What It Means

“Boy, the time has come.” Prince forced himself to rise slowly from the nest to give himself an air of nonchalance, hiding the way his heart skipped a beat with excitement. If he weren’t too old to show such childish behaviour he would’ve run straight to his father’s side like he had for lesson days in the past. Instead, he rolled from the dried reeds and shook his crest feathers from their flattened state. It was always so easy to sleep in his father’s nest, high in the concrete boxes, within corridors too narrow for anything large to squeeze through. It was a different kind of safety than his mother’s home, still high above the rest of the mesa but required you to not let your guard down. Cassidy had made enemies of her neighbours, and nothing but time stopped a larger predator from making its way up to the mines. Prince had never encountered such a scenario while staying with her but it was enough of a risk that he knew his mother never slept while he was there.

“Ah, father, another glorious day to sun our feathers!” he declared as he shuffled to the window. He never had gotten the hang of opening it, so a lungful of morning air on the balcony eluded him but he still inhaled and puffed up his entire body of feathers. “The curtain rises on our grand adventure, tell me, what do you have in store for me today?” he asked eagerly, unable to hide his quavering voice. 

“I’m afraid it’s not an exciting one today, kiddo,” Kaiwi admitted regretfully, “But it is important, might be the most important thing I ever teach you.” Prince perked up at this, even his crest feathers stood on end.

“Then we shall make haste, no task too menial for the true elite Utahraptor,” Prince insisted, puffing his chest again. Kaiwi smiled, a warm and kind thing that made his son feel bashful. There was so much that Prince did well, but somehow praise from either of his parents still sent him into a tizzy. 

“Alright, we’ll head out. Today, I’m gonna teach you how to make a nest.”

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The end of the stairs came quickly, and Prince slid out from the metal door behind his father. The subject of today’s lesson had shaken him a little, to know he was being prepped to have babies some time in the future. It wasn’t something that he wanted to think about at all, but he couldn’t figure out a way for him to bring it up with Kaiwi. Now that they were out in the garden, at the very least the air was easier to breathe and the soft scent of the rose bushes did wonders to soothe his heart. Kaiwi began to peruse the longer grasses that climbed the wrought iron fence, running his wing feathers through the blades like he could test their quality from that alone. He looked back over his shoulder at Prince, noticing his son wasn’t following him.

“This is a daunting one, huh?” he asked sympathetically. His son was unusually quiet, choosing instead to just nod. “I understand. And just know, this isn’t me or your mom putting pressure on you to have kids, I just want you to be prepared if you ever become a father.” He turned back to the grass and held a bundle in his teeth while he severed it near the bottom with his sickle claw. “I’m biased of course, but I know you’re a good man, and you would make a great father, I want to make that easy on you if you ever make that decision.” His words were deliberate, carefully and lovingly chosen and Prince felt like he would collapse under their weight. His eyes drifted over to the vibrant pink stripes that marked his father’s dimorphism, stark rib-like markings that had no chance to pass on to him. Kaiwi met his gaze, followed it to his flank and turned back with a concerned look. Prince didn’t want to say anything, to admit to anything bubbling behind his confident personality, but the words began to tumble out of him without permission.

“Father, I’m-” Kaiwi raised a claw to stop him.

“You’re a good man, and you’d make a great father, there’s nothing more to it,” he said firmly, his pale eyes unwavering in their conviction. Prince swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded. Kaiwi faltered a little, his face growing soft, “It’s a scary thought, and it might be even scarier for you. I don’t want to dismiss how you’re feeling, but at the same time I don’t want you thinking this is a dream you can’t chase. You can chase any dream you want, you hear me?”

“I know, nothing is out of reach for the most elite Utahraptor,” Prince said confidently, feeling his typical bravado return. Kaiwi was right, there was nothing to say Prince couldn’t start a family, couldn’t be a good father, couldn’t pass his brilliance on to a new generation. “You certainly have a better way with words than mother does, she would simply say, ahem, ‘fuck ‘em’, and leave it at that. So, points for you, dear pater!”

“I knew you were a boy before your mother did, so I get points for that too,” Kaiwi teased.

“Shall I inform her of your victory the next time I depart for her abode?” Prince asked, grinning slyly. His father’s face was already pale, but he swore he could see colour drain from it still.

“Ah, maybe we'll keep it between us,” Kaiwi said sheepishly. Prince laughed heartily, feeling the air grow brighter and lighter now the heavier topic had been addressed.

“Onward father, you must impart the knowledge of nest making unto me if I am to continue your legacy of excellent parenting,” Prince crowed. He shuffled forward but stopped when he realised Kaiwi was making a strange, strangled sound. He looked back to see his father in tears, completely overwhelmed from the single compliment. “Hark! After such weighty words from you? You have the nerve? You cad!”