Chapter 1: Red's Secret

Bomb and Chuck were pacing outside the medical hut, more worried about Red's condition than he was. Inside the examination room, a moody crimson bird sat in a dressing gown — and no, he didn't know why the doctors insisted on these gowns when avians didn't even wear clothes normally. Except for the judge, but that guy was really weird.

"Congratulations, Miss. Red! It seems that you are a late bloomer," Doctor Pluck said, walking back into the room with a chart in his wing.

"What?"

"You're egg-heavy," the doctor stated pleasantly, shooting his patient a blinding smile.

"What?"

"You're pregnant. Which one of the gentlemen outside is the father?" the doctor asked, peeking out the window.

"WHAT?!"

At that exact moment, on an island far away, King Mudbeard was plotting a new devious plan. A plan that would ensure that the pigs would get all the lovely eggs they so rightly deserved. And he wouldn't forget about the crimson avian that continued to occupy his waking and dreaming thoughts. He had every intention of birdnapping Red, and taking him back to Piggy Island. He was sure that, given enough time, he could persuade his petite lover to see things his way.

(a month later)

"Miss. Red," Judge Peckinpah began, keeping his voice as even as possible. "You cannot possibly raise a hatchling on your own. It's just not done. Now, if you were to find a mate to share the burden of raising such a clearly-deformed child…"

"He is NOT deformed," Red snapped, hiding his hatchling from view with a protective wing. "He's half pig, and you know it."

The judge sighed, shaking his head. "Be that as it may, Miss. Red, you still need a mate if you intend to raise the hatchling. I will give you one week to find someone. If you do not, then I will be left with only two options. The first would be to put this poor hatchling into a teacher's care. The second would be to select a mate for you myself. After all, until you are 18, you are a young adult, and considered a ward of the island. And you, Miss. Red, are still a month away from your 18th hatch day."

"Sorry, Red. We'd help you if we could," Bomb sighed.

"But the judge already knows we're gay," Chuck rushed to say.

Bomb's face suddenly lit up like a lantern. "I know. Maybe we could help you meet someone nice!"

Needless to say, this line of thinking ended in nearly a week of awkward first, and one time only, dates. Not to mention all the horrible things people talked about behind HIS back.

"Red is our hero, but have you see her unfortunate hatchling?"

"So tragic."

"He's odd-looking. Birds are fine, and pigs are fine, but a birdpig or pigbird… That just isn't normal."

"I would have abandoned that hatchling the moment I saw it."

Red groaned aloud as he sat on his chair in the main room, staring out the window at the stars. The end of the week was approaching quickly, and he was getting VERY tired of being called 'Miss. Red' everywhere he went. Why couldn't they see that he was MALE? He knew it, and Bomb and Chuck had no issues with it, but give birth to one egg, and you're deemed a female for the rest of your life.

Part of him, a small part, wished the pigs would return. Then he could take out his frustrations on the arrogant porker that had dared to get him egg heavy. If only he hadn't met the mammal in the first place. Then he could have at least hidden the fact that his body was female by just not sharing a bed with anyone, and leaving any empty eggs on someone else's doorstep.

A tiny wail from the second floor had the bird on his feet, and up the stairs before he even realized he'd moved. Pausing in the middle of the staircase, he shook his head and sighed softly. He still had one more day to figure something out. He just needed to sleep on it. After he settled his little one down for the third time that night.

The ships landed on the opposite side of the island that very evening. Rather than bring along every cheerful pig that volunteered, like he did the last time, Leonard made sure to employ only the best of the best. Silently, several small groups of pigs, carrying precious cargo, tromped through the woods. They would hide until morning, then announce their presence to the unsuspecting avians that lived on the island.

The king nodded to Ross, and slipped away on his own. He had a certain crimson bird to find, after all.

Red wasn't sure what had woken him. Sitting up in the bed that Leonard had left behind, he glanced down to find that his little one was fast asleep, and the early morning sun was only just peeking through the bedroom window. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so the avian shrugged his shoulders and attempted to lay back down. It was then that his back feathers touched something smooth and solid.

"You moved your house," a familiar voice purred, even as a firm hand clamped his beak shut to drown his voice.

"Leonard!" Red tried to shout, but it came out as a muffled squeak.

"Don't worry, Red. I'm not here to hurt you. You beat me fair and square, after all," the king assured him, his other arm wrapping around the bird's waist to hold him steady. "I see you've gotten used to sleeping in a proper bed."

Red snapped his beak, catching the pig's skin.

"Ow!" Leonard drew back in shock, examining his hand. It was light enough to catch sight of a tiny trickle of blood in the center of his palm. The little bird rolled away from him, crouching defensively by the window.

