María was sleeping deeply when she felt a gentle tug on her sleeve. She opened her eyes slowly, blinking to adjust to the dim light filtering through the window. Beside her, the little goblin was looking at her with its large yellow eyes, a mixture of curiosity and concern on its greenish face.

"Good morning, little one," María whispered, flashing a tired smile. "I see you've recovered."

The goblin emitted a soft squeak of affirmation, bouncing from side to side on the bed with renewed energy. María sat up carefully, feeling the sharp pain of her wounds. The arrowheads were still embedded in her flesh, and she knew she needed to tend to them soon.

Suddenly, the goblin tripped on the edge of the blanket and fell to the floor with a thud, followed by a high-pitched squeal of surprise.

"María! Are you alright?" Elías's concerned voice resonated from the other side of the door. "I heard strange noises all night. Still having bladder problems?"

María held her breath, looking at the goblin in panic. The creature seemed more interested in exploring the room than in keeping quiet.

"Uh... yes, Elías," María responded, trying to sound casual. "You know how it is at our age. Seems last night's dinner didn't do me any good."

Laughter and murmurs were heard from the hallway. María recognized Lucía and Jaime's voices joining the conversation.

"Oh, María!" Lucía exclaimed between laughs. "Don't worry, it's happened to all of us. Remember that time Jaime ate too many beans and spent the whole night in the bathroom?"

"Hey!" Jaime protested, though his voice betrayed amusement. "You promised never to mention that again. Besides, you're not far behind. What about that time you mistook laxative for your sleeping medicine?"

Laughter erupted in the hallway, and María couldn't help but join in, momentarily forgetting her precarious situation.

"What a bunch of merry bladders we are!" Elías joked. "María, do you want us to bring you breakfast? You must be exhausted after your nocturnal bathroom marathon."

María sighed in relief at the opportunity presented to her. "Yes, please. I'm dead tired and everything hurts. I think I'll stay in bed a while longer."

"Don't worry, dear," Lucía replied. "We'll bring you something light for your stomach. How about some oatmeal and chamomile tea?"

"Sounds perfect," María thanked them. "You're such darlings."

As her friends' footsteps retreated down the hallway, accompanied by more laughter and jokes about digestive problems, María turned to the goblin, who was now nibbling on the corner of her pillow.

"That was close, little one," she sighed, gently removing the pillow from its mouth. "Now, we have work to do."

María carefully got up, heading towards an old chest in the corner of the room. She opened it, revealing a collection of herbs, bandages, and small vials of ointments. She also took out a magic crystal, the resource for amplifying her healing magic.

"Well, first things first," she muttered, sitting on the edge of the bed. "We need to get these damned arrowheads out, or I'll soon have a fever."

The goblin watched her curiously as María prepared her tools. She took a clean cloth, soaked it in a disinfectant liquid, and placed it on the first wound on her shoulder.

"This is going to hurt a bit," she warned herself, gritting her teeth.

With a quick, precise movement, María extracted the arrowhead. A groan of pain escaped her lips, and the goblin jumped, alarmed by her suffering.

"I'm okay, little one," María panted, trying to smile to reassure it. "It's part of the healing process."

The goblin tilted its head, as if trying to understand. Then, to María's surprise, it jumped over and placed its small green hand on the wound. A faint glow emanated from its fingers, and María felt a warm sensation of relief.

"Well, well," she murmured, impressed. "Looks like I'm not the only one with a talent for healing here."

Encouraged by the unexpected help, María proceeded to clean the wound, using a combination of her medical knowledge and her magic amplified by the crystal. With surgical precision, she removed infected tissue and dirt, ensuring the wound was completely clean.

"Now comes the fun part," she said, winking at the goblin. "Watch and learn, little one."

Placing her hands over the wound, María channeled her magical energy through the crystal. A soft glow enveloped the affected area, and gradually, the flesh began to regenerate. In a matter of minutes, the wound had closed completely, leaving only a thin scar as a reminder.

"Ta-da!" María exclaimed with a triumphant smile. "Although in the city there are those who can leave no scar, it's still first-rate work, if you ask me."

