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 Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 6:13 pm
Vanna clapped her hands when Annjette began singing, but quickly fell silent, listening. The melody touched something in her, strummed her heart as if it were made of harp strings. Almost subconsciously, she scooted closer to Annjette and wrapped her arms, as best she could, around the other girl.
Sadness was a bad thing - she knew it all too well from her mother. The sadness of lost homes and lost loves broke the heart and walked over each little piece. While she didn't know Annjette's story, she knew the feeling the swan's singing conveyed.
It took her a moment to pick up the song, engaged as she was with clinging to her best friend. When she did pick it up, the sound was as comforting as she could make it, as understanding and uplifting.
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Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 6:28 pm
Even during the song she hugged Vanna back. It almost made her feel better that even if her song did sound sad there was someone that sort of understood even if she always didn't.
When she was done and Vanna picked up she listened again, but before she could go for her turn there was a sharp THUMP against the wagon door startling Annjette.
Voltaire was up and at the door in an instant. As soon as the door was opened a small bird flew in panicked it then slammed directly into a far wall of the wagon knocking some things over and fell to the floor.
Outside there was a soft woosh sound of another avian changing directions..
The bird that had flown in was small enough to make a tasty snack for any night-time predator if caught out at night for any reason.
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Posted: Wed May 31, 2006 6:45 pm
Frightened, Vanna yelped and fell back a little, then squirmed and crawled over to the injured bird. The small, struggling creature brought back recent memories - her own joy of flight, and the struggle of St Phier being stuck in the tree and hunted. Flight should never be taken away, and the small being preyed upon by the much larger... she had to help! Some how.
She called out for Annjette, making a noise that sort of sounded like 'Anjie,' though not quite, motioning clumsily for her to come over as well. Coming to the bird, she reached out a small hand to lightly, gently stroke its head feathers, trying to tell it to calm down. It had to calm down, or it would hurt itself more!
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 3:53 am
Annjette took a moment to compose herself and regain dignity before moving over to Vanna with a curious look on her face, "Is it hurt?"
Answer was right before her, but still she felt compelled to ask.
A few moments had passed that the bird used to struggle along and trying to fight against the figure stroking it's head before seeming to decide that the figure touching it was safe and harmless and relaxing. The bird appeared to be a sparrow.
The bird was hurt it had gained a broken wing from it's rather harsh crash and it also had a gash on it's side from when the predatory bird apparently caught it at least once and had a bad grip and managed to scratch it giving it a rather deep gash which now was starting to bleed out.
"Oh! It bleeding. Need bandages. Papa!!" Unlike Vanna -- Annjette couldn't remember much about her days of being a bird muchless a swan.
Voltaire was over to their side after checking the outside for anything else that might have an interest in crashing into his wagon.
"Don't have any bandages, girls, but maybe I have some rags to use...Keep the bird calm." He instructed as he turned to go through a compartment somewhere near by.
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 3:56 am
Vanna nodded and continued stroking the little bird, then gently, carefully, lifted it off the hard, rough floor and into her lap, careful to support the injured wing.
You'll be okay, she thought, smiling and holding the bird gingerly.
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:06 am
Annjette watched a moment tilting her head from one side to the other, "I hope it lives..."
Soon Voltaire had rags gathered and had found a box he handed the box and rags to Annjette, "Of course it will live, we'll take care of it and make it good as new. Here, you make a bed for it to heal in."
Annjette numbly nodded and settled to the side and began doing so with the extra rags and things.
Voltaire then turned to Vanna, "Let me see the bird and you go help Annjette for a moment. Afterward we'll go see what food we can give it while it heals."
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:09 am
At first, Vanna didn't want to give up the sparrow. As a tiny bird herself, she felt a deep connection to the creature, and though she'd trust Uncle Voltaire with her life, she wouldn't trust him with the sparrow's life.