"Why are you here?" Red hissed, his feathers ruffling.

"To make… a trade," the king said, slipping off the bed to walk closer to his former lover.

"I'll buy that when I see it," the avian grouched, but he didn't try to make a run for the door. A sudden cry from the little, previously unnoticed, nest by the bed caught their attention. Before Leonard could move, his avian lover had rushed past him to lift something pig-green from the straw.

"It's okay. I'm here," the bird whispered, his voice eluding a gentleness that made Leonard's heart stir. He'd never heard Red speak that lovingly before. The avian glanced back at him over his shoulder, his golden eyes uncertain. Then, shaking his head, the bird turned to face him.

The light from the morning sun caught on the little one in Red's arms. The green-skinned babe rolled onto its back, yawning loudly. A small, red-feathered wing rubbed against their tiny snout, before the piglet nestled back into the comfort of the older bird's soft wings.

The king stepped closer, his eyes riveted to the little creature in his lover's arms. Red glanced up at him, then looked away just as quickly. "Congratulations, I guess. You're a father."

"I — This little one is ours?" Leonard asked, feeling a wave of happiness threatening to overwhelm him. "Is it a boy or a girl? What did you name them?"

Red's golden gaze fixed on him, confused. "He doesn't have a name yet. Parents don't name their hatchlings before their first hatchday. It's tradition."

"May I hold him?" the pig asked, his heart stuttering at the thought of taking his heir into his arms.

"I — I guess so," the bird mumbled, shifting the little one, blanket and all, into his lover's waiting arms.

Leonard pulled the piglet close, admiring their delicate little face, and soft crimson wings. "He's beautiful." Glancing up at his lover, he was startled to find that Red was staring back at him, slack-jawed. "What is it?" he asked.

Red ducked his head, rubbing his neck awkwardly. "Other than Bomb and Chuck, everyone else thinks he's… odd. No, they use more unpleasant terms than that, but he's never been seen as beautiful."

"But you think he's beautiful, don't you?" Leonard confirmed.

A softness swept over his lover's face. "Of course I do. He's… he's perfect. Even if he does look more like a pig than a bird. All he got from me were his little wings, and his tailfeathers."

"Tailfeathers? Really?" Leonard glanced back at the sleeping piglet curiously.

"You'll be able to see them once he's woken up. Although, he's growing very slowly. Perhaps that's a pig thing," Red sighed, scratching his chin.

"Could be…" the king's voice trailed off as he cradled his only child and heir closer. His lover had given him an heir! His lover was… "You're a female?" Leonard asked, fixing his gaze on the avian.

Red's eyes immediately narrowed. "I'm a guy, Leonard. I just…" He looked away, clenching his wings tightly around himself for comfort.

"Transgender…" Leonard said, nodding his head. "Well then, we'll just have to be more careful in the future, if we don't want a castle full of birdpigs or pigbirds."

"Trans-what?" Red asked, tilting his head to the side.

"You're a male born in a female body. The term can also be used for a female born with a male body. It doesn't happen often, but no one makes a big deal of it back on Piggy Island. A childhood friend of mine was born male, but later realized she was a female. Lovely lady. I'll have to introduce you to her sometime," Leonard said.

"I…" Red shook his head rapidly, placing his hands on his hips. His gaze was fierce when he said, "Why are you here, Leonard? Our hatching season is nearly over. I would have thought you'd be smart enough to wait another year before showing your face again."

"What's a hatching season?" the king asked, blinking in confusion.

"The season that follows courting season. The time when females lay their eggs. Not that females can't have eggs all-year-round, but usually they're empty. It's just the way birds are," said Red, shrugging.

"Oh… So it'll be a while before we could have another little one?" the pig asked, smiling down at the piglet-bird in his arms.

"You want another one?" Red nearly shrieked.

"Why wouldn't I? He's lovely. I mean, sure I'd cooked up a devious plan to force your people to trade with us, but if all the eggs are hatched now, there's no point. We don't want to eat living children, Red. We're not heartless," Leonard grumbled.

"The eggs you stole had living hatchlings in them, Leonard. But if you promise not to try to steal our eggs again, then you can speak to the judge about the empty eggs we take to Barren Beach.

Leonard was about to answer when a ruckus began around the little bird's home.

Red was immediately glaring at him. "What did you do?"

The king managed a sheepish grin.

Note: I couldn't find out the exact gestation time for a cardinal, but their eggs hatch in 12-13 days.

(My personal headcannon: Birds are considered young adults from age 14-18, which is more like 18-21 in human years. Red is old enough to find a mate and have a child, but still young enough for the judge to have some control over his life. My fic, "Moving Forward," has more info about the pig/avian age difference)