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Post by 00 on Sept 2, 2017 19:26:30 GMT
A dense canopy of hanging vines and rustling leaves was lit up from below by the setting sun, shadows reaching upwards to grasp at the creaking branches and nesting birds.
Through the dim dawn a ray of light fell upon the elongated face of a massive flying fox with a golden head.
Twitching one enormous ear, the black bat opened a honey eye; pupils shrunken, eyelids squinting in the bright light, she lifted one of her wings to toss shade over her face.
Stretching out her other wing, she hooked one thumb around a branch below her, and swung herself around from where she had been resting.
The bat dropped down upon the wood, turning her head sideways to the rising sun as it hid behind the mounds of dense jungle trees, and shook dew from her fur.
She lifted her nose to the air, still and somewhat silent that evening, with hardly a hoot or a holler to hear, the odor of leaves, mud, and musk laying thick upon the currents.
Catching a trace of sweet sticky smell, the bat unfolded her wings and took off from the tree, flapping noisily as she followed the scent of fruit, weaving in a lumbering gait between the thickly growing brush.
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Post by Snakeu on Sept 11, 2017 15:35:52 GMT
Zuki was flying around, enjoying nice day. She have been lost in her thoughts and so she don't payed much attention of her surroundings. She flew by Aztecs' Temple without noticing. But then she realised how far she got. Small hummingbird tried to find way which she got here, but unfortunately she couldn't remember. And then, she realised a large flying fox around, she followed the creature and when she got just close to her she said without hesitation.
" Hello! " Zuki was so small near this bat, she felt like an ant.
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Post by 00 on Sept 11, 2017 16:43:09 GMT
A humming, and then a small voice rang in the bat's ears as she flew along.
The sounds were so minute that it was a bit difficult for the flying fox to hear, whose ears were not made for catching the tiniest of noises as those of the more insect-inclined bats were.
Yellow eyes flickered briefly around in search, but the little hummingbird was so green and tiny that she blended very well into the leaves as they sped past the flapping bat, even as she flew alongside the mammal.
She thought that she must have already passed whomever had offered the greeting.
Regardless, the golden-crowned bat chirped a cheery reply to the mysterious voice, raising her own just in case the stranger actually was rather far by the time she did.
"Hello!"
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Post by Snakeu on Sept 11, 2017 16:49:17 GMT
Zuki stared at massive flying fox, she wasn't sure if the bat sees her or now, but she kept talking.
" You don't need to shout like this I hear you pretty well.. " She paused. " Hey, by the way, I'm Zuki, you? " She added and watched bat's large wings. It was fascinating for her to see something that large. Well, nearly everything for her was large and monstrous, she don't realised how small she is. She always was like she has normal size and everyone are just weirdly big.
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Post by 00 on Sept 11, 2017 17:03:44 GMT
"Oh--uh, whoops," the bat stumbled, her voice rising once more before it fell back to normal.
She guessed whoever it was, was simply very good at hiding and flying at the same time.
"I'm Pekas," she answered.
"Nice to meet you...sorta!"
The bat offered a laugh, wondering in the very back of her mind whether this was what hearing voices was like.
Maybe she was still soaring over the ocean, dehydrated and starving, and this was her final dream before she died!
Huh...it wasn't a very bad one, really; talking to a ghost, looking for a good meal.
"Sorry," she said, turning her head around for a moment, "but where ARE you?"
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Post by Snakeu on Sept 11, 2017 17:21:13 GMT
Purple-Crowned Fairy Hummingbird flew closer to large bat, so she could see her. Was she really that small or the bat got just really bad vision? Well, who knows? Zuki surely didn't.
" Heh, I'm here in front of you! " She said, trying to not start laughing. She couldn't help but add.
" Oh my, you're so big! I never saw bat large like you! " She said trying to stay on once place so Pekas could 'find her'.
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Post by 00 on Sept 11, 2017 17:31:24 GMT
The bat blinked as something darted in front of her face.
