Good grief, the title’s one great pun…
‘Bird’ Watching
Bailey lay on her stomach on the grass in one of the wide-open meadows of the Steef summer valley. To an onlooker the human looked like she was just relaxing and enjoying the sun. Odd knew, she needed it after that tangle with Karnan… But to anyone who knew her, it was blatantly obvious that Bailey was not relaxing, but watching a group of female Steef a little way away, giggling and splashing about it a small pool created where the stream that ran through the valley, had hit a dip and widened.
A little way away, another group of younger Steef – these male – were obviously showing off, to the giggling females.
It was all one big game of flirt.
“No wonder blue ain’t interested…” Haigar just wasn’t the flirting type, he was too shy and quiet and got nervous – to the point of stammering – in the presence of pretty girls, and Bailey had seen first hand how the other males his age unmercifully teased him about it. But no matter how much they pushed him, tried to get him angry enough to fight, no matter how crude and offensive their insults became, Haigar would just turn and walk off.
Bailey knew that one of these days, those arrogant young Steef were going to push Haigar too far, and then they wouldn’t know what hit them. Haigar was bigger and stronger then most of the other Steef, but he was too gentle, he just wouldn’t fight. Bailey had also found out that Haigar didn’t have many friends, just Chiron who was also quieter then was considered ‘normal’.
Well, if being normal meant bellowing and butting heads like a mountain goat and all that macho cliché, then Bailey was very glad to have an ‘abnormal’ best friend. The human turned her head slightly, Haigar was lying close by, sprawled out on his side, his legs going everywhere. Bailey chuckled.
“Hey,” she hissed, “Blue, I need ya fer a sec.” one blue eye opened.
“Wotsmatter.” He mumbled.
“Why ain’t they scrapping?” Bailey jerked her head towards the band of male Steef.
“Coz they don’t want they horns to snap off in the middle.” Haigar muttered, eye closed again, Bailey frowned,
“But you said horns only get shed in spring.”
“They do.” Haigar opened both eyes, Bailey blinked at him, innocent curiosity on her expression. Haigar sighed and rolled over so that he was on his stomach and that he and Bailey were almost nose-to-nose. “Look,” he explained, “Steef horns get shed in spring, but when Steef males are my age, they’ve just grown a full set for the first time, the full shape.” Bailey nodded, “Right after they’ve achieved their full size, the horns drop again, and don’t re-grow fer a coupla years.”
“Why not?” Bailey asked, completely flummoxed.
“Well, once Steef horns have grown to their full size, they drop off and start growin’ again dead slowly, coz this time they’re growing in strength as well as size. You understand?” Bailey blinked and nodded uncertainly.
“Yeh…think so.”
“Good.” Haigar grinned, “Coz I ain’t in the mood to explain it again.” He closed his eyes again and rested his head on Bailey’s back. Bailey heaved a sigh and went back to watching the young Steef interact. Unfortunately it seemed Haigar had been right, the females only responded the big, tough ones.
“Ah crud.” She muttered, “Scuppered…” After a moment Bailey sighed again and shifted slightly, “C’mon blue, let’s go.” Haigar picked his head up,
“Go? Go where?” the young Steef asked, Bailey sat up,
“Yer takin’ me out.” The human grinned, “Show me around.” Haigar watched her, one eyebrow raised and then smiled.
“Alright.” Rising, the Steef took Bailey’s hand and helped her up. He smiled, eyes shining. “There’s something I want to show you.” Still holding her hand, Haigar led the human into the trees of the valley’s forest.
“So, where’re goin’ blue?” Bailey asked cheerfully, Haigar grinned;
“You’ll see.” the young Steef said enigmatically. “But it’ll be easier,” he added, picking up the human around the waist, “If you ride.” And placed Bailey gently onto his back. She put her arms around his middle and leaned her head against his shoulder, smiling to herself as she felt comforted and protected. Haigar’s gait was so smooth and the regular rhythm of his breathing and heartbeat so soothing that Bailey’s eyes were soon drooping, snuggling up to Haigar she drifted off into a doze.
Haigar felt Bailey relax and her breathing go deep and easy with sleep and couldn’t help break into a smile of his own as he continued walking. After a few minutes Haigar stopped in mid-stride, one hoof raised, his ears twitching. There was suddenly a brittle snap, like a twig breaking.
“Alright, I know you’re there.” He called, “C’mon out.” There was a rustle and a few more twigs broke as another young Steef pushed out of the bushes. “Chiron?” Haigar asked in surprise, “Why’re you followin’ me?”
“Hullo Haigar…” the blonde Steef murmured, expression shame-faced, he looked awkwardly down at his forehooves. There was a pause, “Loki…asked me to talk to you…” he finally explained, scuffing one front hoof in the dirt of the forest track. “She, worries, about you.” Haigar drew his eyebrows together. Chiron fidgeted and even blushed faintly with embarrassment. “She thinks you…
need someone…to look after you…”
“Hrm…” Haigar made a rumbling sound deep in his chest, “My dear baby sister has her love life all sorted and now she feels the need to sort out mine…” he said wryly. “Tell her thanks, but I can sort it out myself.” Chiron chuckled, but his smile faded when he noticed Bailey, asleep on Haigar’s back.
“You know…” he ventured uncertainly, “That won’t help…” Haigar glanced over his shoulder then snapped his gaze sharply back to Chiron, fixing him with stern blue eyes.
“What d’you mean Chiron?” He asked quietly.
“Haigar, you know we all care about Bailey…but your closeness to her…” Chiron hesitated, then ploughed on, “It doesn’t help you when you’re trying to find a mate…”
“What in Odd’s name are you talkin’ about!?” Haigar demanded, thoroughly confused and mildly irritated. Chiron sighed,
“What d’you think it looks like?” he asked, “When you spend so much time with Bailey? Most of it out in the wilds…people are starting to talk Haigar…” Haigar’s eyes widened for a moment,
“You mean that they think-” he began, “Me and Bailey?” Chiron nodded, looking miserable, “That’s ridiculous, she’s my cousin!” Haigar exclaimed,
“Not by blood Haigar, she’s only your cousin because Stranger is your uncle.”
“But, what- how-?” Haigar stammered to say something but the revelation was just too ludicrous. “What are they saying Chiron.” He finally said, voice growling.
“Some…are abit…shocked…” Chiron said uncomfortably, “But on the whole…the elders especially…they’re…well to be honest, they’re rather happy about it…something about ‘humans causing us pain in the past but healing the wounds of the future’. They say it would be good and right for one of us to Choose a human…” Haigar gaped at his friend. “I…I’ll be going then...” Chiron said quickly and left in the same way, leaving a very bemused Haigar behind.