Sun Mote Copse Blackbird singing

Since leaving on that first excursion, Fennec had traveled out a ways a few times.  She didn't tell anyone when she did and always took care to return.  She didn't know if Towhee would follow her but hadn't wanted to risk a babysitter.  The whole point was to get used to traveling solo.

She had planned on going back to the lake today, but when she woke up a light cold rain was falling.  Traveling was slow for her and the rain would make it hard to both hear or smell anything coming, so she elected to stay in.  

Instead she went for a walk in borders. Fennec stuck to the thicker tree cover as she did so and took to sniffing around.  It was crazy how fast the water made everything so different.  

Her ears pricked when she heard a bird sound off above her, then let out a groan as a sizeable branch of water let loose right on her head when it took off.  Thanks for that! she called up after the culprit, then shook her head sideways.  At least she didn't need to worry about water in her eyes?

oops! For @Sugar Glider

The sound of Fen's cry woke Sugar from a sound sleep. She was on all fours, teeth bared, the fur along her spine standing on end, before she even knew she was awake. When recognition registered, she slowly calmed herself, the ridge of prickles smoothing and her lifted lip falling back over her teeth. She gave herself a little shake and waited for the unpleasant rolling in her stomach to subside.

She stepped out from beneath her evergreen shelter and squinted through the woods, trying to pinpoint the other girl's location. Sugar paused as she deliberated whether she wanted to go toward the sound or away from it. By choice, she'd been keeping to herself much of the time since her return (most of it spent sleeping), but she found comfort in the idea of seeing a familiar face just now.

Quickly discarding any notion of trying to sneak up on Fennec, Sugar called out, "Fen? Where are you?" and began making her way toward where she thought she would find her pale relative, peering through the wintry mix blurring her vision.

Fennec twisted around when Sugar Glider's voice came through the trees.  Towhee had told her that her cousin was back, but Fennec hadn't gone to see (ha) for herself yet.  She was glad that she was home, but her disappearance had expounded in Fennec what Fig's had started.  Relying on anyone too much would end up being a mistake.

Over here!  It was pointless for them both to go looking for each other, so Fennec elected to stay where she was and wait.  She'd try and direct her by voice if she had a hard time even after that initial call.

Fen's voice came again, from up ahead and slightly to her left. Sugar didn't hasten her step, though she corrected her course. It wasn't long before she found the girl standing stock still beneath the partial shelter of some trees. Sugar paused for just a moment before proceeding toward her. Where before she may have reached out to touch her to let her know she was there, Sugar instead opted to simply say, "Hey."

A beat of silence passed after this greeting, during which Sugar groped for something to say. She really hadn't talked to anyone since returning. She'd let her parents fuss over her (cringing inside all the while at the physical contact), Avery too, for as long as she could stand it. She'd then sought solace in the form of solitude. This was going to be her first meaningful conversation since coming back.

Her mouth opened and shut a few times before she finally came up with something. "Have you ever had a secret?"

Fennec wasn't overly keen on meeting up with Sugar for an extended time.  She liked her, of course, but her cousin seemed to her to be a bit dull and kind of goody goody.  Fennec wasn't a trouble maker by any means, but she didn't exactly go out of her way to make the adults like her.  They just didn't seem to have a whole lot in common, and Fennec didn't enjoy forced conversation.

All thoughts of bailing fled about 2 seconds in when Sugar uttered one of the most fascinating things she'd ever said in their time knowing each other. Fennec looked at her a moment, then smiled, the curl of her lips a little conspiratorial.  Plenty, she said.  Maybe she didn't lie a ton, but she had her share of secrets.  The most recent being her escapades of course... but there were others too.  Why?

The question made Fen smile impishly. Sugar's own face remained rather stony, not that her blind peer would know one way or another. She answered the question breezily, then of course demanded to know why Sugar asked. The corners of her mouth curved downward.

"I've never had one," she replied, "until now." She paused, not for effect but to swallow audibly. "It's hard," Sugar continued after a shaky breath, "especially because..." She felt her whole body thrumming with her ratcheted heartbeat. She wasn't even sure she should admit as much but... "It's... big."

It kind of seemed like Sugar wanted to talk, because why else would she bring it up?  Fennec was a little dubious about what her cousin would count as a 'big secret'.  Murdering one of her brothers would totally count, as would sneaking a stranger in or something.  Even Fennec had a hard time coming up with things big enough to constitute a 'big' secret.

