Queen's note: May I present...Turkeys. Of everything they I think could survive, but I'm a little biased about it, seeing how smart the buggers are with now having 4 turkeys running around the back yard. They defiantly recognize people!

Welcome to the Wasteland

Chapter Twenty Six:

Nesting

"Here she is…!" Megan turned party, stage whispering back at the wary Preston and Lana while keeping her eyes on the wild turkey hen that was peering confusedly back at her. Megan wondered if the turkey hen recognized her. As her head tilted quizzically, yet showing no hostility to the humans arriving in her well hidden nook of a shelter between semi wild roses and hub bushes.

There was a soft churring like purr, another echoing of two smaller, younger hens settled into their own nests. Maybe not strays, possibly last year chicks, or just young hens being tolerated by the big female. Maybe new behavior of more hens together with a strong enough Tom and his subordinate males.

And strong he had been, taking all of them to kill the massively heavy and angry bird that was almost chest high. The main hen here was almost as big, the others two thirds his size, only these turkeys were calm.

"Pretty girls." Lana cooed, smiling but staying a bit of a respectful distance behind. She passed one of the long bags full of razorgrain to Preston who was closer to Megan. "How do we do this? The carts can't get too much closer."

"First, just stay and let them relax." Megan hummed, opening the bag and rattled the seeds inside watching the main hen perk up. It was one of those that knew her! She popped out a handful and gently tossed it near.

While the big turkey hen picked at the choice bits of razorgrain, Megan spoke again.

"I think I know this hen, she's a bit older, but came by the museum before and after the chicks hatched last year if this is the one I think it is. If we gently put the bag over her head, let her fall asleep, the others will relax, because they'll see it's safe." The scarred woman explained, a good part of her just... thrilled at being able to teach others how to find the turkeys and chickens outside of Concord. More so just so excited that Preston, Lana and the others wanted to learn from her of all people

Those times from daring to go out just to try and bird watch, her old and new hobby were useful now!

"And they just...sit there? Sleeping?" Lana tilted her head. Staying back and keeping herself relaxed as the smallest hen peered at her.

"As long as there's no loud sounds, this is how I got eggs before." Megan explained, "There's a spot just behind the neck, where it connects to the body, it's a nice little happy spot. Then you can reach under. For us here we can wrap up their wings with the netting and tie their feet... well, gently so as not to panic them. Then we can put them in the wagon to take with us, and as long as they have some eggs under them, they should just stay there with the eggs."

Preston tilted his head a bit, then shook it in bemusement. "After that male...Tom? I think we could use something easy."

He paused to consider the big birds in front of them. The one older hen was almost as big as the Tom, while the others were half to two thirds as big. That bird had been heavy, enough that it took all four to get the body in the wagon.

"Relatively speaking?" The scared woman smiled back at Preston as Megan fed more of the razorgrain and tossed some to the other hens. Once the bag was nearly empty she motioned Lana to take a few more of the sample bags out. Softly speaking to guide first Lana to sit near a younger hen. Then Preston sat on his knees by the other, they were not afraid of humans and it showed.

With Preston the only one sitting up it gave the illusion of he was the lookout while the hens all ate. And as their crops were filled, the turkey hens settled down fully. Once the one by Lana seemed to doze off, she carefully slipped the bag over the head and long neck. There was a confused sound, but the hen did seem to settle down after a moment. The sounds turning oddly content with the dark and chance at a nap.

The hen by Preston was examining his sleeves, but settling down to relax. Not showing any aggression or signs of stress as the big hen was carefully bagged, then herself by the man. Once giving it a minute to stay calm and let the turkeys sleep.

Lana pulled out the thick woven 'netting.' Made out of canvas mostly, strong enough to hold weight but hopefully not hurt the birds. It seemed to fit like a vest or jacket as it slipped over the body. The thing had seemed almost comically too big, now she worried the nettings would be too small for the oldest hen.

