Birds of Prey - Hetero Edition

As they made their way down the cramped hallway, Maza took his hand, and once again he noted that it was small enough that he could enclose it entirely in his fist. He felt Coza take the other. She was obviously overjoyed to see him again, but she was still putting on a stoic front, as if nobody would be able to tell. Ayau climbed up onto his back and crossed her arms around his neck, brushing her cheek against his as Xico and Tacka crowded him from behind. It was a good job that the fluffy alien was so light and that the painkillers were finally doing their job.

"I always thought that this would be a day of mourning," Maza said. "But while we did lose some good people, all I feel is relieved that it's over, I feel hopeful. My flock, my male, my friends...they're all alive. You've been at war before Jaeger, is that selfish of me?"

"It's not selfish," he replied, "you're just glad to be alive. I don't think the dead would want you to be miserable on their behalf."

"I suppose not," she admitted. "In our distant past, back when we lived in tribes, the Val'ba'ra'nay were animists. We believed that when a person died, their soul, their essence migrated into the body of an animal. We know better now, of course, but there was comfort in the idea that a bird passing overhead might be a lost loved one watching over you. That amongst a flock of Gue'tra, there might be old friends or curious family members. When the Teth'rak attacked the Betelgeusian Queen...I know it's just superstition, but I still felt as if it was protecting us. Protecting Yilgarn, protecting you."

"It was simply defending its territory against what it perceived to be another large animal," Xico said.

"I know," Maza replied. "But if we still practiced animism, I might argue that the souls of the fallen had some part in it."

"It is a comforting thought," Coza mused, "revenge from beyond the grave."

"I'd fly over its territory and drop a nice big juicy steak for it," Baker said, "but it also tried to eat me. I'd say we're even."

"In any case, we can now enjoy your company for a whole extra year," Maza said gleefully. "That's close to a full Val'ba'ra rotation, I think. We have so much more to show you, you didn't even travel to any other cities in the few days you spent on the surface. There's so much more to see, so many more things to do. I doubt that we could cover everything even if we had ten rotations."

"The first thing I want to do is relax in your lake and take a load off," Jaeger said. "And you guys had better go easy on me for a few weeks until I'm all healed up, especially you, Tacka. I'll get a note from my doctor if I have to."

The little alien gave him a wry smile, Maza and Ayau snickering. Baker wasn't in on the joke, but the implication was obvious enough.

"Don't worry," Ayau purred, "we'll take good care of you. You're a war hero, after all, you've earned a little pampering."

"I never thought I'd say this," he added, "but I think I'm going to enjoy being grounded for a little while."

-THE END-