She thought it was a bug, especially the way its wings seemed to be working, a blur and a buzz.
A talking bug....
As she stared, befuddled, and listened to the inches-long creature, she caught a fuzzy glimpse of something coming fast up from behind it -- and in front of her.
"Yeep!" the bat chirped in alarm, pulling her wings out.
The sharp change in direction caused her to flip over in the air, and she reached blindly forward, managing to hook her thumb--albeit painfully--around a branch, and swung herself around so that she was hanging from it by her toes.
The large bat huffed, running her tongue along the aching thumb, before casting her eyes about for the emerald beetle.
"Are you okay?" she called out, unsure whether the branch might have knocked it away from the canopy or what.
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Post by Snakeu on Sept 11, 2017 17:42:00 GMT
Zuki watched bat as she tried to do something what small hummingbird don't understood. She looked around and found a very small and thin bough
. She 'sat' on it and watched flying fox.
" Sorry but I need to ask... have you been out of Jungle? You surely were, you're so big! It wasn't for you that hard like for me. I always wanted to see what's out of this endless bunch of trees. "
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Post by 00 on Sept 11, 2017 17:59:38 GMT
There it was, perched on a part of the branch she'd nearly crashed into.
She felt a little silly, but, hey, it had been blocking...yeah, no one would believe that.
Now that they were still, and the bat was squinting her eyes in the dying light, she could see that what she took to be a carapace was covered in furry--no, feathery follicles, and that it had a long, sharp muzzle...like a beak.
It couldn't be a bird, could it?
She'd never seen so small an avian.
The bat nodded in answer to the stranger's question.
"I mean," she expanded, "not on this land.
I'm from these islands across the ocean--big body of water...flew across it and this jungle was the first thing I found.
Haven't seen a way out yet."
She looked curiously at the small green animal.
"You live here, then?
Know anything interesting about it?"
Besides the fact that there are talking birdbeetles..., she added silently.
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Post by Snakeu on Sept 11, 2017 18:12:21 GMT
" Oh wow! So there's big water? " Little bird was full of excitement. It was amazing to discover that there somewhere is a big water. " I want to see it! " She said nearly whispering.
" Well, I-I can't really tell much, but I know that there's some large group of jaguars, ocelots and these felines... I think they call themselves Aztecs' Empire..? Plus I heard that they're not friendly with bats and birds... well they will surely not was small bird like me, but the bigger ones! Who could work for them! "
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Post by 00 on Sept 11, 2017 18:28:08 GMT
The bat grinned in response to the little bird's excitement at her mention of the big water, pressing her ears forward in an attempt to catch the wistful murmur.
"Yeah, there is!" she confirmed.
"It might be a little far now, though -- I've been flying for a few days around here, although not necessarily in a straight line...just follow the setting sun and you'll eventually reach the ocean."
She listened to the mention of jaguars, ocelots, felines...the Aztec Empire.
The name brought back a cursory memory of the traveler who'd visited their islands -- not a feline, of course, but there had been a note, if brief, of this "Aztec Empire" and its denizens.
She didn't know what felines were exactly, but meeting something that wasn't a bird or a bat (or a bug) sounded exciting.
She'd heard that none of them could fly, and that some of them were even bigger than the biggest bat or bird!
"Work for them...?" she mumbled, thinking.
She was a big bat...what sort of work could a flier offer a grounded animal?
Maybe she should stick around the jungle for longer even if she could find the edge -- might be worthwhile trying to figure out this strange group.
"Thanks--uh--Zuki!"
She stretched her wings out as she lifted her nose to the air, trying to find the scent of fruit so she could begin tracing it once more.
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Post by Snakeu on Sept 12, 2017 13:46:58 GMT
" Sometimes.. some old grey parrot comes and tells stories about how it was before. I often go to hear these stories. Just few days ago he told us story about this Empire. He said that once it was great empire that ruled over whole jungle! They got birds and bats as their slaves. And then something bad happened and the empire had fallen. " She kept talking trying to remember what the old parrot said. He was talking about this Empire, but Zuki couldn't remember what was the 'bad' thing that happened. When she got back to reality, she stared at large bat.
