A bird prompt for the Numidids: The story of Kevin-the-deathworlder and the deathworlder bird. (Even their birds are brutal!) -- RecklessPrudence
"...and even... photographers."
The scene cut to a camera-wielding human cautiously pursuing a Killdeer plover doing its broken-wing act. He was making soothing cooing noises, but they were clearly not working.
The person behind the camera was giggling.
The bird floundered aimlessly around as the photographer attempted to capture it without hurting it.
After a total of five failed attempts to catch the bird, the photographer gave up.
"Give up, Kevin?" said the person doing the filming.
"Yeah, I'm done."
The Killdeer, on the other hand, clearly viewed Kevin as the real threat. It flapped helplessly after Kevin, showing off how clearly broken its wing was, how helpless it was, and how delicious it could be if Kevin just caught it right now.
"No, I'm not falling for it."
The bird flailed dramatically around Kevin's feet, showing not one, but two broken wings and amping up its helplessness to levels previously unknown outside of a Grand Guignol.
"No. I'm done. I'm not chasing you any more."
Now the bird was feigning a broken leg, hobbling around in circles, flapping ineffectually, and peeping helplessly and, more to the point, very loudly.
"This is just sad..." said Kevin.
The bird turned on its side and panted, almost feigning death, but for some truly pathetic flutters of its wings.
Kevin sighed. "Fine. I'll make you happy." And bent to scoop up the Killdeer.
True to type, the bird magically revived to flail and flutter further away.
Kevin followed, but he wasn't trying as hard to capture the bird. Every now and again, he would murmur, "Are you done, yet?"
This happened four more times before they both encountered another nest of chicks, close to the ground, and the Killdeer miraculously 'healed' to fly away.
"Jerk," said Kevin.
Unlike the laughing humans, the Numidid watching the ancient documentary were silent and worried and huddled together. Their companion for the day, Viki, noticed and paused the video. "You have worries?" she chirped in Numidid.
"These deathworlders would lead a predator to another species?"
"Our home species are selfish," Viki cooed. "They only care about their own chicks."
The Numidids watching considered this. "We are grateful that this is not so for all deathworlders."
Viki grinned. "So are we."
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