TW: Descriptions of Burns, blood

Sigils was completely surrounded by water. He watched his blood stain the water and his fur peel of. His skin bubbled and boiled and he screamed. Bubbles surrounded his snout as water entered his lungs and burned him from the inside. He tried to fight for the surface but he couldn't move, the pain was that bad.

His eyes flew open and he let out a strangled cry.

Sigils laid in the bed trying to figure out his surroundings. His left eye was covered. The pain from before was numbed to an uncomfortable tingling.

He slowly sat up and threw his legs over the side of the bed. He wrapped his wings comfortingly around himself as he scanned the room.

He was on a cot in Henwy's main room of the castle. There were chests in the corner and bloodied bandages littering the ground.

He flicked his ear, noticing the gauze on it, and carefully rose to his feet. Pain from the burns on his legs flared and he stumbled. A strong arm grabbed him and steadied him. He glanced up to see Rafessor.

"Take it easy, alright?" Rafessor murmured quietly. Sigils nodded.

Sigils' throat felt sore, so he gently brushed the burn nearest his vocal cords and winced.

"Careful, don't hurt yourself more," Rafessor ordered soothingly. He crossed quickly to the chests and rummaged through them for a glass jar half filled with burn ointment and bandages.

Rafessor approached Sigils again and gently told him to sit back on the cot. Sigils did so and stretched his neck so Rafessor could rub the ointment into his throat wound. Sigils flinched back the first few times before the pain faded and cooled from the ointment.

"Try speaking," Rafessor murmured, wrapping his burn with cotton bandages and then feeling along the sides of his neck. "Say, 'I am Sigils'."

"I...am...S-siiigilsss," Sigils croaked, his throat sore and burning.

"Alright, rest your voice for a little while," Rafessor instructed, "We will do  speaking exercises at the end of the day to try and strengthen your voice. Most of this is from Biffle choking you."

Sigils flinched and swallowed. It hurt, but he would be fine.

Sigils pushed himself onto the cot and leaned against the wall and pulled his legs close to his chest. He rested his chin on his knees and closed his eyes.

"H...Hen?" Sigils pulled his head up and turned to Rafessor.

"He's fine," Rafessor gestured to Henwy who was curled up on the cot beside Sigils' cot. He trembled but otherwise stayed still.

"Others?" Sigils whispered, every word hurt.

"Shhh," Rafessor ordered, "They are fine. Jerome is outside, and Frost and Flo are in the other room, sleeping."

Rafessor waved towards the door behind him. Sigils nodded.

"Is there anything I can get you? Food? Water? Maybe something to read?" Rafessor asked.

Sigils pushed past him to stand and stumbled towards one of the chests. There was a nook in the wall behind it. Sigils reached his claws into it and pried out a small journal.

Henwy had given him the journal and Sigils, his enderman traits kicking in, had hid it here.

Rafessor watched him carefully as he returned to his cot with a pencil.

He drew until Henwy woke. When the avian did, Sigils turned to him. The two stared at each other for a while before Sigils spoke.

"Well you look like crap."

"You look worse," Henwy grumbled and got to his feet, "Where's Jerome?"

"I dunno," Sigils shrugged and continued sketching.

"He went outside a little while ago. I think he went to his house, I'm not sure," Rafessor added.

"I'm going to go look for him," Henwy started for the balcony and began to unfold his wings.

"No, you are not going anywhere after what happened to you, mister," Rafessor pulled the avian away. Henwy stared at him for a long while.

"I doubt you could fly with what Biffle did to your wing. Might not fly until tomorrow if you drink healing potions," Sigils interfered, trying to minimize his words.

Henwy's anger diffused, and he strolled over to a chest and pulled out a potion. He drank it and set the empty bottle on a nearby table.

"Alright, happy now?" Henwy asked, directing the question to Sigils. Sigils responded with a thumbs up.

"Raf, you go look for Jerome before Henwy tears his house apart," Sigils offered, shooting a small glance at Henwy.

"It's true," Henwy agreed, "I will rip open every wall if I can't find him."

Rafessor grumbled before agreeing and flying away.

"Mission accomplished," Sigils smiled.

"Not really a mission, more of an agreed objective," Henwy replied and started to the room the other two admins were in.

"God, my throat is killing me," Sigils muttered, carefully rubbing the spot near his burn.

"Biffle really did some damage, huh?" Henwy asked.

"Mhm," Sigils groaned, "Probably shouldn't be talking as much as I have."

"Alright then, get some rest. I'm going to check on the admins. If you need anything, I'll be here," Henwy instructed.

"I'm good, man, I'm good," Sigils waved him off, "Now go make sure the others are looking more alive than I am."

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Word Count: 870

A/N: This may be the last wholesome chapter you get for a while, if one at all :3