RE: Flair, you stumble upon a baby bird that has fallen from its nest...
It had been raining on and off for the last many days, tapping a gentle melody against the leaves roofing the Woodlands, and turning the forest floor into mush. Flair had decided she didn’t care much for this spring, all wet and smelly. At least snow was somewhat fun, she’d rolled in the mud too a few times, but always came home to reprimands and disappointed glares. Like she was still a pup who needed to be cleaned up. So now she kept all but her paws clean, just to satisfy her mother; She has enough to worry about already..! It sucked all fun out of it though, having to worry about the dirt like that made even hunting a tedious duty. But she had to keep doing it though, now more than ever she was aware of her duty to the pack. She had younger siblings now, little brothers who needed food and protection and care. There was a lot of that she couldn’t do, but this was one thing she could provide; Fresh meat… She was not too far from the borders, hunting down a rabbit who stupidly had chosen to traverse the wolf territory. The tracks were set deep in the mucky underbrush, clearly trailing its route between thorns and shrubbery. The young shewolf almost snorted at the idiocy of the creature, but held it in, demonstrating her higher brain capacity. Instead she stalked low, nostrils flaring as she sniffed out the critter, a sly smile on her dark lips. She was going to bring this feast straight back to her mother at the den, and for once the look she got would not be disappointed. But it was something else that came across her path first, something that wouldn’t even make enough of a meal for her alone. This tiny thing was barely a snack, certainly not a worthy prize to take home; Whatever it is… Nose quivering, she moved closer, poking her muzzle at the tiny, half naked thing. It jerked in response, turning an oversized head, covered in grey down and peeping quietly; A bird..? But its wings were all shriveled and featherless, even its eyes seemed permanently closed. She’d never seen a chick before, usually hidden away in their nests high in the treetops. But there were enough of clues for her to figure it out, after all her mother had explained a lot about babies earlier in the year, preparing them all for their new siblings; But how did it end up down here? And where are the parents? Shouldn’t they be all over it, coddling? As far as she knew that was what parents did; It won’t survive on its own… Word count: 450 Thoughts ”Speech” |