All is Fair in War and Dragon Scales (UNREVISED)

The Champion and his Apprentice Pt. 3

"Cailin..?"

Cailin's eyes open groggily, seeing the beautiful face of his friend that looks down at him in confusion and worry.

"Are you okay? Why aren't you getting up? I've called your name so many times..."

Cailin blinks, trying to get the blurriness out of his eyes but it's not clearing. His head pounds and Finley's voice sounds as though it's underwater, fading in and out.

Cailin groans, simply turning away and trying to find some place cold for his body is so hot.

"Cay...? You're worrying me..." He hears Finley mumble, and the older boy groans again, bringing his knees to his chest.

"I don't feel good..." He mumbles, and Finley swallows.

"Do you feel sick?"

"I don't know..."

Finley takes notice to how he's shivering and places a hand on the older boys forehead. "You're hot... hold on, i'm going to get King. You may have a fever..."

Finley slowly gets off the bed, trying not to panic too much.

Cailin, even in his childhood, has never gotten a fever. It was always Finley whose had the health issues, Cailin always glowed with health.

He's never had any problems, so why would he be having problems now?

Finley opens the door to look out into the living area, all the furniture placed back into it's regular places and King sitting at his desk.

The adult notices the presence staring at him and turns to look up at Finley, shocked. "You're up early. It's the weekend, what's the matter?"

"I think Cailin has a fever..."

King straightens, and Finley bites his lip as he watches the mage get up and head to the kitchen, the blonde following.

"And I know fevers aren't the worst, but Cailin's never had anything like one. He's always been healthy."

King grins as he searches through the cupboards to find a thermometer, chuckling. "Well sense he's now manifested, he will be getting them a lot more."

Finley's now even more worried. "Oh... um... why?"

King turns around, shaking the thermometer in his hands. "Well his alter is similar to light. Yours is darkness, and Cailin's is the complete opposite. His alter sometimes will have trouble keeping Cailin's body from overheating. The fevers are just him having trouble regulating his body temperature. It's important to help him keep it down..."

Finley follows the schoolmaster back into his room where Cailin lays shivering violently, sweat running down his face and the covers tossed away from him.

Finley doesn't like seeing his friend like this, standing umcomfortably as King places the thermometer under Cailin's tongue, the blonde fidgeting and wanting to help.

"Can I... Help?"

The mage chuckles again, nodding. "Just get some cold towels..." He takes the thermometer out, looking at it with a nod. "He'll need an ice bath soon."

This has Finley stopping to turn back around. "An ice bath?! Won't that be uncomfortable for him?"

"Not at all. He'll love it."

Finley grumbles, having to listen and trust the mage as he goes into the bathroom and turns the water the coldest it can get, submerging the towels and ringing them out before walking back into the bedroom.

They place towels on his forehead and his neck, Cailin sighing in delight and calming down just a little, eyes still closed.

"Let's prepare the bath, now while he's still awake."