A Bumpy Morning

The sun was the first one to start stirring the nests this morning. The light tickled and warmed his frill over the high edge of the nest. Peeking up with one eye- Storm could see his mother still slept nearby, head turned away to face the sunshine. 

Leaning backwards, then forwards, the lone hatchling stretched his little legs with a yawn. He made sure to wait a few moments, making sure his mom was breathing steady and drowsily before making his escape. A sneaky step to the left- then another- and a third- bit by bit the young bull-to-be would climb out of the divot he was nested in. 

Tumbling forward onto the outer nest, Storm could finally shake off some dirt and get a peek at what everyone was up to. Few adults drowsily sat awake, some already staring on their morning graze. A few who had stayed up late began to lay down for rest; But most were already asleep just like mom. Big snoring lumps in the territory. Their huge forms rising & falling with each breath- offering coverage to a few tiny hatchlings who darted between them in a game. 

A game so early? He wanted to join!  

Beginning to creep forward, a cautionary snort halted him in his tracks. 

Mom wasn’t as asleep as the hatchling had thought. Glancing over his shoulder, Storm met his mother’s gaze with a pitiful look. She always did this, he was never allowed to play with the others. They were too big- or too mean- or too something! Mom always had a reason. 

But much to his surprise, that pitiful look finally worked. With a quick nod towards the other hatchlings, Storm was pardoned to go play. 

Finally! He bleated in excitement, running up to give a small headbutt into his mother’s side. Rubbing his face on her a little bit here, a little bit there- he made sure to give adequate thanks before trotting away to join the others. 

Though finding them was much easier said than done. It seems everyone else had already found their legs for running. Feet scampered this way and that way, a blur of brown chased a blur of grey. Storm could barely keep his head on track to follow the other hatchlings. 

All up until a dreaded sound called out. 

THWACK. 

TUNK! 

It finally made sense. 

These hatchlings weren’t just playing. 

TUNK! 

They were dueling! 

Bouncing his feet back and forth in excitement, Storm cheered with his shrill voice. The two hatchlings made contact again, and again- each time creating a loud sound as their bodies and heads collided. Or at least, loud to Storm. 

He’d only ever seen the bulls do this, he had no idea the hatchlings could try too. Shuddering with excitement, Storm drug his feet into the ground digging and kicking up dirt like the others did. Bleating out in a shrill voice to make his tiny, albeit determined, presence known. 

The other hatchlings stopped, but not because of Storm. Definitely not. Rather, one hatchling claimed a powerful victory, flipping her opponent all the way over onto his back. 

Pinning her opponent down with a laugh and nipping at him with a mean beak; Storm watched as she bit at her opponent’s leg until he cried out to be let go. Eventually kicking her off and fleeing away from the winner, as if his life really depended on it. 

It was Comet who won. 

She was only a few days older than Storm- but far larger and far more bold. He didn’t know a lot as a hatchling yet- but he knew one thing almost immediately: 

You don’t mess with Comet unless you’re ready to accept your fate. 

She was mean. 

She wasn’t supposed to grow up and become a bull, but Storm wasn't so sure. No matter what any of the adults said. Comet would probably run her own herd long before Storm could. She was already winning her duels, and he had a feeling that wouldn’t change anytime soon. She was too big, too brave, too powerful- n way too smart.  

Comet was terrifying. 

Only a few days existed between her and Storm’s hatching- but he couldn’t help but see just how different they were. Especially not now that she was looking at him. 

Plopping his rump firmly into the dirt, he looked up at the other hatchling who stood before him. 

“That was a challenge, right?” Comet leaned forward while she asked, a smile creeping onto her features. 

Storm gulped nervously and nodded. 

Comet excitedly stomped the ground, running a circle around him- “cmon, cmon!” She cheered, charging ahead into a clearing. 

It sat far ahead of the adults. The morning sun lit with with a golden light as if to set up their battle for a legendary scene. Storm could see her clearer now than he ever had before. Her colors always kept her so hidden in the shade of her parents- but here in the light Storm could really see her. 

A dark brown skin with a darker face n feet, a tail trashing around behind her to match. And her speckles- he’d never really noticed them before. But she had speckles peppering all over the darker parts of her body. 

She was very pretty. Unfortunately she was far more terrifying. 

Watching her bow her head and shake the dirt off from her previous duel brought a shutter to Storm’s smaller form. His feathers prickled on end while he pulled himself to his feet. 

He couldn’t back down from this, could he? 

Watching Comet drag her foot across the ground gave Storm his answer: 

She wasn’t going to let him quit. They were going to fight. 

Charging to their stage and bowing his head, Storm began to slowly circle his opponent. He had to buy a little time before getting to it all, and fortunately Comet humored the drama. 

The two hatchlings walked a circle in the clearing, and for just a moment- everything seemed to slow down. Every step Comet took seemed so methodical and firm, her glare didn’t let up on him for a moment. And her antsy snorting and head shaking made it clear that she’d close the distance soon if he didn’t. 

But Storm couldn’t focus on that, instead his mind wandered to Comet’s recent victory. Replaying how easily she flipped her previous opponent. She had charged them, completely ignoring a headbutt and instead flanking their side. She used her head like a tool and her opponent like it was nothing. 

It reminded him of the first and only bull fight he’s seen. Two opponents, one flanking the other, and spearing the opponent on a horn. 

Was she going to spear him? 

Comet’s horn didn’t look very sharp yet but, if anyone could find a way- it was probably her. 

