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+--- Thread: New Life to Grow and Sow (/showthread.php?tid=5995)
RE: New Life to Grow and Sow - Hikari - Oct 30 2018
He looked over the little chicks, bittersweet happiness blooming within him. He felt an instant attachment to these chicks; a willingness to do anything in the world for them--but also a somber sadness at their mother's death. He had known her, after all. He had felt a connection so deep with her it was almost like he'd known her for years.
The sound of Nox flipping something over made him turn. He looked over at the rock, processing for a moment, before it came to him; of course. The chicks needed food. Hikari looked back at them. "Hang on. I'm getting food for you now." he said, softly, before walking over to the oversized rock.
He had never hunted before, and the thought of snatching up these worms and centipedes to crunch up and kill almost made him sick to his stomach. Hikari stood there for a few moments, holding back nausea. Ever so slightly, he moved forward, moving towards the worms stuck in the muck. He hesitated, before leaning down and gently plucking a couple out of the mud.
They wriggled in his beak, and he almost dropped them right then and there. They were struggling to escape; struggling to live.
He was certain he couldn't go through with this. Not after what happened to the bird. But.. but the birds were still chirping behind him. He had a duty to them, especially since Nox could not feed them herself.
The worms were still moving, but he did his best to turn his attention away from them and walk back to the nest. It was a short distance, thankfully, and he dropped the worms into the nest with an almost audible sigh of relief.
He would have to do this again, he thought. Again and again and again and again--was it really worth it?
He looked over at the birds, protectiveness and joy bubbling up within him at the sight of them.
It was absolutely worth it.
@Nox
RE: New Life to Grow and Sow - Game Master Dark - Oct 30 2018
The chicks tumbled over one another as Hikari left them, cheeping wildly.
Only after the much larger chick had picked worms from the muck, and only when he glanced back at them, did they finally untangle themselves from one another. Clawed foot and scruffy feathers blurred as they somersaulted forth from the nest and rushed after him, clustering, crowding, and cheeping.
Loudly.
Hungry mouths snapped for the worms--and, in observing him, the little fledglings seemed to have grasped where the worms came from. Claws scraped at mud, and little beaks drove into it, as they tried--and mostly failed--to dig up their own.
Only after the much larger chick had picked worms from the muck, and only when he glanced back at them, did they finally untangle themselves from one another. Clawed foot and scruffy feathers blurred as they somersaulted forth from the nest and rushed after him, clustering, crowding, and cheeping.
Loudly.
Hungry mouths snapped for the worms--and, in observing him, the little fledglings seemed to have grasped where the worms came from. Claws scraped at mud, and little beaks drove into it, as they tried--and mostly failed--to dig up their own.
RE: New Life to Grow and Sow - Nox - Oct 30 2018
The draconian creature watched as Hikari moved from and then back to the nest with food for the young ones. She also watched as the baby birds set up a raucous din as they each begged in turn for the food, then set out to find their own. But she didn't lie down again- she, like the baby birds, had a hole in her belly that needed to be filled, and she felt like now would be the perfect time to take her leave. The small birds were safe, and Hikari was safe, and he had the means to feed them now- at least for a while.
And Nox knew that she wouldn't be gone long. She also knew that Hikari would not go far from here. So, she rumbled- a soft sound, and a parting sound. She would not be long, but she gave her farewell for now. She backed away from the nest and turned- wading into the marsh until she was chest deep.
Soon, the great swamp creature was lost in the mist, leaving only the echoes of her rumbling farewell, and a few oversized footprints in the mud.
-exit nox-
And Nox knew that she wouldn't be gone long. She also knew that Hikari would not go far from here. So, she rumbled- a soft sound, and a parting sound. She would not be long, but she gave her farewell for now. She backed away from the nest and turned- wading into the marsh until she was chest deep.
Soon, the great swamp creature was lost in the mist, leaving only the echoes of her rumbling farewell, and a few oversized footprints in the mud.
-exit nox-
@Hikari
RE: New Life to Grow and Sow - Hikari - Oct 30 2018
Hikari looked over at Nox, watching the great, oversized (at least to him) draconian leave. He hesitated as he watched her leave; she was almost out of sight when he finally called "Bye, Mom!" to Nox. He wasn't sure if she heard--but it was a better farewell than nothing at all.
