The returning was a difficult one. Link was in great condition, but you and Pikle weren't as fortunate. The Bokoblins had been quite rough with your newly acquainted party member. With numerous scrapes and bruises covering his body, Pikle was going to need quite a bit of medical attention once he was returned to family. You did a quick inspection of his physical state the night you recovered him and noticed his left arm had been cracked in several places. Using some freshly chopped planks of wood and cloth, you and Link managed to create a makeshift splint to help the bone heal correctly.
After a very long night, the three of you began marching back home, carrying Pikle via the stretcher you assembled the other night. Transporting the extra weight over the difficult terrain was definitely an arduous task given your own injuries. The bleeding from your gash had ceased, but the pain remained. The only difference was that now instead of a sharp, stabbing pain, it was dull and aching. The injury made walking difficult, and you could feel your leg shaking with every step. Link called for constant breaks so that you could rest. You thoroughly opposed the idea and made it very clear that you wished to continue onward, but Link insisted the group stop every so often. You didn't want to feel like you were holding anyone back. You were tough, and even though your leg hurt like hell, you had preferred to deal with the pain rather than adding extra time to your journey.
"My main concern," Link would tell you, "Is the possibility of that wound reopening on us. Unfortunately, I didn't bring too many medical supplies with me on this trip, and I don't want to risk having to use what we do have left trying to stop the bleeding from that gash again. We need the gauze and bandages that remain to rebandage your wound these next few nights. The blood loss probably won't kill you if that opens back up, but an infection definitely could if we have to reuse dirty bandages."
"I guess," you grunted as you and Link gently laid Pikle down in the grass and sat for a moment. "I just don't want to feel like a burden, you know? I'm supposed to be here to help you out, not make this mission take five days longer than it needs to."
"Oh, you're definitely helping. Don't worry. If you weren't here, I'd have to take him back on my own, and that is DEFINITELY much harder. I have some decent stamina, but I can only do so much, you know?"
You chuckled. "Would you carry him around piggyback, or would you carry him in your arms like he was your bride?"
"Piggyback. Makes it easier to climb. Better for your back, too."
"Oh shush, you dork."
"Hey, back health is an important subject and you should probably pay attention," Link signed back vigorously. "Can't be fighting monsters and savin' dudes if your back don't work."
You smiled and sighed, enjoying the soft breeze that had been keeping you cool. "How long do you think until he's able to walk with us? Because, even though I'm all about helping folks, my leg is absolutely killing me."
"See! I told you breaks were important."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever Mr. 'I'm Always Right'. 'Look at me, I'm Link. I'm so smart and cool. I aaaaaaalways know what's best for other people cause I'm just super rad and knowledgeable and stuff'," you said in a jokingly condescending voice.
"Well I'm glad you finally realized it," Link signed before adopting a very snooty attitude.
"Jackass."
You two sat in silence for a moment.
"I'm scared to bring this guy back to his family," you said.
"Why?"
"Just, look at him, man. He's fucked up. I mean, I know they're going to be happy to see him again, but he's just in horrible condition. Honestly, if I was his family, I don't think I'd want to see him like this."
"That's understandable, I guess. But I think they'll just be happy he isn't dead. Those Bokoblins can be some ruthless bastards, you know?"
"You've got a good point… I just hope he can at least walk on his own by then."
"I do too. His ass is heavy."

After a couple of days, Pikle regained consciousness, as well as most of his strength. He still felt a little weak, but he had recovered enough to be able to stand on his own feet and walk with the two of you. Much to your delight, he insisted that he make his way back home unassisted, saying that he'd like to feel like less of burden and carry himself around for a while. He also offered the two of you a large amount of his personal wealth once you had all arrived safely. You politely declined, stating that you didn't do what you did for the money, and also that as travelers, money doesn't have quite as much value to you as someone who stays in one place. Determined to repay the favor in one way or another, Pikle then offered the gift of knowledge instead. He informed you that in his free time, he enjoyed brewing tea for himself and his family. As a show of his gratitude, he led the two of you into the woods and started teaching you what he knew about the local plants and trees, noting which items went well together with certain kinds of tea leaves, which ones he preferred to avoid, and which ones to give to people you didn't like very much, stating that a good way to get revenge is with a good old-fashioned, bitter batch of tea. When you rested for the night, he taught you about properly boiling your water and how to pour it over the leaves so as not to burn them. It was the most delicious tea you had ever tasted, and you gleefully sipped on it as Pikle shared some stories with you and Link.
He was a gentle man who spent most of his life helping his mother around the house while his father worked for the royal guard. When he was twenty-three, his mother and father both passed in a terrible accident and he ended up selling his house to spend some time living in the woods to deal with the pain and connect with nature. During a visit to the town market to pick up some supplies, he noticed a new woman working at his favorite shop. He started talking to her, and after a month of coming to her stall every day, he ended up buying a small house and moving back into the city so he could see her more often. A few months later, the two ended up getting married, and the year after, had their first kid. It was a real fairy tale love story, and he was looking forward to see his wife and family again. When it started getting late, Pikle retired for the night and Link helped you clean and rebandage your wound.
You woke up at the break of dawn the next morning and arrived in town at midday. You were greeted by a tearful and happy family who quickly surrounded and embraced Pikle. After a long hug, Pikle's wife hugged both you and Link and thanked you profusely for saving her husband. After Pikle's family had calmed down a bit, you said your goodbyes and wished him and his family the best of luck. Afterwards, you made a stop at the town market where you picked up some fried doughnuts: an after-mission tradition of yours. That night, you and Link spent the night in a hotel as a reward for a job well done. You slept extra well that night, knowing that your actions helped reunite a gentle man with his loving family.