Ethan leaned over to offer his arm and Uuffi stepped up on it. "Yes, Uuffi, I'm so glad you really want to go to school." The a-a butted his head against Ethan's chest and was rewarded with another scritching session. Pollyn picked up Traci and they walked toward the Keep.
Uuffi heard Traci squeal with delight, "Momma, we'll have so much fun in school! I'll show Uuffi how to read and write!" She clapped her hands in excitement.
Pollyn laughed, "Well, Traci, Uuffi might be able to learn to read some simple words, but he might have a hard time writing. He doesn't have hands like humans do, you know."
The a-a could understand more than the humans realized. He thought, Uuffi use feet and beak like humans use hands.
Traci looked at her hands. "Oh, too bad, Uuffi. But I can write what you want me to."
"All right, precious, you and Uuffi can decide that tomorrow. Right now, it's bedtime."
Bedtime! Uuffi didn't want to have to sleep in Jozlyn's tower room all by himself. He raised his head and looked at Traci and Pollyn. "Uuffi sleep with Traci--with Traci--Traci!" And he flew to Pollyn's head.
Ethan ran after him quickly, "Uuffi, come here! Pollyn might drop Traci if you sit on her head. Here, I'll carry you to Traci's room if Pollyn says you can sleep there." Uuffi stepped quickly back onto Ethan's arm.
Traci pleaded his cause, but Pollyn said, "Traci, I don't know where he'd sleep. He can't sleep in your bed. Where does he sleep in Jozlyn's room?"
"On his perch, of course," the human chick informed her. Uuffi wondered why Pollyn didn't know this.
"Oh. Well let's see, what do we have that can substitute for a perch tonight?" Pollyn set Traci down and took her hand. "If everyone will come along, I'll see what I can find."
As they walked into Craylan's quarters, that human looked up from some papers on his table. "Well, well. Do we have some guests, Traci? Come give Gramps a hug."
Gramps? Uuffi thought this human's name was Craylan. Uuffi knew Craylan spent a lot of time with Draygon, who seemed to be the flock leader of this great big human nest they called the Keep. He'd also seen Craylan and Traci hug each other a lot. Craylan didn't seem to hug the other human chicks like he did Traci.
Traci announced, "Uuffi's gonna sleep in my room tonight 'cause Jozlyn's away and then he's gonna go to school with me tomorrow!" She released Craylan and danced across the room. Fascinated, Uuffi watched her.
Craylan and Ethan exchanged some words which Uuffi didn't hear, as his attention was still on Traci. Just then Pollyn returned, carrying something that looked like it had a lot of perches and she also had a large dish. "Here, Uuffi. I think you'll be comfortable sitting on this rack. And I'll put this water bowl on the table beside Traci's bed for you."
Traci danced over to Uuffi and offered her arm. He stepped on it, being careful not to dig his claws into her skin. They followed Pollyn into Traci's room. As Pollyn helped Traci shed her clothes, Uuffi took a long drink from the water dish, then climbed onto the rack and found a suitable perch. Fluffing his feathers, he started preening himself, waiting while Pollyn and Traci made the human chick ready for bed. As soon as Traci was under the covers, she and Pollyn said good night to Uuffi and each other. Then Pollyn blew out the lamp and the room was dark. Uuffi tucked his head into the feathers on his back and closed his eyes.
"Good night, Uuffi," he heard Traci giggle. Then all was quiet. Uuffi felt happy. He had human company again, even if it wasn't Jozlyn. |
