Good boy

"Not really" Mikael responded. He waited for a immediate effect, but it did showed not now.

"There is a slight warm feeling in my stomach, maybe that could have something to do with it."

"Well, maybe we hoped a bit too much for a miraculous effect right away."

"Not to forget the plant was unprocessed." Diana added.

Mikael got up, brushing away the dirt he accumulated by rolling down the slope.

'Wait...' He felt something other than the warmth. No relocating or mending bones, but after taking a deep breath, he felt not the usual pain.

He took some more, and after getting dizzy, he blurted out:" I can breathe normally again!"

The joy of his hindrance other than the arm gone delighted him, not being that much of a burden on their way to the village.

"Good, can we pull up the tempo then? Without looking for the flower and you more fit we should at least manage to arrive not too long into the night." Robert nagged.

They went up the slope, it now not affording as much effort of Mikael as before.

"But finding the Miracle Flower like this, really. No matter your bad luck, that was some good fortune."

"Guess so, could have been better two days ago." he answered, pressing the somewhat good mood that arose.

"Can't do anything 'bout that now, can we? Let's hurry, or your luck runs out." Robert replied snapping.

He knew, but still. 'My whole world I grew up with is gone now, and I can't be in a bad mood. Guess I'm sorry.'

He didn't voiced, as he also knew of his incredible fortune, as well as their generosity and care.

With his chest pain gone, he could traverse the terrain better and faster, hopping over branches and avoiding obstacles, without a break for hours or slowing himself down.

The night came, and it only got darker by the hours. The forest in their process got clearer, making space between trees and letting through the moonlight.

It's light lit up the ground and surrounding enough for their needs.

Something that puzzled Mikael tho were the sounds Robert and Diana produced every so often.

First he connected them with nothing, making him afraid and seeking the company of them, but after witnessing Robert making another one cleared his question of the source.

With them making it so consistent, Mikael curiosity rose, until he finally asked:" Hey, why are you doing this?"

"What?" Robert asked back confused, and Mikael just made a similar sound like him. "That."

"Oh, sorry, for us it's normal."

"Remember how i said the Goblins back then made noises others wouldn't make? Well, we were taught, as many others, common animals mostly attack people after being surprised by them. So by doing these, they hear us from afar. Also as we are in the vicinity of the village, we inform possible hunter or others of us, so they don't shoot like we did."

"Noted, that is very helpful to know." Mikael replied honestly.

'I wouldn't want an arrow in my skull for stupid reasons.'

"But be careful. Monsters or aggressive creatures get attracted, and in unfamiliar environments it can alert your foes." Robert warned. As they got closer to their goal, his mood improved nearly visibly.

"But for now we are fairly safe." He slowed down, walking only fast paced towards the exit that began to show between the thick tree stumps.

First, Robert, followed by Mikael and Diana. When exiting, in the distance the flickering of oil lamps and carried torches was seen.

"Over there is our village. Doesn't really has a name, we just call it as it is."

As they passed past a simple wall, only guarded by a single person, he noticed it.

Village is a relative word for this settlement. It was even quite a bit bigger than Mikaels original home, and the general condition also left him wondering.

'The houses seem so clean, and the ground is even, with barely anything laying around.'

When walking, Robert and Diana hushed through fast, nearly losing him on a simple secondary road.

They were quiet, and the way was lit up by some cheap candles made of simple strings soaked in pig fat. The light emitted was not much, enough only to make out the way as the buildings blocked some of the moonlight.

He glanced left and right, but all the few persons he saw either walked away vey hurriedly or just stepped inside their homes. All along the village really showed the late time of the day.

He walked without noticing Robert already stopped, holding him on his collar.

"And where are 'bout to wander off to? We arrived."

He opened the door, a simple, wooden door made with a single knocker on front. "Careful of the step..." he wanted to warn, but as Mikael followed right after, he oversaw the little step in the frame, losing his balance. Only the helping hand of Diana that quickly caught him from behind saved him from landing, again, in the dirt.

"You really are a clumsy fellow." and brushed past him. Closing the door, the inside was lit up by a clay candle, fueled by some kind of oil to burn longer. Robert removed his backpack, tacking also Dianas and walked over to chest on the ground, where he stored some things out of it.