" You big jungle bats eat fruit right? " She asked, not giving the bat chance to answer. " I know one place where you can find a lot flowers and fruit! There is a small waterfall and small lake, maybe you have seen it. "
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Post by 00 on Sept 12, 2017 17:05:04 GMT
The bat's eyes turned back on the birdbeetle.
The history lesson was a little interesting, but the mention of food was far more enticing.
Vast amounts of flowers and fruits, small waterfall and lake?
It sounded beautiful.
And tasty.
"Er, no, I haven't seen it," the bat admitted, quickly trying to cut in before the avian went off on another tangent.
She pulled her lips back up into a grin.
"Why don't you show me?"
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Post by Snakeu on Sept 13, 2017 11:21:57 GMT
" Oh, sure.. " She said and looked around, trying to orientate a bit. The jungle was nearly everywhere the same so it was quite hard. When Zuki was back in air she turned at large bat and then flew away to direction where the place about they spoke was. After she was quite far she turned and waited if the bat was following.
" Hey are you comming? " She shouted as loud as she could, but for them it might sound like normal talking.
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Post by 00 on Sept 13, 2017 15:45:34 GMT
The bat watched as the small bird zipped off, losing sight of it almost instantaneously.
Her nose twitched, trying to pick out its scent among all the moisture and plant smells, before she threw herself off the branch, flapping away in one direction.
A voice called out to her.
Other way.
"Yeah-yeah!" she answered, turning quick around a tree until she could hear those buzzing wings.
Just had to keep an ear out for those and she'd be fine.
"Lead on!"
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Post by Snakeu on Sept 13, 2017 16:50:52 GMT
Zuki flew away, with hope that large bat was following. The waterfall wasn't much far away. Little hummingbird was humming some melody flying directly towards direction where the place was.
When she was here, she turned back and watched if the bat was here. She don't saw her, maybe the bat was comming and it took her long going through the thick vegetation or she lost the bat. Zuki sat on nearest branch, looking at waterfall she shouted.
" Are you here? " |
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Post by 00 on Sept 14, 2017 0:57:08 GMT
The bird was certainly difficult to follow, but at least it ended up that they didn't have to go very far.
Her ears twitched at the melody, the buzzing and the humming helping her to pinpoint the bird even when she lost sight of it.
At one point her little buddy had zipped on, the bat no longer able to hear the emerald flier.
The sound of water, however, brought it flapping through the thick vegetation and into the clearing.
A questioning shout soon enough met her ears, and the bat followed it to the branch where the bird sat, perching herself likewise upon the bough, toes curled around the wood and body hanging down.
"Right here," she answered, looking around.
Her nose bumped into something bright and round.
The flying fox gave a happy squeak, plucking the fruit from its branch to quickly start gnawing on it.
"Thanks!"
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Post by Snakeu on Sept 14, 2017 12:48:03 GMT
Zuki stared at large flying fox as it ate the fruit. She wanted to ask something but then something flashed in her mind. She remembered that sometimes a large black jaguar comes here. It wasn't much dangerous for her because she was small plus she could easily hide, but she don't knew if the same is for her bat friend.
" Uh, well, I think.. I should tell you that I saw a black jaguar here, but it was just two or three times.. " |
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Post by 00 on Sept 14, 2017 19:07:35 GMT
The bat paused as the bird spoke, glancing over at her, then around to check whether the creature she spoke of was already be there.
It took her a moment to think--
Jaguar--jaguar...jaguar--oh, yes!
One of those feline things, wasn't it?
The bat snuffed in something of a laugh directed at herself.
She wouldn't know what she was looking at even if she did see it.
"Sweet!" she said to the other flier, and continued to eat the fruit, completely oblivious to the danger at hand.
