How to train your hoglin

Escape

Techno could barely move for days. Phil kept him safe, but was getting worried. The wither knights were getting closer to finding them.
Techno looked up at Phil as he returned.
"Hey fella. We need to get you walking." Phil said, patting Techno's nose.
Techno grunted and shifted.
"We need to get out of here soon. Can you stand up?"
Techno bobbed his head up and down, dragging his front legs forward.
Everything hurt, but Techno pulled himself up and nearly collapsed.
Phil leaned against Techno's side, supporting him.
Techno groaned and put a hoof forwards. His sides ached.
I've been through worse.
Techno walked to the wall, each step sending veins of pain through his body.
He staggered and fell against the warm rock, panting. Phil stroked his ears. "Alright fella, back to the water. There you go."
Techno half walked, half crawled back to the pool of water. He collapsed and dipped his snout in, drinking thirstily.
Phil plopped down beside him. "Well, at least you can walk."
Techno heard the worry, veiled in Philza's voice. He wasn't strong enough. They had to leave soon, and Techno could barely walk.
Phil stood. "I'll look outside again. Stay here."
Techno grunted. As if he had a choice.

Onyx wasn't doing well. They should have left days ago, but the hoglin could barely walk.
Phil crept to the end of the tunnel and looked out. He crouched under warped leaves, his uninjured wing spreading slightly to camouflage him.
Wither knights marched, those with higher ranks and those with the leaner build of scouts riding tall withered horses.
They were examining every corner, and they were almost to Phil and Onyx's sanctuary.
Phil scrambled back, his wing hooking onto the wall, pulling him along as he limped down the tunnel.
"Onyx, I know you aren't ready, but we have to go now."
Phil grabbed the bag he'd packed and slung it over his shoulder. Food, water, and what supplies he'd found in the cave or traded for from the nearby piglins.
Onyx raised its head and looked at him.
"The knights are almost here." Philza explained. "We need to leave."
Onyx huffed and struggled to its feet. Phil walked along the water to the tunnel on the other side, their escape route, and cleared the leaves that covered it.
Their plan was to push a rock into the tunnel and cover it with leaves and vines. It would give them time, but Phil wasn't sure if Onyx could push the rock.
Onyx limped towards the tunnel. Phil walked behind it, and the moment it was in, he covered the entrance with leaves and picked a few rocks around the base, then crept through the blue wall.
Onyx pushed the boulder towards the wall, struggling to move the large stone. Phil added his strength to the Hoglin's, and soon the boulder was in place.
"Ok. We need to go as far as we can. Then we'll reach the Arctic in a few days."
He didn't voice his fear, that Onyx would become a zoglin when leaving the heat of the nether.
Onyx limped along for a long time before they exited the tunnel. The fortress was a dark blot in the distance, and the warped forest was far off.
They moved slowly. Too slowly. But Onyx couldn't go any faster.
Finally, Phil knew there was something he had to do.
He led Onyx to a small cave. "Wait here. I have an idea."
Onyx groaned and collapsed. Phil patted its snout and left the cave, covering it as well as he could.
"I'll be back soon. I just need to find a nether witch."

Techno could barely move, and Phil was leaving to find a nether witch, which was one of the most dangerous creatures in the nether. This could not end well.

Sorry about the late update. Don't worry, angst comes soon.