Next to it he laid down some miscellaneous things, like tableware, flasks, equipment for any occasions and small tools.

"What are you doing?" Mikael asked curiously. He was quite tired, worn out by the day of continuous travel and other happenings. But he still was in a foreign environment, all new and different.

Robert didn't look up, just sighed as if the question was the most annoying thing since the dawn of time.

"I store the game we got the past few days, albeit it isn't much. So the deer hide from one of our catches and the proofs of our Monster hunt."

He lazily pointed with his thumb at the things next to him, his left busy rummaging through the second backpack, taking out more stuff.

"This I will control, wash, repair or throw away. Keep your stuff neat and orderly, and it won't fail you. Remember that."

"For example," Diana took over, handing both of them a dry piece of bread and some cheese," Take that kit here. a simple box we keep thread, needle and smaller pins. We can use it to fix on the run little clothes, make easy traps, or do delicate work. We have to inspect it every so often tho."

"Why? Isn't the box enough?" Mikael asked oblivious, but quickly remembered a small detail.

Munching on the cheese, he forgot of the characteristics of the metal or thread.

Before he could correct himself, Diana began:" Well, many things can happen. A broken box, after all its a bit of wood and cheap metal. The thread inside might get wet and loose its durability. The pins could get rusty and the bone needle might break from too much tremors. So Robert is right; Keep your things okay, as it may decide your fate."

She took his hand, leading him to a quickly made and rough looking bed, one that could very likely be just the bottom of a cupboard.

"Isn't that a cupboard?" he asked.

"Oho! Complaining are we?" Came it from Roberts side, ready to throw a sarcastic remark.

"Would you prefer to sleep outside, or take my bed, and I just sleep on the ground like a dog."

His biting tone made Mikael feel bad, like a ungrateful child.

A crisp sound of something soft hitting head echoed in the little room, and Diana said:" Come on, don't be so toxic. It wasn't meant like that. You surely are a nasty little nagger when tired."

The last part was spoken more refrained, but still audible from Mikaels perspective.

"No, I am very thankful." Mikael said, not knowing how to express himself better to show it.

"You did so much, helped me in so many ways, and even shared your home. How could I ever repay you for this generosity?" he stammered, trying to find the right words.

"Don't worry. We will likely find something for you, but until then you are as free as any of us. But when there is anything for you, I hope you keep word." She said.

"Now get inside that cupboard and get rest. Ignore his rumpling, he won't sleep for at least another hour."

"Can't I help him?" Mikael asked. Looking over the stuff and cleaning it should be doable for him, alleviating his guilt.

"Earth no! I want to make sure all of this is done by me, little or big." he said sternly, together with a circling motion of his right arm over the equipment.

"Just sleep, and tomorrow we will see, got it?"

"Heard him, Robert's a little control freak, but in a good way. See you." She said, leaving Robert and Mikael alone, one doing small chores, wiping clean a small knife, emptying a small container etc.

The other made himself comfortable in a fetus position, covering himself with a thin blanket.

He laid there for a while, listening to the grumbling of Robert and occasional noises that he produced.

But his body wanted rest, and soon he slept quite deep, not hearing the swear Robert escaped when he stung himself with a pin.

He was woken up, not by Robert, nor Diana, but a wet tongue rolling across his face, startling him when his eyes opened, revealing a waist high dog with dark brown and black, short fur.

"By the Mother of..." he said, moving quickly away from this, of his position, monstrosity of a animal.

"Bronto, come back, boy, don't eat that little guy." He heard the female voice he grew accustomed to over the past days.

"Bronto? Why the hell are they calling a bear Bronto?" It escaped him, his sleepiness still seeped in his bones.

"This Bear is my pet, you little rascal, and only a little big for a dog." Diana said, lovingly petting the head of that good boy which waggling tail made dust flying around everywhere.

"For the last time, Diana, Bronto is more of a malformed Cerberus than a Dog. Anyway, we should go."

"To where?"

"The guild branch, to exchange the game with money. Didn't you have one back in your village?"

Mikael shook his head, and another sigh escaped Roberts mouth again.

"Then follow and see for yourself."