Man; information, friend, waterfall, bounty, and now she just might meet a member of the group or species she was thinkin' of looking for anyhow?
What a lucky evening!
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Post by Snakeu on Sept 15, 2017 13:22:21 GMT
Small hummingbird was at first confused. Shouldn't be the bat scared? Zuki looked around and was quiet for a moment. Then she turned back at large bat and said. " Oh, you look happy. " She paused. " Why happy? Eh, shouldn't you be scared? I thought that for you big bats are prey for them. " When she finished she created little squeak sounds as she doubted if she said a right thing. |
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Post by 00 on Sept 15, 2017 22:07:45 GMT
The bat glanced again at the bird, slowly finishing off her fruit.
Her expression was confused, and the look she gave the stranger could suggest that she thought the feathered beast was off her rocker.
She had to take yet another moment to think on what that one word, "prey", meant.
"Hah!" she said at last.
"Why eat a bat when you could have fruit?"
She reached around the branch, pulling herself upright so that she was crouched upon the surface of the wood.
"I can't be afraid of something I've never met."
Her wings spread, flapping noisily as she hopped up to a higher branch, where the leaves were lined with several ripe-looking morsels.
She plucked another, hung herself once more, and bit into it.
"Speaking of...," she continued, glancing down, "aren't you hungry?"
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Post by Snakeu on Sept 17, 2017 9:22:17 GMT
Zuki was confused. Where did this bat came from? Did she came from place with no felines or? When she was flying over big water, there wasn't anything dangerous? Hummingbird shook her head at question if she isn't hungry.
" Oh, by the way, once when I was younger I accidentaly flew too far away from here and got lost. I got into some dessert and there were weird birds with no feathers on their heads! Don't you know who they might be? " |
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Post by 00 on Oct 2, 2017 19:11:00 GMT
The bat's question seemed to go unanswered, so she assumed that must have meant "no."
Her ears were soon met by another story from the feathery beetle, and within a few seconds the bat's eyes were turning back on the hummingbird, squinting.
The story was interesting, but something else caught her attention, and it prevented her from answering the other's question likewise.
"Wait...," she mumbled, before pointing an accusatory thumb-claw at the small flyer.
"I thought you said that you'd never left this forest before."
Had the stranger been lying to her this whole time?
Were there no felines in this forest at all?
The bat's fur began to bristle at this prospect.
Had she come all this way for nothing?
No, no...her fur quickly lay flat again; there was this new forest, new land--it was still worth it!
Even if she was being mislead by an avian insect.
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Post by Snakeu on Oct 7, 2017 11:30:37 GMT
Hummingbird looked a bit away before she answered the bat's question. It was hard for Zuki to explain, but at least she tried.
" Well.. basicaly I don't left the jungle.. I-I just once got lost and somehow saw this land with this kind of birds and then I met some old bat who helped me to get back home... but that happened when I was much younger.. " She said and looked back at large bat. |
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Post by 00 on Oct 9, 2017 18:55:41 GMT
Oh...the bat nodded understandingly as the bird began to explain herself.
She supposed that made sense.
It wasn't hard for one to forget something when they were so much younger.
"Well, I don't know who they might be," answered the bat at last to her question.
She might have heard of a desert beyond the rainforest, but nothing about some weird birds there.
Then again...if there WERE birds living in a desert, why wouldn't they be weird?
They'd have no trees to rest on!
The bat began to finish off her last fruit, once more eyeing the waterfall as it cascaded down through the trees.
"It was nice meeting you," she told the bird as she neared the end.
"But I should be getting some sleep...the sun's almost all the way up!"
When she was through, she dropped the fruit, and dropped herself out of the branches, flapping loudly as she glided down to the pool of water which the waterfall fed.
The bat swung low, scooping some water up across her wings and into her mouth, before she flew over to a branch just short of the rainforest's canopy, perching herself underneath it as she folded up her wings around herself.
The midmorning snack was nice, but it was time that she returned to her rest.
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