the_head_librarian | Some of the strangest gifts mean the most... (for theraptorsquad)

Just because he didn’t have to worry about animals attacking, didn’t mean walking through a dinosaur infested island set well with him. The once pristine lands and futuristic buildings lay in ruins under the growth of nature reclaiming her own. Standing at the base of the pyramid like structure, he marveled at the resilience of how nature would always take back her own if man left it alone. Though, this was not the time or place for musings.

The heavy fog on his mind made it hard to stay focused on the task at hand, but that didn’t stop him from moving away from the sight. Since the fall of the theme park, the noise of voices and emotions died down to a soft murmur of animals and distance countries full of people. He could actually exist here without feeling like something might break in his head. Maybe that was why he found himself sitting on the steps leading to the former welcome center.

Leaning back on the heels of his hand, he tipped his head back to look at the blue sky. The weather felt the same. The clinging heat and wash of humidity washed over him like endless waves. Unmoving, he took in the sounds. The shift of the large Mosasaurus through the water not far away. The cutting of the air giving way for the cut of wings from the Dimorphodon. But it was the soft click against marble that made his senses sharpen.

It seemed that the one he sought, found him.

The purring growl followed as the motion stopped. Kronos imagined the motion of the powerful tail moving through the air and the bird like turning of her sleek head. Finally leveling his gaze before him, he watched claw-like hands flex where they rested against her powerful torso. An animal lost without a pack, and he could feel her tired sorrow. A beta without an alpha… and all of her sisters gone.

Kronos watched her quietly, waiting to see what she would do. When she finally moved, he noted the rough breath and the click of her claws. But he also noticed she seemed almost as happy to see him as he felt relieved in knowing she was mostly well.

“Hello, Blue.” Voice quiet and gentle, he laced his fingers together between his knees as he leaned forward. Her head turned, the inner eyelid sliding slickly over her eye before pulling back quickly. Survival. Something even birds used to make sure they always saw what surrounded them. She ducked low as she came closer, a low exhale of sound as she hummed with sound. “What would you like to do?”

She kept her promise all those years ago. A young dinosaur that many thought no more than a dumb animal. A loyal creature that gave up everything for her alpha when she could have run. Now they just stood there, watching each other in a curious way. He felt her need for a pack. A need for something to help her watch and possibly actually sleep. A lone wolf with no sanctuary. “You kept your promise.”

Blue nearly clicked at his soothing tone, but she did not come closer. No, just because they understood each other, it didn’t mean that he could touch her. “I believe that deserves something in return… would you be willing to come with me?”

Tipping her head back, she did that sharp barking sound from so long ago causing him to smile. “You’re not going to like the conditions of the move.” A snarl followed, but she didn’t leave. “I think… he misses you, too.” Or so he assumed he did. “Mind being a little smaller when indoors.”

Even though she bared her teeth at him, she still didn’t leave. “Very well then, shall we?”

She straightened, her strong legs holding her weight as she leaned back from him. The motion of him rising to his feet caused her to watch him warily and continue to do so till he walked around. “I’m hoping…” Pausing, he met her reptilian eyes with a small smile. “That you will continue to take care of him… because I don’t believe, for a while, I will be much good.”

Something seemed to change in the air. The aura of understanding and the worry in her stature. She walked with him. Eye always on him, but at his side. “Try not to hate me too much when we get there.” A snort followed, and all he could do was laugh. “My thoughts exactly.”

--+--

The squirming figure really was too big to be held in his arms, but too small to let wander off just yet. He bore more scratches than he cared to admit… and once, when he held her in a way that Blue didn’t like she bit him for his troubles. Felis could look smug over this later. For now… he just needed to track the trainer down before his charge made Kronos really believe he could die of blood loss. Unintentional though it might be.

Moving to the non-fiction area, he sighed softly. “If you would stop squirming? I know you are not pleased, I did warn you.” More of the British accent bled into his words as he sighed at the little creature. She glared back at him and he felt the claws of her front feet dig into his arm.

Instead… the both of them sighed audibly and rather noisily.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Owen had settled into library life pretty well. While he spent quite a bit of time wandering the fiction section he'd set up his homestead in non-fiction. It hadn't been that hard to set himself up a hammock between some of the shelves, using the empty spots in the shelves to store things until the books that belonged in them were found.

Roughing it. That's what he was doing and always had done.

It's in said hammock that the trainer can be found, lounging as he absently flips through a book on marine biology that he'd found. When he wasn't helping clear things, might as well learn some new stuff, right? And it's better than just doing nothing or thinking too much about home.

Turning the page, Owen pauses as he hears someone approaching, tucking something in between the pages to mark his spot before he's swinging himself out of his hammock. As he spots his visitor he can't help but grin, starting to say something only to stop as he realizes just what Kronos is holding.

Cue a stunned stare from the usually collected young man.

The two stared at each other a bit longer. Kronos narrowed his eyes at her and she snorted at him. Hard enough he felt the blast of air against his face and the loud sound came with it. "Do not start with me, young lady... I did... don't." He said finally as she gave him that look she gave just before she bit him. "We're almost there."

