Chapter 27 Healed Raven was reluctant , practically dragged by Caroline into the bathroom . By the time she managed - after what felt like a battle - to lift Raven into the tub , she was already soaked through , " Raven , it's just a bath , what's there to be afraid of ? " Raven turned its head away and pointed its rear at her , looking both hurt and annoyed . Caroline had no choice but to grab the pet bath mitt . She splashed water over it and started scrubbing its fur . When her hand brushed across one of Raven's scars , its whole body shivered , and it even let out a faint whimper . +5 Free Coins That surprised Caroline . She had touched those scars before , even when the wounds were fresh , and by now they had long since healed . Why did this spring water make them hurt again ? A thought struck her . She held Raven's big head and looked it straight in the eyes . " Raven , this water isn't ordinary . It'll be good for you . You'll need to soak your whole body in it . It might hurt a little , but can you do that ? " Raven stood still , watching her silently . Caroline pressed its rear firmly . " Down , Raven . Lie down in the water . " Raven struggled for a moment but finally obeyed , lying down in the tub . Water spilled over the edge , soaking Caroline's clothes , but she did not care . Looking at Raven's sulky , wronged expression , she smiled as she scrubbed it . Its body trembled a little - clearly the spring water stung where the scars were . Caroline gently stroked its head , soothing it , and pulled out the treats she had prepared , patiently calming it down . Sure enough , half a bag of snacks later , Raven was much better , its attention fully distracted . In that short time , Caroline noticed something incredible - black fur was sprouting where the scars had been . Before , those spots had been bare , like the damage was too deep to recover . But now , soft fuzz was slowly covering them . " Raven ! Your wounds are healing ! You have to hang in there ! " Raven seemed to be adjusting to the water , quietly munching its snacks without resistance . Caroline brought out a toy ball and teased it to keep its spirits up . After about an hour of soaking , Raven suddenly went still . By then , the scars had completely vanished , and thick , foul - smelling black liquid was seeping out of its body - the same stuff Caroline herself had expelled inside the storage space . Raven stared at the water in the tub , as if deep in thought , before finally lifting its head . It was still Raven , but its gaze had changed . They looked more intelligent and more human - like . Seeing it was enough , Caroline happily lifted Raven out of the barrel . She rinsed off the black filth with clean water and blow - dried its coat until it was soft and fluffy . When she checked the spots where the scars had been , there was not a single trace left . Perfectly healed . 1/2 P Chapter 27 Healed O She gently lifted one of its legs , coaxing it to jump and roll around . No more sluggish reactions , no signs of injury . Raven was now a completely healthy , lively dog . +5 Free Coins She remembered what Niko had said . He said Raven's wounds had cut too deep and it was beyond full recovery , which was why it had retired from service . Caroline had thought maybe after the apocalypse , the injuries would finally heal once Raven mutated . However , she had watched it closely - though the scars had closed , Raven often licked them as if they still hurt . It could run and jump , sure , but always a bit slower than other dogs ; its movements were slightly stiff . Overjoyed , Caroline threw her arms around Raven's neck . " This is amazing , Raven . You're completely healed ! " For once , Raven even stuck out its tongue and gave her ear a gentle lick . Caroline burst into giggles at the ticklish touch . That night , Raven slept right beside her , never leaving her side . When she woke halfway through the night , she realized she was hugging Raven , and unlike before , it did not resist . Caroline's heart swelled with happiness . Raven had grown closer to her , and it was the best feeling . The next morning , when she woke , the rain still had not stopped . She checked the weather , and sure enough , it would keep raining for the next seven days . Not just here - in fact , it was raining across the entire country .