, a mixture of eggs and wolf meat.

Will greeted her with a smile, "I'm glad you're feeling better. I still don't know your name, foreign girl."

She replied, "Midori. Midori Mūnchairudo. And what about you?"

Wilburg introduced himself, saying, "Wilburg Nessel, but you can just call me Will. I'm not too fond of my full name."

Midori, with a teasing tone, remarked about his appearance and name, but she also expressed her gratitude for his help.

Will was overwhelmed by the mixture of emotions. He didn't know if he should be happy that he had finally found another human or annoyed at her cheeky comments about his looks.

As Midori announced that breakfast was nearly done, revealing a somewhat unusual combination of eggs and wolf liver, Will chuckled to himself, thinking it must be normal for people from the outside. They sat down together, sharing a meal, and in those moments, they began to forge a unique bond, a connection.