Thread:Platypusrocks/@comment-39184326-20190520205755

sorry for this monstrosity (cough)

I was badly injured and bruised. My mind was focused on my wounds; then I remembered.

''The eggs! ''I thought. With a glance to my side, I could see the three eggs still there. I grimaced at the third egg; the dirty shell was slightly dented. That one won’t live, I thought sadly.

I knew the eggs were safe. Hopefully, the male was gone. The painful image of the aggressive male attacking my den flashed through my mind. My mate was dead; I was alone to raise the eggs I had saved. Tears formed in my eyes as I thought of Rocha and the dented egg.

I finally started to take in my surroundings. I was in a damp, small cave, though large enough to hold me and the eggs. I smelt the purity of freshwater, but I thought that was merely the cave’s humidity; until I heard bubbling coming from the other side of the cave. I quickly hid the eggs somewhere safe, then waddled toward the noise; it was hard considering my wounds.

I then saw the water. I was overjoyed with the chance to swim. It was a small pond, but water nonetheless. I slid into the pond, the pure water soaking around me. Two fish bubbled from underneath the water. I dunked my head in, hoping to understand.

I used my sixth sense to estimate where the fish were, and their size. They were small, about the size of goldfish, and moving rapidly. Although I couldn’t hear their voices exactly, I was taught to turn the seemingly random bubbles into the sea language; bubblespeak.

“Who you?” one said. Although this form of speech seemed crude, fish didn’t need a fancy language to communicate with sea mammals or other fish. “Anitia,” I responded. “We Unalia and Ailanu,” they bubbled, “Where you come from?”

“Someplace near here,” I responded, “I attacked by male. Mate died. I injured.” The fish seemed to radiate sympathy. “Unalia mate died too. We sad for Anitia. Anitia have eggs?”

I nodded, “Yes. One dented. I need help. I maybe poisoned.”

The fish swam faster, “Unalia and Ailanu can take Anitia to healer! Anitia want to come?”

I shook my head, “I cannot come. I need take care of eggs.”

The fish seemed excited, “Healer is otter! Healer can come find you! Where you stay?”

I needed to accept. This healer could help me, and maybe my eggs. “I stay in tiny cave by here. Tell healer come there?”

The fish bobbed up and down—a nod, probably.

“Goodbye. Must see eggs,” I bubbled. I slipped out of the pool and watched the fish disappear into a tiny river that led from the pond to somewhere farther off.

I sighed. I needed help—and fast. <ac_metadata title="The Platypus Chronicles"> </ac_metadata>