It really was a group effort to lift one bird up between the three. Mary had managed to get Buck and the wagon a little closer and limped to help with the eggs. There were a few worried chitters but no panic, and the group managed to get the turkeys into the wagon with eggs underneath the hens in about a half an hour. Maybe a little more, but even blinded they seemed to like the moss packed in the bottom of the wagon. Megan had also gathered up a bunch of smaller eggs that seemed to be scattered through the big joint next. The older woman only tossed away three eggs that seemed bad and wanted to 'float test' the others.

Lana drifted back to the nest and checked over everything with a clipboard and a few blank papers. Scratching out the layout and positions of the nests. She was eyeing the bushes as well, ducking to look under the lower branches and brambles. Preston walked back as she finished and started to pick up the mostly intact and full feathers around, even small ones to go into a canvas bag.

"Useful?" Preston asked, picking up another shed feather.

"Very, I can finish fletching some arrows." Lana nodded, looking over another feather, impressed with the size, "I might be able to fix up the big game arrows too. I'm only down to…ten. Nine. After that, erm, Tom?"

Preston nodded, touching the nearer hub bush, picking some of the higher up hips. Opening one of the bigger lavender colored hips after taking one glove off to pull two seeds out. Preston pocketed those, thinking that Connie and Lucy might like them. The hip was his treat to chew on though. Just as Preston was debating on asking the women if they could have a water break, he paused.

About knee high, and a few of them, young turkeys walked into the nesting site with Preston and Lana. Not at all concerned about them, chirping and almost making a peeping-like sound. Hinting that they might be from last year's clutch. Definitely younger than the 'smaller' hens.

"Oh my," Lana echoed Megan's words from earlier, but she took a deep breath and spoke in the soft tone she did for the hens earlier. "Hello cuties."

One of the 'little' turkeys tried to fluff up like that Tom before. In a much smaller, and comparatively harmless bird it was almost cute. More so as it deflated as Preston shifted. "You're quite impressive."

He carefully bit off some more of the hub hip, dropping it between the young turkeys and himself. Preston grinned as they all rushed to the offering with quizzical chirping. Then excited chittering that attracted Mary and Megan while Lana was moving slowly to find one of the razorgrain bags left to the side, tapping her fingers on a piece of wood. The attention of some of the turkeys was drawn over much like quail chicks did. The turkeys in the wagon started to make water drop sounds and Megan grabbed up as many of the plant bags and several of her woven baskets.

Only making sure the doe was calm, before drifting back to the mostly hidden nesting sight. Megan was determined to make this trip extra worth it. As she had raised these birds off and on through the years, she was about to sit in a nest and bribe the yearlings over with more threats. Gently as Lana and Preston were encouraged to harvest more hips of the hub and rose bushes to distract the turkeys. As evening was not so slowly coming, some more birds would walk in or near. A few bigger Toms, not nearly as big as that first, also drifted closer. One daring boy hopped up onto the wagon to settle near the big hens. The leaner hens that were not on eggs yet also moved to hop up onto the wagon, settling near their seniors. Prime spot for Mary to cover them, or bribe with some mushrooms.

"Well…we didn't get as much plants as I thought," Lana noted as she leaned on the side of the wagon as the light turned golden in the west. Several heads peered back at her from inside the wagon. It was kind of funny, seeing the different aged turkeys wrapped in cloth bags or tied into baskets. Some starting to dose, some almost seemed to be chatting at this odd but not so scary development. There were a few of the giant port-top's… well, mushroom caps put between the birds for them to nibble on and keep them cushioned.

That one dead Tom was also made sure to be covered up, no use to stress the birds.

"We have lights right?" Mary asked, looking in one of the boxes that had been placed in the front of the wagon.

"Should be on the right side of the trunk," Preston offered, using the lantern from the ranger cabin to check for any other nesting turkeys that had wandered in late. Spotting something smaller that was chittering beside a bigger yearling turkey walking behind them to the nesting arena.

