Chasca had just told Aether farewell after they thwarted that horrible plot to debilitate the qucusaurs when her mom snuck up behind her. The qucusaur Chimpu watched Chasca exchange her farewells with interest. As Aether left the Clan, Chimpu let out a chuckling chirp.
Chasca turned around and eyed her mom. "Seems you're in a good mood. What's up?"
"Oh, nothing really," Chimpu replied innocently.
"Uh-huh."
Chimpu stretched her long neck towards the traveler's vanishing form. "So?"
"So what?"
"Oh, I think you know what."
Chasca shrugged, "I'm not sure I do."
"I think you do but you're just playing dumb."
"Am I?"
"Aren't you?"
Chasca rolled her eyes. "Mom, if you got something to say just say it?"
"Okay. Do you see him as a desirable mate?"
She hid the tip of her hat over her face to hide the blushing cheeks and started away. Not so easily discouraged, Chimpu followed, pestering her with questions.
"Come on, you can't just tell me to say something and then not answer! Has he performed the mating dance yet? Has he built a nest for you? Did you… did you exchange cloacal kisses?!"
"No, mom."
"Well, you better not have exchanged cloacal kisses. I didn't raise you to be loose and immoral. He better perform a mating dance before he thinks of cloacal kissing you."
"That's qucusaur courtship, not human."
Not listening to Chasca, Chimpu continued, "Then again, I suppose he could forgo the mating dance if it means your nest grows. But he better help build your nest with fine hay and straw. At the very least, he should deliver you food to show his hunting prowess."
"Again, that's a bird thing, not a human."
"Nonsense! Humans exchange gifts all the time. Tell me, does he sing?"
Chasca shrugged. "How should I know?"
"Your potential mate should sing you lots of love songs! How else will you know if he has vigor?"
"Mom! We're not seeing each other!"
The people around her stopped, staring at Chasca's outburst. All those eyes on her made Chasca acutely aware that to everyone around she was essentially having a one-sided conversation with a qucusaur. Embarrassment coursed through her veins. Nonperturbed, Chimpu clucked her beak.
"Tut, tut, you should make a move and show him your feathers before some other bird tramp takes him."
"Mom, peacocks show feathers, not people," she grumbled. "And birds don't mate with people. Gods, you're the most embarrassing mother…"
Xianyun sneezed. "Pardon One. As One was saying, when Ganyu was a baby…"
