Chapter Text
The raindrops slid down from the entrance of the cave like a curtain, blurring the view of the forest as the pitter-patters of the rain filled the space they occupied.
“This is…”
Hero stepped closer to the campfire’s light, donning a new, and dry shirt, though a bit of water still dripped from his feathers. He shook himself, feathers puffing up adorably.
“… not ideal.”
“Tell me about it,” Paranoid muttered, also walking out of the darkness just besides Hero, water sloshing at her footsteps and feathers standing on end all across her body.
Her soaked cloak was in her hands, which she twisted to rid it of the excess water.
“Just what we needed.” With her prickled feathers on full display, Paranoid looked more frazzled than usual as she antisily looked around. “Hopefully no one’ll get sick.”
Primrose silently watched them from her perch next to the cave’s entrance. Miraculously, she hadn’t gotten more than a few drops on her hair during their desperate run for cover, thanks to Smitten bravely covering her with anything he could get his hands on—including: his cape, a very large leaf, and Contrarian’s form.
“Can we get sick?” Contrarian came in next, soggy feathers sticking out in all directions. His hair, especially, looked really funny like this. “We’re like, part gods, aren’t we? I don’t think we should worry about this stuff.”
They dropped themselves close to the fire, laying belly down, and grabbed one of the makeshift pillows Hunted and Hero made with the extra clothes, propping it under his chin.
“We can’t be sure of that,” Paranoid hissed, standing close to the fire without sitting down; she was picking at her wet feathers. “It’s best to be ready for it, than to be taken completely unaware.”
“You sure about that?” Contrarian lazily drawled out. “When every single one of our problems came from worrying so much, the thing became real, I’d say not worrying about anything is the way to go for us.”
“Well–! I–!” Paranoid stuttered over her words, emphatic gestures also halting and repeating like the movement version of a voice stutter. She threw her hands up, eventually. “But we can’t just stop worrying. It’s not something you just turn off. Who’s up there just walking through life with no thoughts, head empty and still making it out alive?”
There was a moment of silence, as all heads currently present turned to glance at the corner close to the cave’s entrance.
Primrose blinked at all the gazes directed at her, turning her own head to glance around, wondering what exactly they were looking at.
Contrarian snorted, a humorous smile peeking out from behind the cloth pillow as they folded their arms around it. “See? If she, the lovebird, and even Ice Cube can do it and still do fine, I’m sure we can do it too.”
Paranoid rubbed at her arms, fluffing them up even more, and grumbled, “I wouldn’t say they’re doing fine–”
The noticeable, but elegant, footsteps of a pink-feathered bird cut off Paranoid’s rebuttal. “What treacherous tides came to befall us.”
Primrose sat up more straightly at her knight’s voice, a bright smile stretching across her features.
“But really, we cannot resent a cry from the skies.” He sighed solemnly. Then, turning to glance at the other three avians side-eyeing him with different degrees of amusement and incredulity, asked, “What were you conversing about, friends?”
“How empty brain is much better than full brain,” Contrarian replied.
“Hah! Wiser words have never been spoken. Really, when you’re a true believer, there’s nothing else you need to worry and mull about but the beauties of this earth—and of those who walk right besides you.” Upon saying that, Smitten sent a loving at Primrose and winked.
She averted her gaze, a flustered smile on her face.
“Sure. But let’s stop talking about thinking, and talk more about action,” Hero spoke, bringing everyone’s attention to himself. He had a pensive gaze as he stared at the fire. “I don’t think this will be the last time rain will be a problem for us. The others probably already got to that town, Old Apple, and I’m sure they can find some shelter, but what about when there’s no town nearby? If we plan to explore through this world like Skeptic wants, we need contingency plans for dealing with climate.”
“Do we have to?” another voice morosely piped in.
Primrose—and Hero too, it seemed—was startled by Broken’s presence, as she was pretty sure they weren’t here just five minutes ago. And yet, there they were, sitting in a corner just outside of the light from the campfire, hugging their new pillow to their chest.
“I doubt it has much to offer,” they continued. “Can’t we just stay here, where it’s safe and away from rain and mud and all those weird animals?”
“That’s…” Paranoid’s brow furrowed as she glanced at the ground. “…not a bad idea.” She glanced around, assessing the place with new eyes. “This cave is dry and spacious enough. Away from animals… And even has a stream with clear water further in–”
“Woah woah woah, hold on now–” Contrarian suddenly pushed themselves up to a sitting position, holding themselves above the ground with their palms for only a moment before plopping their bottom on the ground. “We’re not actually considering living in a cave, are we?” They looked around, an awkward laughter to their voice.
