The human child was young, lost, and scared. Then a raven alighted upon their shoulder and gently, through soft pecks and the occasional hopping on the ground to lead, helped the child back to the Inn where their parents had taken up residence until hir mother gives birth to their sibling. -- BKF
The city was big and pretty and smelly and very, very distracting. Bug had slipped from Mama's hand, just for a moment, to look at something bright and shiny. And then? Well... They kind of lost track. Of Mama, of Ninin, of where they said they were going. Or where Bug should go if they got lost.
Bug put their thumb in their mouth for comfort and tried as hard as a four-year-old could try to get found. Those efforts did not last long because a big, pretty city had lots of things to pull Bug's attention away from their task.
Musicians, street magicians, mimes, and glittery displays all pulled Bug away from what they should be doing. Even from the main road that Bug should be walking along.
Bug got lost. Really, really lost. And then it got dark.
They walked towards the light, afraid of the looming shadows. Afraid of how alone they felt now that there was no way to learn where Mama and Ninin had gone. And there was a big black bird following them. It was scary because of its bright blue eyes. Always looking at Bug.
It felt like the bird was big enough to carry Bug away.
They screamed when the bird landed on their shoulder. Bug covered their head with their arms and bawled, wishing anyone would hear and help.
"Poor baby," said the bird. "Poor baby..." then it imitated a baby's cry.
Bug sniffled to a stop. Or at least a stop of the out loud crying.
The bird tapped Bug's shoulder twice. "Walkie walkie walkie," it crooned. "Walkie walkie."
Bug could feel bird claws picking themselves up and putting themselves down, as if the raven was playing at walking.
Well... nobody else was helping them. Bug risked a peek, and saw the bird waiting for them. Still perched on their shoulder. It was heavy, and it smelled, but it wasn't actually big enough to carry Bug away.
Tap tap on Bug's shoulder. "Walkie walkie."
Bug walked, guided by the raven's taps, through streets that had seemed fun in the daylight, but were scary in the dark. Grownups still in the streets looked at Bug like they were rubbish. Bug didn't like that feeling. At least it went away when Bug and the raven came into a place where there were a lot more people like Bug and Mama and Ninin.
In there, the only people with the stinky look were the big people in armour.
"Where's the baby?" the raven called. "There's the baby! Home home home..." it launched, flying to a big house with a carriage wheel hanging from a beam instead of the usual sign painted with one. Two people ran out to the door. A stranger, and-- "Mama! Mama, Mama, Mama, I got real lost and scared but a bird came and helpeded me."
Mama scooped Bug up and said, "Wisdom Helpmeet Seabreeze, you had me worried half to death. You scared Ninin so hard she went into labor!"
"I didn't mean it," said Bug, knowing they were in big trouble. "There was a juggler anna wizard anna singer anna cake shop an' then I got losted."
Mama was busy kissing Bug all over. "I thought for sure someone might have hurt you. When we tell you to stay close, you stay... close!"
"...'es, Mama," Bug whimpered. "Is Ninin all right?"
The raven was perched on the stranger's shoulder, now, repeating, "Good job, good job," as it got treats from the stranger. Somewhere inside the big house, a baby started crying. The raven copied it.
"I have to go check. Sounds like your new sibling is out in the wide world."
"Can we see yet?"
"Not yet, my Bother Bug. Ninin needs to clean up and the baby needs their first bath, and to get dressed. Then we can go see. Now let's get you cleaned up and fed first."
Bug dearly wanted to complain about being forced to have a bath, but they were a big sibling now. They had to be a good example. But that didn't have to mean washing behind their ears without complaint.
Yet.
[Photo by Roger Worden on Unsplash]
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