Giving Nugget one last nuzzle, he set the pup down beside Sidon in his lap before offering his wings to the little prince. Sidon’s cheeks pinkened, beaming as he let the rito lift him to his face. Like when he’d explored his feet, he was reserved at first...but also like last time, Big Bird’s face was warm and welcoming. He softly grinned as Sidon’s tiny webbed hands curiously came to pet his beak, feeling over the scarred indentations.
Baby golds dilated in awe of the familiar texture. “ It feels like your toenails, Big Bird. “
The Rito’s shoulders shook as he chortled. “ They’re made of similar stuff actually...Along with hair, feathers, horns...hooves...turtle shells too. That’s just what I remember off the top of my head. “
Sidon gave him a look of disbelief. How could so many different things be made out of toenails?
At the prince’s evident sense of doubt, the bird laughed and pouted.
“ Oi, you look like you don’t believe me! Honest to Hylia, I heard a sheikah scientist tell me once a long time ago. It’s all made of carrots!“ Big Bird said proudly, then made a show of hesitating and thinking. “ No, wait...Carrot-something! Nothing to do with the vegetable...I don’t actually remember the word. But it sounded like carrots! “
The prince’s tiny hands went to the rito’s cheeks and back, trying and failing to comprehend the fact that his feathers were also made of carrots like his beak—carrot-something. Big Bird only hummed amusedly, unbothered by those little hands touching curiously all over his face.
The exploration would continue down to his neck, where then the prince next asked to see his large wings, Big Bird smiling and remaining permissive the whole way through. Even for his tail feathers, though Sidon got distracted from touching much more than their tips when his large friend decided it was time to play with Nugget again.
At the bird’s loud guffaw, Sidon’s attention had quickly left the man’s tail feathers altogether to walk back in front of them to see what was happening.
“ He wants my sash! “ The rito told him in amused horror, the prince blinking his eyes as Nugget tugged at the red cloth before he broke into a squeal and giggle.
Nugget leapt back when Big Bird retaliated with a tickling hand, barking playfully as he retreated. He ran back and forth around the bird, wings darting out to tickle him. Nugget would catch a feathered finger in his mouth, teething on it until it withdrew. Eventually he left the rito’s reach entirely, chubby bottom wagging with his tail as he entered a play bow, eyes intent on the bird.
“ Uh-oh, uh-oh! Here he comes! He’s gonna charge, he’s charging, he’s charging! AAackk! “
Sidon shrieked with laughter, holding his sides as the little gold ball of fur dashed and jumped, Big Bird theatrically falling back on impact to his lower abdomen.
“ Ooouugh…he got me... “ He said feigning pain as the prince came up to his side, little Nugget walking all over him and sniffing. The bird’s act quickly fell apart when the puppy moved on to his head, making him lose balance as a harpy-like cackle rose from his chest. “ Hylia, do you see this? He wants to sit on my face! Pfffah-blegh, puppy butt to the beak, ough! “
Sidon almost fell over as his shrieks and giggles mixed with the rito’s, his cheeks hurting with how hard he was smiling. He shook his head, the boy’s long red tail swaying back and forth.
Excerpt from chapter 17 of my Breath of the Wild story To Meet The Shell. Prince Sidon recalls a memory of his day out with a friendly stranger.
In case it’s not obvious...No I didn’t draw this! It’s commission done by the lovely @alouette-lulu and I absolutely adore it. Go check out her stuffs if you haven’t already!
Art (c) @alouette-lulu
Marco and Nugget (c) @windyren