After a moment, however, she offered him the sparrow. Once he took it, she crawled over to where Annjette was, slowly, keeping her eye on her uncle. When she was satisfied he wouldn't drop or otherwise hurt her new friend, she turned to helping build a nice, comfy bed for the animal. Her back feathers twitched nervously, and her third eye - which had been closed (sleeping?) opened and looked around a little.
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 4:18 am
Voltaire simply waited for a tense moment before Vanna finally offered him the bird he smiled lightly at her, "Don't worry. I'll take good care of it." And after she crawled off he settled placing a few of the other rags on the ground and placing the bird on it and then began to bind and set the broken wing and the open wound. Every once in a while the bird would struggle ever so slightly, but mostly from discomfort. Voltaire simply murmured calming things in either elven or common speaking loud enough for Vanna to hear as well, "If you wish to fly again, friend, I need to bind your broken wing."
With Vanna's help Annjette was soon done with the bed and she smiled a bit at her 'cousin', "Come we bring him the bird-bed. We name bird, when it is in bed?" The swan-girl stood and moved toward Voltaire who was now stroking the bird's head in order to keep it calmed.
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 6:37 pm
Vanna nodded decisively and followed Annjette over, still crawling slowly and awkwardly. Oh, how she wished she still had wings! Her body seemed so heavy, now.
Getting close to Voltaire and the bird, Vanna gave up and crawling and flopped on her stomach, resting her chin on her crossed arms and watching.
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 6:50 pm
Voltaire finished his part of the task and gently placed the bird in the bed, "I think this'll be good task for you, and Vanna tonight until you guys are ready to sleep again. Take care of the bird and make sure nothing bad happens to it for the rest of the night while you two are awake."
Annjette took up the bed and bird and nodded settling next to Vanna with a pensive look on her face. Voltaire got up and gathered mostly bloodied left over rags and disappeared outside for a brief moment.
The Sparrow was nestled in it's bed breathing heavy but not quite labored breathing. Annjette gently pet the bird upon the head, "It is okays pretty bird...Me an' Vanna'll help!"
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 6:52 pm
Vanna nodded emphatically. Yes, they'd take very good care of it! If only she could still speak to other birds...
Well, maybe she could!
Vanna opened her mouth and attempted to twitter like she used to. It sounded a little odd, coming from a human mouth, but it was a pretty good imitation for an infant.
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 7:09 pm
The Sparrow looked up and twittered back in what seemed to be a questioning tone.
Annjette giggled a bit, "That a neat trick, Vanna!" She didn't try to copy it as she knew it was near impossible for her to do so, but she was content on giving the bird comfort for the moment, "I wonder if it has a name already.."
Voltaire was still outside for a moment or two longer before coming back in and carrying some berries, (moving?!) dirt, and other things in cupped hands. He moved toward bowl that was out prior to Vanna's coming, "Glad I waited to tidy up." The half-elf murmured.
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 7:12 pm
Vanna blushed, purple cheeks turning an odd shade of fuschia, and ducked her head, reaching out to stroke the sparrow's feathers. She twittered again, a little more gently, blinking her three eyes slowly and wiggling her feathers.
Smiling, she yawned. It was looking to be a long night...
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 7:24 pm
After being settled in and such the bird began to feel quite at home. It wasn't home but at least the weird looking fleshy wingless things were taking care of it! The sparrow was quite content with it's station in life and even was enjoying being paid attention to by the girls.
This was going from the worst of nights to one of the best nights of it's life.
After a while everyone (even the bird) had fallen asleep and morning soon came and visited them.
When checked upon the bird was still alive and even looking as if it felt better!
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Posted: Thu Jun 01, 2006 7:29 pm
When Vanna woke up, cuddled up close with Annjette and draped with a blanket by Uncle Voltaire, she immediately squirmed over to the birds bed, twittering a good morning to it. She reached in, patting its head lightly in greeting, and laid down on the floor, her head at eye-level with the bird.
It was getting better! She was so glad - it seemed all their work the previous night was really paying off!
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