No Rest for the Worried

"It isn't nighttime just yet." You explain to Jackal. "We can still make it back out of the swamp before nighttime hits. We'll just have to find another place to rest then."

The Typhlosion breathes a sigh of relief to hear you take his side on the matter.

Hex, on the other hand, can only look wounded about the ordeal. "I...assure you, you don't have to put yourselves in danger. Lilly won't-"

"It's alright Hex." You interject, but with a more compassionate look. You didn't want to break things off with the frog on a sour note, especially after he was kind enough to patch you up. "I would spend the night here as you asked, but I'm not going to **** Jackal to do the same if he doesn't want to. But I don't want him going out there by himself either, so I'll stick with him and assure we make it out of the swamp by tonight."

Jackal grunts, "Hey, why am I the bad guy here?" He was, partially. Then again, you couldn't blame him for his fears. Even a chained up feral was worrisome.

The frog however sees your side of things and simply nods, "...I understand. No hard feelings then." He does his best to give you a smile to stifle his pain, "I trust you'll rest your leg the moment you get out of the bog?"

"There's a lake we went by beforehand that we might be able to relax at." You assure him.

Jackal's ears twitch and his pores nearly sputter out some embers in reaction. He grunts, "You mean we're going back to the quacking bastard that tried to blow me up?"

"He said he was sorry." You mention right back with a smirking shrug. Jackal didn't like the answer. Unfortunately for him, he didn't give you both many options due to his stubbornness however. "It's him, or the ferals out here. I know who I'll take my chances on. Gold must have a home somewhere nearby. If we can convince him to let us rest there for the time being to make up for what he did, then we'll be clear and better to take off the next morning. It isn't like we'll be staying long, Jack."

Jackal snarls to be called that, but his anger was too focused on the fact he'll have to 'play nice' with Gold. "...Can't believe we have to rely on that stupid duck."

Hex however perks up and mutters, "A duck? Ah, you mean the Golduck? I'm quite familiar with him~" Hex seems to reflect back on his encounter with him. "Such a short temper, always bothered by men, but very easy to tease~"

Jackal huffs and crosses his arms up at his chest. "Yeah, he's an asshole."

"To be fair." Hex croaks, "You two are more similar than you'd probably like to admit~"

The Typhlosion didn't like that accusation one bit, even if it was true.

To ensure another argument doesn't break out, you offer to Hex, "Would you be able to make sure we know what direction we'll be going in when we leave? You mentioned that friend of yours. Jackal and I would like to make sure we get there as soon as possible tomorrow, even though I'd want you to be there too. I don't mind waiting for you to catch up to us if you're confident about traveling alone."

Hex simply sighs and nods his head, straightening himself up before heading over to a wooden chest. "Do not fret about me. I have kept myself alive thus far by not overestimating myself." He licks his thumb and proceeds to file through some parchment papers, filing through them before discarding one out.

The frog takes his seat at the table once more and rolls the paper out, revealing it to be an ink-drawn map of the swamp and local areas. Hex explains, "If you're certain about this, then here. I drew this map in my time here at the bog. You'll want to head southwest of where we are here." He fingers at a hut symbol he drew for him home, tracing it over to where he drew the lake both you and Jackal had been to. "After you hopefully rest your leg there for the night, travel in this direction until you reach a vast prairie. Luckily there's a forest trail there for you to take, so try not to stray too far from the road. You can find your way back however since there's this local river along the way. Make sure you're facing it downstream."

This was more than helpful. You had complete directions of where to go to now. It felt as though you really were starting to make a difference, and that you'll be able to get something out of this quest to cease the infection. You nod your head and even give a polite bow to the Toxicroak. "This...this is really useful Hex. Thank you for trusting us. We're in your debt."

Jackal goes along with it and adds, "Yeah, sorry about not stickin' around. But you helped us, Lace here especially. We owe ya one."

The frog appeared to be greatly flattered and he waves his hand. "Oh it's quite alright you two, honestly. I was happy to have the company over, even if it was brief. I haven't met two genuine heroes in awhile~"

Jackal enjoyed the sound of that, getting his face to smirk confidently some by having his ego stroked in such a way. You, however, wanted to ensure Hex was going to be alright. "I'm sorry we're leaving you alone to what you need to do."

"It's something I have to do alone, Lace." Hex mutters, knowing you were talking about Lilly. "Don't be sorry. We'll work together to ensure Lilly is cured." He gives a more somewhat optimistic smile to you in response before he rises back up to a stand. "But no use dwelling on that matter. You're losing the last of your daylight outside, and I won't have you running around blindly for any of those beasties to get their hands on you."

With that, he approaches you and hugs his arms around your back, pulling you into a friendly hug to wish you good luck. "You are such an empathetic person Lace. Never lose that hope and concern for others, and they won't lose hope in you~" He croaks happily which repeatedly pushes the orange throat sac against your face each time he inhales. He truly was grateful to you.

You smirk and pat him on the back to return the hug, feeling somewhat mutual about the exchange. "Just make sure you catch-up to us then."

