"Oh, very nice. You managed to get yourself seperated from the Anee and the other folk in the Locks with your little "battle". And Phura has a lump on his head the size of a goose egg! What were you thinking?" Birdie sat on Daisy's shoulder hissing naggingly in her ear for the past five minutes.
"Oh, leave it alone!" whispered Daisy. "I don't know what got into me. I thought the confines of the "Star" was bad, but this is ten times worse. Even though I knew it was a staged break, guess it just "felt" real, if you see what I mean. At least you have had the run of the place these last days."
"Hmmmph! 'Run', is right. I have to run these legs off to keep up with all you Halflings. Half the time I have to catch rides on whoever is going in the right direction, and take the risk I'll be found and swatted. And now I have to jump on the guards in order to get to you! That last one stank, y'know"
"So change to a beetle, or some other flying thing. I know! I know!" she interrupted as Bird was about to launch into another lecture, " 'The form chooses me, I do not choose the form.' And quit chewing on my blanket! It's cold enough in here without you poking holes in things."
"Sorry", Birdie mumbled, "Nervous habit." She dropped the raveled thread and sighed. "Well, at least Phura found those keys. Bit of luck, that. And Pio and the others will be on their way soon. It will be nice to see Cami and Rose again. I can't wait to see the looks when Mith appears!"
"I won't see them. Oh Bird, I hate it so much in this cell!" Daisy's lip trembled. "Birdie...can you stay? Just for a little while, until I go to sleep?"
"Of course, dear. Lie down, and I'll sing you to sleep." Bird set up a surprising quiet, soothing "neek-breek-neek-breek" sound with her back legs. Finally, with a sigh, Daisy's eyes closed and she drifted off to sleep, dreaming of a ship on gently rocking waves.
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