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Gramble was always a little nervous around Shelda. Not through any fault of her own, mind you, she hadn’t done anything nearly as bad as what Wambus did, that miserable old coot, but her mannerisms put him off a little.
The way she was always shouting, akin to those preachers he often saw while travelling with his Mama when he was younger. The way she would always announce her presence, telling him off about how she disapproved of his care for his little ones. How he was the “Shepherd of Toxins”.
He was a rancher, first off.
Yet she kept him going with her herbology knowledge. Without her, he’d probably be even worse off than he was now, shrivelled up in his barn, trying to stave hunger without…
He shook his head, wiping his mouth of saliva that suddenly started drooling out his mouth. No. Never.
But despite his issues with her, he could tolerate what she did. She never tried to eat his little ones, unlike someone here. If anything, she agreed with him in a way, just not as… Eager to see them.
Yet she wasn’t even above eating them. It was only once, at the beginning of the trip, at least, but she did sneak one as they were settling in.
It definitely tainted her message in his eyes, but she meant well. He could tell that much.
When she offered him those pellets of hers as sustenance over sauce, he jumped at the opportunity. He didn’t care how awful they tasted, and they definitely did, it was better than guzzling down sauce plants while smelling of ketchup.
He was never going to get the smell out of his fur. But anything for his little ones’ attention. He winced a little as his back ached at the reminder. Those darn bungers could really get excited.
His thoughts of his little ones trailed off as he arrived at his destination: Shelda’s hut.
Hut was a generous term, in his opinion, but you don’t insult someone’s home. That’s what his mama always said.
But she could really do with some walls, especially considering how old she was…
Speaking of Shelda, she was busy fiddling with some box, not having noticed him yet, muttering words under her breath as she shoved it aside before sighing, holding a paw to her back.
“Grumpin’... You go on an expedition, and your bones decide to give out on you…” She muttered, turning around to face him, before widening her eyes in shock.
He waved a paw meekly, smiling awkwardly.
“H-Heya, Shelda. I, um, was wonderin’ if ya had any of those pellets left over?” He squeezed his paws together anxiously, looking up at her like a grumpling would to their parents when asked to get a new toy.
He remembered when Mama got him things. She did a lot for him before she left.
Shelda, snapping out of her staring, coughed into a paw quickly, expression morphing into a familiar warm smile. She never did that with him.
He swallowed on reflex. Now wasn’t the time for a trip down memory lane.
“A-Ah, young Gramble, how, uh, surprising of you to show up at this hour!” She greeted, opening her arms and beckoning him closer. “The Great Shelda was about to rest her weary eyes until the sun’s rays greet us once again, but I cannot turn away a grump in need.”
He smiled softly. She always got like this.
“Alright, I’m sorry to keep ya from restin’.” He nodded his head softly in apology, still wringing his paws together. “But, uh, I don’t wanna wind up feelin’ hungry again tonight.”
She blinked at that before her smile dropped a little.
“Of course, dear Gramble, I shall be but two seconds.” She turned around again, muttering softly under her breath as she turned a bit too quickly.
Before he realised it, he was up the steps, reaching out a paw to help her walk.
“Oh, don’t strain yourself for me, Shelda.” He said, working an arm around her frame to help her keep her balance. “I don’t mind givin’ ya a little bit of help.” He smiled up at her, trying his best to give a confident expression as he felt his legs shake a little.
Shelda, taken aback, looked at him like a fish, mouth open slightly, before composing herself again.
“Ah, thank you, dear. One is getting on in years, and is only now feeling the effects.” The annoyance in her voice couldn’t be matched. He winced in what he thought was sympathy and not exhaustion.
“R-Right.” He muttered, helping her along to her herbology station. “Again, I don’t wanna be a bother, but-”
“Nonsense, my dear.” She said, placing a paw on his shoulder. “Mother Naturae would not look upon me with grace if I were to turn you away in your hour of need.”
He cocked his head at that. Did he really look that bad? He looked down at himself, sweater covered in sauce stains, legs quivering slightly…
Grump, he felt awful. When was the last time he ate?
“Thank ya…” He said, looking at her with appreciation. “I dunno what to do to pay ya back for doin’ all this for me.”
She chuckled at that, a raspy, wise laugh, patting him on the shoulder again.
“My boy, you don’t get to my age and still think everyone needs to pay you back for any bit of assistance.” She said, turning back around to her station and reaching for a sack. “Besides, you’ve done enough already. You sought an old grump like me out for help. You listened to me, if only a little bit.”
His stomach growled as he stared hungrily at the sack in her paw. Grump, he felt ravenous. Like he was two minutes from passing out if he didn’t eat now. She noticed, judging from how quickly she tossed it to him as he tore it open, grabbing a small handful and all but shoving his paw in his mouth.
“Easy, dear, I don’t want you upsetting your stomach.” She said, grabbing his arm gently, pulling it back. “One at a time, alright? Starvation is not a joke, and eating that quickly will only make it worse.”
… Why did he feel like crying? Why did she remind him of Mama before she got distant?
Oh, grump, he was crying.
She realised at the same time as him, a small gasp of surprise letting itself out as she wrapped her arms around him.
“Gramble, dear, it’s alright.” She soothed, bringing him closer while keeping the pellets upright. “Grump, you must be in worse health than I thought if it’s affecting you this badly…”
He wanted to go back. Back to when Mama was nice.
He sat there for a while, letting Shelda hold him close as he sobbed quietly in the warm evening of Snaxburg.
By the time he had composed himself, night had fallen, leaving the pair in the soft glow of the torches around town as he pulled back from her messy fur.
“I-I’m sorry, I dunno what came over me, I just-”
She put a finger over his mouth, shushing him softly.
“You don’t need to explain a thing, dear.” She smiled, pushing the sack he came for towards him. “I can only hope you keep coming back to keep yourself from going hungry. The last thing I want is for someone as young as you to die from starvation.”
He sniffled a bit, wiping his eyes as he nodded.
“I will.” He grabbed the sack, standing back up on shaky legs as he grabbed another pellet and tossing it in his mouth. As bland as ever, but it somehow tasted like heaven at that moment. ”Good night, Shelda. If ya ever need to keep warm, I can… Knit somethin’ for ya, if ya want.”
She smiled, sitting down in the center of her hut. “I’ll consider it, dear. My fur isn’t as thick as it once was.”
He nodded, rubbing an arm absentmindedly. “And Shelda?”
She let out a curious hum as she began closing her eyes.
“I like this side of ya. The real Shelda.” He said, causing her to open her eyes again in shock, sputtering half-complete words as he let out a little laugh.
He turned on his heel, leaving her to rest as he headed back to his barn, and to his little ones.
“Didn’t even notice I broke character…”