Storm gulped and blinked. But in the time it took to make that blink, Comet had begun a charge. 

—

Seeing the world’s tiniest hatchling charge up to a fight and do a challenge call was all Comet could have asked for on a boring morning. 

No one ever wanted to challenge her anymore. Granted- it had only been a couple of days since they started training, but Comet couldn’t keep waiting! Every time she knocked someone over, every time she hit someone good, they would  get too scared to get back up and fight her again. 

It was such a drag. 

She needed a fresh opponent, one who wasn’t already scared of her. And this little guy was perfect. 

Letting go of her boring opponent, she trotted over to get a look at the new guy. Comet hadn’t had the chance to meet him properly- his mom always kept him huddled and hidden in a deep nest. 

But looking at him now, she could see it all clearly. He was.. different. 

A yellowish brown, feathery, styra. The stripe he had down his side looked neat- and his face looked like his dad’s. She almost felt bad for the guy, she wasn’t sure if he even knew. 

She liked his eyes too! Very blue. He was a cutie! She hoped he might be braver than his pa though, if he turned tail to a loss too- Comet would officially be out of opponents who actually want to play fight. 

She had to make sure he wasn’t gonna turn tail too. 

“That was a challenge, right?” Comet chirped, every word absolutely dripping with anticipation. She couldn’t help but wiggle and stamp around in excitement. A nod of confirmation was enough to get her ecstatic! 

This called for celebration! They had to fight in a real clearing, they just had to. 

Running ahead, Comet skidded to a stop in the center of the ring. Grass and nearby trees created the perfect arena edge for the two of them; all surrounding a huge spot of nothing but compact dirt and sand to spar in. It was perfect against someone bold enough to do a challenge call! 

So, Comet dropped into a ready position. Bowing her head and kicking up dirt as an invitation for the little guy to charge her. 

But much to her surprise, her opponent decided to circle. And she wasn’t sure what to do at first, no one had ever been this theatrical. It was awesome! 

Obviously this guy had some big things in mind for the fight. She had to be ready. 

He was studying her, staring intensely- not with aggression, but with something else. Comet just couldn’t pin down what that look meant yet, but it wasn’t what the others had when they looked at her. 

Comet could tell, she needed to focus. This guy wasn’t just another hatchling, he could be a real opponent. 

So at the first good break of sight, she charged. Giving it her all and immediately going to use the move that pa had shown her. 

It wasn’t hard to get into the right position- given that the two were circling each other. His exposed side made it easy, and Comet had moved just fast enough to get him by surprise. One good jam of her head under his gut and she was in a ready position. Comet had to give it her all this time! 

Rearing up to flip her opponent over, Comet and the little guy were both surprised to see him flipping over her. Perhaps she used a little too much force. 

She’d never sent an opponent flying like that. 

Turning on a dime, Comet worriedly looked to her opponents face. His eyes were already watering under all the dirt n’ sand that stuck to him. She was gonna be in so much trouble, she could hear the lecture from his snappy mother now. 

Across the clearing Comet could see that his mom was watching from afar. Probably already ready to give her another talking to. 

THUMP! 

Comet was sent hurling back onto her side as something impacted her shoulder. Looking to the cause, Comet could see the little hatchling had reared up- ready to come crashing down with a stomp. 

She awkwardly rolled to avoid it and scrambled up to her feet. 

THWACK! 

Their heads collided. Comet’s larger form easily knocked her smaller opponent back onto his rump- but he was just as quick as her to get back in the fight. 

So they collided again, and again. 

She flipped him over again- he was quicker to stand that time. He tried to flip her, but she kept her balance. 

Finally, Finally! 

Comet had a real opponent. A real challenger! His head bumps didn’t hit near as hard as the others, but he could take a real tumble and actually get back up! 

Comet was absolutely ecstatic. Charging, tumbling, butting heads with the smaller hatchling; this was perfect, this is exactly what she was looking for.

They kept colliding, and she kept nearly winning. The sun was creeping over the horizon more and more with every hit. More adults woke, more hatchlings stirred and watched. 

And soon enough Comet and her opponent found themselves both huffing in the center of the ring. 

“Just finish it already!” Another hatchling jeered from the sideline. Comet glared at them, couldn’t the others see she was engaging in an art here? 

When her opponent charged again, she opted to dodge it entirely, letting him skid to a stop and tumble into the earth. 

“Oh come on Storm, do something! Hit her hard!” Another hatchling yelled. 

So her opponent’s name was Storm. She liked that, it was a good name for someone so bold. But she didn’t like all the distractions or opinions. None of them had any room to talk when they’d all been such sore losers.

Look at Storm! He’d been losing this whole fight and he didn’t give up near as quickly as any of them had.. or- well, it seemed that way. 

But he wasn’t getting up now. Much to Comet’s disappointment, he actually fully laid down in the dirt and huffed. Mumbling something towards one of the nearby audience members. 

Based on their groans of annoyance and immediate disinterest in the fight, Comet learned she won. 

Storm forfeited. 

While her heart ached for more- seeing the morning sun shine down on him helped her understand why he decided to lose. In comparison to her, Storm was far more bruised and busted. His feathers that once sat neatly were a tangled mess, he was absolutely covered in dirt and sand, and he looked exhausted. 

Comet wasn’t half of that yet. But she was patient. 

She could wait to fight again. So, in the mean time, she’d trot over and plop down by Storm in the dirt. Flopping to her side, just like him, and laying down to bask in the sun.