Even in the dimmed light of evening, Preston could see the distinctive barred, black and white pattern of one of the rock hen types. Had one gotten lost and was adopted by the turkeys? Did birds do that?

Preston moved to hang up one of the lanterns. Finding a good stick to anchor on the right front side of the wagon and then helping Mary get the lantern up high. "Should we stay for a little longer?"

"I'm up for it," Lana said from…in some more bushes and a smaller hand held light. Preston really was surprised that he was taken aback a bit. Lana was pretty good about rooting around in odd places so far. In this case as he leaned to his left, to see what she found, it looked like a carrot flower patch she was thinning plants out of to put in sample bags.

"It seems safe to wait a while," Megan agreed as she loosened the tie on the doe so she could lay down again. Glancing over to see Buck lifting his head high to get to some of the new leaves on the lower hanging branches.

"Valory, and Moon cleared all the big predators," Lana said, coming back to the wagon to stash her plants and give her moose attention to keep him from being restless. "We should still keep an eye out for any feral dogs or such… oh, wonder if we can find Puppies?"

"You practically adopted the cats that showed up in the Co-Op, why more critters?" Mary paused and looked at all the birds they had in the wagon, "Outside of these guys."

"Dogs are good at livestock protection, and alerting." Lana pointed out, fingers dug into thick fur and scrubbing at Buck's neck until he was groaning happily at the attention from 'mom', "At the rate we're finding brahmin and deer, we should have them protected or more eyes on them. I should have taken that herd dog on a trade on the way out of here."

"We might be able to find some young enough to train," Megan said brightly, leaning on the back of the wagon, tired from the trip and work but not exhausted yet. It was easier for her to see now that the light was softer and dimming.

"How far was that school you mentioned before?" Preston asked as he too leaned on the back corner of the wagon near the doe. Smiling as she nosed his jacket sleeve, and dared to give a careful pet, running a hand up the secondary neck and finding a spot like with the moose cows. Preston's smile turned fonder as the deer stretched her necks out and leaned into his fingers as she clearly enjoyed the attention.

"Between Mary's home and the bunker entrance. It's not too far behind the Museum really." Megan estimated as Lana walked quietly back to them, the younger woman looking out into the growing dark as something caught her attention. Megan looked back at Preston in the lamp light before trying to see if any of the stray birds finally returned to the mostly hidden nest sight in the bushes.

"Think we can set up the turkeys there instead of the museum?" Preston asked, trying to estimate the spaces needed not just for the animals but the new people.

"We could once the chicks hatch." Megan considered, "The gym might be easier to clean, but I wouldn't until after it's cleared and the chicks hatch and imprint on people."

"There's still a lot of space in the musume." Mary pointed out, daring to lean over and gently rub behind the little antler nubs for the doe. "Even for this pretty girl."

"She could rest and relax in the area where the wagon had been." Megan debated aloud, looking at the trumbling sides of the doe. "Maybe having a quiet, sill place would let her give birth."

Lana leaned over to look, frowning a bit, "That does suspiciously look like a contraction. I think we should try and get the last birds and head back to Concord."

Preston glanced around and nodded, glancing at Megan. "How do we get the rock hen?"

"I'll do that." the scarred woman said standing up and taking off one of the last larger sample bags. Knowing a chicken hen could be meaner than the turkeys she knew. But also, with the amount of smaller eggs that had been in the nest. She really wanted a hen or two.

Real, true scrambled eggs and noodles sounded amazing.

"Let's get ready to go." Lana said, helping Mary bring the doe back closer to the wagon to keep her from laying down after all. Having a feeling she was going to be seeing the first smaller deer birth tonight. Or in the morning.

"Other than what Megan wants to grab, I think we're set, and the turkeys are settled." Preston said, finally getting the doe to stand up on her own again and not lean on him. He walked around, checking on the flock that was…bagged up? They all seemed content to dose as the man checked the wheels and made sure there were no sticks stuck under the wagon.

