#sunemi

[peekaboo5551]

[alostgerudo-blog]

“It won’t do any good to scare them like this.”

The young kargarocs bobbed their heads, weaving their snakelike necks around as they all hissed and squawked angrily. Sunemi bit their lip and frowned. “I didn’t mean to scare them.”

“I know, ésha-ma, but they don’t. They’re still just babies.” Bénkal-me patted the smaller Gerudo on the head. The small rocs kept up their indignant chorus, fluffing themselves up as big as possible. Bénkal-me scanned the horizon, hand shading her eyes from the bright noonday sun. “They might be home alone for a while yet. We have some time.”

The adult crouched down, weight on her heels. “Think any of them are taking a shine to you?”

“I don’t know. Maybe.” Sunemi’s expression was grave. They dug around in a belt pouch and produced a small scrap of jerky. The kargaroc young kept up their warning, though a few had fallen silent and settled for simply leaning far away from the two legged intruders. The young Gerudo debated for a long moment, eyes flicking between each baby roc, before finally shifting forward and thrusting the jerky out.

As one, the chicks reared their heads away from the hand, their agitated cheeping rising in volume. Bénkal-me pulled back on Sunemi’s elbow. “Slowly, slowly.” She releases Sunemi’s arm, gently acknowledges the mumbled apology. “Too fast, your arm is like a striking snake.” This time the jerky moves towards the nestlings with far less speed.

At first, the reactions are the same. One hatchling waves its stubby wings as it leans away, buffeting a sibling in the head. Sunemi’s serious expression wavers, teetering of disappointment. “Patience,” cautions the elder Gerudo. They don’t nod this time, but they remain sitting still, offering out.

One hatchling, weaving its head with wild abandon, is jostled and nearly slaps the child’s hand aside with its own face. It opens its beak to bite, scared, but clacks it shut on the food. It drops the mouthful of jerky at first, and Sunemi looks crestfallen as the fledgeling snaps the meat off the nest floor, swallowing it greedily as its nestmates remain divided between frightening off the strange beasts and investigating what food their sibling is eating.

Though fear wins out for most of them, the first chick leans forward again, beak open expectantly. Bénkal-me smiles back at her sibling. “Looks like she wants more.” Another piece is offered and eaten, then another and another.The fledgling nibbles at the Gerudo’s fingers impatiently if they hesitate too long after the bite is swallowed, and the round kargaroc leans forward, edging closer and closer to the edge of the nest, until finally the roc is resting against the wall.

Swiftly, Bénkal-me scoops it up on the bag, catching the chick in a practiced motion and lifting it out of the nest. The pair retreat from the frenzied nest as the cries get louder; No sense in waiting for a parent to come back now.

As they head back, Sunemi’s eyes remain fixed on their prize. “Can I carry her back? I think she likes me.” The older Gerudo offers the bag and the fledgling to her young sibling. “Be careful, put your hand under her so she feels safe, but don’t squeeze too tight.”

“I know, I know,” the child replies, their tone annoyed as they carefully gathered the roc to their chest, at odds with the reverence on their face.

Bénkal-me thinks to herself with a smile that she’s never seen Sunemi so careful with anything. “Well done, ésha-ma. Won’t Etoro-Adi be pleased to see you got one on your first try?”

“And Lugesi said I was a baby,” sniffed Sunemi. Benkal-me laughed.

“I’m sure she’ll feel rather silly when we get back, then.”