𝕻𝖊𝖙𝖙𝖔𝖜𝖓

B1 - Chapter 7

To Crest Island

Buddy's POV:

The first day on the ocean passes. I don't unnecessarily interact with Tiger, so the boat is quiet. When I need rest I let him steer the boat, though I definitely didn't trust him at all, I know he won't try anything while I'm asleep. It's early in the morning when I wake up well rested and ready to steer the boat again.

He obediently leaves it to me and lies down, curling up to take a nap. As fit as he is I didn't think just steering a boat would tire him out. As he continues to sleep I observe him. He suddenly starts scratching and pulling at the scars on his chest. I really hate him, but if he keeps scratching and pulling on himself like that he'll draw blood for sure.

So each time he starts scratching I'll dip a rag in a pot of warm water that I heated up on a mini heating pad that ran on solar energy. Then I'd rub the warm rag over his scars, it kept him from scratching as much. He slept for a while, but it's not like it was perfect slumber with all the scratching.

A short while later his scratching gets aggressive, and he starts gripping his claws into his own skin. I have to wake him up, he's seriously gonna hurt himself if I don't. Once I have him awake I figure the scratching will stop for at least a moment, but the situation escalates.

Growling in pain, and continuously gripping, and scratching at the scars. If the pain were on his arm or something he'd probably bite it off. I try calming him down, but I get too irritated to try and be soft with him. I pin him down and tie his paws to a heavy crate to keep him from scratching. I then grab the pot of warm water and pour it slowly out onto his chest and he exhales in relief.

He's better for the moment, but I still won't untie him. I need to make sure he doesn't hurt himself while I go back to steer the boat. Before I continue steering, I fill the pot with water again and put it back on the heating pad for the next time he feels the urge to scratch. He obediently stays there knowing it's best for him. Honestly he reminds me of a kitten.

I have to repeat the action of relieving his pain about thirty times before I see Crest Island in sight. Is he even gonna be able to do this with the condition he's in?

Once we reach Crest Island's shore I tie the boat to an isolated chipped rock. I go back to the boat, grab the pot of warm water, and pour it on his scars. He isn't scratching again yet but I don't know how long it'll take us to hide the crystal and get safely back.

After filling the pot, and sitting it on the heating pad, I walk over to Tiger who just looks up at me expecting to be untied. I thought about doing the mission myself for a moment, but then immediately abandoned the idea since I knew Tiger had a better chance of doing it without getting injured.

I lean down and untie him from the crate, and he stands up ready to go like he wasn't just in serious pain a while ago.

Buddy- You sure you can do this?

Tiger- Certain.

Buddy- I'll hold onto the crystal till we find a good place to put it.

Tiger- Alright.

Once again he just goes with what I say, but it's not like I want him to do the opposite. I grab some rope just in case he loses his grip on the rocks, and a couple of knives to help me climb.

Buddy- Come here.

Tiger- Hm?

Buddy- I said come here.