the pookas

[instar]

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

Comments

[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.

[aeskhyne]

<No way to tell,> says Trouble. <Unless I follow him around for a while to see if he does anything culty.>

[megale]

"Like what?"

[aeskhyne]

<Culty things. My talking pigeon friend - call her Titania - might get cranky if I tell you the details.>

[megale]

"She's already cranky."

[aeskhyne]

<Crankier.>

[megale]

"How's that even possible? What'll she do, hang you from the ceiling of the pooka nest by your thumbs?"

[aeskhyne]

He giggles. <Nah, that'd be fun.>

[megale]

"Weeeeirdo pooka."

[aeskhyne]

<Yep!>

Coo coo.

[megale]

"What would she do? Are you gonna be okay with a cranky pooka queen to go home to?"