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It was about two hours to sundown and Nightvine was doing his best to make it home this time and not fall asleep in some random person's yard.

Having made it past the doorway, he saw someone else was ahead of him and in Mom's pillows. It was his grown sister, Mossflower!

"Whoa, what are you doing here?" he asked, putting down his pack and pulling off his scarf by the door. "I thought Dad said you lived way across town!"

"Well, I think I've gotta get close," Nightvine said, putting a hoof to her forehead like Dad did. "Golly, you're on fire! Don't go anywhere, I'm gonna get you some water and some medicine!"

Nightvine did his best to hurry, he looked anxiously at the clock and out the window. The stars were still out, but barely.

"Golly~!" he bounced, and ran to the medicine cabinet. "This isn't gonna be fun for anyone!"

Nightvine put water in the electric kettle, ran around for a bowl and a pot to put in a can of chicken soup. What else did Dad give him when we was sick?

"I brought you my bear," he said, thinking the teddy bear had mystical healing powers. "And my quilt. I'm making you soup."

Nightvine pried the cork off his dad's cold medicine and poured it into a spoon.

"This stuff tastes gross, but Dad said it's good for when you gots fever," he said, putting the spoon to Moss's mouth. "Open up, here comes the train. Choo choo~"

"I don't know why Dad keeps buying it when there's better stuff, he says 'why change what works?'," Nightvine groaned. "But there's other stuff that works!"

Nightvine glanced at the green grandfather clock (of course, it's green) in the hallway. Only half an hour until his eyes would start shutting on their own.

"Oh, no! I'd better make sure your soup makes it in time!", he said and he rushed towards the kitchen.

(( I am scum! Please help me finish this. *o* ))

"I hope you like potatoes... and carrots and onions and..." Nightvine said, bringing a tray with soup, crackers, and some water on a tray/table that could be carried on his back. "I threw in every vegetable that Dad said was good for colds. So it's kind of a vegetable medley with salt."

Nightvine crouched and the table set itself over him as he carefully crawled out.

"Check out this TV dinner tray! I didn't even know we had these until I went into the pantry to restock. Dad thinks of everything!"

(( A billion years later...))

"Eat up! You can't nap until it's all gone," Nightvine sat down next to Mossflower and put a large cloth napkin on her neck gently. "Doctor's orders! I'm not going anywhere until I know you're fed and cozy with a full belly. That's what Dad did for us, that's what I'm gonna do for you."

Nightvine sat next to Mossflower expectantly, but eyed the clock warily.

"Until sunrise, at least," he said nervously. "I won't be of any use to anyone once the sun comes up."

(( I am scum. Total space trash. Let's wrap this one up! XD ))

"Good," said Nightvine. "Now I can fall asleep knowing that you'll be okay."

Nightvine pulled a blanket over Mossflower's shoulders. He made sure there were plenty of pillows and fresh water for her to drink if she got thirsty.

Helping his sister gave him a huge sense of satisfaction. Was it selfish to feel this way? It hardly felt like work to take care of someone he cared for. It felt more like...

Loyalty for one's family. Realization set into Nightvine's face. He'd helped because he didn't want to abandon someone in need. It felt like the right thing to do, but it also felt like something he wanted to do. It wasn't just duty, it was voluntary and because he loved his family even if they didn't talk as often as they should. That moment he realized it felt good to stick together.