At her assurance, Kenai couldnât help a halfhearted smile, despite, yes, feeling more stupid and maybe a little embarrassed. Sheâd seen him worse, but still, it had to be pretty bad when he could see his own weirdness over the whole thing. âHow do you always have the words to bring me back to Earth?â The question was mostly rhetorical, a finger gently finding rest on her shoulder.
Butâit did make sense. Her trying to warm the newcomer into the idea of meeting him. Of welcoming her⌠Their entire family was made up of strays who had found each other- Birdy, Koda, himself and Denahi. Their moose boys. Why not include another?
Breathing in, Kenai tried to think back to when heâd first met Birdyâ hpw skittish and nervous she had been at first, and even for a bit afterwards. How understanding heâd tried to be. It had been so long, her presence so normal now, that he hadnât even considered the idea of a new little person going through that sameâ- adjustment? before being welcomed. And Bluebird hadnât mentionedâthe newcomer surely had to be alone as well⌠Sheâd need friends that could become family.
Blinking quickly, the new girl was not what heâd expected. Bluebird looked human, just really small. Her new friend, Kenai knew both girls would hate the thought and kept to it to himself, had some humanlike features, but also looked like something akin to a rodent. Kenai hadnât been expecting that.
Evidently, the new girl was not super comfortable yet. Again, Kenai remembered the early days with Bluebird and her pastâ loud noises, giant hands grabbing at her, big feet too close for comfort, huge, towering humans and the massive world around her. Kenai remembered the stories about her family, the cruelties theyâd endured. Remembered Malik and his pure hatred and aggression. Again, his heart broke for his friend,but also swelled with how he cared for her and realizing how far sheâd come. How heâd helped her with some of it. They really had grown together.
If nothing else, he owed it to Bluebird to be friendly. And, just like Bluebird, the new girl deserved to know that humans could be kind⌠and that, as long as she stuck with them, sheâd never have to worry about being safe.
Instead of making any movements towards her, Kenai lowered the tone of his voice just a bit quieter than normal. âHi.â Scooping Bluebird into his palm, he carefully brought her to a perch on his shoulder. Slowly, he shifted his body almost to a laying position on the cool dirt. âIm Kenaiâ see,â he ruffled Bluebirdâs hair a bit, eyes motioning towards his side sheâd perched on. âIâm not scaryânot at all.â
