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"So what's with her?"
Warbucks asked coldly. He didn't really care much about the pigman child, but he felt obligated to ask since he was apparently her "caretaker".
"A flu. A quite harsh one." Wickerbottom informed him with worry in her voice. She felt bad for the child. But she felt even worse that she could hear the annoyance from her husband's voice. "Wilson said it was probably due to the change of climate. Her body isn't used to the colder temperatures of these lands."
The girl wasn't from here. No. She was quite far from her home. Far from her people and her mother and now with a group of humans that weren't really used to having a pig around and in a place, she didn't know.
When they returned from the lands above nicknamed 'Hamlet' with this little surprise package, not everyone was thrilled.
Wickerbottom had to loudly many times remind the Viking to not even come near the child when hungry. The strongman was always feeling uneasy just around two children, with third? He protested as well. WX-78's insulting remarks weren't surprising, but after being shushed by the librarian, he eventually stopped.
The biggest and loudest protests came from the mouth of the spider-hybrid child, for obvious reasons. They had a really bad relationship with pigmen and the pig-girl also didn't feel comfortable around the spider-boy and so both would get often into small arguments or even fights which were stopped usually very quickly, thank God.
But it was understandable.
The one person she was losing her patience with was her own husband, who was the one in the role of taking care of her in the first place. And it was his own fault that he still wasn't taking responsibility for. He was the one who openly criticized the child's mother and the pigmen queen's upbringing methods and ways.
She felt bad for the child since it was obvious she was always neglected since her birth. And she did already fixated onto the explorer. It was heartbreaking knowing her husband didn't care about the child in the smallest and had no remorse.
"She asked for you." Wicker stepped towards Warbucks placing her hand on his shoulder. "You should visit her. You'll make her feel at least a little better."
She received no response. Of course.
"Warbucks-" her voice became stern, having enough. "This isn't about you, this is about her."
She had to forcefully turn him to look at her. He crossed his arms and frowned.
"I don't care about your ideology. I care about her. She's a child for Christ's sake and she looks up to you. No one is asking you to love her and shower her with love, but at least have a little empathy towards her."
"She's not mine-"
"Yes!" She was raised her voice. "Yes she is not yours, but you were tasked to take care of her so act like it! We can't do that for you!"
Warbucks growled and pushed his wife's hand off him. He wanted nothing to do with that child and just because some pig with a crown on her head threw her offspring at him doesn't mean he should keep it.
"What if it was a human? What if it was a human child? Would you still treat it like this? Like they are the biggest burden on your shoulders?"
"But she's not!" Warbucks snapped. "She's not a human, she's a bloody pig! They don't even have half the intelligence-"
"Yes, they do!" Wicker yelled. "You lived among them for long enough. They are civilized and no savages. They have schools and banks and stores and even their own currency a history! Just because they are a different kind doesn't mean they can't be intelligent as well! You studied their culture, yet it has no meaning for you."
Warbucks was about to argue again but she quickly interrupted him. She had enough of his excuses. This time he would stay quiet and listen.
"And even if they wouldn't be so intelligent as humans, they are still living beings with feelings! The little girl has feelings, Warbucks, and she's confused! She's confused and sad and afraid. She's completely alone here and you are the only who she really feels safe with and trusts. At least for once, stop being so selfish and reckless!"
Wicker's heart raced fast as she was angry like never before. Her husband was actually left speechless, seeing her like this perhaps the first time in his life.
She sighed. She didn't like being so loud while confronting him, but it was needed.
"Can't you see...you two aren't that different, Bucky." She looked at him, tired. "Neither of you had a father."
Warbucks immediately groaned and closed his eyes, turning away. Offended she, his wife, would pull this card on him.
"Don't." He warned her. Warbucks many times already firmly told her to never bring this topic up. She knew it was a sensitive topic for him. But that's why she did it.
"You don't have to say anything to her, but at least come inside the tent while I'm giving her her medicine and be there. A company is the least you can do."
"..."
"Please."
"..."