The goblin clapped enthusiastically, emitting small squeals of joy. María had to contain her laughter to avoid alerting her nursing home companions.

"Shh, little one. Remember we must keep quiet," she whispered, putting a finger to her lips. "Now, let's move on to the next one."

She repeated the process with the wound on her thigh, this time with more confidence and speed. The goblin watched attentively, occasionally trying to imitate María's movements with its own hands.

♢♢♢♢

Once both wounds were completely healed, María turned to her little companion. "Your turn, little friend. Let's see what we can do about those scratches of yours."

The goblin, however, seemed to have other ideas. As soon as María tried to examine it, it began to scamper around the room, jumping on furniture and dodging the old woman's hands.

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"Come here, you little imp!" María whispered, trying to catch it without making too much noise. "I just want to heal you!"

The chase turned into a game of cat and mouse. The goblin jumped from the bed to the wardrobe, from the wardrobe to the dresser, always staying out of María's reach. At one point, it even hid under the old woman's bed, only its bright eyes peeking out.

María, panting and laughing silently, collapsed on the bed. "Alright, you win. But at some point, we'll have to take care of those wounds, young one."

As if understanding, the goblin emerged from its hiding place and approached María, finally allowing her to examine its scratches and bruises.

"Well, they're not as bad as I thought," she murmured, disinfecting and applying a healing ointment to the affected areas. "You have an impressive recovery capacity, little one."

As she worked, María couldn't help but reflect on the strange situation she found herself in. Here she was, an elderly healer, tending to a creature most would consider a mortal enemy. And yet, she felt an undeniable bond with the little being.

"You know?" she said softly, while applying a bandage. "I think we should give you a name. We can't keep calling you 'little one' all the time."

The goblin looked at her curiously, tilting its head as if considering the idea.

"How about... Pícaro?" Maria suggested, smiling at the goblin's mischievous expression. "I think it suits you perfectly."

The newly named Pícaro squealed in approval, bouncing gleefully on the bed.

“Shh!” Maria quickly calmed him, holding back a laugh. “Remember, we have to keep a low profile.”

At that moment, there was a knock at the door. “Maria, dear, we’ve brought you breakfast,” Lucia’s voice announced from the other side.

Maria looked at Pícaro in momentary panic. “Quick, hide under the bed!”

The goblin obeyed, sliding under the bed just as the door began to open.

“Come in,” Maria said, trying to sound casual as she settled in bed, covering any signs of her healing activities.

Lucia entered with a tray, closely followed by Elias and Jaime, all with expressions of concern mixed with amusement.

“Here you go, dear,” Lucia said, placing the tray on Maria’s lap. “We hope you feel better soon.”

“Thank you, you’re very kind,” Maria replied with a grateful smile.

“Are you sure you don’t need us to call the pharmacologist? I know you hate liquid-based healing magic, but… isn’t that exactly what you need?” Jaime asked, raising an eyebrow. “I know you’re a healer, but… you seem a bit... agitated.”

A cold sweat ran down Maria’s back. “Oh, no, it’s not necessary. I’m already feeling much better. I just need a little more rest.”

“Well, if you say so,” Elias conceded, though his tone suggested he wasn’t entirely convinced. “But if you need anything, anything at all, don’t hesitate to call us.”

“I will, I promise,” Maria assured them, hoping they would leave before Pícaro decided to make a surprise appearance.

Just as her friends were about to leave, a soft squeal came from under the bed. Maria coughed loudly to cover the sound, earning concerned looks from her companions.

“Are you sure you’re okay? I can get you the potion,” Lucia insisted, stepping closer to the bed.

“Yes, yes, don’t worry!” Maria exclaimed, perhaps with too much enthusiasm. “I just… you know, wanted to cover up a fart. A consequence of night’s dinner.”

The three elderly friends exchanged looks, part amused, part skeptical, but finally decided to leave Maria in peace.

“All right, then rest up,” Jaime said, winking. “And remember, if you need more toilet paper, just shout.”