“There’s a reason many animals favor caves like this.” Oh, Hunted was also here already? When did it come in and perch between Broken and Paranoid? “We were lucky to find one left unclaimed by the resident wildlife.”
“You guys can’t be for real.” Contrarian rubbed at their eyes like he didn’t believe what he was hearing—which was weird, Primrose was pretty sure the limb for hearing were the ears not the eyes. “There’s a whole world out there, and you want to coop yourselves up in a cave? I, for one, vote that we don’t do that.”
“We’re not gonna make any decisions while half of us are still out exploring anyway,” Paranoid added in her usual quiet and rushed voice, feathers pricking up under her fingers. “Just considering our options.”
“It is something to consider,” Hero said, quickly followed by a sharp ‘what?’ from Contrarian, “but Para’s right–” He raised his palms in a pacifying gesture. “–we’re not gonna make any big decisions like this on our own. Let’s just focus on what we can do while we stay here till the others come back.”
“Whatever,” Broken groaned out. “Not like anyone ever listens to me, anyway.”
“Hunted and I were just agreeing with you–” Paranoid rubbed at her temple, clearly frustrated. “–cut on the moaning a bit, will you?”
Talk dwindled and spread out a bit then, though there was still some… tension in the little cave. Primrose wasn’t sure she understood what happened. The cave was nice enough, she supposed, if a bit cramped. She wouldn’t mind staying here. But she also wouldn’t mind leaving to see other places, that sounded really nice.
Whatever decision was made, she’d be happy either way.
“Heeeey there, princess!”
Primrose glanced up at the sing-songing call, blinking owlishly at the tall and lanky bird before her. Contrarian. His funny hat missing, leaving their wild hair to stick out all over the place, and pants replaced due to being soaked in rainwater.
She waved. Stiffly. She had expected Smitten, but he seemed to be busy talking to Hunted and Broken, so she guessed Contrarian decided to take the grace to come make her company.
They waved back, head cocking and smile tilting sideways.
“Soooooooo–”
Hands clasped behind his back, he raised a leg and twirled around so they could plop themself next to her, on the part of the rock uncovered by a small towel.
Turning to her, chin on their propped up knuckles, they asked, “You agree with me, right? A grimy ol’ cave is just too booooring to coop ourselves in and just rot away.” They dramatically swayed sideways, hands falling on their knees with a plap. “Especially when there’s a whole world out there just waiting to be discovered!” Raising a knee up, they loosely wrap their arms around it. “Come on, you out of anyone would prefer to go out and see everything there is to see instead of trapping yourself inside some cramped ol’ place, right?”
“Uhm–” Primrose blinked, hands tightly clasped together over her lap. “Y-yeah!”
“See?” Contrarian’s eyes sparkled, he seemed glad she agreed. Yay! “Aren’t you also excited to see all the new things this place has to offer?”
“Mhm!” She nodded, mouth set in a tight-lipped smile.
Contrarian raised a brow, bright pupiless eyes narrowing ever so slightly. “Aaannnnd you think Paranoid is wrong and a little bitchy-baby, right?”
“Hrn…” She faltered. “I don’t think me thinking that would make Paranoid very happy……”
“Neither would you disagreeing with her.”
“But I don’t!” Primrose gasped. Disagreeing with Paranoid definitely made her unhappy. “I’d never disagree with her!”
“But you just did.” Contrarian pointed at her with clasped fingers. “By agreeing with me.”
“Uhhmm.” What did she agree with, again? “I–”
“Quick. Apples or peaches.” Contrarian hit their hands down on the rock with a comically loud smack, leaning forward while Primrose shrunk back. “You can choose only one, the other disappears forever and ever.”
“U-uhm.” Primrose was shaking. “I dunno. Which ones do y–”
“No help!”
“AAAAAAAAAACK!” Smacking her hands against her ears, Primrose turned away from the mean tall bird and curled up against the rock.
She heard a muffled call of ‘My beloved!’ as Smitten’s presence came close to her, wrapping a soothing arm around her and cooing softly.
Over his shoulder, Hero and Paranoid were reprimanding Contrarian, Broken looking judgingly just behind.
“I was just making conversation!” Contrarian explained airily, side-stepping every avian that appeared around them. “You really think I’d purposefully poke at someone just to see how they react? Like, realy? What about me makes you think that?”
Paranoid huffed, incredulous, and gestured widely at Contrarian. “How about the all of you.”
A gasp from Contrarian. “So hurtful.”
“Just go easy on her, yeah?” Hero said, grabbing their shoulder as he approached them. “She went through a lot.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Contrarian loosened their posture under his hold, turning around to follow him. “Go easy on the princess. Bleh.”
Primrose turned her head, burying her face in Smitten’s soft feathers, frowning.