It was just another hot day in Slither Scale's house. Feathers laid in his bed, as he was sick with a fever. Slither Scale had refilled a bag with ice, as he placed it on his head to cool his head, and he pulled out the thermometer from his beak to check the temperature.

"Still at 104," Slither whistled. "It's only been a day."

"I'm sorry, sir," Feathers said.

"Do not apologize. Sickness just happens. It's part of life, regarding sickness and health. I've known how to care for you when you were sick with a virus a few years ago."

"I remember that, when I had wasted about, um, eight diapers a day."

"Ten," Slither Scale corrected him. "But don't worry. I'll always be on your side." His tongue slithered a scent, and he took Feathers' sheet off, seeing his very soggy diaper. "Tsk tsk tsk. Let's get you changed, boy." He took out a diaper from the pack and carefully removed Feathers' wet diaper, cleaned his groin, and taped a new diaper on him. "There you go."

"Thanks, Slither," Feather said as he placed the sheet over him. "You're the greatest."

"You're welcome."

"But will you call the doctor if I still have the high temperature?"

"I will, but the doctor won't be available until morning. Just get some rest, and I'll check up on you."

And with that, Slither Scale slithered out of the room. Feathers coughed as he kept the ice bag on his head. He barely sat up to pick up the picture of himself and Slither Scale at the park. He smiled warmly, knowing he was in his fatherly caretaker's good hands, and he nuzzles the picture. He put the picture down and went to sleep.

************

Feathers woke up in a dark night, inside a forest he does not know. The moon was blanketed by clouds as they swift by, and he got up. "Where am I? What is this forest?" He asked, fixing his diaper. He suddenly heard a howl, as it made him shiver. "What was that?!" He looked around and gulped.

Feathers continued walking down the forest, unsure of where to go. He heard croaking sounds of frogs, cawing sounds of crows, even the howling, as it started to frighten him. He walked a little faster, but the noises follow as well. He panicked and then started running down the forest, as he looked left and right for any exit. Nothing.

"Where do I go? Where do I go?" Feathers panted as he ran. He yelped from the howling. "No!" He ran fast, but then he tripped over a branch, as he fell into a hole. Just as he climbed out, he heard the howling, and when he turned around, he shivered. Out of nowhere were a pack of wolves, growling and snarling with foaming teeth. One wolf let out a howl, as Feathers screamed and ran, as the wolves chased him down the forest.

"Somebody help me!" Feathers cried. "Help!" He ran on, but he stopped when he saw bears out of nowhere, roaring at him. He yelped and ran to his left, as the bears chased him, while the wolves followed. "No! Help! Slither, wherever you are, help me! Help!"

Feathers suddenly tripped over and hit the ground. He quickly got up and ran real fast, but then out of nowhere, a sudden snap made him scream as he hit the ground, and he gasped when he looked and saw his leg in a bear trap. He struggled to get the trap off his leg, but it was stuck. He screamed when the wolves and the bears charged toward him, as he covered himself as they got closer and closer. "NO! NO! HELP!"

************

Feathers squirmed a lot on his bed, screaming, "No! No! Help! Slither, help me! Help!"

Slither Scale rushed in and shook Feathers as he cried, "Feathers! Feathers, wake up!"

"DON'T EAT ME!!" Feathers screamed as he woke up. "What happened?! The wolves, the bears...!"

"Shh, calm down," Slither said. "You were having a nightmare, Feathers."

"Oh, Slither, it was awful," Feathers cried. "I was all alone in the forest, hearing noises, and then those wolves and bears came charging at me like they wanna eat me! I'm so scared, sir!"

"Calm down, Feathers. It's alright now," Slither said as he hugged Feathers. "Shh... it's alright."

Feathers calmed down as Slither lowered him back to bed. "I'm glad you're my caretaker, Slither," he said, smiling weakly.

"I know, my boy," Slither said. He lit a match to light up a tea candle and placed it on a plate. "Here, this should help you sleep peacefully. It's lavender scented."

Feathers sniffed the candle. "Nice lavender scent. Thank you, sir."

Slither Scale petted him as Feathers fell back asleep, smiling warmly, and then he slithered away.