This just might have been the most awkward conversation to ever happen in the history of the world. His ears rolled back against the top of his head and he continued his painfully uncomfortable plight of staring down at his paws. And there wasn't a good answer waiting for him down there. Not unless he planned on magically becoming a blade of grass right before Jessie's very eyes. Maybe if he was lucky she would strike him dead or make up a good excuse for the both of them to stop talking.

But instead of attacking or blurting out an excuse—

Jessie instead offered words of encouragement. His eyes bulged and he couldn't help but look up at her in that moment. Because how could she possibly look at him and say there's nothing wrong with that? He was Cottongrass! Everything about him was bad and horrible and wrong. He couldn't even hold a basic conversation without messing up! She was too nice. Far too nice and Cottongrass knew for a damn fact that he was undeserving. But she kept going! She even admitted that she didn't join a pack until she was three years old!

There was no way the world wasn't ending.

"Really?" He asked. Like he wasn't quite sure if he could trust her. His yellow eyes were shy but hopeful. "How come?" Was that okay to ask? His anxiety was telling him to shut up and start groveling but he wanted to hear more. Because Jessie was a terrifying woman that seemed like she had her whole entire life together. But maybe that wasn't always the case.

They just might have had something in common...

End thread.