"I've found friends in animals. Not many people took the time to
become my friend, and other than animals I had no family." Agathe
stood up as she shrugged as well. "Yes, ready to go get some
fruit." She smiled and Shaye cawed as he flapped his wings and took
off to land on her forearm that she set out in response to his
request. "He'll guide us to it on my arm so he doesn't get too far
ahead of us."
"Good idea. I will follow next to you both. Unless you would like a
quite moment to digest everything. I am cool with that too," Sasha
said, realizing she had essentially joined herself at the hip to
this girl for almost twenty-four hours.
"Digest what? I would think that getting the food before digesting
would be a good idea." Agathe chuckled as she followed Shaye's
directions leading her out the temple and into the woods to find
the fruits. Little chirps or brushes of his wing helped her
navigate any obstacles in her way until they came upon a decent
sized grove with a few different varieties of berries, each one
striving to be the dominating presence there.
"I don't think I have ever been to this spot...it is gorgeous,"
Sasha whispered, a basket in hand. She began wondering over to some
of her favorite fruits, gathering freshest of them to put in her
basket.
"I can't help too much with the picking since I might grab
something that's poisonous... But I could carry the basket." Agathe
had heard the sound of the berries being put into the basket and
she did want to help.
"I'll follow you. You'll be rustling the bushes enough that I'll be
able to keep up." Agathe held the basket and Shaye chirped. "Oh,
and I have Shaye to help me out, my apologies." She chuckled as the
bird adjusted his position on her arm so he was higher up.
Sasha laughed, imagining Shaye's voice and him telling Agathe what
was what. "I am glad he is here to help. Shaye is awesome." She
meandered about, picking up fruit here and there.
"I agree, Shaye is very awesome," Agathe stepped over a fallen
branch as Shaye chirped a warning. "And I actually did hear that
one. Sasha's scales aren't completely silent when they go over
something." She stayed right within arms reach with the basket.
"I make a slight swish swish sound," Sasha agreed. "I think that is
partially why my mom named me Sasha. To interrupt the swish swish
sound. I enjoy it. Reminds me of her. So I know we were going to do
laundry today. What else was on our plan?"
Agathe smiled and chuckled as she followed along. "Laundry I think
was the only thing we planned, so was there anything you would like
to do today?" Shaye cawed softly and Agathe nodded. "Oh yeah! You
had mentioned that we were going to get me settled in today?"
"That's right! What will help get you settled? We could probably
pick out some personal effects. Clothes as well. We can put them in
your room," Sasha said, finishing her work of picking berries. "We
should be good now. Don't want to overpick."
"Personal effects? I think all I'd really need is a change of
clothes... I'm," Agathe chuckled as she tried to figure out how to
say what she wanted to without causing a round of 'I'm so sorry'.
Not that she minded it, but she didn't want to put a damper on the
mood. "I'm just not really used to owning things I suppose. I
wouldn't know what to do with it."
"I was mostly meaning clothes. But, and I say this without any
meanness, it is simply an offer and if you want it, great! If not,
also great! You don't have to claim the stuff as yours but you can
use them if you want. Things like a hairbrush, soaps for bathing,
just small, everyday things like that. I don't have a hairbrush
that I use. Because I can't brush my hair. Oh, boy was that attempt
not fun. Learned real quickvwhy I should let it do it's own thing,"
Sasha replied, reaching up to pet one of the nicer snakes.
Agathe nodded and smiled, very thankful for finding someone so
understanding. "That's another reason why I keep my hair short, so
I don't have to brush it." She chuckled. "Do your snakes ever get
tangled?" She wondered if they would let her untangle them if
needed. She was also moving the subject off of the needed items,
since she never really needed items she wouldn't know what she was
doing.
"I am not entirely sure...sometimes I swear they can and do listen
to me. Other times they seem intent on doing anything but what I
want. I think they understand you. At the least, they like
you,"Sasha shrugged, holding out her hand towards Shaye. "Would he
be okay if I stroked his feathers? Not petting like a kept pet. But
more of...like a back rub among friends. Have to admit I am really
curious as to how his feathers feel. They look so nice."
Agathe tilted her head for a moment as she tried to piece together
how she'd phrase this request. "Shaye, Sasha would like to feel
your feathers as she does not have them, and has not really been
able to experience their texture. She does not want to intrude and
means it only in friendship and nothing of the bondage-style
relationship of other humans and the animals they keep." Shaye let
out a quiet trill and this made Agathe giggle. "Of course! She
would never try to remove them or cause you any sort of pain." The
bird then chirped and puffed his feathers before they settled. "He
said you and I may stroke his feathers whenever we would so like,
as long as we respect him and do not pull them, though I'm sure you
wouldn't, and neither would I." She smiled and bowed her head
slightly. "Thank you Shaye for this great honor."
"Thank you, thank you, thank you! I would never, ever dream of
plucking a feather or pulling them. I imagine it would feel much
like tugging on or pulling off one of my scales. It is a really big
honor and he is more then welcome to ask for something in return,"
Sasha gushed, sliding over a few paces yo hold out her hand.
Noticing the berry juice, she shook her head. "No, not now, I have
berry juice on my hands and would loathe to mar his pretty feathers
with them. Perhaps after we get back and I wash my hands, if he is
still okay with it."