Work Text:
Travelling wasn't ever fun. Techno hated it. But ever since he mooted his Downy feathers, they had to move between their summer and winter homes. It was so annoying. Techno just wanted to stay in one spot all year, but Dad said it was safer if they moved around. It would mean less chances of running into a predator. Which had been what happened to one of his older brothers he's never met. And was why they never let him out of the flock nesting grounds yet.
But Techno was stronger than his older brothers. He was bigger for his age. And his wings were fully fledged if a bit bulky. But Dad said he was going to be a strong flier when he grew up.
Techno didn't like being left alone in the nest, but the seasons were changing again. But every time they changed, the flock was on the move again. That meant they would be changing nesting sites soon. And get out of the cold mountain they were stuck in.
They were moving in a week. But Techno was getting restless. He hated being cooped up in the nest for starters, but when he was alone without Mum or Dad to preen or play with, it was extra boring.
They couldn't blame him if he needed to stretch his legs a bit.
The forest was huge. From the sky it looked endless, when facing north of the mountains. Clouds were coming down from the sky to cool the ground. And make the world look sleepy.
It was a pretty sight. One not really seen in the nesting grove. It wasn't too hard to get out, telling Fit and then Sneeg, he was only running out to catch up with his parents. They gave him the main direction where they were, gathering food and flight materials to hold them over on the journey. He followed it, only until he was sure to be out of sight of any other flock members. Then he headed in a random direction away from the crowd to go exploring some.
He might not get another chance since there was talk of leaving the grounds. Apparently there was a predator around, having snatched up a few naughty fledglings who wandered off alone. But those sorts of stories weren't so scary now that he had wings to get away.
He just needed a running start, was all.
Techno walked around the old trees only just throwing they stepped bark and lower limbs. He has explored the same trail for years with Dad and Mum. Learning each landmark for the way home. Soon he would need to relearn the old ones back in the cherry cove mountain.
He pouted at the idea, preferring the gift mountains better. They made a lot of wet mud while they stayed, and made playing near the nest more fun.
Fit now, he'd only get the fog. He skipped around, chirping and whistling to the fog, singing a song about the fog.
“A Skip, a step
A willow be wept
A' chances to be brave - Sail
A fall a tune
A whittling spoon
A capture down the drave fell.”
Techno stepped through a cleaning into the scatter of new trees all around, leaving the world to look both so empty and full. Usually someone would respond in the little song, adding more as it went. The next part would say:
“A sing a sog…”
“A billowing fog.”
Techno paused, ears perked up. “A dancing to the grave o’then.”
“A whistle,” the soft voice added, hesitantly.
“A Hummel,” Techno said. “A onto a pummel. A chances-”
“To be brave again.”
Bright white feathers stretched out from being the trees, revealing a little avian who looked far too young to be alone in the woods. Techno stepped forward, a curious COO escaping him.
“Hello,” he said.
The boy shrank and tensed up. “Who are you?”
“Um… I’m Technoblade McCraft from the Emmsyie congregation.”
“Emmsyie?” They said, eyes brightening up.
“Yeah,” Techno said. He offered them a grin which didn't help a whole lot. Dad said Techno wasn't good at pretending to smile. Their eyes widen, looking around before cowering back into the trees again. Was his pretend smile that bad?
“What's your flock name?” Techno asked. “Only fair if I give you my name.”
“T-Tommy. Tommy Innit from Emmsyie.” The boy looked around again. “Is it safe to come out?”
“Yeah? Why wouldn't it be?”
“The monster,” they cried before cowering from the volume of his own voice. “Mummy told me to hide. While she fought it. Is it gone?”
Did he mean the predator? If so, why was he so far out in the woods? And with Downy feathers too?
“Oh. Um. Well, they say there was a predator. I didn't believe them before.”
“There is!” Tommy cried. “Oh, we have to hide. Hide until Mummy comes back. She said. The’re dead. I saw. We have to hide.”
“Hide?” He wasn't going to hide. If he wanted to hide, he would have stayed in the nest. “I don't feel like it.”
“But they'll eat you, like they ate my dad. They'll eat all of the flock too.”
“They won't eat me,” Techno said. “They'd be too full from eating the rest of the flock by then.”
“Or they could eat you first!”
“That's why I’d throw you in front and run away.”
“You can't do that! You're mean.”
Techno stuck out his tongue and the kid puffed up his wings before there was a sudden crack in the woods. They froze.
There was a loud caw from above. A giant raptor. Techno lowered himself, suddenly stuck and unable to move. His next was so far away. Good hiding was so far away. It was as if he were in an open field and was just waiting to be caught like a rabbit.
Tommy wasn't fairing any better, hiding under his wings, eyes blown out and shaking. He wasn't even a fledgling yet. The fact his Downy was only just coming in, left Techno feeling a bit sick at the thought of his Mum leaving him in the woods. She had to have thought she was coming back. No good avian would leave their hatchling out of the nest for a seconds more then necessary.