Hex chuckles and nods, slipping himself from you. "Of course. This is a 'see you later' and not a 'goodbye' after all~"

Jackal can't help but lean in on the exchange and mutter, "Is...it okay if we borrow this map? Just in case, I mean."

"Help yourself~" The Toxicroak happily gives it up. He looks around his home and soaks in a final good look at it, knowing he'll miss it. "I might be needing it anymore if I am to leave."

"Whatever you decide," You state to him in return, "It'll be the right decision. Do what's best for you and Lilly."

"Of course." Hex mentions as he rolls up the map on the table it offers it to you and Jackal. You take the map and place it into your traveling satchel, along with some more of that root medicine Hex begins to hand to you afterward. "Oh, and let me make sure that leg of yours is wrapped up before you go. Can't have you running through the swamp with it like that."

You look down at your furred leg and presume that it's for the best. You ease yourself back into sitting down and Hex pats a hand at the table, gesturing for you to rest your leg on top of it. You oblige and he goes off to gather some gauze and lotion for you. But as he does so, Jackal takes a squat next to you and mutters, "So...if we go to the lake, and the duck starts to be a problem again, what'll we do?"

"You mean if he tries to kill us?" You mutter. You didn't like to think about it, but Jackal was right. You needed a back-up plan. "We defeat him again. He's all out of tricks now probably, especially since he can't get the drop on us like he did before."

The Typhlosion's stomach rumbles as he gets to the real point he wanted to get to. "...So like, think it's okay if I, you know..." Jackal was the type who didn't mind eating folks who weren't infected. He tried to eat you when you first met him after all. You sigh. While it felt wrong to do so, you were potentially endangering Jackal with this plan despite your trust in Gold up to this point.

You just nod your head and answer, "Fine. You can. But let's have that be the last resort, okay? I don't want us devouring whoever we want, then we're just as bad as the infected." It was worrisome. Ever since your first time eating something alive, it's been on your mind, hidden deep in the back from how it felt, like it was always there. The thought of consuming. Indulging. Accepting pleasure. You shake the mood off and Hex returns.

"Just relax and I shall be done soon." Hex muses when sitting by the table and squirting some lotion into his hands. From there, he massages your leg in a rather comforting fashion. The backside of it is cupped into one hand while his palm gently cascades up and down the front of it, helping to clean the black fur and soothes the aching a good bit.

You couldn't help but bring up, "I'm probably a good bit older than what your usual patients were." Hex was a pediatrician from what he said before. It got him to chuckle aloud still, making it a success to your ears.

"I don't mind that. It feels good to take care of others again." Hex mentions as he slowly thumbs the side of your leg in an idle fashion, no longer making it about just lotioning your injury. "It would be nice to go back to that kind of life, when you're successful."

"You think I have a chance to cure the infection then?" You ask. While it was true that all of you should stay determined, it was nice to hear genuine confidence.

Hex croaks happily and looks at you in a way where he poured out his trust so openly. "Indeed. Not just a chance. I have a feeling you're going to go farther through this than you think you do. Lilly's going to be okay because of you and your friend's deeds. I can just...feel it~" For Hex, it made saying goodbye to Lilly a bit easier now.

With that, he begins to wrap your leg up with soft gauze. Jackal wanted to pitch in to the conversation so he wasn't just an observer to everything, let alone an instigator or arguments. "So uh...what's this pal of yours like? Just so we know who we're dealing with if we make it to him first."

"Draxius?" Hex asks, "He's a Drowzee that lives with his brother out in the prairie I mentioned. At least, he was there when I last spoke with him. He was a doctor similar to I, but in a more mentally therapeutic way. He has a good understanding of people, and he helped teach me to handle my patients with better knowledge of how their emotions and minds work."

"Don't think I've ever seen a Drowzee before..." Jackal mutters.

Hex muses, "You'll know one when you see one." With that, he finishes wrapping your leg up and leans down. He kisses the top of your hindpaw and smirks at you. "You're ready for your adventure now~"

"Thank you Hex." You tell him your appreciation, even if the smooch to your paw got it to wince and shift your leg back in a tickled reflex. You rise up to a stand, with Hex doing the same. Reaching a hand, you go to shake him as a final kind gesture. "We'll meet up with you later then. I'll make sure the oaf here by me walks slow enough for you to catch-up~"

Jackal grunts at being used as a joke, but Hex simply binds you up in another hug, lifting a leg up behind him. "Oh do not feel the need, Lace! I will be right behind you. I'm travelling far more lightly, after all~" The frog teases Jackal about his weight before he cups your head. He kisses each of your cheeks before giving you a big happy smile in front of your face. "Good luck out there. Stay safe you two~"

Hex even slips his arms away from you to give a similar hug to Jackal, catching him off guard, but he pats one hand on the frog's shoulder.

It was good that you could meet someone like this. After such a rude encounter earlier today, having befriended another optimistic person motivated you for what was to come...