[PRP] A Bird in the Hand (Eden x Argent)

[Lural]

Argent rolled his eyes and slapped Eden's ankle before dropping down a branch, then another, and finally tumbling to the ground. He looked up at Eden, tapping his foot. "You're so slow."  

[ashes to the wind]

"Me? Slow?" He had to laugh. He jumped down to the ground next to Argent. "You were the one taking forever to get down." He stretched and looked back over at the bundle of twigs where the egg laid. "Come on, let's see if the mother will come back."  

[Lural]

"You are slow!" Argent replied. "And I'll prove it. Race you to the ship. Ready?" He didn't really give Eden time to reply. "GO!" And he took off, racing towards Utopia. He was pretty sure the cat would follow, not wanting to be shown up again.  

[ashes to the wind]

"H-hey!" Eden started after the genome. "But what about the mother bird!" He dashed off after Argent at full speed, not intending to lose.

-------

A few days later, the same old thing. Eden was back to wondering the dome. His eyes squinted up at the sun as he tried to remember the direction the mother bird and the egg had been. It wasn't too hard to find the place. They both had gone this way, right? As he walked, his ears perked towards a commotion. There was the sound of harsh chirping and then, silence. It didn't bother Eden too much until he came upon the sight of incident. The mother bird laid dead on the ground, below it's nest. There was a small chirping sound still coming from the nest.

The feline stood before the bird and then looked up at his nest. Now the baby was... Alone? Could it survive all on its own? He sat and watched for a few moments before making up his mind. He would care for it.

He climbed the tree as quickly as he could, trying his best to get the chick. He managed to grab the bird, but just as the weaker branches gave way under him and he fell with a thud to the lower ones. The chick was alright and that was all that mattered for the time being. It still chirped in alarm at a stranger holding it, but he held it carefully and pressed on, getting to the ground an sprinting as fast as he could back to the ship with tears streaming down his face.

"Argent! Argent!" He yelled as soon as he was close to the ship.  

[Lural]

Argent had spent the day out near the rise of mountains, just inside the dome. He'd collected a number of bugs and things for the lizard he kept as a pet. He was in his room, dropping a few insects into the glass container when he heard the yowling of his name. He sighed. "Eden..." Making sure the jar of bugs and the glass box for the lizard were both secure, Argent hid the terrarium before going to the hall. What was the boy yelling about? He opened his door and poked his head out of his room, seeing the cat holding something in his hands and ... crying?

"What did you do now?"  

[ashes to the wind]

"I didn't do anything!" The feline was frustrated as he held out the nest to Argent. "The mother bird was dead! The baby was going to die too..." A few more tears slid down his cheeks as he explained. "I couldn't have left it there! Whatever killed the mom could have come back for it!" He looked down at the frightened bird, still chirping in alarm. "What do I do Argent?" Eden looked as lost as he felt.  

[Lural]

Argent frowned in frustration. He was sure Eden had somehow managed to kill the mother. He was a feline after all. But he didn't say anything. "Well, you have to take care of it now." He shrugged. "Feed it and keep it warm. Though I'll be curious to see how you teach it to fly."

Even as he spoke, he just wanted Eden to stop crying. It was gross looking. Argent shook his head and stepped out of his room, the door closing behind him. The genome pushed the native slightly, herding him towards Eden's own room.  

[ashes to the wind]

Eden sniffled as Argent herded him to his room. He entered the room slowly with the chick still cradled in his arms. His room was a mess. The sheets were shredded in some places and thrown about the bed. A heavy branch laid in the corner, riddled with claw marks. Eden sat on his bed, letting Argent free to sit where ever he wished.

"Ok.... I can feed it and take care of it." He hiccuped and petted the letting chick, trying to calm it's chirping. "What do they eat?" He looked up at Argent, tears still trickling out of his eyes.  

[Lural]

"I don't know." He replied, not sitting, but looking around the mess that was Eden's room. What a disgrace! "You were the one watching the birds." He wondered if the bird ate insects like his lizard. "..." Argent cleared off a spot of what he assumed was the cat's desk and picked a lamp from the floor. "These put off a bit of heat. Set the nest here and let the light warm it." It was what he did with the lizard at first. Why wouldn't it work for the bird?  

[ashes to the wind]

"I think... The mother bird threw up in the baby bird's mouth..." He didn't know how he was going to manage that. But birds ate worms, right? He could manage something. "I could do it if it's for the bird." He looked at the chick with his bloodshot eyes. "I'm sorry you don't have a mother anymore..." He wished he knew what happened before he had gotten there. He wished even more that he could have stopped it from happening.

Eden looked up at the genome, wiping his nose on his arm. "You sure it won't get too hot and hurt it?" He looked at the lamp skeptically.  

[Lural]

"How would I know?" Argent sighed. He had no way of knowing if it would get too hot. "You have to keep an eye on it. The bird is your responsibility after all. You're just too stupid to set this up without me." When the light was angled how he thought it should be, he looked at Eden. "Put the nest here so the baby can get warm." He'd wait till the cat stood before adding. "I'm sure there's a way to feed the baby without throwing up on it too."