31 Days of Sonic Prompt 5: Communication.
It's Your Favorite
While Jewel was taking the cake out of the oven, she felt a presence behind her. With her mittened hands clutching the pan, she glanced at the ground. A long shadow stretched from the doorway, extending out in an angular fashion that began looming over her.
But what caught her attention was the bushy tail. It wagged from side to side in what Jewel hoped was anticipation. Back and forth, back and forth, it shifted and quickened its pace. Whenever Jewel flicked her gaze at it, it only seemed to move faster, much to her bewilderment.
Jewel swallowed and tugged her hands to her chest. A shiver raced up her spine, forcing her wings to flutter. With a gulp, she peered over her shoulder, the hum of her oven filling the silence, leaving only the rich scent of vanilla to fill the air.
Someone had left the front door to her cottage, allowing the sunlight to bleed into her hallway. It cast a glow around the wolf, who stood as still as a statue in the doorway. She donned her mask, preventing Jewel from knowing her expression, but if she gleaned anything from Whisper, making supposed eye contact increased her tail wagging.
Whisper tugged her mask off, revealing a grin plastered on her muzzle. Her cadet blue eyes sparkled like the sapphires Jewel displayed at her store. "Are you making a pound cake?" she murmured, bobbing up and down.
Jewel peered at Whisper's boots, finding she was rocking on her heels. Breathing out her worries, she said, "That's right. You two came home just in time for me to finish up my cheat day dessert."
Whisper wasted no time. She made a beeline for the connected dining room. Jewel heard a chair scrape on the tiles, evident of Whisper pulling it out too harshly. Whisper's cape fluttered, and silence returned.
Shaking off her puzzlement, Jewel chuckled to herself. Sometimes, it was difficult juggling her work, routine, and duties with the Restoration. But the surprising moments made up for the upheaval of her regular day, and Whisper's reaction to pound cake was no exception.
She quickly pulled the pan out of the oven and set it on the stove. Breathing deeply, she sighed at the sweet, warm aromas of lemon and sugar. The cake seemed perfectly risen, fluffy and moist, with a browned top. Licking her lips, she couldn't wait to sink her teeth into it, and she grabbed the pan, turned toward the dining room, and floated onward.
But she was caught off guard. A blinding flash of gray, black, and yellow dashed in front of her. Jewel's arms shot upward, yelping as she felt the cake nearly slip from the pan. She awkwardly fluttered in place, trying to regain her surroundings and composure with a few pants.
"Hi, Jewel! Thanks for dessert!" Tangle shouted as she raced into the dining room.
Groaning, Jewel rolled her eyes. Tangle's exuberance was a trait she both enjoyed and dreaded. Noticing the sunlight still seeping into the room, it came to her attention that it was Tangle who forgot to shut the front door as she had come in last. The call of delicious dessert fueled Tangle's excitability, and Jewel decided to gently let the lemur have a piece of her mind.
With a click of her tongue, she flew into the dining room. There at the table, Whisper sat at attention. Her ears perked upward, and her smile remained cheerier than ever. Next to her, Tangle licked her lips and clutched a fork tightly in her right hand, her left pulling her plate closer.
"Oh, that looks scrumptious! Those lessons from Vanilla really paid off," Tangle exclaimed, only to hum when Jewel held the pan closer to her chest.
"Did you leave the front door open again?" she asked, and she pursed her lips at the sheepish grin etched on Tangle's face.
She scratched the back of her head. "Uh, did I?"
Jewel elbowed the sunlight that was still bleeding into the hallway. "You tell me."
Face flushing, Tangle tittered. "On second thought, I think I did."
As Tangle jogged toward the entrance, Jewel set the pan down in the center of the table. She surveyed the tableware she had set up, a ceramic plate and sterling silver utensils for each girl. She selected a cake knife and carved six equal pieces for them, using the server to plate them properly.
All the while, Whisper's tail started to wag again. Jewel noticed it swishing above her back, her delight earning a chuckle from both Jewel and Tangle when she raced back to her seat. Whisper didn't bother concealing her satisfaction, and Jewel was pleased to know she felt comfortable enough to express herself, remembering how reserved the wolf had been during their first meeting.
Tangle crammed a forkful into her mouth and groaned, her lips wrapped around the fork. "This is so good!" she cried through bites.
Whisper nibbled for a split second, only for her eyes to widen. She peered over at Jewel with utmost satisfaction, nearly melting in her seat at the taste. "It's better than pound cakes at fancy restaurants," she added, almost scarfing it down.
Jewel beamed and neatly sliced a morsel of herself. "Thanks, girls. When Tangle told me you were also coming over, Whisper, I just had to make a pound cake."
Whisper paused, fork hovering in mid-air. "Why? I don't remember telling you my favorite food."
"Well, Whisper," Jewel began, raising the cake to her mouth, "Tangle told me you liked pound cake, and that's why I wanted to make it."
Jewel bit down. Vanilla and lemon mingled on her taste buds, and she slowly savored the flavors. It was perfectly creamy and buttery, baked to perfection. Her tutor would be proud of her attention to detail, and she made a mental note to bake pound cake for the Restoration members.
When Jewel looked up, she found Tangle and Whisper gazing at each other. For a moment, they seemed to be in their little world, a universe built for two. Jewel was pleased to be on the outside looking in, knowing she was welcomed, just as she included them in her home.
Whisper broke away first. She beamed at Jewel and thanked her. Jewel returned her appreciation with a wink, and Tangle shoved the rest of the first slice into her mouth, spraying crumbs as she spoke. As Whisper offered her napkin, Jewel laughed, happy to be with such fantastic friends.