Through The Waterfall

Dusk glowed behind the curtain of water, causing light to dance upon the surface of the rocks like glittering insects. It was beautiful. The cool stones and rushing water provided protection, not just from prying eyes, but also from the ever present humidity that permeated the biodome. It was a welcome relief to Eira who flopped into the cold stone below her and stretched her little body, basking in the welcome reprieve from the dense humidity. 

“Better, isn't it?” Rumbled Doe as she nestled down beside the juvenile, sheltering her from the water spray with her larger body. In response the little chick whined, which… Made Doe pause. Eira was so very small, especially in comparison to Doe herself. She was far too small to be going on all of these adventures. Far too small to be exploring far and wide in a place that clearly had not wanted her in the first place. Doe had found Eira and her brother as hatchlings, lost and alone. Orphaned. Doe had concluded that they had been one of many eggs abandoned by their parents, it was something she had seen much of once this whole situation began. She couldn’t say if their parents simply didn’t want their offspring, or if it was to spare them from something worse…

After several heartbeats of shared silence, Eira began to stand. Her claws clicked against the stones as she rose back to her legs, giving her down covered wings a little shake to dislodge any stray beads of water or weeds. Doe watched the eager hatchling as she fully began to take in their surroundings, golden eyes raking over rocks which were covered with the dancing reflections from the waterfall. It was beautiful, and Eira seemed utterly transfixed. Here, in this mammoth sized cave she seemed… Just as small as she truly was. Another reminder that she was so young. Doe was tempted to reach over, grab the chick by her scruff and haul her out of the cave back to the surface. However Doe knew fully well that if she were to drag the chick out, Eira would simply return but without Doe’s supervision… And Doe didn’t dare imagine the things that could happen without her supervision and imposing form there to aid the little oviraptor.

“Do you think we’ll find them?” Eira asked as she pressed her little body against Doe’s leg, nestling close and basking in the warmth that she provided. Fighting off the chill brought in by the rushing water just outside. While a welcome reprieve from the humidity, it was still a tough adjustment for someone so small especially when she still lacked her adult feathering.

Doe considered her next words carefully, mulling over the options. She could lie and tell the chick that finding their parents was likely, or… She could follow her heart and be honest as to not get poor Eira’s hopes up.
“I don’t know.” She settled with a middle ground. Uncertainty, not committing to any particular answer. Not crushing Eira’s dreams but also avoiding getting her hopes up and having them inevitably crushed anyways. The oviraptor chick wilted despite the neutral answer, head lowering and feathers drooping against the cold stone. Guilt gnawed hungrily at Doe’s heart as she nuzzled her great crested head against Eira’s down feathered side.
“I’m sorry…” Eira’s response to Doe’s apology was a quiet whine and nuzzled her small head against Doe’s cheek.
They sat there like that for several quiet moments, a sad and empty kind of silence. One no kind of words could fill-

“We should keep moving.” Grumbled a lumbering euoplocephalus urged them, shattering the quiet and dull illusion of peace the two had established between them. Eira startled against Doe, tiny heart thundering in her chest as she stared up at the gold and cream colored guardian. “Apologies, but daylight is beginning to fade and it is not safe after dark.” Rumbled the guardian, Marshmallow, as she lowered her head closer to the earth. As if she felt truly apologetic, though Doe could see the subtle tension in her shoulders and her great clubbed tail. 

“What happens after dark?” Squeaked Eira as she clambered on Doe’s back, balancing carefully as the large herbivore rose up. Marshmallow considered her next words carefully under the sharp gaze of the little oviraptor’s guardian.
“Well… Within the jungle there are some larger predators, and while your guardian may be safe… You are perfectly snack sized. Which is one of the reasons why we decided on taking you through the waterfall, it's safer. And cooler, which while not completely necessary… It is a welcome reprieve from the heat and humidity that we are accustomed to.” The stone guardian answered, claws clacking softly against stone as she lumbered onwards. Seemingly knowing that the pair would be trailing along behind.

A frightened gasp ripped its way from Eira’s chest as she tucked close against Doe’s spine with a whine, feathers held tightly against her tiny body in fear. Terrified at the prospect of being snatched up by some hungry beast, the thought hadn’t previously occurred to her but now… The thought wouldn’t go away.
Doe evened Marshmallow with a hard look, now was not the time to be scaring the little one. Fear and paranoia would be no help to her here , it would only serve to fuel her actions with erratic fear.

Doe rumbled again, letting the sound vibrate deep within her chest and carry through her body. A feeling and sound that usually, Eira found quite comforting.
“You’ll be okay.” Adora crooned sweetly while feeling the tiny needle like dig into her tough hide. “No one will dare harm you while I am here.” She hummed softly, feeling the small chick slowly begin to relax against her spine. Good… Eira wasn’t panicking anymore, which made Doe feel slightly better.

Marshmallow watched the pair from the corner of her eye as the three made their way through the cool tunnel, and much to Doe’s dismay, she could feel it coming to an end.
“Be careful.”
Marshmallow grunted to them as they exited out into the humidity once more.