Well, if you tell, it won't be your secret anymore.  She finally responded, choosing to take the passive route.  She wasn't really about pressuring others to share, but she'd bite and see if Sugar actually wanted to.  It'd be ours.  And if it makes you feel better, I'd tell you one of mine.  Just a little one.

Sugar didn't reply right away when Fen suggested she confess, thus shifting some of the load off herself and onto her friend. She bit her lip and looked sideways. The thought of sharing it with someone was equal parts relieving and terrifying. Ultimately, she decided she wasn't ready yet. And if she told someone, it would be someone she trusted implicitly. She liked Fennec, a lot, but they simply hadn't established that level of trust yet.

"I'm not ready," she admitted. "Is there anything else I can do to..." Sugar paused, worrying at her lip again. "Feel better?" Aside from "fessing up," was there anything else she could do to lighten the burden weighing on her slim, young shoulders?

Fennec twitched an ear and didn't hesitate before responding with a blatant (but unbothered) Not really.  She sat down and gave her side a scratch (ugh, itchy) and continued, as if realizing that sounded pretty bad.

If I don't know what it is I can't really say much, and if it's bothering you to keep it in then the only real way to fix it is to talk.  I don't really keep bad secrets.  None of the ones she had weighed on her, and if she had one that did, she knew she'd go straight to Towhee with it.

But I hope you figure it out?  She wasn't bothered that Sugar Glider wasn't ready, and it didn't offend her to not be trusted.  She was curious, sure, but she had already guessed it wasn't as interesting as it sounded.

She swallowed at Fennec's reply of, "Not really." Sugar's lips pursed as her companion took a seat and explained that the secret was going to eat at her until she let it out. Her charcoal ears slipped backward at her companion's easygoing well wishes, her black eyes staring speculatively at Fen's face, boring into her own pale and sightless gaze.

She meant to say, "Thanks," but what came out instead was, "It's... bad." Although she knew Fen wasn't looking back at her, her eyes dropped. "Really bad." She let out a low, whooshing breath and looked up again, though her gaze fixed on a point somewhere over Fen's shoulder. "Thanks though," she tacked on a little artlessly.

A wet snowflake, more ice than snow, hit her in the eye, causing her to blink rapidly. "The weather's getting worse. I can help you find some shelter if you want," Sugar offered, guessing that Fen probably didn't need her help. But maybe the weather conditions impacted her ability to navigate, in which case she'd be happy to make good on her offer.

If Fennec had been able to see, she might have needed to resist the urge to roll her eyes as Sugar went on to further iterate how bad this secret was.  Great, so helpful, definitely not curious about what it is and also one hundred percent can help you now.

The skepticism would definitely show in her face, but then she shrugged and moved on.  The gesture wasn't one she made very often anymore since it was a mostly visual cue, but in this case it was more to physically let go of the point.  She didn't want to know anyway, right?

No, I was going to walk for a little longer.  Fennec hesitated just a beat, then offered - if you want, you can come with?  She wasn't going to be leaving today anyway, so it didn't matter if Sugar came along on a quick walk.  And maybe her cousin just wanted company.  Fennec just hoped she didn't keep talking about this secret she couldn't tell. Though if she did, Fennec would probably just tell her to either spill or deal with getting the same advice every time.

She said she intended to keep walking, then invited Sugar to accompany her. Before, Sugar would not have hesitated to accept the invitation. She would've enjoyed learning how Fennec managed in inclement weather conditions. But the secret she couldn't share lingered between them and Sugar hadn't missed the look on Fen's face. Her desire for further conversation withered.

"I'm tired," she replied, which wasn't untrue. Despite sleeping a lot lately, Sugar seemed unable to shake the weariness from her spirit. "I'm going to hole up and take a nap. Some other time though," she thought to add, faintly. "I'll see you later, Fen," were her parting words before she turned slowly and began to plod right back toward her earlier spot beneath the evergreen.

Sugar said she was tired and didn't want to come and Fennec felt a bit of relief.  She'd have been okay with her cousin coming, but now they wouldn't have to deal with any awkwardness and she could enjoy the snow on her own.  She'd found that she actually kind of enjoyed her lone trips outside.  It was easier to feel for herself how things were when she wasn't distracted by another beside her.

If you change your mind, I'm around most of the time.  She said, and it was obvious that wasn't only directed at the nap vs coming along.  Smell ya later.  She smiled at her own joke, then began walking opposite.

She really did hope that Sugar Glider thought about her advice and found someone to talk to about this.  Maybe not Fennec, that was fine, but someone at least.