Mama was nice. Lots of spots and stories, and bones to chew on. The fish was good, easy to tear into pieces, easy to swallow down as long as he broke the bones into little pieces first. His beak was strong enough to do that, though, so it was never much of an issue. But something she hadn't been able to sate in him was his thirst for the water. Standing in the shallows and staring into the abyss wasn't enough for him, not really, but he'd already had a close call with not exactly knowing how to swim and having had to be snatched up by Mama (no easy feat, since the scruff of his neck was plated with armor rather than having soft skin to snatch him up by).

His wings flexed behind him, and he adjusted his feet carefully. His butt wiggling behind him as he adjusted, and then... slowly... steady... pounce! right onto Mama, who was still sleeping. He landed on her midsection and smacked her face lightly. "Mama! Swimming!" It was not a question or a request so much as it was a demand, but he wanted to see the water. He was desperate to be there.


@kaimana