Preston made his way to the driver's seat and helped Mary up, then Lana as there were angry squawks from the rock hen.

"That is the biggest pissed off quail I've heard." Lana blinked behind them, taking the break off as Megan managed to get the chicken in a sack and hold it to her chest. The last two young turkeys safely bundled.

"You okay there?" Preston asked, coming back to help Megan.

The scarred woman was laughing though, "Goodness! She really is angry. But I can tame her down. There's also a young cockerel that's with the turkey too!"

"A young what?" Preston paused, and then blinked as the angry…growling? Rock hen was pushed into his chest, grateful for having a thicker jacket as she pecked at him through the bag.

"Cockerel!" Lana called back with a laugh as Mary giggled at the term like a mature adult. "Like the male Quail, a roo, or Rooster! That's the first name for them. And where the other term came from."

Mary giggled again, this time she was sitting in the shotgun seat, while Lana would drive in the becoming dark. Her eyes were better then Mary's and could pick out the old, overgrown roadway a little better. Once Megan was helped up to the other side of Lana the girl made sure Preston was up in his spot, "Think we can make the farm or just camp at Megan's museum?"

"I think it would be better to stay at the museum. If you ladies are okay with it." The minuteman said, finding a new spot to brace his foot. "It would take time to get the hens settled inside. I think we should keep them there like you said. Then move them as needed."

"I can bring a few smaller pots of the older razor grain, and make it seem like they have a good safe place." Megan thought, glancing at the big hub flower bush that was in the now full wagon.

"What about the ticket booths for the biggest hens?" Lana offered, watching the ground and Buck's ears. The woman was also glancing now and then to the doe in the back, making sure she was keeping up at not showing signs of too much stress.

"That would work I think, and a few pots to just make them feel better." Megan considered how full the turkeys' crops were, they should need water in the morning at least.

"Also, is that a glow in the dark deer behind us?" Lana asked, motioning behind them.

Preston turned to look back, lifting a hand to tilt his hat down to one side and help block out the lantern light from his vision and focus on the forest. He blinked, frowned at the blue-silver tinted glow following them. Distinctive shapes of radstag, no antlers or the green tint of a rad soaked or crazed.

Finally the young man agreed in a confused tone, "That's… a glow in the dark deer. Yeah. Also a new color."

"It…looks like it, they? Are coming out of a dream." Megan breathed as she turned to watch over Preston's shoulder to see the deer, watching as she saw at least three, maybe four adult forms coming out of the dark to follow the wagon. Or following that doe tied to the back as well as the large form of Buck as he gave a low, long haunting call while pulling.

"Some of them only have one head." Mary breathed in a low voice, fascinated and brightening up at the same time. That good luck charm of the single headed brahmin, it seemed like to Mary that the same could be put on the dear. "Can….can we somehow get them?"

"I mean, we could, pretty sure. Are there any bulls, I mean bucks?" Lana glanced back but had to focus on the path ahead. Her moose flicked an ear back but after no order came focused back on his task of pulling. "Where can we put them?"

"If we can get them, we can use the old church beside the Museum." Megan thought out loud, her tone a little bemused but having a bunch of animals around was oddly… uplifting. She always loved birds but seeing the deer evolve and change over the centuries had been nice. "All the windows were boarded up. And the main door is enough to keep them in. We can set up a water barrel for them and let the deer stay for a few days if they're given food."

Getting to see and socialize baby fawns was also thrilling in a non-dangerous way.

"Guess we could split up, check the school and the three homesteads where they could be. At least the turkeys." Lana thought aloud, there were enough people now that they could divot up tasks after all. "For sure, we can't startle them. I'll have to ask Valory to talk to Moon about live catching deer more, and finding any fawn with them. Not everything but if we're going to consider farming them, we would need a good diversity. Any males for future breeding would need to be socialized from very young for safety. That's what my ancestors did way back when with the moose and elk. Selective breeding for temperament as much as diversity."

