In return for Faergi's protection from the cervid who wanted his blood, Victor was expected to earn his keep. So, he was "assigned" to Mollin, both to keep an eye on the newcomer and find a way to make him useful. Seeing as Mollin doesn't eat meat and Faergi, though a carnivore, was more or less self-sufficient in terms of obtaining his meals, neither had much need for a hunter. A domestic assistant, though, would free Mollin up to spend more time on his duties as a shaman's apprentice.

And this arrangement might have born fruit had Victor not immediately discovered that Mollin was the wimpiest pushover that push ever came to shove. It was startlingly easy to... well, startle him into various forms of incoherence.

But the new setup seems fair in Victor's eyes. The poor saber cat's just been through an awful ordeal and needs plenty of rest to overcome his trauma, not to mention a steady supply of Mollin's "special medicine" to take the edge off. Plus those berries Mollin grows which are just to die for. He can't get enough of them! Especially after he's been smoking and, well, he's awake right now, isn't he? Wake and bake, baby.

Victor can't even be bothered to keep his spear and cloak from becoming one with the forest, that's how long he's been lazing about. And why should he care? He's under Faergi's protection! That maniac caribou knows better than to even think about crossing the sacred boundary that surrounds Faergi's grove. He'll get what's coming to him if he tries!

Victor will worry about "the effects of excessive bedrest" and "permanently diminished lung capacity" and "wearing out his welcome by being an annoying useless oaf" later. It's not like Faergi expects him to go out there and face his fears—say, upon the expiration of some mutually agreed upon truce with the caribou after which the latter won't hold back, sacred boundaries or no.

If that were true, it would be awfully cruel of Faergi to let him waste time like this, wouldn't it? It would be even worse if this was... some sort of premeditated scheme to allow Victor to reach a point where he's terrified enough to beg for Faergi's help while being unable to pass the buck onto anyone else. Every day Mollin stomps by the hammock and asks if Victor is going to session today, and every day Victor blows smoke in Mollin's face and orders him to refill his berry bowl. Oh yeah, and wash his filthy loincloth while he's at it.

What would be the point? Faergi said on their first meeting that "healing is hard work" but Victor can't DO hard work! He's traumatized for @#$% sake! And he's already taking medicine—LOTS of medicine—for it! If sitting up there in that shame circle and crying about his "feelings" was really important Faergi would find a way to just make him go... right?

Well, thinking about that kind of stuff is a problem for Future Victor. Right now he feels another nap coming on.

Man, being in therapy is the best.

Artwork by  Konnestra!