With laughter and last-minute recommendations, the three friends left the room, closing the door behind them. Maria let out a long sigh of relief.

“You can come out now, Pícaro,” she whispered. “They’re gone.”

The goblin peeked out from under the bed, a mischievous expression on its face.

Maria couldn’t help but giggle. “What a pair we make, huh? An old woman and a goblin, hiding like naughty children.”

Pícaro jumped onto the bed, curling up next to Maria as she shared her breakfast with him.

“Well, little one,” she murmured between bites, “it looks like we’ll have to be very careful from now on. But don’t worry, we’ll find a way to manage. After all, we’re a team now.”

And so, as the morning sun illuminated the room, Maria and her unusual companion shared a moment of peace, unaware of the challenges that lay ahead.

♢♢♢♢

A few days had passed since the night Maria returned from her mysterious nocturnal adventure. The elderly residents of the asylum, always attentive and curious, couldn’t help but notice the changes in their dear friend’s behavior. Gathered in the common room, as was their custom each night, they began to share their observations and theories.

Lucia, her wrinkled eyes narrowed with suspicion, was the first to speak. “Have you noticed how strange Maria has been acting lately? She barely leaves her room, and when she does, she seems nervous and in a hurry.”

Jaime nodded, scratching his bald head. “And not just that. The other day I passed by her door and heard some very odd noises. Like she was talking to someone, but in whispers I couldn’t understand.”

“Bah! She was probably humming one of those old songs she loves so much,” Elias interjected, waving a hand dismissively. However, doubt was reflected on his wrinkled face.

“No, no,” Jaime insisted. “This was different. It sounded like… squeals. Almost as if she had an animal hidden in there.”

The three elderly friends looked at each other, their eyes widening at the possibility.

“An animal?” Lucia repeated, placing a hand on her chest. “But that’s against the asylum’s rules. Maria knows that well.”

Elias leaned forward in his chair, lowering his voice as if afraid of being overheard. “Have you noticed the amount of food she’s been asking for lately? She’s always requesting extra portions, and yet, when I go to collect her tray, it’s completely empty.”

“That’s true,” Lucia agreed. “The other day I brought her an extra bowl of stew, thinking she might be recovering from her stomach upset. But when I returned an hour later, every last drop was gone!”

Jaime scratched his chin, thoughtful. “Do you think she could be feeding some creature? Maybe she found a stray kitten and is hiding it. Remember the fat cat she had before coming to the asylum?”

“Or maybe,” Elias said with a mischievous glint in his eyes, “she’s discovered some magical spell to increase her appetite. You know how Maria is with her healing experiments.”

The three laughed at the idea, but the laughter soon faded, replaced by expressions of concern.

“Whatever it is,” Lucia sighed, “I’m worried. Maria has always been reserved, but this is different. It’s like she’s hiding something important.”

Elias nodded slowly. “Yes, now that you mention it, I noticed she was limping slightly that night. As if she’d hurt herself.”

“Do you think we should talk to her?” Lucia suggested. “Maybe she needs help and doesn’t know how to ask for it.”

They fell silent for a moment, considering the idea. Finally, Jaime spoke:

“Perhaps we should give her a little more time. Maria has always been strong and independent. If she really needs help, she’ll come to us when she’s ready.”

Elias and Lucia nodded, though the worry didn’t leave their faces.

“In the meantime,” Elias added with a sly smile, “we could take turns checking on her room. You know, just to make sure everything’s all right.”

“And maybe,” Lucia suggested, winking, “we could bring her some extra treats. If she’s feeding a cat, she’ll surely appreciate it.”

The three elderly friends laughed again, this time with more cheer. Despite their concern, they trusted Maria and knew that, whatever was happening, their friend had her reasons.

“Well,” Jaime said, standing up with difficulty, “I think it’s my turn to bring dinner to our mysterious friend. Who knows? Maybe today’s the day we discover her secret.”

As Jaime hobbled away towards the kitchen, Lucia and Elias exchanged knowing looks. Whatever mystery surrounded Maria, they were determined to solve it. After all, in the asylum, secrets rarely lasted long.