"Gelding too would have to be considered for anything work or food related?" Mary wondered, half asked, remembering more of what they had talked about before when they were settling for nights.

"That… makes sense." Megan thought about it, and then eyed Buck himself, "I wouldn't want to see a lot of young bucks in rut."

"Yeaaaah, he was a brat earlier." Lana looked sheepish at the memory of her moose charging around that one night and needing to use a full bit until he could be bred. "Thankfully for our boys back home it's not a full season thing."

Preston tilted his head, taking the first really good look at the following deer as they passed by an old still working street light. Likely coming from the Red Rocket uphill from them. They were all does it looked like, a few smaller yearlings following, but also round like the one that Buck had charmed. Not quite ready to give birth but near. No other buck-males with full antlers. At most they had that bioluminescence like that of the radiation soaked mutation, but instead of a green in the skin it was mostly a shimmer of blue-silver on the thick fur.

"They really are healthy." Preston noted, and let himself try and imagine how a friendly deer might help people. Not just farming for food but, maybe used as a pack animal that did not need to eat as much as the brahmin. He was not sure if they could be used like mounts like Lana's moose. Maybe in the future?

"Someone is up ahead." Lana said suddenly as they turned into Concord at last. Focusing beyond the bull moose, at the dim lights of street, and museum. Mary turned to look and then glanced at her friend. Seeing that in the lantern lights Lana's eyes looked oddly strange. "They don't look like raiders, but are armed."

The other group was sitting on the steps of the museum, as if resting while talking. A few lights but no cooking fire, so they were still alert in the new dark. It did not take long to notice their lights and the sounds of the wagon and Buck's hooves on pavement.

"Can you make out what their clothing is from here?" Preston asked, unslinging his laser musket and checked it over. Still not sure yet how Lana could see things farther away than others, but not bothered by it. He would find out when she was ready to tell.

"Some have army-like uniforms, old war style, and chest plates like Deegan." Lana said as the other group was standing up to see what was coming down the street as Buck gave another long, haunting luu-ing sound. "Others…have suits? "

"Good god, he was right, they found a bloody wagon?" Someone's voice in the other group just barely reached them.

"The Triggermen and the Neighborhood Watch favor suits." Preston said in a low voice so as not to let it carry, helping Magan into the back to trade places with her. "Gunners sometimes take military things, as well as guards."

"Hmm," Lana hummed, a little leery but having a hunch as she spotted something along the left side of the building that looked like Brahmin loaded up and tied to the old lamp posts. She lifted her voice to call down the street as Buck's head finally lifted. "Hello the camp!"

Preston had a moment of dejavu, remembering Deegan calling out like that.

"Hello travelers!" A rough, but friendly ghoul's voice called back, standing and walking a bit from the street lamp pool of light. Pausing as he saw Buck's antler's back lit from the wagon lights. "Are you the plant lady? Miss Lana?"

Lana and Preston exchanged looks.

"We're friendly!" A second ghoul called up the street, waving his fedora, "We've been sent by Edward Deegan. I have a letter written from him!"

"I wasn't expecting this." Mary said, in the back of the wagon with Megan, almost sitting on the dead turkey tom. Half to get somewhere safer, half to make sure the birds were not going to panic.

"He said he was going to send people." Lana started before the museum front door was opened from the inside and she recognized who was in the dim light. Two bodies, male and female. "That's Sturges and Clare."

"Preston!" The massive woman called out, happy and very relaxed. She stood taller than most of those that were waiting.

Preston glanced back, seeing the deer that had been following them linger by the bank, away from the louder sounds but still staying to nibble on grass and mushrooms. They still seemed to want to stay near the moose, as if as fascinated as the first doe had been. Turning back he still kept his musket out but was finding himself hopeful. "Here!"

Sturges held up his arms in a silent cheer, coming out of the museum and down with the group. His body language was also relaxed and happy.

