Private Barracks/Imperial Condos The Trenches The Canon

[Asta Dalgaard]

Asta was, perhaps unfortunately, no stranger to sudden bouts of crying and being held by a trusted beast. And so when Whisper held her, sobbing into her, she did what she knew always helped her in such circumstances. The jill wrapped her arms about the small fox and rocked slowly back and forth, trying to instill as much care and comfort into the gesture as she could.

"Pathetic?" She was confused. "I not understanding, Whisper. There being nothing wrong with your body. It is your body, ja? That meaning it is good, because it is you, and you are good."

 

[Marie "Whisper" Deftclaw]

Whisper was too far into their desperation to think straight, instinct was the only thing keeping them acting as they melted into jill's arms like a kit. Her insecurities of course screamed at that even more as she just was proving that indeed, she was a child she hated. There was no end to this pit for now as Whisper was crashing deeper and deeper into the void.

"You c-c-cannot m-m-mean i-it. I s-sh-shouldn't b-b-be alive! O-on-only r-reason why I-I-I am is be-because my p-p-parents took p-pity o-on me! What for?! I h-h-have useless b-b-body. Skills n-no beast w-wants. I c-cannot ta-talk. I c-c-cannot have f-fr-riends. I f-fail even a-at keeping m-m-myself fed!" The crash was hard and it was only getting worse and worse. Whisper instinctively burrowed further into Asta, the Jill unfortunately being chosen to withstand them.

 

[Asta Dalgaard]

"Whisper, I meaning it completely." Asta desperately searched for words in her not-quite-fluent Vulpinsulan. This would be so much easier could she simply speak her native tongue. "Your body not being useless. Your skills--you are very talented musician, and there are beasts who liking that a lot. You having friends, ja? I'm here, and I calling you friend."

She ran a paw up and down the fox's damp back. "For food, we can doing that together. You just needing to get dry and putting on clothes, then we going out and getting you food." Trying to think of something that might pull Whisper from their difficulties, Asta returned to the reason why she had arrived at the fox's doorstep in the first place that morning. "Anyway, I having something important I wanting to ask you. It is something you can do for my father maybe, something I hearing about from Niceties that you are doing."

 

[Marie "Whisper" Deftclaw]

Whisper had to take a long moment to process Asta's words. Mainly because they could not believe them at all. Them? Being a friend? That jill must've jested. Taking either pity or mocking them. And yet...

Whisper for all their social flaws had a good ability to read others. They rarely did so, afraid of learning that beasts hated them, so they chose to live in the mist despite it, only actually letting themselves look into that when it was truly safe.

They did look at Asta again through glassy eyes and clouded mind. Yet still, jill's muzzle spoke of compassion. Honesty. It emphasised how genuine her thoughts and words were.

It scared Whisper, for they had no idea how to react to this. How to react to someone liking them. Someone wanting their help.

But it did take them out of the abyss. Soon they stopped sobbing and let go of Asta. Even attempting (and failing) a tiny little smile.

"I... see. P-please, help m-me then. I wi-will do what I c-can for your f-father. C-could you... b-bring my d-dr-dress from a drawer b-by the bed? I w-will dry myself and t-then we c-can go and talk a-ab-bout it."

 

[Asta Dalgaard]

Carefully extricating herself from beneath Whisper, Asta clambered up. Her dress was soaked now, but she gave the vixen a smile and nod. "I will be happy getting it for you."

The marteness went to the bedroom, stepping around various items to get to the dresser, and withdrew the indicated garment. Though she was worried perhaps she had unintentionally crossed certain boundaries with the fox, Asta hoped things would not be awkward between them--or more awkward than they already were. She found she had a hard time knowing the right thing to say to the fox, never knowing when they might break down.

She returned to Whisper with the dress. "It is a very nice dress," she offered, holding the garment out.

 

[Marie "Whisper" Deftclaw]

Whisper was now getting themselves ready, shaking off excess water and using towels to remove as much dampness as possible. Asta came in the process of doing so but Whisper didn't bother to cover themselves. Asta already seen their disfigured body and shown acceptance for it. It was a huge step for Whisper, one that almost made them fall from sheer fear and anxiety, but one they found important. It was a test for themselves more than anything.

When given the dress, Whisper put it on deftly. They were used to wearing both feminine and masculine clothing but today they decided a dress will do them nicely. Asta's words were kind and they further shown that she didn't really judge or at least was playing amazingly well. "T-Thank you." They said shyly. "I l-like to w-wear it to f-feel mo-more like a g-girl I sh-should be."

Once ready, Whisper just padded along Asta, now really ready to take on the day. "L-lead the w-way... please."

 

[Asta Dalgaard]

Picking up her satchel by the door, Asta shouldered it and smiled at Whisper. "I not knowing about what you 'should' be. You're Whisper, and being you is good, I think. I wouldn't want you being anybeast else."

She led the way out the door into the late morning. Glancing down at her wet dress, the jill shivered slightly. The morning was a cloudy one, with a slight chill to the air. "Would you being okay if we went to my house so I can get something dry to wear? I living in the Imperial Condos area." She brightened. "Oh! I having good bread there we could eat, too. I made it this morning."

 

[Marie "Whisper" Deftclaw]

Whisper nodded shyly. "S-sure, I wi-will c-come with you." They still struggled with accepting the fact they were accepted unconditionally. In fact, the mention of being taken to Asta's home made the little fox imagine the most vile of scenarios that would validate all mothers in whole Imperium who tell their kits to not follow strangers.

Asta however, wasn't a stranger. Whisper deeply craved some connection deep within, even abusive one as events in the Opera show, though fortunately it was a misunderstanding on their part. As such they followed Asta, no matter what the fate held for them. There was another issue however here. Whisper... disliked silence.

"Do... do you m-make b-b-bread as a hob-b-by?" They asked a bit awkwardly as they walked along, making themselves as little and scarce as possible.

 

[Asta Dalgaard]

"As a hobby?" Asta shook her head. "No, I making it because there is not much good bread in this city. The food here is...ah...kjedelig og smakløst...boring I guess I would say? Growing up on the farm in Varangia, we always having good bread, vegetables, fruit, fish and meats. There is less to be choosing from here, and it is not so fresh. So I grow and make much of it myself."

She brightened, her steps taking on a bouncing quality in excitement for several moments. "Oh! I can show you my garden. I having a lot of vegetables and flowers. Since you having a plant book, I thinking you like plants, ja?"