After some time, Jimmy and the fluffy Whisp sat together on the cracked stone ledge of the broken house. The old structure creaked faintly in the wind, the smell of damp moss and old wood mingling in the air. Below them, Luna continued her drills tirelessly, dashing between the two markers with fierce determination.
Jimmy leaned forward slightly, cupping his hands around his mouth to amplify his voice—though no sound ever came. Instead, he raised his hands and signed with quick, sharp movements.
"Faster, Luna! Increase your speed or you'll never master the next move!"
Luna gave a grumpy nod but pushed harder, droplets of sweat and water flying off her fur as she twisted and zipped through the track like a dancing ripple.
Beside him, the little fluffy Whisp tilted her head and asked softly, "What do you want?"
Jimmy blinked, not catching the question at first. He turned to her, puzzled.
Luna, sensing the moment, echoed the thought into his mind. "She's asking what you want, from all of this. From her, maybe. From life."
Jimmy smiled gently, a mix of weariness and kindness. He shook his head.
"Nothing," he signed with a chuckle, then reached out and pulled her into his lap. His fingers gently combed through her silky fur, slow and careful, like he was comforting a memory.
The little Whisp leaned into his touch with a soft hum, eyes closing.
Minutes passed.
The sun dipped low behind the trees, casting long shadows. A cool breeze rustled the leaves—strangely chill for summer. Jimmy checked his watch. It was nearly 3 PM, and the jungle had already begun to dim. The birdsong had quieted, and the air had grown thick, still.
Jimmy looked around and thought, The rest of the day's light is fading… No point pushing in a place like this. Let's finish training at the Whisp Nexus.
He stood and called out in sign, "Luna! Let's go!"
Luna slowed her sprint, turning with her tail flicking in the air. "Ooon?" she chirped. Jimmy nodded, gesturing her over. She bounded back toward him.
As they prepared to leave, the fluffy Whisp looked at them with wide, suddenly-wet eyes. "You're leaving?" she asked.
Jimmy paused, surprised by the sudden tremble in her voice. Luna interpreted softly.
"It's getting dark. We have to go home."
But even before the words finished echoing in the air, the Whisp's sorrow spilled out of her like a flood.
The calm jungle began to stir.
The air shifted sharply. Trees groaned. Leaves whipped in unseen wind. The peaceful silence shattered under the howl of a rising storm, as if the forest itself had begun to cry.
Thunder rolled.
Jimmy's expression grew still. He reached forward, gently touching the little one's cheek. "It's okay," he signed with a calm smile. He pulled her close again and stroked her back.
Then he leaned close and signed to Luna, who whispered for him:
"Why don't you come with us?""There's more to the world than this lonely place.""Outside… there are warm beds and brighter skies. New people. More laughter. Things to love and protect. There's more… if you want it."
...........
She spun in slow circles around Jimmy, tears welling in her large, glimmering eyes. "The outside world is a bad place…" she whispered through sobs, her voice trembling like fragile glass. "Everyone hurts you out there. If she goes… they'll hurt her too."
Jimmy knelt and held out both hands calmly, his expression soft. He signed gently, "We will protect you."
Luna stepped forward, nodding with determination. "On… onnnn!" she chirped, her fur sparking with gentle static. Her presence was like a blanket of warmth, reassuring and strong.
The little Whisp sniffled once more… then, slowly, the tears stopped. A small giggle escaped her. She twirled mid air like a floating flower caught in a spring breeze, her earlier gloom dissolving into laughter. Then she floated close—so close her nose brushed against Jimmy's. Instinctively, without thought, Jimmy reached out and held her in his arms.
Then, just as suddenly as the silence had fallen… it passed.
The wind exhaled a soft breeze through the trees. Leaves rustled like whispers from the forest itself. The unnatural chill faded, replaced by the earthy scent of moss and the distant chirp of hidden creatures resuming their rhythm.
The jungle slowly came alive again—like a great beast stirring from slumber. No longer oppressive, but a calmness.
She blinked up at him and asked quietly, "What do you need?"
Jimmy opened his mouth… but no words came. He looked away, frustrated at first, then smiled with a tired kindness.
"Nothing," he signed slowly.
She blinked in confusion, then remembered—he couldn't speak. Her expression softened, but before anything else could be said, that moment of peace broke. A strange pressure lifted from his chest like he had awoken from a dream. Jimmy blinked rapidly and shook his head, dazed. The forest had grown darker.
She was still in front of him, staring gently at both him and Luna. A soft silence settled between them. Jimmy raised his hand and signed once more, "Goodbye, my friend." Then he waved, slowly and solemnly. 👋👋
He hesitated, then asked again, "Wanna come with us?"
She didn't reply. Instead, her tiny hand shimmered, and from it formed a delicate feather—glowing faintly silver-white, like the last breath of dawn. She floated forward and placed it in Jimmy's open palm.
He stared at it in awe.
Then, sensing the forest darken further, he instinctively turned his head to check their surroundings. Shadows were coiling through the trees, and night was falling fast.
But when he turned back—She was gone.
He reached forward in panic. His lips moved in a silent scream, but no sound escaped him. Luna beside him cried out as well, but her voice, too, was swallowed by a chilling silence. The wind had stopped. The trees had stopped. The world… had paused.
The feather in his palm began to change.
Its glow faded. The edges darkened. Slowly, like ink bleeding into paper, the feather turned black.
Jimmy's eyes widened. He tried to clutch it tighter, to protect it. But it was too late. The feather dissolved into dark dust, melting into glowing particles that floated upward, only to be swept away by a sudden gust of wind—gone before he could even cry.
Jimmy reached out after it, hands open, heart sinking.
But nothing remained.
Only the sound of his own silent breath.
From that moment, he felt something quietly shifting inside him—not loud, not sudden, but real. A change he couldn't explain… only feel.