When Felix entered the room the following morning, Chan was already up and about to get dressed. The wound hadn't healed, not the slightest and Felix sighed as he saw Chan trying to move normally, hissing as he pulled at the stitches. He placed the bowl of water on the bedside table before walking over to Chan.
"Let me help you," he offered and Chan sighed, arms dropping to his side in defeat. Felix leaned down to pick up the undershirt from the floor. He paused, frowning as he stared at the bandage wrapped around Chan's abdomen. "Sit down on the bed, I think I have to check your stitches."
Chan didn't say anything, he mutely obeyed and sat down on the bed. His blond hair was messy, part of it sticking to his sweaty forehead.
"Why do you live out here alone?" Chan asked as Felix unwrapped the bandages. Felix sighed, biting his lip as he eyed the stitches. The skin around the edges were angry red, the skin still not mending as it should have. Felix's gut churned uncomfortably. Chan wasn't going to be able to travel alone; not like this. But he couldn't stay either. "Shouldn't you... shouldn't you be living among your kin?"
"I was born and raised in this kingdom," Felix said, focus still on the wound as he reached for a new bandage. "I suppose I never saw a reason to leave. But... but the humans know I'm not fully human. They will come here first."
"I see," Chan murmured and Felix sighed as he began to wrap a new bandage around Chan's abdomen. "I'll take my leave then."
"You won't be able to travel alone," Felix said, finally looking up from the bandages as he fastened it tightly. Chan frowned, eyes narrowing. "The wound is going to need to be cared of and..." He took a deep breath. "You should not shift until it's healed."
"What?"
"I've helped shifters before, severely injured shifters," Felix murmured. "If you shift, you risk to either rip something when your body changes shape or might get stuck in one shape. Considering you just had your stomach stitched up, you might rip all stitches and trust me... you do not want that."
Chan was quiet for a second. "What do you suggest then?" he asked slowly, brows furrowing. Felix studied Chan's face for a moment, glancing down at the wound before meeting his gaze again.
"I'll travel with you," he said, watching as Chan's eyes widened for a second before he narrowed his eyes.
"Why would you..." He took a deep breath, running a hand through his blond hair. "I do not wish to sound ungrateful, but why would you travel with me?"
Felix bit his lip, pondering the question for a moment. "I guess I want to get out of here," he said, watching as Chan's eyes widened for just a second.
"I see," he said calmly, taking a deep breath but let out a grunt of pain. "I will not say no to help." He paused, yellow eyes eyeing Felix closely. "When do we leave?"
"Tonight," Felix said. He wanted to give Chan as much time as possible to rest before they had to leave. "You should eat a little and then sleep. You're going to need it."
Chan didn't reply, he just nodded and kept his eyes on Felix as Felix left the room.
