Around, Broken In Two

Pale paw lightly circles the rim of her dish of tea and she watches the way the steam curls off the hot liquid. The fire crackles and pops merrily, warming her coat and the surrounding area. Fern cannot look at Bowen, the shame she feels is too overwhelming. Then, a small russet paw comes to rest over one of own pale paw and the gray girl forces herself to meet the emerald gaze of the caramel and cream woman. Bowen speaks and Fern listens, empathy growing for the smaller woman. She offers the caramel fae a soft smile as the paw withdraws, her ocean-hued eyes never leaving those intense viridian eyes. Bowen continues to speak and Fern nods slowly, offering her a smile when Bowen gives her one.

Eyes track down to her tea and the gray girl takes a long pull of the hot liquid. It soothes her throat as it passes, carrying its warmth down into her belly where it spreads out through her body. Giving a content sigh, Fern looks to Bowen and says, “This tea is wonderful.” She smiles before clearing her throat and continuing on, “Thank you Bowen. You are too kind. I worry… a lot. It’s… something that I am working on.” A smile flutters across her face before she says softly, “Also, I understand what anxiety feels like. If you ever need someone to talk to or just to listen to you, I am here for you.” This time, she reaches out a pale paw toward Bowen, placing it on her sable paw in an attempt to comfort.

After a moment, she puts her paw back on the dish and an idea suddenly comes to Fern. If Bowen doesn’t like to talk about herself, maybe she can get the caramel and cream woman to tell funny stories about her family. It would be a round about to get information about her but Fern decides to give it a try. Lifting the dish to her lips, she says, “So what do you think of Rudy’s antlers? Has anything that crazy ever happened to you guys before?” Taking a long sip, Fern looks over the rim at the viridian eyes of Bowen, a smile slowly working its way onto her face.


"Fern Lark"