Wobbly First Steps

The hatchlings entered the world, yolk soaked and alone aside from each other, their nest abandoned, other eggs cold and still. They peeped and huddled close in the abandoned nest, parasites that had infested their small shelter taking refuge in their soaked, downy feathers. The dusty tan hatchling pecked at some of the bugs infesting the abandoned nest while the black and white one looked around in alarm, peeping to call parents that were long gone. The cold of the shaded foliage at the beach's edge soon drove them from the nest, still damp from their eggs and itching.

 

The brothers hobbled on wobbly little legs, finding their balance in the world, leaning against each other as they made their way into the sun and the sand. They were too young to understand their luck to crawl into the world on a warm summer midday but they were smart enough to be grateful for it, curling against each other as their down feathers dried and fluffed up. They alternated between looking around at the wide world that had opened up around them and napping to recover from the ordeal of cracking out of their shells. 

 

The night that came was harsher, driving the pair back to the infested nest. It gave the slightest shelter from the winds off the ocean and the ominous noises in the dark. Their sleep was fitful, every crack or rustle making the two hatchlings jump and tremble. The light brown brother broke into fearful peeps, calling out for the comfort of their should-be guardians. His darker brother's instincts seemed to be a bit sharper, pecking softly at his cheek and jaw, urging him to relax for fear that the sounds in the night would find them. They knew no words to share between the two of them but it was enough, their presence comforting the other as they tucked their long thin necks between the two of them, trying to shut out the fear and the danger and get some rest.

 

They woke to the mercy of a glowing sunrise over the ocean. The lighter brother peeped and stood from their resting place, trying to ignore the awful itching in his feathers as he woke his brother. The dark chick stretched and rolled in the nest, little upset chirps filling the air as he tried to pluck at his down, tearing a few of the little feathers free as he fought against the bugs. His brother didn't bother waiting, heading out in the warm dawn sun, entranced by the colors over the water. He sat back on his haunches, watching the wonder of the beautiful morning with the innocence and joy of one who had never seen such a thing before.

 

His brother joined him after a long and fruitless fight against the parasites, flopping into the sand beside him. He caught the end of the sunrise, watching the colors dance over the waves but seeming more concerned about the rest of the world around them than his tan brother. He bored quickly of the solar show, hopping across the sand and nudging against shells, chasing small crabs and scratching through the kelp on the beach with his claws. The tan chick lost interest as the sun rose in the sky, plucking at his own itching feathers for a while before chasing after his brother, nipping at his tail in some attempt to initiate a chase. 

 

Neither of the chicks could resist the urge to play for long, chasing and even play fighting a bit in the sand as the sun rose high. They kicked up sand and chased and fought for soon forgotten treasures scooped up from the sand. The parasites drained their energy quickly though as did their empty bellies. The games lost energy quickly, turning more to scavenging in the sand. The black chick even gave a try to eating one of the smaller crabs on the beach, only to be sent peeping frightfully into the forest after a pinch to his tongue. His brother followed the panicked fleeing, huddling under a leafy plant at the edge of the beach. Joy quickly turned to worry as they huddled, aimless and unsure without any guidance.

 

A utah wandering the nearby rocky crags was drawn to the sound of hatchlings, following the sounds out of curiosity, her green feathers glinting in the sun as she sniffed out the source of the sound. The disturbed sand and large footsteps were a clear marker she was close. Small. No sign of an adult. They must be juvenile cryos? Baby theris? Her hook claws tapped the sand thoughtfully as she examined the evidence.

 

The tan chick saw the larger creature examining the area they had just fled from, larger and feathered like them. He peeped eagerly, tripping in his excitement as he left the fronds they had taken shelter under. His brother was more hesitant, poking his head out and chirping a anxious warning after his brother. That didn't stop the lighter chick for a moment as he hurried up to the utah. He looked up at her with big, expectant eyes and she stared back, baffled at the boldness of the young herbivore. 

 

"Who are you then?!" She took a few nervous steps, scanning the jungle's edge for a larger and most likely upset theri. When she saw no others aside from the other small chick peaking out from the bushes she considered snapping them up for a meal for a few moments before discarding the idea. They were lucky she was full.

 

The lighter chick scuttled forward, trying to get under his new mother for warmth and protection. She hissed softly and hopped back, watching as the now emboldened black chick approached to join his brother. "Little idiots! Don't you know I could eat you?" She felt a disgusting crawling against her breastbone. "Ugh! Are you infested? Where are your parents?" She sounded offended for the babies, now hopping away in circles as they tried to huddle under her. "I'm not your mother!" 

 

The fatigue of their hunger and infestation eventually halted the chase, leaving them huddled together in the sand, looking after their not-mother with forlorn betrayal. She stood at a safe distance, examining the chicks. "Those things are going to eat you alive." She grumbled, having some pity for the clearly abandoned chicks. She plucked at her own feathers, trying to clean out the bugs. "Ugh. You are too little to even know what I'm saying aren't you?" She almost sounded offended, upset by the faintest guilt and responsibility she felt towards these prey animals.

 

"Look then. Just watch." The utah plopped down in the sand and fluffed up her feathers under the chicks watchful gaze. "Get your legs under you..." She was flat as a pancake as she started to rustle her wings and kick her legs in the sand, kicking up a good storm of dust around her. The babies were baffled as they watched her dust bathe in the sand, suffocating the parasites that had hitched a ride from the hatchlings onto her. "There, see? Less itchy."

 

The tan on was the first to mimic her, kicking up some dust with his hefty chick legs, scattering over him and his brother. It was incredibly clumsy compared to her grace but got the job mostly done, soothing the itching and killing the bugs. He chirped joyfully, convincing his brother to join in soon after. They quickly got lost in their game of dust bathing, kicking sand all over, shaking out their downy feathers and starting all over again. No parasite was spared. 

 

The utah shook herself off and watched the chicks rolling around in the sand, mixed emotions running through her. Best to be on her way. What a disastrous thing it would be for two baby herbivores to imprint on her more than they had. "All right. Well. Grow big and fat or something." She said carelessly, knowing in her heart she couldn't eat them after even the bit of attachment she had gotten. While they were still distracted she dashed away, light feet carrying her across the sand quiet enough to not alert the chicks to their fleeing caregiver. 

 

It was the dark chick, ever the more alert who noticed their not-mother had left first, rising his head and chirping in distress. His brother joined him, shaking their feathers out and starting to comb the beach for her, calling out wordlessly. It was sundown by the time they admitted defeat, joining back together and clumsily preening each other's feathers as some form of consolation. At least they had each other.

 

They settled further into the jungle that night, better shielded from the wind and away from the flea bitten nest. The extra shelter of the deep jungle and the comfort of their grooming made sleep much easier even if their bellies were still empty. The world seemed a bit less scary after the events of the day and a bit more hopeful. Tomorrow would surely bring full bellies and more fun.