A/N- I needed something completely different, silly even, to help me cope with another story I'm writing featuring my favorite couple. So here it goes. Not my usual style as Percy is a bit of a purple prose type of guy. I mean swan. Whatever, he's wordy. Not as wordy as the bird in Charlotte's Web who says everything in triplicate, but I'm letting the adverbs flow freely in this story. And yes, I know they're like weeds. This story, like my yard, will be overrun.
And if you haven't read my other stories, stop reading! Go to How Did I Get Here. Otherwise you'll be wondering what the? Truthfully, you might anyway, since I'm writing from the swan's p.o.v.
Disclaimer- Gilmore Girls and the characters associated with the show are not mine.
Chapter One: The last few suns
The metal hurt and left a bitter tinge, but he couldn't quit testing the cage. Searching for a way out. His mate would say it was his stubbornness. Then she'd accuse him of having his feather in a ruff. Turning his long slender neck, he angled his head to peck at another bar. Damn Humanoid Kirk. Trapping him with those extra tasty morsels of soft, sweet, succulent white bread. It twitched his tail to know Humanoid Kirk knew his weakness. Hearing a soft cluck from the side, Percy knew his mate, the tender and elegant Sue, was watching from under the willow, hidden by the long whip branches dangling lazily into the water. Settling himself down, as per her instructions, he directed his attention to his bridge, where an unusual number of humans were again gathering on either end.
The sun before this had brought the Fish Thief to the lake, and Percy had watched with interest as the man attached a small dock to the center of the bridge, and a railing along one side before looking out over the water and adjusting his hat. Despite his penchant for thieving, the Fish Thief was a benevolent human, a steadfast caretaker of the lake. A friend to the feathered and furry, if not to the fish. Percy knew this, and had enjoyed his interactions with the man. The Fish Thief never did anything without good reason. Besides, it wasn't as if Percy, or his kin, ate the fish. They preferred the lake's vegetation. And the addictive bread. Later, the Blue-eyed Muse ventured onto the bridge, being escorted back and forth by her paternal life giver, after a whole host of other humans tromped to and fro. Some were strangers to the lake, others were townsfolk. Included among them was the Muse's true life giver, the Loquacious One, who appeared simultaneously worried and excited. It was the excitement she exhibited which concerned Percy most. Excitement always worried him.
Humanoid Kirk had also been busy around the lake these last few suns, and none of the inhabitants appreciated the changes to their home. Entire trees had been removed, forcing Mama Bird to relocate before she was ready. She was frantically rebuilding her humble abode, fluttering to and fro for nesting materials. Tweeting loudly at the scarcity of the soft yet insulating undercoat gathered from the Hound From Hell's territory. And the squirrels! The squirrels were driving everyone nuts with their repeated attempts to jump the new gaps between the trees, egging each other on with their incessant chattering. Scurrying madly here and there. Even the branches Humanoid Kirk trimmed were causing problems, as the new shade patterns were playing havoc on the ducks pecking order. The fights over the choicest, deepest shade spots were so brutal, Percy was sure they'd become lake legend. Recounted in whispers under the starlight for years to come. The feathers had literally flown.
Then came his untimely capture. Damn his love of bread! Now he was stuck, waiting, and he didn't know why.
"Dearest one, please try to relax. It's the Gilmore girl. It's all for her, and aren't the flowers beautiful? I've never seen the lakeland so pretty," his mate clucked, chiding him for his growing temper.
"How do you know this?" Percy asked, keeping his voice low. When he yelled for help Humanoid Kirk had hit the metal cage with a stick.
Don't you know? Don't you feel it in your webbing? Think darling, think," Sue replied, shaking her wings and gently settling them back. "It's a mating ritual, and I'm afraid it has to do with the Dark One."
"The Dark One? No! It, it can't be…" Percy whispered his anguish into his wing. Trying to hide his distress from Sue. It wouldn't do for her to know how truly his heart belonged to his Blue-eyed Muse. He fought against the painful memories, his first encounter with the Dark One vivid in his mind, as if it had happened yesterday. But really, if this had to do with his love, his Blue-eyed Muse, he needed to cast his memory farther afield…