Lights slowly drifted past the fence line that night, calculating and testing.
I felt the fear in Bee when she noticed them too. We both watched as they clawed thier mark on one of the fenceposts and turned to bob away back into the night.
We needed to learn more about Angler to protect ourselves against him.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH0TgAmwb6E
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc87GjKrGfj
I already knew he wasn't a demon to be taken lightly. He had been well-known in school for a reason.
I took scouting after inspecting the shredded post just outside my blood barrier.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡv6a0BQxsDz
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWz6m22tWng
Bee kept her guard up as I left to determine exactly how much of a threat the warning was meant to be.
I had done the same thing to him. He could just be making himself known at this point.
I didn't see traces of Angler anywhere when I glided over the deer fields and dirt cave. The mess I had left had been covered with more dirt that had fresh tracks leading downwards.
At least I knew where he was.
That night, he returned again.
The lights ran along the length of the fence line this time, inspecting the barrier I had left and tasting it.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8A3UWvDgz
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeauLloCJTy
The low clicking that accompanied Angler now had Bee panicked. I was frozen in fear when the two glowing eyes turned to us and rested there for a few moments before slowly slipping away once more.
I took scouting again the next morning after seeing the smeared trail Angler had disturbed. 123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP47mdS7B41
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzYKtbjl7bJ
Bee protected the nest aggressively, now that she knew our intruder was becoming bolder with his movements. 123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOQ8wwgSQD
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡogMENnrxk8
Pretzel was clueless. She had been deeply asleep both nights Angler had shown up.
I did my loop through the fields and over the cave. Footprints dragged into it, along with another unfortunate deer.
There were new markings gouged over old ones and spreading further outwards onto new trees. 123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIvG1SYchAc
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlR65UwtnMb
Was he expanding out of caution, or just widening his radius so we could be aware of what lurked nearby?
Perhaps he slept during most of the day? Is that why we were only seeing him at night?
Again, he returned.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtcHPSNrh4q
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFskhbuzKmF
But this time, he wasn't alone.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjLXTc2umMJ
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD3x86VE0X8
I watched the lights glide thier way along my trail before flipping and doubling back once more.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyIbgiy80Mc
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMoLRXqMfcm
Smaller lights dipped below the large ones, jumping about rather than slipping smoothly like Anglers.
They stopped in the middle of the fence and the little lights followed.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmYKDYPBmKe
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRiG6gpxdI
The tiny blinking of one pair of eyes stared at us in front of the more intimidating unwavering ones behind it.
I knew Angler had been popular in school with the females. He knew how to hold himself up in a fight, and had proven that to us in person.123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaW2nQ9a8Go
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkd3EQcgmGf
No doubt, he would have had his own mate out here too. He knew how to defend his land and keep it clear of other demons. 123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxsaWaTWRZU
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡP9b34LjRdm
He was a father as well. From what I could see, it was to a single creature that was still quite young and ambitious.
The low clicking rumbled through the air then turned to dissappear into the darkness. I saw the little lights hesitate then do the same, bobbing wildly when they left to catch up to the larger ones snaking away.
We had the same motives, at least. I could understand that perfectly.
Bee was only too happy to stay in the nest while I took off again in search of Angler.
This time, it wasn't for scouting. I wanted to see what limitations he had set for around his territory.
First, the deer field.
I could see the claws shredded through every tree ahead of me when I made a kill and disembowled it right there.
Usually, I would follow the leaping creatures for another to bring back to Bee, but I wanted to see how he would react to this first.
If he did come charging from those trees, he was keeping tabs on the herd for his own benifit. We would have to find other hunting grounds.
I had never been so nervous with a kill before. Every noise had me jerking my head in that direction to inspect the noise before dropping back to my meal I gulped through.
There was no time to enjoy it. I was in an uncertain area that I had no clue was hostile or not.
I felt like a twitching little prey animal with each noise rattling me. Even the streaks of light filtering through the trees were making me jump when I mistook one for one of those buzzing electric spots that haunted us at night.
Then, I heard it.
