|
Routine
Jan 5, 2017 13:18:23 GMT -5
Post by Critter on Jan 5, 2017 13:18:23 GMT -5
Critter hummed to herself as she walked through the pews, fixing all of the hymnals and Bibles back into their correct positions. It was just a typical day, truly, and there was nothing that Critter enjoyed more than routine.
It had never been a serious problem for her, considering for her whole life, she had been doing the same thing every day besides Sunday, when church would take place. That was always a special thing at the end of the week, and she did enjoy being there with a group of people that she had grown up knowing, and who knew her from back when her parents had still been alive. She liked having that same sense of community that she had learned to have with the newsies.
Still, the lack of something new wasn't always a good thing. Every now and again, Critter would make her way somewhere else, searching for some sort of person to spend time with and get to know. She had been to all of the boroughs at one point or another, although her time in Queens could hardly be considered "time" at all. It still got her away from the same old places and the same old things.
Every now and again, it was good to break the routine.
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 12, 2017 16:09:25 GMT -5
Post by Hoot on Jan 12, 2017 16:09:25 GMT -5
Hoot peeked into the church, feeling a little nervous entering the building. She had been to church, but not on a week-day. It felt odd to be in the place when no one was really there. She had come here in search of a friend who she hoped could help her. She just hoped it wasn't being disrespectful...
Her eyes brightened as she spotted the older girl she was looking for. She was walking up and down the pews, arranging hymnals and Bibles. She bit her lip but took a deep breath as she approached the older newsie.
"Critter?" she called out softly. "Um... I hope you aren't busy, but I was wondering if you could help me with something?"
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 16:38:55 GMT -5
Post by Critter on Jan 15, 2017 16:38:55 GMT -5
"Critter?"
Critter had to force herself not to jump at the sound of a voice from behind her, whirling around and making eye contact almost immediately with a familiar newsie. "Hoot." She nodded a bit, managing to catch her breath as she calmed down from the brief shock.
"Um... I hope you aren't busy, but I was wondering if you could help me with something?"
Critter cast a glance back at the rows of books that she had yet to fix, and then returned her gaze to the newsie. Sighing, the girl shrugged her shoulders. The books could wait; if she was needed for something, then that came first, and she didn't know if it would be something really important or not.
"A'course. What do ya need?" She had made way out of the pew, walking over to the fellow newsie.
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 18:47:30 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Hoot on Jan 15, 2017 18:47:30 GMT -5
"Hoot."
Hoot gave her an apologetic look. "Ah sorry... didn't mean to scare you."
"A'course. What do ya need?"
She shifted a little uneasily and bit her lip. "Well you see..." She blushed some. "You're good with animals, right?" She had a serious look on her face and took Critter's hands. "You'll keep this secret. I really need help!"
Hoot desperately needed her help, but it needed to remain secret. She didn't want her secret out... it could get her into trouble. She didn't want to lose her very best friend.
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 19:35:55 GMT -5
Post by Critter on Jan 15, 2017 19:35:55 GMT -5
"Ah sorry... didn't mean to scare you."
Critter quirked a smile. "Eh, it's no big deal," She replied with a shrug.
"You're good with animals, right?"
She raised an eyebrow. What would Hoot need someone who was good with animals for? "Yeah, why?" The fact that Hoot took hold of Critter's hands suddenly made the female a bit worried, although she didn't mention it.
"You'll keep this secret. I really need help!"
Things were slowly beginning to fall into place. Slowly nodding her head, Critter figured that she could keep something a secret if it involved helping an animal that needed something. "I can keep a secret."
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 19:50:31 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Hoot on Jan 15, 2017 19:50:31 GMT -5
"Eh, it's no big deal."
Hoot looked relieved. She didn't want to scare off the older girl.
"Yeah, why?"
She chewed her lip nervously. "I have... a friend, an animal friend that needs help."
"You'll keep this secret. I really need help!"
"I can keep a secret."
Hoot's eyes brightened as her lips broke into a big smile. She clasped Critter's hands together in hers. "Oh thank you! Thank you so much!" She felt so relieved. "You don't know how much this means to me."
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 20:05:07 GMT -5
Post by Critter on Jan 15, 2017 20:05:07 GMT -5
"I have... a friend, an animal friend that needs help."
Critter was a bit surprised. Had Hoot really managed to have an animal friend for so long without anyone finding out?
"Oh thank you! Thank you so much! You don't know how much this means to me."
She had to force herself not to laugh, "I do, I promise. Not in the exact same way, but I do just the same. Where is it? And what kind of animal?"
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 20:08:17 GMT -5
Post by Hoot on Jan 15, 2017 20:08:17 GMT -5
"I do, I promise. Not in the exact same way, but I do just the same. Where is it? And what kind of animal?"
Hoot shifted a little uneasily as she led the older girl outside the church. "It's... It's at the lodge," she admitted quietly. She gnawed at her lips uneasily, still a bit worried that Critter might not help her or might not even be able to help.
"It's an owl."