And if neither of his parents made it out then… they were sitting ducks.
No. Techno had new wings. He had his flight feathers down. He was going to be flying on his own! He wasn't going to get hunted, he was going to hunt. He was going to survive.
“We gotta go.”
“We have to hide.” Tommy said, trembling.
“We can be safe. In the nest. But we have to go now, in the thicker woods.”
“By my mum!”
“She can find you in the flock, now come on,” Techno said, tucking his wings in and taking the first few steps.
But the boy didn't follow, rooted in his spot. “I can't,” he said.
Techno’s wings twitched, eyes darting as the predator above them. They continued to circle before landing on one of the highest branches above them. They were ginormous. Larger than anything Techno had seen in his life.
Tommy was shaking, eyes blown out as if the world was falling all round him.
Techno grabbed his shoulder and shook him. “Tommy. Listen to me. We can get you off here. You just have to trust me.”
“I … mum.”
“Trust me,” Techno said between croons of support.
His eyes were blown out, unable to regain control. He chirped, a weak little thing but it helped him wrap around his neck tightly.
Techno grabbed his little legs, hoisting him up and running.
The raptor above bellowed another cry, and Techno fought against the tension in his legs, begging to curl in and hide away. There was nowhere to hide. Not in the thinning forests. But if he could just get to the thicker trees.
A piercing screech rang through his ear.
His legs locked up and giant black talons brushed over his hair, grabbing at the sparse tall grass surrounding him. His eyes followed as the giant raptor flew back towards the sky, letting out another cry. Tommy followed, holding onto Techno tighter.
Techno’s wings were shaking, darting to the side as he got further towards the jungle. The land between only seemed to get wider as there was yet another cry from the predator. He pulled his legs up, jumping over fallen branches, a tiny water stream, over a burrow or two. He was always through.
Wind rushed over him, and the world was still.
Techno couldn't think, or make sense of it. He was running one moment and another on the ground, holding the boy tight and hearing a bloody cry.
“Techno!”
His eyes stared at the foliage surrounding him, full and finding everything plain and blurry. The world was t supposed to sound muffled. Right?
“Techno.”
“Techno…”
That's his name. Don't … What was that phrase again?
“... Should make a recovery soon. But he can't fly in this condition. You might have to wait a few days before he's ready to fly again.”
“Why was he out there? What was he thinking?” his mum hissed. “And the Innit chick?”
“He's not taken the brunt of it. He'll be fine. Just stuck in his instincts for a good while.”
“His parents,” his dad said. “No one's been able to find them?”
Sneeg spoke up, announcing his presence. “We thought their whole flock was gone. The kid must have somehow managed. Tough kid.”
There was a silence while the doctor shuffled a few papers around. “Well, when the two of them wake up, they should be fine to head home to rest. Though, I'm sure they both learned it best to not run off and out of the nest, I'm sure.”
“Oh, believe me, they'll have a good talking-to when they get up.”
“Oh, I bet,” Uncle Fit said. “No one wants to mess with big Papa Phil here.”
“Gods. Fit, not here.”
Techno took that as cue to keep up his restful charade while the other adults walked out of the room. Uncle Sneeg and Fit whispered their goodbyes and good luck, shutting the door firmly and leaving them in the quiet.
“You can get up now, no point in pretending anymore,” Phil said.
Techno stiffened.
“Let him be, he'll probably fall back asleep again,” Kristin said. “At least then he'll be resting like he's supposed to.”
Techno hugged his pillow, and pouted, giving the both of them a glare.
“There he is,” Dad chuckled, petting his cheek gently with his fingers. “You heard the doctor right? About rest?”
“Yes?”
“You know what that means, right?” his mum said.
Techno frowned. “But the nest is so boring.”
“I'm sure it would be less so, when you'll have a little nest mate,” she said
His eyes widened. “Nest mate? You mean Tommy?”
“Are you sure we should be the one to take him in?” his dad said. “There might be some extended family. Maybe even in another congregation.”
“No, he said. “He's from ours. He has to be from ours from the Innit flock.”
“The Innit flock?” Phil said. “They're …”
“They only had a few members left, didn't they?” she said in a hushed voice.
“They had no other members left and that was the whole reason they joined us,” Phil said. “And even still…”
“Even still what?” Techno asked, looking between his two elders.
His mum only gave him a placating smile. “Still, if he's from our congregation that means we have to help him. So he'll be staying with us.”
“You mean it?”
“Kristin.”
“You said it yourself, he might be the very last.”
“But even so. We've …” Phil gave Techno a quick glance. “Are you sure that is a good idea?”
“Just until we meet with the other congregants. Then we can discuss when he can properly stay.”
“Does this mean I'm getting a little brother? I'm not gonna have to change diapers am I?”
Dad laughed. “No. No diapers.”
“Yo! Now I can have my very own lackey!”
Mum laughed. “They’ll get along wonderfully.”
“That's exactly what I'm worried about,” Dad said.