It was faint. The low grumble trembled and warbled it's bassy noise through the air that I took to in fright.
But as I was airborne, I saw that Angler was nowhere to be seen.
The noise was faint because it was further away. I heard cheers cut through the sky from the river, and immediently followed them to the area.
Angler was half submerged in the river there. He laid in the water out of reach of the humans watching on thier platform.
His black scales glistened deep green when the light hit them. The mossy smell Bee had described did I dead come form him; his back was peppered with the spongy greenery around the fins that reacted to the air of the rushing waters dragging around him.
He had the same method as I did. He parked himself in the water to wait for the perfect time to snap up the tasty meals splashing out of the water further down.
But, he didn't have to wait lengthy amounts of time for the fish to grow used to his presence and let thier guard down. All he did was let out that low rumble again beneath the water that spiked and danced from the vibration. 123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUljUmd0kEB
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGd0m9uMFe
With the extra boost of electricity, the bodies of the dead fish floated instantly to the top for him to snap up happily.
Fishers nearby were able to grab some in the radius as well, praising Angler for his job well done.
I couldn't believe how easy it was for him. It made me jealous knowing he could reel in tonnes of the slippery suckers that I had to burn out in the sun just to catch one.
The little angler bobbed up beside its father with its mouth filled with the fish it had snatched up. 123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJNoDkAROET
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpW6v81Bbip
It was an exact replica of its father beside it, down to the black and green scales with the hundreds of teeth spilling out of its head. 123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOFSes1oQg7
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDfr9U5kSh
I noticed it had white spots on its shoulders that had tiny bundles of moss stuck to. 123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfh4NrdKE4U
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOGq6IKWaqK
Angler beamed over his child, his body lighting up again to tempt the child into copying it.
I decided to leave them to head back to the deer field while I knew where they were.
Maybe I could present an offering of peace between us? 123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrmITr2vsVl
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDdbLCGsTdR
He certaintly didn't need the food, but he did have a habit of dragging deer down into his home.
Deer would do just fine then. I was still hungry anyway.
I made the kill and dumped it in the dirt outside Angler's home before he could make his way back. Then, I snatched up another to take back to Bee who was eager for the feed as we switched places.
I pushed the eggs into thier position and enjoyed the feeling of them pressing against me.
It had me wanting to experience this all over again before these ones had even hatched.
The sight of Bee snapping up her meal made me smile at my accomplishments. Hopefully, the peace offering would stop Angler in scoping out our area and leave us to raise our family in peace.
Bee was obviously thinking the same thing when she paused to turn to me.
"I thought the deer were guarded?"
"Not as far as I know" I grinned back "he was too busy killing the fish in the river, so I made use of the area. I made an offering, Bee. He should see it and stop coming around here."
"That would be nice" she agreed, pulling up more insides "Pretzel has been joining the boys on their trips to the creek; I just worry about her and having her out of my sight."
I scanned the area and found it empty of our daughter.
"Is that where she is now?"
Bee nodded.
I had missed her blooming friendship with the boys on my mission to defuse our lurking threat that still hadn't traumitised Pretzel's thoughts. I liked to think that it was because I had spent those days gathering information that Pretzel would feel comfortable enough to leave the flower field to join her new friends.
She needed people she could understand, but I was still rattled with fear at how Angler was lurking just below that area.
I wasn't going to burst her happiness. She could go without me darkening her fun. I would just protect her from afar while she explored a new world opening up to her.
"She's a whole new person, Teddy" Bee smiled "coming here has done wonders for her. I've never seen her hair so beautiful in so long. She had feathers stashed in there that the oldest boy turned into a hair clip for her. You should see it, she won't take it off! She tells me she feels amazing and even has people she can talk to about normal stuff. The other day, she came back with a stick and some string tied to it. She said it was her new fishing pole and that the boys and her sit by the creek to pretend to catch fish. That should be the things she thinks about, not when her next meal will be, or if she'll have to hide from danger."
"It's good to hear that she is enjoying herself" I beamed back at Bee "she deserves all of that. I'm happy for her."
