You guessed right.
I got sick, just as expected.
It was still night when the severe chills set in, and my body turned scorching hot.
Pinky seemed uncomfortable with the heat radiating from me, but he tolerated it, clearly concerned for my well-being.
My eyes felt too heavy to open.
Through the haze, I could hear Ghost, who had transformed back into his regular form, trying to convince me to let him take me back to Lion's castle.
Against my better judgment, I remained stubborn and snuggled closer to Pinky.
Starting to panic, Pinky tried to weave his branches into a makeshift "branch cave" for shelter.
Ghost was equally frantic. He rummaged through his rucksack to find something to help, but to no avail.
Unlike Lion, he wasn't a magic user and couldn't perform even the simplest spells.
My fever spiked and I began to have difficulty breathing.
Ghost couldn't leave me. He was terrified a predator might find us while I was so vulnerable and Pinky wasn't strong enough to defend us against a real threat.
My body felt like lead and regret finally began to seep in.
I hadn't been acting maturely and now my foolish decisions were jeopardizing everything.
My breathing became fast and shallow, making me feel as though I were drowning.
I was drenched in sweat and a sharp pain flared in my ears.
Based on my past medical experience, I briefly wondered if I had a respiratory infection or a total failure of my thermoregulation.
I wanted to tell Ghost that I was ready to go back, but I didn't even have the energy to open my eyes, let alone speak.
The pain in my ears intensified until every sound became muffled.
I guess I'm dying here.
...
Soon after, I lost consciousness....
I didn't know where I was when I finally drifted back toward the surface.
I was lying on a bed that was neither too soft nor too hard. I still couldn't open my eyes and felt utterly exhausted, but my hearing had returned to normal.
I could hear Ghost's voice and a stranger's voice in an argument... and was that Sly's voice?!
Please don't eat me.
Breathing is easily now, though I still couldn't move my body. I hoped I wasn't paralyzed.
I continued to listen while keeping my eyes closed, still too weak to do anything else. I couldn't understand what they were saying and eventually, I gave up trying and fell back into a deep sleep....
Finally, I managed to open my eyes. I was lying in a canopy bed with gorgeous curtains.
The room looked like a small hut decorated with flowers and herb-like leaves. I realized I was naked, though parts of me were wrapped in bandages stuffed with colorful leaves.
Thankfully, I was covered by a thick blanket.
When I tried to sit up, nausea hit me so hard I immediately decided to lie back down. I didn't want to puke.
There were no windows in the room, so I had no way of knowing if it was day or night. I felt myself getting stronger, even though I didn't recall eating anything.
I eventually eased myself off the bed and noticed it was floating. Underneath it were glowing, warm stones.
Wrapping myself in the blanket, I tried to find my clothes. Glowing bubbles on the ceiling emitted a soft, golden light, but I couldn't see my things anywhere.
Despite my state, the room felt warm and cozy.
I noticed strange plants in the corner, but gave up the search since there was hardly any furniture... just a desk and a chair. I sat down, contemplating my next move.
Should I go out?
No way! Not while I was only wearing a blanket.
I returned to the bed, wrapped myself tightly, and reflected on my actions. I regretted everything. I had been too stubborn, too full of pride. I should have known better at my age, yet I had acted like a fool. I silently apologized to every novel character I had ever criticized for being "dumb."
Now, I was the dumb one. I had been overconfident and out of my depth.
My cowardice and pride had made Ghost and Pinky collateral damage.
And I had hurt Lion.
I had been so focused on "improving" myself that I forgot the simple truth: Don't fix what isn't broken.
Sometimes, going with the flow is the wisest thing to do.
....
Suddenly, the door opened and Lion walked in, carrying a basin filled with magical leaves, herbs, bandages and several vials of sparkling water.
He looked startled to see me awake and then visible relief flooded his eyes.
I sat up and looked at him.
My eyes welled up and my throat tightened at the sight of his concern.
I told him that I was sorry in a tiny, choked voice.
He looked surprised, then slowly walked toward me. He set the basin on the floor and sat on the edge of the bed, observing me intensely. He studied my eyes with a focus that made my heart race.
With trembling hands, he hesitantly pulled me into an embrace, his grip tightening as he held me.
Nuzzling my ear, he asked softly on what am I sorry for.
For my stupidity.