He wanted to rub his face and ask himself why he thought carrying her was a better idea than putting her on a leash. Both seemed like terrible ideas in retrospect. He knew there would be a large bruise on his side where her tail thrashed against him roughly. "Truly, you are the first to make such a mess of me in many.. many years."

He started to walk again, looking like he got in a fight with a shredder and very well lost. When he finally stood before Owen, he offered a small smile. He forgot about the different bleeding wounds and that she managed to destroy his shirt. And he wasn't the only one that stopped moving. Blue's head rose up from the strange position in his arms and saw Owen. The brief freeze in motion turned into full out rebellion as the squirming increased tenfold. "All right, all right! You are a bossy lady."

Instantly he put her down, her smaller form skittering and clattering against the stone floor as she ran to Owen and quickly around to hide behind him. His brows rose at her antics, and he rolled his eyes when she hissed at him from around the man's leg. "Your ingratitude is noted."

He snapped out of his daze as the little raptor managed to convince Kronos to let her down and dashed over to him, the young man glancing behind himself at the little dinosaur. A surprised laugh escaped him as he stared down at her, shaking his head in disbelief.

"Blue...well son of a bitch," he muttered, his smile a fond one even as he looked over to the librarian. It was obvious that the raptor hadn't been all that kind to the man that had escorted her here and there was a flash of sympathy in his gaze but it was really hard to shake the smile.

"Why...what prompted this, huh?" Because he couldn't really even make sense of such a thing--and a part of him worried that Kronos had overtaxed himself in doing it.

The first thing that got his attention was the smarting bite of multiple punctures in his arm. That would hurt for a while. Even still, he felt all of it was worth it as Owen smiled at him. That was what he was worried about. The melancholy of having no one from home... and a pack animal with no pack.

"Contrary to her current implication, she did agree to the terms before I brought her here." He offered an almost shy smile as he reached back to rub at the back of his neck. "It helped that she wanted to come..." It took less of his power and energy. Perhaps she understood him more than even he first expected. She just didn't like him toting her around like a teddy bear.

Pressing his lips together, he shook his head. "You seemed a bit lonely. And I know she would be of help to you." Pausing, he looked down at the smaller sized Raptor as she leaned against Owen's leg and kept her eyes on him. "Besides, she was just as alone."

Shaking his head again, he met Owen's gaze. He felt tired. But he always felt tired. "I had to make her smaller to be here. A full sized Raptor would not go over well here. But should she accompany you into a world, she can return to full size. She is also... tempered. She will not attack any patrons..." Lowering down to a knee, he gave her a slight smile. "I kept my promise, little lady."

So maybe her little snarl wasn't entirely compliant, but it wasn't wholly angry either.

It's a lot to take in.

He honestly never expected to see Blue again and yet here she was--smaller--but still the same raptor he had worked with since she was hatched. It was probably a bit ridiculous to get somewhat choked up over a dinosaur but Owen had always been fond of his raptors.

Especially this one.

Kneeling down, he reached back slightly and smoothed a hand down the raptor's neck, giving her a soft smile. "Hear that, Blue? Guess this means we need to travel a bit, huh?" His hand still rested on the creature's neck even as his gaze shifted back to Kronos, the young man giving him a grateful smile that had a touch of adoration to it.

"Thank you. Seriously. This..it means a lot to me. To have her here."

Wrapping a hand around the bite, he watched the two with a tiny smile. Yes. It proved worth the scratches and losing a little blood. Well... more blood than he considered, but that was only surface damage. In any case, there was no regret.

Leaning against a shelf, he nodded his head at the thanks. "You're welcome. I hoped that it would... I'm sure she will be a great help to you." Rubbing at the mark, he angled his head. "Things are happening... and I wanted you to have someone to look after you."

There was a worried flicker in his eyes as the other leaned against one of the shelves, Owen not outright frowning but he was close to it.

"What things, exactly? And you should really sit down or something," he added, straightening up now and crossing his arms, giving the other a firm sort of look. "I don't even want to know how much energy you used up getting Blue here and don't get me wrong, I appreciate it, but if things are about to go batshit around here, you should have saved up your energy."

"It did help that she wanted to come." He pointed that out softly, though I realized that it likely did not help his current scolding. Breathing in slowly, he glanced around and in the end simply slid down to sit on the floor and rest his head back on the bookshelves behind him. Sometimes he felt human... in a way, he liked that.

Smiling just a little, he tipped his head back to look up at the other. "I would not say 'batshit', Owen. Not... to you." Perhaps in his point of view, yes. "I will have to open doors into different worlds so you might fix some things that should not have happened. But it will look calm here."

"It's easier if I can be in the world I am manipulating... but there are many I feel having problems. And if I must watch many at once, I know that I will be drained. And when that happens." His eyes went out of focus slightly. "It's like cracks in the glue that seal a piece of glass in place. Things tend to... leak through." And it would be his fault. Because he was not strong enough. Not anymore.

Some of the strangest gifts mean the most... (for theraptorsquad)

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject