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FFxivWrite2024 Day 10 Prompt: Stable
"Well old boy whaddya think?" Ruru asked as she led Pumpkin into the newly built stables that the Adventurer's guild decided to grant the Scions with their move to the Rising Stones in Revanant's Toll.
The old chocobo strode in looking around making small Kwehs as he appeared to inspect every inch of the new space before turning to her and giving a loud approving "Wark!"
She grinned at her old parnter and said, "Ya def more fancy than we had back home aient it."
He gave another couple o warks and kwehs that suspiciously sounded like grumbles and she chucked stating, "Oh don't be like that ye know I made it as comfortable as I could for you old boy."
The bird stamped his foot and still continued on his warking tirade and Ruru just watched amused as he also wandered through each stall deciding which one he was going to take for his own. The Lalafell simply followed after the chocobo letting him grumble.
"Yes, yes I know. it was comfy cozy then I dragged you back on the cold cruel road with all manner of unpleasantries that have barely been alleviated by some o the stables we've stayed at." She replied
He turned again toward her and stamped a foot again and gave an emphatic "Wark!"
Ruru just laughed and then looked him in the eye and said, "How in seven hells did ye think I felt with both Momodi and Papashan dragging me back eh? I was quite happy with our quiet life on the ranch with not much to do aside from chores and the occasional help o our neighbors."
She then gave a sigh, "But, thats how life is bud, ye should know this by now. Things change and we just gotta make the best o such,"
The bird chirped again and then leaned back giving her a gentle nuzzle and nip before trotting forward and beaking the lock of one of he stalls.
"This one huh, no surprise there right near the hearth outside so when it gets chill ye'll be nice and toasty. Okie lets get ye settled." She responded opening the door for him.
As he trotted in she grabbed some o the nearby bedding straw and helped him make a nice plump nest for himself. Then the old bird settled down in it giving a contented chirp causing Ruru to chuckle as she hung his tack on the pegs for it next to the stall and then rummaged through her packs till she found his blanket.
It was almost as old as the bird himself and had been lovingly patched many times by her own hands. She had woven it back when she had first started learning the craft and the feisty bird had snatched it and settled under it as soon as she had finished it. He had loved the thing so much she didn't have the heart to separate him from it and had taken pains all these years to repair it when it was damaged. As a result it was a patchwork of different patches depicting various vegetables that he loved.
As soon at it draped over him he gave a contented Kweh and snuggled down settling in for the evening. As Ruru turned she saw Alphinaud looking at her with questioning look. She cocked her head slightly and said, "Something on yer mind lad?"
"Do…does the Echo allow you to understand his calls?" He asked
Ruru gave a heartly laugh, "No no, I got no idea at all what those chirps actually mean technically. I just know the old bird from all our years o travel and get….call it impression o what he means when he starts the chattering. Alot o it is mostly reading his body language."
"Oh, I pray forgive me it was just almost like the two of you were actually conversing…"
Ruru nodded, "In a way we were. Look lad when ye travel as much as I have for as long as I have and yer only companion on the road for a chunk o it was the bird ye ride. Ye tend to well have to talk to someone."
"I see," he responded
She grinned, "Sorry to disappoint but it aient some mysterious, mystical god given power. Its just years o association and not worrying bout what someone might think o me talking to him."
He smiled, "I wasn't disappointed, more I was merely wondering if it was a yet known facet of the Echo since we do not fully understand all of its capabilities."
She nodded her grin widening, "Nope just an old adventurer babbling to her oldest friend on the road. Pay it no mind."
He simple nodded and watched her as she left the stable whistling to herself. The Echo allowing actual understanding that would be handy she thought to herself as her mind drifted back to the many times over the years the bird had tried to warn her of some danger or hazard and she hadn't known until it was too late to avoid it.
