16

[prayingone]

[Action]

[The past few days have been hard for Shirley, with Senel being sent home. She's spent most of her time with Stella, helping out as much as she can; she's very worried about her sister

Comments

[xelhes]

[Fenimore doesn't believe in this "being alone to clear one's head when sad" thing. ...Well, when it concerns other people. She'd probably try it herself in a similar circumstance.

So she eventually tracks Shirley down at the river. She sits on the edge of the bridge (on the railing, if there is one) and puts her chin on her hands.

After a moment:] It's still too cold out. [Because she'd probably already tried the water a few times this spring already, at least by wading.]

[prayingone]

[And when Fenimore tries it, Shirley is bound to track her down. It all works out.

When Shirley hears Fenimore's voice, she turns to face her, smiling sadly.]

Yeah... I was hoping it would be a little warmer, but... I suppose it's still a little too early for that.

[Too bad by the end of the day, Shirley will have returned home cold, wet, and sneezing anyway. Whoops.]

[xelhes]

[Fenimore returns the smile, but it's not very big. She doesn't like seeing Shirley have to force herself like this.]

It shouldn't be too cold too much longer. Though it will be pretty cold for a while. [She waves her feet slightly back and forth, considering wading in herself.]

[And at that time Fenimore will scold her and grab a towel.]

[prayingone]

Just a few weeks longer... and then we can all go swimming together. [Her face brightens, a little.] I can't wait to show you the bottom of the lakes, Fenimore. They're not the ocean, but... they're beautiful, in their own way.

[Shirley will sheepishly accept the towel and the scolding without complaint.]

[xelhes]

Yeah. It'll be fun. [Fenimore, too, looks a little happier at that.] As soon as it's warm enough, we'll have to plan an outing to the lakes. I haven't been out that far yet, since it was all frozen. It can be fun in its own way, but I'm sick of winter.

[Just as planned.]

[prayingone]

Maybe we can make a day of it, and pack a picnic basket...

[xelhes]

Mm, especially if the stove starts working by then. [She crosses one leg over the other to begin removing her footwear to place on the bridge behind her.] Is it far to the lakes?

[prayingone]

I think I'm starting to get the hang of it... did you know, Fenimore, that when it looks like it's suddenly turned itself off it actually hasn't? So you don't have to turn the heat up when it does that...

[Since it appears that Fenimore is going to start wading, Shirley will make her way closer to the bridge.] Mm, a little... it takes a few hours to make it there on foot... [She smiles, playfully.] But it goes much faster when you swim downriver...

[xelhes]

Huh? But where's the heat coming from?

Then who would want to walk? [She grins.] If you can keep up with me, that is. [She pushes off the bridge to land in the ankle-deep part of the river and squeaks a bit. She knew it would be cold, but it was still pretty sudden.]

[prayingone]

It's heated by... elec-ricity, I think?

Are you challenging me to a race? [At the squeak, her playful look shifts to something more worried.] Are you okay?

[xelhes]

But I thought that it was heated by the glow....

[She flaps a hand dismissively, though she's still smiling.] I'm fine, I'm fine. I forgot it was that cold. [And then the smile turns mischievious.] But I don't think you want me to challenge you. Back in my village, I was well-known for being a fast swimmer. [...That is, she was pretty good for her age, but wasn't really the fastest even among her peers, let alone through her village.]

[prayingone]

Maybe the elec-ricity makes the glow?...

Oh? Well... I'm not sure how fast I am compared to anyone else, but... I do know these waters well.

[xelhes]

But then it stops glowing.

Ah, well, maybe you'll be able to almost keep up the first time, then.

[prayingone]

[Shirley can only shrug helplessly; she knows next to nothing about that stove, and she's reached the end of it.]

I suppose we'll just have to wait and see...

[xelhes]

[And Fenimore returns the shrug. Oh, how she missed their old stove....]

Yeah, I guess it's too cold out to make it worth trying now. [A beat.] Probably.

[prayingone]

[It would not surprise anyone if the Ferines erected a memorial for their old stove. IN LOVING MEMORY OF EDIBLE FOOD ...]

... probably. [... and yet, Shirley finds herself looking out at the river again. Probably... it's not a definite yes or no. ... right?]