Lt. Doz Finch - Nesting
Doz Finch
((The Umara Fields, Cordina Valley, Palanon))
It was an endless meadow of rhythmically swaying, pale lavender flowers, emitting tiny clumps of fluffy clouds like air balloons onto a serene sky. Rabbits, or at the very least creatures resembling them, hopped in high numbers throughout the field, adding to the serenity. They’d ended up there when curiosity had got the better of Ernie, rerouting from the hiking trail through a crevice in the cliffs to what they had all decided was surely the jewel of the area.
Separated from the rest of the group, Doz and her brother Arthur had gotten into a discussion about his home on Aurelia, a place she had yet to visit.
A. Finch: It’s carved into and around the tree itself. Took a couple of years to build, but was worth the wait, ::he paused,:: and headaches.
Finch: I would love to see it, Arthur. But I don’t want to put that on you, either. I know how you and Arelda prefer to keep out the way and do your own thing.
The tips of her cheeks rosied as she smiled in his direction, aware that what she’d just said was as much an admission of their dynamic as it was politeness. Arthur, perhaps a little unsure of himself now, faintly smiled back, fingers reaching down for one of the lavender blossoms.
A. Finch: Doz, I—
Before he could say anything, his wife Arelda, all cinnamon plumed and sharp-faced, squawked her way into the conversation with a shake of her feathers, voice as crisp as honeyed apple.
Arelda: Arthur! Arthur! This place! Soak in those colours. It’s just like the Riamala Peninsula, isn’t it?
Arelda’s brilliant wings had for most of the hike remained fixed to her sides, but there in the long fields she could stretch them out as far as she wanted, flexing them with impressive width and height. Although Doz knew Arelda less intimately than Ernies wife, Merilia, it really didn’t matter as the Aurelian’s confidence tended to make that little fact irrelevant.
Finch: Arthur was just telling me all about your haven in the forest, Arelda. I’m massively intrigued to understand how the tree holds everything in place.
A. Finch: The trees are very old and strong. Almost akin to Giant sequoia.
Arelda: The waiting we did! All the paperwork, all the processes. I thought it would never happen.
Doz tilted her head somewhat, brows raised, understanding that to some degree. As an engineer there often was a lot of planning, paperwork and processes involved before building projects went ahead. It was seldom as simple as whipping out a hammer and nail and getting to straight to it, although she reckoned at least two of her brothers were the sort to do just that if they so desired. She glanced over at them, Ernie and Wallace, and chuckled quietly to herself.
Arelda: It’s the perfect retirement spot, now that the children are all grown up. Not that it stops them from swarming us every other day. Children are supposed to flee the nest, not flock back to it!
Finch: Yes but do you know, I rather think I’d like that. A busy house, regular visits, everyone coming and going. Reminds me of the better times when we were kids.
A. Finch: Quite.
On a gentle breeze, a floral and sweet aroma swirled its way into her nose from the lavender meadow around them, soothing like a balm for the soul. She watched as more of the curious rabbit-like creatures bounced around, nibbling on plant stems and grass, wondering how they had fared during the rogue world incident. Were there any cracks beneath the meadow's beauty?
Arelda: Yet you never had any children of your own! ::She squawked.:: But Arthur did say you’re very devoted to your starships.
The older human faltered for a moment, eyes squinting, words difficult to find. She could have sworn that Arthur was going pink in the cheeks, too, but he’d turned away with tactical precision. From the safety and solace of his house in the tree, that’s what he thought whenever his sister crossed his mind. That she was married to her work, and that was that.
Only it wasn’t as simple as that, and if he’d taken more of an interest in her life then he would have known that she’d come close to having a family…at least once. Or perhaps he did know, and that’s why he'd turned away. Easier not to talk about complicated subjects like that, she supposed. She couldn’t be upset with him—she didn’t want to be upset with him, not Arthur of all people.
After chewing on the inner corner of her mouth for a moment, she replied cheerfully.
Finch: I suppose you can call me a free bird!
The two women ruptured into raucous laughter, with Arthur chuckling in tow. Soon enough, the rest of the group headed in their direction, drawn in by the noise, and talk would thankfully turn to plans to visit The City of Cotral, where Merilia believed there to be a wondrous, rolling bazaar.