the pookas

[instar]

The following day, Bella goes with Trouble, when he heads for the park.

Comments

[morphbox]

<Keep an eye on her,> Bella sighs privately to Trouble.

She flies away.

[aeskhyne]

He considers answering with 'Bite me', but cuddles Rhea instead.

[megale]

Cuddles cuddles. Rhea dispenses the rest of the shortbread one-handed, feeding more to Trouble whenever he has finished prior offerings.

[aeskhyne]

He is such a well-fed pigeon. Coo coo.

[megale]

"My mom is home, but she leaves at like two," says Rhea. "Do you want to come over then?"

[aeskhyne]

<Yeah!>

[megale]

"Awesome. Best pooka. I don't think that other one likes me."

[aeskhyne]

<She's... under a lot of pressure,> says Trouble. <It kind of makes her cranky.>

[megale]

"You're not cranky."

[aeskhyne]

<I'm not her.>

[megale]

"That is true." Snuggle.

[aeskhyne]

Snuggle! Snuggle snuggle coo. Iago is the happiest pooka.

[megale]

Rhea runs out of shortbread. Now she can huggle her pooka with both arms.

[aeskhyne]

Excellent. Excellent and cuddly.

[megale]

Very both. "I was kinda worried pookas were a one-time thing and you wouldn't come back after owling away," she confesses.

[aeskhyne]

<Awwwww,> he says. <No way, I love you, of course I'm gonna come back.> He beak-nibbles her fingers.

[megale]

She giggles and strokes his feathers.

[aeskhyne]

He coos.

[alicornucopia]

The park isn't crowded, but it's not empty, either; someone walks down the path in front of Rhea's bench.

"Why are - is that a live pigeon?" he asks.

[megale]

"I feed them every day, they're pretty tame," shrugs Rhea.

[aeskhyne]

Trouble investigates Rhea's lap for stray crumbs. There's one!

[megale]

"They only like me for my food," Rhea yawns.

[alicornucopia]

The man looks at them for a moment longer, and at the pigeons still eating the crumbs at Rhea's feet, and shakes his head and moves on.

[aeskhyne]

Snuggle snuggle.

[megale]

"Was he a cultist?" Rhea whispers when he's out of earshot.