"And I'm happy for you" Bee came over to check on the eggs I lifted myself briefly from "you already make such a good father to her and to them."
My confidence swelled, bubbling inside me until I saw movement at the fence and it burst.
Angler stood there silently. Bee followed my line of sight and instantly freaked out at seeing him there. She threw her wings out to shield us, and trembled as she stood between her nest and him.
She hadn't seen his terrifying form yet. She had only picked up the odd scents from around his cave. There was nothing that would have hinted to a scaled centipede-like demon that was standing there right now.
"Don't move from the nest" Bee muttered to me "you have to keep them safe."
I didn't know Angler's intentions. I shuffled down to give the eggs the best coverage possible. My feathers instantly frizzled to try and make myself appear bigger than I was.
Angler's glowing eyes moved between us. His front hands gripped the fence post which caused Bee to shuffle forwards slightly, screeching.
She wanted enough attention to try and scare Angler away. He wasn't buying the empty threat, and just stared blankly at her.
His eyes snapped to me before he started gagging. His back arched and heaved as his open mouth sucked and gurgled like a clogged plug being plunged.
Out of his mouth slid the heads of the fish he had devoured from the river. The minced bodies were just mushy chunks that clumped in the thick liquid being heaved over the fence and into our borderline.
Bee was understandably confused. I was too at the odd gesture Angler choked up for us, running his tongue over his mouth when he stopped regurgitating the pile of slimy heads now dumped there.
Was this because of the deer?
"It's a peace offering" I breathed to Bee who held her aggressive stance "he's bringing us food."
Angler remained there, watching. Bee backed up to my side. I let her take over the nest so I could stand over her instead.
"Does he... want us to eat it?" she whispered to me "I'm not lowering my neck anywhere near that thing."
It looked like that's what he was waiting for. His eyes remained on me while he waited by the fence for movement.
"I'll accept it" I ran my face along Bee's to comfort her "just... keep an eye on him, ok?"
Even though things were peaceful, I didn't trust the situation I was placed in. Bending down to snag the fish would leave the back of my neck exposed to those teeth that would be hovering above it.
I was terrified of even moving towards Angler who slipped off the fence post now when I carefully approached. I locked my eyes with his as I dipped my head down to snag one of the heads and drag it back towards me to eat.
It wasn't bad at all. The slime was offputting at first, but actually helped it slide down easier. It was the most fish I had seen at once since my method was far too tedious to ever be this successful.
I could taste the clean water that ran over the fish scales, and even get hints of the forestry that surrounded those waters through the stony taste mixed into the slime.
It was good. I gulped down the first head and went back for more, not even caring about my neck that Angler eyed when I dipped below him.
He seemed proud of his accomplishment when I snatched up the fish greedily. Angler finally took a step back from the fence when all the heads were gone and only the goopy sludge in the flowers remained.
I was grateful for the feast. Angler saw it as he slid away back in the direction of his cave.
"Looks like we have a truce" I beamed at Bee when I returned to her side so I could take my place back on the nest "that went really well!"
"Hopefully it stays that way" she fretted when she went to finish her own meal while checking the fenceline nervously.
The peace between us was a good one. 123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgxVpftfPAn
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZw0Pz8Ftv4
Angler did return that night, as he did all the other nights, with his child sticking close to his glowing lights lurking by the boundary.
He never overstepped it. Even when Pretzel first panicked at his appearance and went running to our nest, he remained firm. And when Pretzel was tempted by the fish offerings as well, he never made a move while she feasted beside me. The only one who avoided the gift was Bee. She was too wary to be dropping her guard around unknown demons.
By the day, I could hear his low bass killing the fish in the river, and by late afternoon, he was heaving up offerings for us to accept under his watchful eyes. Then, at night, he would return to lurk by the fence for a bit with his child, who I learned was his only son through the repeated interactions, before leaving once more.
I had only given him one deer, so the continued support was very one-sided from my view. I felt like I wasn't doing enough for the demon wanting to watch our progress into parenthood.
