Chapter 19: Defiance

At first, Whisper listened to her father and stayed close to the house. She climbed a few trees and hung off the branches, making a point not to tear her pretty dress. She took a nap on a sturdy branch and awoke strangely hungry.

This hunger was one previously unfelt by her. It overcame her with a dizzying weakness, and was so severe, she could hear her stomach in her head. Frustrated, she rolled over and tried to go back to sleep. But, the hunger persisted.

Whisper, unknowing that her father had felt similar hunger after running around a lot when he was her age (he still did, but as the years passed, he learned—as she would—that such a hunger could be ignored for a time), was embarrassed to find herself so weak. Angry at her body, she took off deep into the forest surrounding their house, and soon found herself in unfamiliar territory. She was far from home—farther than she realized—and didn't hear her mother's call.

This part of the forest seemed new and exciting, and Whisper forgot all about her hunger. There was a beautiful lake with rushing water, which fascinated Whisper. The water was not so deep to an adult, but when Whisper reached her hand in (being careful to remove her glove first), she found she couldn't touch the bottom, even if she extended her fingers as far out as they would go.

There were minnows in this lake as well, tiny silver fish that winked up at Whisper as she sat on the bank, wishing on dandelions and petting the flowers. At one point, a young fawn and its mother came to drink from the other side. Intrigued at the new animals across from her, Whisper stood and, infused with her father's adventurous spirit, stepped upon the river stones that intruded in the water's path to get to the other side.

These rocks, however, were slippery, and the water below was fast and dangerous. Instead of feeling fear every time she slipped (being only in Mary Janes that could withstand her speed—a fortunate craft of Tails--), Whisper felt infused with adrenaline. Being the adventurous twin, it would benefit her to have a similar fear to her father. But, she didn't. Whisper just craved danger, and the water seemed more dangerous than anything constituting danger she had come upon before.

By the time she had leaped gracefully to the other side of the bank, the deer and fawn had gone. Whisper pouted for a while, until her eyes graced the beautiful emerald deepness of the forest beyond her. She grinned, a laugh gracing the silence of the wood, as she imperiously walked towards the darkness.

Suddenly, a gust of wind hit her so fiercely that she stumbled and had to turn around. Her father, looking much out of breath and dirty, stood on the opposite bank. His eyes were filled with relief at something--finding her, she deduced—and his perfect fur was dotted with thorns and briars, blueish-brown from the dust of the red sands. He was sweaty beneath the fur, as the darker shades of blue around his neck, shoulders, back, and armpits dictated, and he smelled of a million different smells, both familiar and unfamiliar.

"Whisper," his voice, at first, was hoarse and held relief. "Thank the gods I found you!" His voice, strong now, was angry, as were his eyes. "Why did you run off?" He demanded, baring his teeth as if he expected a response.

Whisper folded her hands over her chest and looked in disbelief and confusion at him as if to say: "I didn't do anything wrong." A smug smile on her face added: "…yet."

Sonic huffed, straightening in authority. He was actually shocked at her defiance! So…I can't rely on you being like your mother, huh? He sighed, and then woke up with renewed alarm as Whisper turned around and deliberately took a step towards the forest. "Whisper…" Sonic growled warningly. He knew what was in those forests. Poisonous berries and dangerous, mutated creatures and wild robots from when Eggman's base had been there, cowed in the underbrush. And with Whisper's condition, she would be too easy a target. "Get back over here. Now." He was being firm, but Whisper wasn't listening.

She could smell fear on her father, which escalated the closer she got to the forest. Thoughts of danger, she fighting off a million enemies like her mother told her that her father did, running through the dark underbrush, away from some ancient booby trap…She wanted it. It was her desire to hunt danger. And, with no fear to give her reason, she was dangerous in herself.

Sonic didn't know she didn't fear water, but he sure did. Even though it didn't look very deep, he saw it was fast. The current could easily carry him away. Water was powerful, and something he couldn't fight with his feet. "Whisper, look at me." Sonic hissed sternly.

Whisper looked at him, flashed a cocky smile. Her eyes were aflame an excitement he would feel in himself at even the first hint of danger—but for himself, not her—as in pure defiance, she exposed her bright pink tongue and sped towards the entrance of the forest.

Fear of water gone. Sonic felt like his ears had been shot clean off. He heard nothing but his heart's beating as Whisper prepared to penetrate the dark and dangerous forest. Sonic leaped over the rush water, scooping his daughter into the crook of his arms, and spirited her away from danger. Whisper clapped her hands, laughing hysterically as they jumped again over the river and went speeding off back home.

Sonic's heartbeat didn't calm until Whisper's feet were safely in the backyard, safe and sound. When he put Whisper down, she fell on her bottom, giggling slightly still. She looked up into his eyes, hers filled with a lively fervor. That was definitely saying: "Let's do it again!" Sonic sighed, and collapsed beside her.

"No," he told her tenderly. "Let's not do that again." His daughter snuggled against him, then, her confidence tensing to unease. Sonic started. "What is it?" He demanded, troubled. Whisper whimpered and rubbed her tummy with her hands. She looked at her father, begging for mercy. Sonic laughed.

"My dear," he told her affectionately, kissing her on the nose. "Hunger is the least of your problems! Just wait till your mom sees you!" Sonic stood successfully, stretching and letting out a big fat yawn. Whisper let out a yawn, too, and tried to stand…but fell back into the grass. With a pout on her lips and a plea in her round eyes, she begged her dad to pick her up by extending her arms out. Sonic swooped and had her in his arms in half a second. Whisper snuggled into his shoulder.

She stood there in silence in the living room, leaning against the couch for support as her father made her favorite chili for her, and then ate more ravenously than they'd ever seen her eat before in her life.

Whisper thought hard about her adventure as she ate and demanded seconds—another first for her. Her father was afraid of water, yet he braved it for her sake. She was still itching to go to the dangerous forest, but didn't want to get scolded by her mom again. She reached out to touch Ame's vibes. He was having a good time, and these vibes were colored by love. Whisper smiled.

She had foreseen this love, too.