"Do it for me, Bucky." She locked her hand with his and held it to her heart.
She received her response in the form of a nod.
Wickerbottom walked her husband into the tent they reserved for the girl. The tent was originally for her and her husband, but it had basically no purpose for her and he rather spent the nights by her side by the campfire, risking sore back.
The small girl laid there under a puffy blanket with her back turned at them.
As the sound of someone coming inside woke her up, she very slowly turned to lay on her back to see who it was.
Warbucks almost began to feel a little sorrow for the child. Her usually pinkish cheeks were pale, her eyes were tired and with wrinkles and a smile didn't seem to visit her face in some time.
As soon as she recognized the explorer though, her eyes seemed to immediately get more alive.
"Hello Wilba," Wicker approached the girl first, kneeling down on the other side from the tent's entrance, pulling out a small bottle containing the medicine. Warbucks followed slowly as well, sitting down on the opposing side. "I'm here to give you something that will make you feel better, okay sweetie?" She gave her a small, almost motherly smile.
The child let out a weak whine, pulling the blanket over her face.
"Sweetheart..." Wicker reached her hand to the blanket and carefully pulled it back down from the child's head. "It'll be just a little spoon, nothing more."
The pig-girl shook her head in protest, turning her away from the lady.
Her eyes met with her caretaker's for a moment.
Warbucks looked up to meet his wife's gaze, who looked at him helplessly, begging for his help. She herself didn't want to force the poor child in this state.
"In order to get rid of this flu, you need to take it, Wilba." He aided Wickerbottom, who gave him a thankful smile.
Wilba turned back at the librarian and with hesitation, opened her mouth just enough for the small tea-spoon to enter her mouth and fill it with a bitter-sweet flavor that made her face cringe. She swallowed almost instantly and let out a disgusted whine.
"There we go." Wicker gave the small girl a little rub on the shoulder, appraising her. "And it wasn't even really that bad, was it?"
The child didn't respond to her and only hid under the covers, almost tearing up at the gross taste.
Warbucks waited for his wife to close the medicine's bottle again and hide it away along with the spoon to clean it up later, before standing up.
"Well, I will be sharpening my cutlass, if anyone will be needing me." Even his wife was surprised that he would be so quick to leave, not even saying goodbye to the girl laying between them.
"Papa..."
Both elders froze at the child's silent voice calling for him.
Wicker's eyes traveled down to see the girl reaching with her arm weakly for the explorer who stood by the entrance, her sleepy eyes focused on him.
He didn't know what to do. He didn't know what do say. He didn't know what to think. He flinched completely.
He covered his mouth with his hand, wanting to perhaps scream or cry. He was stuck where he stood. He swallowed the possible tears that tried to invade his eyes and his head shakingly turned to face the small child.
"...don't leave"
His heart sank and he glared at her, horrified, in silence.
Wicker didn't say anything but placed her hand gently on the small girl's shoulder. It was just her fever taking over and making her speak out of place, but deep inside she knew it didn't, which made it even worse and she knew well Warbucks could tell too.
The small child held her hand in the air using the last strength she had in her body, which was visible well with her arm leaning lower and lower with every moment without her notice.
Warbucks trembled as he stepped back and eventually dropped to his knees, taking the child's hooved hand and giving it a small rub with his thumb.
"I'm not."
He assured her with his breath shaking.
His eyes closed, not able to look at either the child or the librarian. But a small tear ran down his face.
He felt the child's hooved hand give him a little press, not wanting to let go.
And he wouldn't.
He finally looked back at the sick child, a caring smile finding its place on his face.
"I won't."
The child returned the smile and hugged his hand, falling asleep fast, leaving her caretaker and the librarian in the now silent tent.
The explorer's smile disappeared as he finally broke down, being almost immediately embraced by his wife who allowed him to let out the silent sobs into her shoulder. His free arm wrapped around her back strongly almost digging into her, but she couldn't be bothered.
Wickerbottom hummed calmly into her husband's ear, rubbing his back to soothe him.
Finally, she was sure he would listen.