FSE

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Charlotte was in her kitchen kneading dough on her counter when a knock came at her door.

"Who is it?" She chirped curiously.

The familiar sound of flapping wings reverberated into the living room behind her, and the sparrow Osiris twittered a reply. "Arc."

Odd, Charlotte thought to herself. Arc was late today.

She felt along the counter, shuffling her feet to the side in small steps to not stub her paw on anything, until she tapped the basin of water she had for cleaning with a finger. Dipping her hands into the cool liquid, Charlotte scrubbed them, hoping to get the flour and dough off of them as best she could.

She didn't want to keep Arc waiting, however, so she dried her hands on the apron she was wearing in hopes it would get off the rest, and felt along the edge of the counter again until her fingers wrapped around the cold metal of her walking stick.

Sweeping the metal rod in small arcs in front of her, Charlotte slowly made her way to the front door.

"Is she still there?" Charlotte sang.

"Yes," Osiris tweeted.

She knew she didn't need to ask that, since Arc understood how slow Charlotte moved, but Charlotte still felt bad for taking so long and wanted to be sure.

She opened the door, and a rush of fresh air filled her nostrils, mixed with Arcs unique scent.

"Hi, Charlotte." Arc said.

Charlotte furrowed her brow a little. Arc didn't sound as happy as she usually was when she visited.

Charlotte stretched out a hand, and Arc took it, guiding it to her face for their familiar greeting.

The small fox gently ran her fingers across the Bounty Hunters face. She spent a bit of time tracing Arcs brow and muzzle, specifically the small ridges near Arcs eyes. Although the Bounty Hunter was smiling, her eyes felt worried.

Charlotte softly grabbed Arcs hand and pulled her inside slowly, concerned. Tapping her cane around the living room, Charlotte looked for her couch. Upon finding it, she sat down and reached forward until she touched the small table in front of the couch, on which sat a stack of paper and a charcoal pencil.

Charlotte grabbed both and scribbled a few words onto a fresh sheet and held it up.

'What's wrong?' It read.

"Before I tell you, I vant you to have this." Arc said.

There was the sound of a heavy bag being placed on the table. Inside, Charlotte heard the light clinking of shifting metal, and her concern grew. Was it a bag of coins? Why would Arc be giving her a bag of coins?

She felt the small talons of Osiris landing on her shoulder. "Money," He chirped, sounding surprised and confirming her suspicion.

She placed the sheet of paper back on the table. 'Why?' She wrote.

"This is portion of all the money Nyx and I have." Arc said. "The rest I have given to other families of need."

That didn't answer her question, so Charlotte tapped the paper with the charcoal pencil, an indication she was asking her question again.

"King Jared has given a job to all Bounty Hunters. Nyx and I are required to go to his castle to assist."

Charlotte flipped the paper over. A request from the king? That was unheard of.

'Won't you need the money when you get back?' Charlotte scribbled.

"oney ve may get for completing job vill be more than enough. But army from Dravern has declared var on castle." There was a pause, and Charlotte heard Arc take a deep breath before she continued. "Ve may not make it back."

The room became dead silent, but Charlotte could almost hear the blood drain from her own face and the rising panic that followed.

Her hands started to shake and her heart raced.

'But, you don't have to go, right?' She wrote, but she already knew the answer.

"Ve have to help," the Bounty Hunter replied. "Nyx and I leave later today."

Charlotte tried to write a response, a plea for Arc not to go, not caring if what she wrote wasn't legible as long as she got it out. Her breathing came out in short, ragged gasps that sounded very much like a dog's whine as the charcoal pencil etched the parchment.

But the pencil slipped from her fingers in her haste and she heard it roll off the table and clatter to the ground.

A myriad of emotions bubbled inside Charlotte and spilled out of her sightless eyes.

She was angry that she couldn't speak, terrified that Arc might not be coming back, grateful that the kind fox had come to say goodbye, but wishing she hadn't at the same time.

She began to hyperventilate as her panic got the better of her, her body refusing to take in more than sporadic inhalation's.

"Breathe!" Osiris chirped fearfully, nuzzling her neck to try and comfort her. "It's okay, it's okay."

She couldn't. No matter how much her body desired air, the weight of the situation sitting heavily on her chest made it difficult.

She clenched her hands into tight fists as tears dripped onto her knees and skirt.

She hardly noticed Arc lifting her up and sitting Charlotte in her lap, holding her close and whispering words of comfort in her ear.

"Breathe, Charlotte." Arc whispered softly. "It'll be alright."

Charlotte buried her face in Arc's chest, grabbing the Bounty Hunters shirt in a white knuckle grip, as if somehow she could keep her from leaving.

She opened her maw and howled a discordant song, her fur flashing an anguished blue. In the kitchen, her plants shook violently in response to her howls, the rustling leaves joining in on the mourning.

And Arc continued to hold her, rocking her like a child.

Charlotte didn't want Arc to go. She was the nicest beastman she'd ever met. She treated her with so much love and consideration, visited her almost every day. What would she do if Arc was gone? Her mind spiraled, thoughts spinning as they jumped from one possibility to the next, each one feeling just as lonely as the one before.

"Don't go," She was howling, over and over.

Arc held Charlotte tight, continuing to whisper in her ear until her breathing had steadied to small hiccups and her grip loosened.

"I vish I could stay longer," Arc said. "But I must get going, yes?"

She stood up, lifting Charlotte as she did and gently putting the smaller fox down. Charlotte just stood there, holding Arcs hand in one last desperate attempt to get her to stay.

Arc held on to hers as well as she walked slowly to the front door and opened it. Only then did she gently remove Charlotte's hand.

Charlotte felt Arc gingerly kiss her forehead. "I may be back," she said, pulling away. "So make sure to save loaf of cherry sveetbread."

Charlotte gave a weak musical bark, causing parts of her fur to glow a dull purple. Her way of saying goodbye to the Bounty Hunter.

"Your vorld is beautiful," Arc said. "Thank you for alloving me to experience it vith you."

With that, Charlotte heard the sound of Arcs paws walking away. She slowly shut the door, and when it clicked closed, she sank to the floor, exhausted.

Pulling her knees close to her body, Charlotte buried her face in them, a fresh bout of tears falling freely.