Chapter 11: The Magpie
I was taken back to the artificial den, but as the animals set me down…they could tell I was already suffering. I was shivering uncontrollably…they could do nothing but offer their warmth to me.
"I wouldn't want to be human…it'd be terrible not having fur!" The grizzly said.
"Give the kid a break" Fink snapped back at Thorn.
Fink and Paddler could see that hyperthermia had set in. The two mammals soon joined the bear in helping regulate my temperature. And it's not like I could change clothes either…these were the only clothes I had. Even Thunderbolt stepped in and helped in any way he could.
Soon, after some time I stopped shaking and fell into a deep sleep. The hours went by, and the storm ultimately waned…allowing the creatures to start a fire and heat the interior.
I became bedridden. First, I felt an itch in my throat…then pain whenever I swallowed…then came the chills…then the headache…followed by the coughing…finally the fever.
It became clear to them that I succumbed to the worst cold imaginable. Yet, they didn't exactly know what it was…it's something technically unique to humans…so Fink and the others could only speculate.
It wasn't looking good for me. In the hours that passed, I didn't stir.
Pinktail and her children came to visit by the late afternoon the next day to offer support. Her offspring tried the hardest they could not to list possible illnesses (like polio or black plague) that I had to the others (how did they even know what they were?)
"He's very sick…" the vulpine said in despair to the mother opossum.
"Have you tried honey and herbs?" She suggested.
"Not exactly…" he looked away…toward me. He was frightened…typically when an animal got "sick" they were done for…nature would take its course…but…Fink is getting so attached to this human…everyone in the room is. Thorn and Thunderbolt and Paddler didn't even leave for long…they stayed by my side throughout the entire thing…unless it was to get supplies that Pinktail eventually listed for them to get.
"We'll help anyway we can, madam!" Thunderbolt took flight to look for herbs.
"I'll go get the honey…" Thorn added…leaving to make his way to a nearby beehive.
Fink saw that Paddler stayed behind and soon gave him a stern look, "go bring some water, Paddler."
"How exactly?" The beaver put his paws on his hips. Fink ran to several objects on the floor: it was two empty ration cups that used to have water…he soon ran up to the rodent and set it down beside him, "with that. And give this one to Thorn for the honey."
"Very well."
Pinktail and Fink took turns watching me as the hours ticked by. Thorn, Paddler, and Thunderbolt soon brought items back and set them down beside Fink. The opossum would be the one to offer me water and honey with the cups…being able to hold onto them more or less. How did she even know what to get? I guess when you raise so many young you eventually find out what helps and what doesn't, eh?
Aside from all the much-appreciated help, I was still in limbo and Fink and the others could only keep me company for the time being…and hope for the best.
The next day…around nighttime…when the worst of the sickness was taking hold of me…Fink was curled by my side (as he often did now) However, this time I was conscious just enough for him to share something with me.
"Terry…would you like to hear a story?"
I softly turned my head…coughing a bit as I looked at his face. Fink was somewhat blurry…and so was Pinktail, who was resting with her kids nearby. Rowan and Petunia would often try to comfort me when they could…often setting aside their sibling rivalry. Now it was just Fink and me in this moment…perhaps he felt this would aid me in getting better. Who knows at this point…I just wanted anything to distract the pain and torment. I nodded.
The fox would usually tell stories to young animals whenever the animals needed shelter…pretending to read from Roz's instruction manual like it was an illuminated work of Alexandre Dumas or Jules Verne (I doubt he knows who they were or their masterpieces…but I know if Fink could read English/French, he would be a fan of both.)
He smiled softly…grabbing the manual with his teeth and then he sets it down beside my head…opening it up with a paw. Fink began to recite a tale he thought up of in his head just now, "once…there was a young, caring…Magpie…"
I closed my eyes and listened before he continued with his story…turning the pages as he read:
He wasn't from the island...a terrible storm brought him there. So much damage was done to everything, no one knew how to fix it, but he wanted to help the other animals any way he could. It was against his nature…after all, Magpies just steal food and annoy other animals. It didn't work out for him at first, but maybe that was because he didn't have a friend yet.
