Spirit Animal Ficlets

Oh Whale

Tipu had been avoiding Jesper. Since their rooms were next door to each other, Tipu spent most of his time either quickly stealing food from the kitchen and running back or huddling up in his room. Sometimes when he did go out to get more food Jesper would be walking out which Tipu promptly slammed back into his room.

That was when three weeks later when he got a knock on his door. Tipu peeked out, he noticed Jesper smiling "Hey Ti-"

Tipu slammed the door shut and slipped down the smooth wood. There was knocking "Tipu? Hey Tipu, can you please come out even for a little bit?" Jesper asked.

Tipu didn't say anything and curled closer to himself. Why would Jesper want to see him? Was this his way of finally breaking it off? Tipu covered his mouth as he tried not crying. The ground shook under him a little.

Jesper forced the door open after a moment. Tipu was hiding under his blanket, hoping this is just a bad dream. There was another weight added to his bed "Hey Tipu, so I know you've had a rough three weeks but maybe you wanna come out and hang out with everybody? Your dad is here too, he got a letter about what happened and came as fast as he could to the Temple to check on you," Jesper said.

Tipu shifted away "Send him to my room," he muttered.

A hand touched Tipu's side "Your friends are worried too," Jesper added.

"Tell them I'm fine."

The hand remained there for a moment longer then pulled away afterwards "Anybody else?" He asked.

"Master Fanel, if he's not busy."

Tipu heard the soft sad sigh then Jesper left, the bed going back to normal from where he had sat. Tipu curled more into himself. Why did he deserve to be happy?

---------

A month later Master Fanel had coaxed Tipu from his bed. The piosonous Angwu had brought him out the the tranquility garden, near the water section. Jesper was sitting on the lip of the pond and kicking his legs in the water.

He was pressing with some dried out clay, trying to shape it into a new form. Tipu lingered beside the nature master when Jesper looked up. He had dark bags under his eyes and his floppy gazelle ears twitched "Hi," he greeted.

Tipu waved nervously back. The earth master looked at his creation "You like whales right?" He asked.

Tipu wanted to stay hidden by Master Fanel but the nature mage had slipped away from the two leaving them alone together. Tipu felt panicked "Yes," he replied softly. Jesper held up his clay creation. An orca made out of clay. Tipu stepped forward until he was an arm length away and took up the small animal "It's cute," Tipu said.

Jesper smiled "I remembered you liked whales," he said sweetly. Tipu shifted as he sat down, leaving a little space between them.

Tipu smiled at it "Thank you," he said. Jesper placed his head on Tipu's shoulder and they sat there in silence. It felt like all was right in the world again.