When I heard tiny cries from beneath me, Angler was watching.
He never crossed the boundary until that day.
The first egg splitting as I watched with Bee was what peaked his interest. The tiny chick pushing from its shell and struggling to sit upright had him as mesmerized as we were.
The chick had threads of slicked white fuzz across its pale pink body. The skin around the eyes was dark grey and protruded outwards from the closed eyes. A saddle of light grey feather threads made up the demon seabird markings both Bee and I displayed.
It was overwhelming love at first sight. Those drying chicks squeaking and struggling out over the next few days were my life. They were barely bigger than my toe and had already stolen my heart.
So when Angler heaved himself over the fence when the last chick hatched, and smeared my blood barrier on his way to investigate, I charged.
He felt the full force of my protective fury while Bee guarded the nest. 123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAmbvZWPRxW
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdtOxO9IbJZ
I swiped Angler across the face with my claws and screamed at him while becoming the shield between me and my family.
Angler took the injury without retaliation and backed off enough that he was out of striking distance.
I did not take my eyes off him. His eyes never left the nest that Bee blocked with her own body aggressively.
Luckily, Pretzel was not caught up in the whirlwind of danger here. She was safely out of the area with her friends at the creek again.
I hated how close he was and how he ignored the territory I had set. I charged again to slash at the front legs and tear into them with my beak.
Angler responded by snapping down on my neck and throwing me from him. I crumpled beside Bee, but threw myself back up and attacked from above, pulling and stabbing at his exposed scales while he made his retreat to the fence I perched on to scream after him from.
Peace or not, nothing was getting near my babies like that. 123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC4PEi46miL
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQZIiSFsMII
I had spent too long protecting them up to this point to lose them only moments after hatching.
The chaos from us had attracted the attention of the humans who saw the retreat of Angler. They had known of him in the area, so his appearance did not shock them. The fact he had come so close to thier property, and they had actually witnessed it, startled them more than anything.
I thickened the borderline, and reenforced the blood around the nest for good measure. 123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn4CjddEfHZ
123Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡslssYYw4zJ
It didn't calm my racing mind. Angler had no regard to boundaries anymore. Territories meant nothing to him if he was so eager to jump the fence to charge the nest like that in our moment of vulnerability.
His teeth had peppered my skin with gouges too. They dribbled blood when I huddled beside the nest to cower under the throbbing pain. Bee tried to help, but her sharp beak only made it worse.
Injuries like these was a good way to dance with death if they became infected. And knowing Angler's diet, it as only a matter of time before they were sure to.
Damn it!
I couldn't leave my family behind over some lousy neck wound! I had to stay here for them!
Nature was cruel. Survival was key, and I had ignored that one rule so easily.
There was no use regretting what had been done. I had protected what mattered in a time I had no chance to think. It had to be all or nothing.
Everyone was still here.
Bee moved so I could snuggle down on the noisy chicks. They accepted me and quietened as soon as my feathers enveloped them.
"Are you going to be OK?" Bee whimpered, nudging me as I bled over myself.
I forced a smile and nodded, savouring the feeling of my babies huddled against me.
They depended on me. I couldn't let them down.
"I'll be fine."
We both knew that was a lie. Bee sniffled and nodded anyway, forcing her head below mine for comfort, which resulted in my blood dribbling over her.
"You were so brave" she buried her head into me "and it came to this."
I felt her shudder and whimper again.
"I dont want you to go."
"And I'm not going to" I replied with a chuckle "I'm going to see our babies fly. And we will have many, many more after that. I'm not going anywhere."
Bee smiled at my optimism. Her bloodied head lifted to mine to croon.
"We'll take it one day at a time" I gave her the realistic answer she was looking for.
"One day at a time" Bee sniffled in agreeance and cuddled into me again.
I thanked the spirits Pretzel hadn't been here to see the violence and morbid aftermath. She would have been beside herself just at the thought of losing another she cared deeply about.
I'd have to ease her through it gently, but for now, I was going to enjoy my first bittersweet taste of fatherhood.
ns 15.158.61.17da2