He turned back to the chicks, who were practically clambering over themselves as they called and dug for more worms. He took that as a sign that they were still hungry, and sighed quietly. He already loved these little birds more than anything; but he definitely did not love getting food for them. Hikari moved back over to the rock, looking for and spotting several more bugs for the chicks to eat--including several millipedes--and attempting to at least pick one up with his beak before it could flee.
The next series of events happened so quickly that Hikari was left dazed, confused, and more than a bit embarrassed.
He pecked at the millipede closest to him, only for it to move out of his way and onto the side of the rock, making him both miss and hit the rock itself with his beak, disorienting him.
As he was left stumbling, he happened to step on a twig, which slipped out from under him in the murk. He flailed his wings wildly, but his footing was too far gone. He fell, catching air for a few moments; before falling, back-first, right into the mud.
He laid there for a few moments, feeling the muck sinking into his feathers.
That was when he felt the millipede crawl over his face and onto his beak.
Hikari felt a word that was not quite in his vocabulary yet; nor did it need to be, at such a young age. He decided to just lay there for a few moments, and contemplate how he ever got in this situation.
At least Nox wasn't here.
RE: New Life to Grow and Sow - Game Master Dark - Oct 30 2018
The nearest hatchling dove for the millipede, snatching it up--then immediately spat it out, hopping away with an indignant ruffle of half-grown feathers. The bug put off a horrific stench, something toxic and smelly, and the birds instinctively left it alone.
Instead they scoured the mud with their bills, pulling out a beetle here, a worm there, but it didn't seem to be enough. Maybe it would never be enough.
Instead they scoured the mud with their bills, pulling out a beetle here, a worm there, but it didn't seem to be enough. Maybe it would never be enough.
@Hikari
RE: New Life to Grow and Sow - Hikari - Nov 02 2018
He got up from the mud slowly, shaking some of it off as he recovered from his embarrassment. No matter what had happened earlier, there were things to be done--bugs to find, chicks that were waiting.
Hikari moved back over to the rock, scanning for any more insects that had fleed and gotten stuck; but he saw nothing. Perhaps, in the mud, there would be something? He moved closer, ignoring the squelching sounds his movement made in the murk. Guided half by what he had seen the chicks do, half by his own bird instinct, he began to scour the mud for any signs of life.
It was hard going, and he despised it; but, eventually, he managed to dig up a few more worms. He grasped them gingerly with his beak, returning to the foraging chicks and dropping them nearby. He gave them a quick once-over--were they still hungry? What else did they need?
RE: New Life to Grow and Sow - Game Master Dark - Nov 03 2018
The chicks wasted no time in snapping up the offerings their new parent had brought them--and as soon as they were done, and with only brief squabbling over the food, they looked again to Hikari.
Now, however, their hunger seemed sated--and instead of cheeping for more, the fledglings with their awkward flight-feathers all rapidly clustered around him. Each one's single eye rotated to follow Hikari as they nestled in close, trying to curl up beneath the slightly larger chick and quickly drop off into a deep sleep.
Now, however, their hunger seemed sated--and instead of cheeping for more, the fledglings with their awkward flight-feathers all rapidly clustered around him. Each one's single eye rotated to follow Hikari as they nestled in close, trying to curl up beneath the slightly larger chick and quickly drop off into a deep sleep.
@Hikari
RE: New Life to Grow and Sow - Hikari - Nov 04 2018
Hikari tilted his head, looking down at the birds clustered beneath him, a loving look on his face. Carefully, he picked his way towards the nest, making sure not to disturb the chicks with his movement. He sat, spreading his wings slightly as he waited for them to cluster around him again.
His eyes began to droop. It had been a long day. He was more than happy to curl up with the chicks and drift off to sleep among them; their warmth a comforting presence to him.
He looked over the chicks once more before his eyes began to slide shut. Names for them bubbled up in his mind--this one Onyx, that one Obsidian--and although he didn't know where he got the names from, or even what they meant, he knew that they were perfect for his chicks.
His chicks. He hadn't even meant to think that.
He drifted off into a dreamless sleep.
--"exit" Hikari--