Feldia Dace
- "Breathe, feel, and... fly!"
- —Whisp[src]
Feldia "Whisp" Dace[1] was the head groom of the Spoke Stables in Hive. She was a talented prowlgrin rider, and won a High-Jump competition in c. 619 ᴇ.ʏ. with her prowlgrin, Dominix.
She was given her nickname, Whisp, by the gyle goblin grooms at the Spoke Stables, due to her habit of whispering encouragement to her prowlgrin when riding.[2]
History
Early life
Whisp was born in High Town where her father worked as a prowlgrin breeder for the Grossmothers in Gyle Palace. After the Glorious Revolution, her father lost his job and moved to Low Town and became a sap-trader.[2] The gyle goblin grooms, Glitch, Grub and Grint brought the prowlgrin, Dominix, with them and gave him to Whisp. She grew up alongside Dominix in a sapwine-trading hovel in Barrel-Makers Yard.[3]
After the death of her father, she got a job as the head groom in Tillman Spoke's newly established stables in c. 617 ᴇ.ʏ. Her ageing prowlgrin, Dominix, moved into the roost with Spoke's 40 pedigree greys, where she and the other grooms helped train them.
The High-jump
In c. 619 ᴇ.ʏ., she met Cade Quarter after his prowlgrin, Rumblix, ran into the Spoke roost, following the scent of its siblings. She entered the biweekly High-Jump tournament, as the Hive Militia had promised to buy all 40 pedigree greys if she was able to win with Dominix.[2] Without this major purchase, the Spoke Stables would've had to shut down because they were almost bankrupt.
She helped Cade and Rumblix train for the High-Jump, even though they'd be against each other in the competition. The night before the event, she gave Cade a pep talk, explaining how he shouldn't try to cling to his prowlgrin, but should trust Rumblix and not fear the fall.[3]
On the day of the contest, she was the 20th to jump, out of 22 competitors. This was because she was an "outsider", and not many expected her to do well. The bookmakers believed Dominix was too old to perform well, so her odds were 40-1.[1]
In the first round, she performed the fastest, and the timekeeper even checked to see that he'd read the hourglass correctly. This, along with Cade coming second, was so surprising that the 22nd competitor gave up and instead retreated to the stands to place some bets. In the head-to-head stage, Dominix finished less than a second before Rumblix, and Whisp won.[4] She received the prize for winning, as well as securing the Hive Militia's purchase of the prowlgrins. This ended up saving the Spoke Stables.
Role in The Descenders
Whisp was reunited briefly with Cade after his visit to New Sanctaphrax and gave him a prowlgrin egg to bring back to the Farrow Ridges, out of which hatched Ruffix.
Personality
Feldia cared deeply about the animals she worked with, as well as for her friends. Even though it put her at a disadvantage, she helped train Cade and Rumblix for the High-Jump, showing how kind and generous she was.
References
- 1 2 Doombringer, Chapter 30
- 1 2 3 Doombringer, Chapter 27
- 1 2 Doombringer, Chapter 29
- ↑ Doombringer, Chapter 31