Lana shook her head, getting her eyes back to normal and focused on slowing Buck down so the cart would not jolt badly to a stop. There were still a few protesting squawks when Buck did stop, that had the new group looking over from look out.

"We found the turkeys." Preston told Sturges as he glanced down to see how Lana used the break. Then hopped down, walking around Buck and had to duck the big paddles as the moose tilted his head and nosed at Preston's shoulder.

The big bull liked this dark colored human, but he could sense how sad the man was. Buck needed to give some better attention later on. He grumbled happily as Lana came up too, rubbing his hip and side with her knuckles as she followed.

"Deegan sent you?" Lana asked, as Buck dipped his head to get rubbed at the base of his antlers and around the ears.

The second speaker from before nodded as the scarred man came over, taking out a folded paper from inside his jacket. "Yes ma'am. He wrote a few letters of introductions for some of us. And an older couple we came across. Almost got lost, but Edward said we should come here to Concord if we couldn't find your place."

"That's how we found them this evening." Clare added, coming over with another ghoul, dressed in a black and gray suit jacket that was well worn but kept in some good shape. "They wanted to stay in town tonight, to use the washers up street."

"Ahh," Lana hummed as she read the letter in the lamp light, recognizing Deegan's handwriting. She also noted something he mentioned they had talked about. After getting another two letters, Lana was confident about these people as each letter was not exactly the same and had a semi hidden note that confirmed it was Edward that wrote. The other letters she could read after they were settled.

"We were going to set up tonight in the museum, and sort out what to do tomorrow." Mary said as she climbed back into the front seat. "We had some ideas, but these birds need to be moved inside with their eggs."

"And there's some Rad-Stags, deer, behind us we want to get alive." Preston added, looking over from shaking hands with a man that had burn scars on part of his exposed face. "Would you folks be willing to help us move the turkeys inside at least?"

"That we can do," The seeming leader of the new group said as he peered back behind them and saw the outlines of doe from their shimmering fur. "My goodness, look at that, pretty things aren't they?"

"Very," Lana smiled up at the scared man, "And healthy, if they're half as friendly as the one we have haltered, it's something worth trying to get. But they look about to pop out fawn."

The man paused, and then nodded. If half of what Deegan said was true then the odd deer could be fed and farmed. "I bet. Well, we catch them after moving your birds, and some quiet time when they settle for the night?"

"Or…." Lana looked back at the moose and tried very hard not to laugh, making an interesting face doing so. "Turns out, Buck here is just the sexest thing to the local deer, and they followed us because of him."

More than one person snorted or made their own interesting sounds at that.

A scared woman was laughing quietly into the shoulder of another man, and lifted her head, "Oh my, I was not expecting this coming north, Hue."

"Glad we did come Lyn." The shorter ghoul man said, his voice raspy but not unpleasant, he was leaning on his wife with an arm wrapped around her waist. After seeing that Lana was looking over he waved, "Hello dear, we were directed to come here by Mr. Deegan as well, three of those brahmin are ours, and the trees on them, our place in the south was being overrun by mirlurks."

"The giant spider-crab things?" Lana asked, blinking as several almost started to laugh, or wheezed as they choked so not to laugh. Some of the men that Deegan had sent over were already moving to see if they could help Megan with unloading the cart.

Definitely could tell in that one regard that she was not from the local area.

Reviews!

dragonrider101:

Yes! and thank you for reading! Sorry I missed it at first, isn't sending me alerts right now. Hopefully you like the next chapters!

Justsomerandombastard:

Full sentience...likely? if they could fully survive in the harsher world as its cannon-ly implied is another thing. I can see semi-sentience or elevated awareness. There's a lot of animals like that already that take advantage and/or work with humans. As for crows and ravens I can see some influences, they can get really big as is. I have a few ideas that will be used in the story for farm and zoo animals, like with the turkeys, and later on Storks. XD