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 Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:22 pm
Pri sulked as he nosed at the pile of berries Keet had gathered for him, picking one out every so often to chew on, his eye stealing to where Thistle was nursing every so often. As the days had worn on, he'd felt more and more sullen as the enormity of what was going on had sunk in.
He was never going to see his mother again. Thistle was never going to see HER mother again. At the rate Zim and Tak were building their numbers, trying to escape would have an entire horde of angry brainwashed gryphs on their tail.
It was a bit much for such a little boy...
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:24 pm
"Pri? Why aren't you eating your berries?" Keet fretted. "Don't you like berries? I've seen you eat berries before! Are you sick?" Had it not been for the tiny red hatchling nestled at her belly, she would have been on her feet hopping back and forth like a madwoman as she tried to puzzle out what was wrong with the little bluejay gryph.
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:26 pm
"Do you ever worry that maybe Zim and Tak would hurt us...?" Pri inquired, looking up from his berries. He hadn't meant to ask so suddenly, but it was something he was very curious to know whether the other gryphs shared his sentiment in.
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:28 pm
Keet's eyes widened hugely at the question. "Why, no! Why would they hurt us? Pri, what would make you think such a thing?" Her wingfeathers ruffled and unruffled uneasily and her claws tikked at the stone floor she was laying on.
She had raised Zim and Tak from small chicks, she was pretty sure she might know if they would HURT anybody...
...right? Oh, she hoped she was...
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:31 pm
Keet's anxiety made her belly quiver and, as such, made Thistle draw her tiny muzzle away from where she'd been contentedly nursing with a small peep of annoyance. She could feel the two vibrations of Keet's and Pri's voices...one was big, one was little, and she dearly wished she could make sense of them. Maybe it would shed some light onto her odd sitaution.
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:32 pm
Pri knitted his brow at Thistle's tiny complaint before trying to speak again. "Thistle wants her mommy. I want my mother. Doesn't it bother you that Zim stole us...?" He searched Keet's face for any sign of understanding or compassion at all.
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:35 pm
Keet had craned her neck, licking the top of Thistle's head soothingly until she'd resumed nursing before turning her attention back to Pri, trying very hard to remember what they'd been discussing.
"Does what bother me?" she asked, trying to get her mind shifted into a proper gear. Oh dear, she needed to work better on her concentration...
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:39 pm
Pri felt tears of frustration prickle at the rims of his eyes. If he, a baby, could see when something was wrong, why was everyone else having such a hard time seeing it??
"Keet, I wanna go home..." he said, hearing it come out in more of a whine than he'd intended and wishing he could take it back.
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:41 pm
"But you ARE home..." Keet said, puzzled as she cocked her head at the little one. And then, her expression shifting to one of hurt. "You don't like me? What did I do, Pripri? I can make it better, I promise!"
Keet did not at all like the idea of someone not liking her...not only did it upset her on a personal level, but if children disliked her, how could she ever expect to have children of her own? She HAD to make it right!
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:43 pm
Pri felt a tremble begin somewhere down in his toes that travelled up his body until all of his nerves were twanging. The tears prickling at his eyes began to trickle down his cheeks in big fat teardrops.
She didn't get it. How could she NOT get it...?? And how could Zim and Tak be so cruel not just to him but to Thistle as well? She would grow up just like he was growing up...miserable! He held his ground for a moment more before he collapsed, burying his head in his forepaws and sobbing in absolute and utter exasperation.
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:45 pm
Keet's alarm was immediate as she hopped to her feet, completely forgetting about the nursing hatchling. "Pri?? Pri, don't cry! Please don't cry! I'll make it better!" she implored, nuzzling his head and wings to no avail...the little chick was inconsolable for the moment.
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:47 pm
Thistle gave a squawk of surprise and then began to cry as well, turning Pri's sobs into a dischordant duet. This was getting old...all she wanted was to feel warm and safe and it kept getting whipped away from her. She began to nose blindly along the floor, trying to seek out her taken meal with little success.
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:48 pm
Keet turned first to Thistle and then back to Pri, her tiny mind working overdrive trying to figure out which chick needed her most as she pranced and skidded nervously between the two, her eyes wild and her teeth gritted.
Oh dear...oh DEAR!!
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:50 pm
Little by little, Pri got himself back under control as his sensible side told him that crying was not going to fix anything, though it had felt good to get out, until his sobs had trailed off to occasional hitches and whimpers. "Sorry...M'sorry..." he snuffled, getting to his feet slowly.
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Posted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:52 pm
"Are you okay...?" Keet asked warily, watching him closely just in case he decided he was going to collapse and cry some more. One chick crying, she could just barely wrap her mind around, two crying and she was pretty well useless.
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