An adult and an adopted child. The adult a hellkin, the child, half-giant. The child was sick, very much needing medicine they refused to take. Seeing Lilbit, they ask, politely, to pet the cat. And told only if they allow the adults to give them medicine, and rest a lot. -- Anon Guest
Family is whatever it takes to become one. Many frequently take foundlings into their fold. There's many an Adventurer who asks, "Is nobody going to adopt this urchin/orphan/lost child," and don't wait very long for an answer.
In this case, there was a child almost as large as his parental, who happened to be a Hellkin. Wraithvine had found them had been asked and answered on the expected question[1]. Now, the problem was with the treatment.
"I don't wanna," whined Folith. "It's all yuck an' it makes me feel worse."
Solace, his Rennie, sighed. "I know, sweetie. Sometimes we have to have yuck."
"I don't wanna," Folith repeated. "I wanna play. I don't wanna feel bad no more."
Solace leveled a pleading Look to Wraithvine that said, Parenting is hard...
Wraithvine pulled hir secret weapon out of hir hat. Lilbit, drawn from the door that could easily lead to Wraithvine's portable Wizard Tower. Lilbit had evidently been napping somewhere warm and comfortable because she complained at being thrust into the mortal world.
"Kitty," cooed Folith. "Can I pet it please?"
"Her name is Lilbit and she likes to sit quietly somewhere warm," said Wraithvine. "I know you know how to sit quietly and be gentle."
"Okay, I can sit quiet," said Folith, a little sulkily. "I still don't like yuck."
"Nobody likes yuck," agreed Wraithvine. "Let's see what I can do about the medicine to make it a little better than it is."
It wasn't magic, but it might as well have been. A meal with the medicine as a part of it, containing some of Folith's favourite ingredients. It altered the flavour just enough to make it palatable. If not yum, at least not yuck.
Folith fell into a healing sleep with his Rennie and Lilbit purring for him.
[1] "Is this your child?"/"Of course they are, I stole them fair and square."
[Photo by Stacey Doyle on Unsplash]
If you like my stories, please Check out my blog and Follow me. Or share them with your friends! Or visit my hub site to see what else I'm up to.
Send me a prompt [46 remaining prompts!]