Thread:Platypusrocks/@comment-39184326-20190520205755/@comment-39184326-20190521155511

Chapter Two – The Platypus Chronicles – Ailanu’s P.O.V.

I’d like to say Orocha doesn’t exaggerate things, but…he does. He acts like one small mishap is the end of the world. I mean, I don’t resent him for being cautious, but…

I guess his main thing to make a mountain out of is Mother. Sure, she just sits in the den with Unalia, but she’s dealing with loss and overall depression. She has a right to be like that.

For me, my biggest disappointment is Orocha. Sure, I love ‘em and all, but he acts like he rules this paddle. It makes sense for him, but I guess I’m a natural born leader. He was only born a little bit before me, and on the same sun! If this was a female paddle, I’d probably be the leader of it.

Sure, I don’t have poisonous barbs. But I can still defend myself, even if I’m nonvenomous. I mean, it’s not like all predators have venom-filled spikes.

Orocha sometimes does the hunting, sometimes I do. On my free days, I like chatting with the fishes or sunbathing, it’s quite relaxing. Before Unalia was born, Mother taught us both bubblespeak. It’s a language that most sea creatures understand. Platypuses are able to hear it, although it’s more like reading it; our echolocation can identify the bubbles and understand them by estimating their size and direction.

I usually talk with Ailanu and Unalia—the fish, not us—since they have lots of interesting things. It turns out the pond connects into a small river, which takes them to this giant lake. Unalia is a gossiper, while Ailanu speaks only true fact.

I also like to practice swimming in the pond. Orocha says that as soon as Mother starts hunting for herself, we’ll be able to go off and start our own paddles. It’s a weird thing to think about, I guess. I’d probably take on Unalia, maybe help her start a paddle. She’d be unable to hunt, but at least serve a purpose greater than decreasing the food pile.

Because we all have to eat at least twenty percent of our weight, we have to hunt at least twelve hours a day. It’s a good thing we’re still small, though, so we don’t weigh as much as a fully grown platypus. My favorite thing to eat is a dragonfly. Their little wings are so ticklish against my throat. They’re hard to catch though, so we try and snap them when they’re resting.

I can’t believe how much Orocha has grown. He’s nearly as big as Mother. Unalia is so small, though…I would mistake her for a platypus of seven suns, not three moons! Oh, and Orocha and I are four moons, barely a moon older.

I’ll have to be sleeping now, it’s nearly moonrise. I’ll see you again, I guess.