One night, he made a wish…he wished for a friend…any friend…someone who could understand him and help him save the forest.
His prayers were answered when the next day, a fox showed up out of nowhere. They weren't meant to be friends, just acquaintances as nature intended…but the fox was very lonely like the Magpie.
Both made a pact and soon they began working together to fix the damage done to the island. Sure enough, the animals saw the good in him and became friends with the bird. Over time, the fox and the Magpie had many adventures together…but…
"B-but?" I asked weakly.
Fink looked away slightly…trying to come up with the rest of the story for me, the Magpie couldn't stay forever…uh…he had to go…
"Why couldn't he stay?" I said between my coughs.
The fox rolled his eyes and smirked, "okay…okay…"
…after some convincing, he decided to stay with his fox friend, and more adventures would soon happen. The end
He slapped the book shut and looked down at me…waiting for my response. Suddenly, his left ear twitched, and turned before his eyes saw Pinktail…who crouched down beside him. She covered her face with an arm…and whispered to the vulpine, "The Helpful Magpie…I like it…has a ring to it" she winked to Fink as he smiled at that.
"Is that supposed to be…me?" I asked before coughing up a lung.
He darted his eyes back and forth before looking at me…soon leaning forward, "m-maybe?"
"Admit it…you see me as a Magpie if I was like you guys…that's adorable!" I giggled a bit at that. If Fink could blush, he would, the opossum next to me couldn't help but rub it in. The fox had to admit that he could see where I was coming from with that remark.
"I appreciate the story time…Fink…" I smiled…soon letting myself fall asleep. As I fell asleep, Pinktail and Fink rested beside me. The latter lay his head against my hands and sighed softly, "I try my best, kid."
…
I made my way through the colorful and vibrant forest. All around me, there are various colorful leaves falling. Everything seemed to be peaceful and normal again…it's been a few days since that terrible storm. I eventually stopped by a pond to get a few sips in before continuing…perhaps I need another bath after being inside for so long…wouldn't be a bad idea.
I'm on my way back to the shelter…it's getting dark.
I must be getting good at finding my way through this place…my nose brought me here much easier than ever before. I decided to look at my reflection…
I stared at my reflection…
Staring back at me was not a human. Staring back at me was a bird dressed in majestic white and black feathers. I have a beautiful black beak and an impressive wingspan. I am a Magpie.
I resumed my journey…flying through the forest interior until I heard a voice call out to me.
"Hey, Terry! There you are!" It's Fink! The fox was sitting on top of a downed tree…soon stepping down to join me, "how was your afternoon flight?"
"Amazing! I got to see the whole island better than before…I think I'm getting better at soaring!"
He chuckled in response, tail waving slightly behind him, "come on, let's race back to the den!"
"You know I'll beat you, I'm faster!" I laughed.
"We'll see about that!" The vulpine planted his front paws down and prepared himself to run. I hovered beside him as he looked with a side eye, "ready? Go!"
We both soon made our way…passing by several wildlife as we did. Pinktail and her children waved at us. Rowan and Petunia both sighed, "Terry is so amazing!"
"Hey, I saw him first!" Rowan snapped back at her sister.
"But I'll get the last look from him, ugly!"
Fink and I passed by Thorn…who managed to wave with a paw before catching a fish with his mouth. Soon we saw Paddler…who was adding sticks to his artificial dam, and then Thunderbolt who was speeding past us like a plane.
We finally made it to the hut entrance. There, I landed…hopping over to the fox. He looked down at me with a wholesome smile and we soon hugged.
…
Phew! What did you think of that dream sequence? Funny, now that I think about it: I would LOVE to see Terry as a magpie following Fink around, that would be so cool, haha!
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, take care!
