9 Nine Weevils Dancing
Owen motioned Ianto to move closer and both men slid along the brick wall then settled in a crouch behind the bushes. It was a cool night but they were well rugged up and Ianto had a thermos of that elixir once he realised Owen was serious about a Weevil Hunt.
"Over there" Owen hissed and Ianto struggled to see where his friend was pointing then he let out an involuntary snort.
"See?"
"Holy shit!" Ianto whispered, watching as a group of weevils seemed to dance like they were at some disco rave, "What the fuck are they really doing?"
"It's a grave" Owen hissed, "One of the old ones. They buried it about eight months ago and each month they return and do this. I don't know if it is to make sure it is still there or to make sure they did it right but each month they stomp all over the grave."
"They are dropping something" Ianto pointed out and Owen looked at him with surprise, then looked closely, seeing something he had overlooked before. Their claws were moving, not to make noise but to drop something.
"Nuts?"
"Seeds" Ianto said with glee, "Shit. They are dropping things that might grow there to mark the spot. Awww. The old one must be a parent. They want to remember where it is so they are marking the spot, stomping the seeds in. If they come back and find a little tree or bush I bet they will not dance anymore."
"What sort of bush" Owen said with excitement as he saw some real experimentation going on here.
"Well … they are dropping seeds, acorns and such. When they leave we will go see what they drop the most, get one and plant it. A little seedling so next month they will come back and get a little surprise." Ianto agreed.
"Sounds great."
"Owen? Why come each month? I mean … if they do it each month then why not set up a camera and watch from the warmth of the Hub?" Ianto asked, "You didn't want the others to know?"
"Nah … it's just …" Owen shrugged.
"You like to listen to their song?" Ianto guessed, "You can't hear it unless you are close like this."
Owen nodded silently.
"That's OK. Did you know Janet sings too?" Ianto smiled as he settled to wait with Owen, "She has different ones."
"She does?"
"In the mornings she has a soft one, like she is calling me to her. I always spend a little time while she eats her breakfast, tell her what I saw last night on telly or something I heard on the radio on the way in. If I go down during the day it's a surprise so she usually has a loud booming one, like excited. At night I give her a last treat and she kisses the glass, strokes it sometimes and croons like she is sad. At first I thought she was, worried about her but now I know she is saying goodnight" Ianto smiled softly as he recalled "She would have been a good mama."
"I was wondering about a kitten for her. Would she eat it?" Owen asked, wanting Ianto's opinion as he knew Ianto would consider it.
"Well … how about we show her one through the glass and see if she gives that food howl or the excited one she does when I give her a teddy bear" Ianto suggested.
"Teddy … huh?"
"Sometimes at night when she's restless I give her a teddy. In the morning she gives it back with great ceremony like she is proud that she cared for it. I think she pretends it is my baby or something" Ianto shrugged, "She has a purr she does when wanting to show love."
"I … I didn't know that!" Owen gaped.
"They're gone" Ianto said softly and they rose, walking over to kneel and check with the torches.
"Apples?" Owen said with surprise, "That will never grow!"
"No. Maybe a crab-apple one? A little dwarf one?" Ianto considered and Owen grinned as he nodded, rising and brushing off his pants.
"Sounds like a plan." Owen agreed and the two men grinned at one another as they both knew this time next month they would be watching those nine weevils again.