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 20:10:57 GMT -5
Post by Critter on Jan 15, 2017 20:10:57 GMT -5
"It's... It's at the lodge."
Critter followed closely behind the smaller girl, allowing herself to be led and listening to her the whole time. However, the moment that Hoot spoke about the lodge, her eyes widened. Had she kept an animal in the lodge? For how long? Surely she would get in trouble for that if Ms. King found out...
"It's an owl."
She bit her lip. She didn't know too much about birds, although she figured that she could figure it out as she went along. Surely they wouldn't be too different from other animals? And it wasn't as though she had never been near birds before, either. "I'll follow you."
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 20:20:14 GMT -5
Post by Hoot on Jan 15, 2017 20:20:14 GMT -5
"I'll follow you."
Hoot nodded silently, gnawing at her lip once more. She still felt quite nervous about showing Critter her owl friend. She didn't know what she'd do if she lost her owl friend. That's why Critter just had to help her.
She remained silent as the two headed to the lodge then up to the attic. No one really went up to the attic much. Ms. King only went up every once awhile for spring cleaning and storing their Christmas decorations, so it was a bit dusty and had a lonely feeling to it. Hoot carefully guided the older girl towards the attic window. There was a small bundle of blankets sitting on the window seat.
Hoot knelt down beside the window seat and carefully lifted up a blanket. "Moon," she cooed softly. "I brought help."
Underneath the blankets, something stirred and made a soft cooing sound in reply.
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 20:23:09 GMT -5
Post by Critter on Jan 15, 2017 20:23:09 GMT -5
Walking into the attic of the lodging house told Critter why no one had seen the owl before. No one ever really went up there; there was no reason to.
The bundle of blankets being moved gently, Critter was suddenly met with the sound of a small animal under there. Carefully reaching out and moving the blankets aside, she was greeted by an owl there... Although it didn't fly away as she had expected it to.
"What happened to it?" She whispered, not wanting to make too much noise and attract any attention from any other newsies or Ms. King herself.
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 20:32:25 GMT -5
Post by Hoot on Jan 15, 2017 20:32:25 GMT -5
"What happened to it?"
Hoot gently stroked the small, grayish white owl's head as it made soft cooing sounds. "He hurt his wing," she explained softly. "I'm not sure how... He almost didn't make it back last night."
She bit her lip trying not to cry. Moon had given her quite the scare! She had been on the roof watching the stars, waiting for him to come back from his nightly hunt. He could get back into the attic without her help, but she liked greeting him when he returned. She had been about to give up on staying up (it had gotten suddenly very cold) when he floundered and fluttered to her feet.
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 20:35:03 GMT -5
Post by Critter on Jan 15, 2017 20:35:03 GMT -5
"He hurt his wing,"
Critter bit her lip. A wing would hopefully not be too different from a leg...
"I'm not sure how... He almost didn't make it back last night."
"Shh..." She began, determined not to allow Hoot to begin making herself panic. She flashed her a small smile, gently shifting the owl so that the could inspect the wing, gently feeling along where the bone was to make sure that it wasn't broken or sprained.
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 20:39:35 GMT -5
Post by Hoot on Jan 15, 2017 20:39:35 GMT -5
"Shh..."
Hoot quickly covered her mouth with her hands, trying to calm herself. It wouldn't be good to make a fuss and have Ms. King come up and see what was wrong. That would ruin absolutely everything.
Moon wasn't too thrilled with the movement and fluttered around pathetically in panic. Hoot was quick to soothe him and get him still so Critter could check up on his wing. The wing seemed pretty sturdy and well-built for the small bird. But feeling along the wings carefully, there seemed to be a strange bump on his left.
Hoot watched with worried eyes, hoping and praying that her friend was all right.
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 20:47:27 GMT -5
Post by Critter on Jan 15, 2017 20:47:27 GMT -5
The bump on Moon's left wing caused Critter to hesitate for a moment. Either Moon had run into something, the bone was out of place, or something really serious was happening that could mean that Moon was far more difficult to help than she had been bargaining for. However, she figured that it might be better to just stick with the small thing at first and see where things went from there.
"There's a bump here. I'm not sure exactly where it's from, but I'm hopin' that it's just some swelling that'll go down in a few days as long as he rests. But I'm... Not sure."
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 20:50:12 GMT -5
Post by Hoot on Jan 15, 2017 20:50:12 GMT -5
"There's a bump here. I'm not sure exactly where it's from, but I'm hopin' that it's just some swelling that'll go down in a few days as long as he rests. But I'm... Not sure."
Hoot's brows furrowed in worry. She hadn't touched Moon's wing, afraid to hurt him worse than he already was, so hearing that he had a bump made her very nervous.
"Just a few days..." She looked at her owl, eyes filled with concern. "If isn't better... what do I do?"
She looked at Critter with hopeful eyes. She had to have an answer. She just had to. Hoot couldn't lose Moon as well.
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 20:55:33 GMT -5
Post by Critter on Jan 15, 2017 20:55:33 GMT -5
"Just a few days..."
Critter nodded slowly, suddenly wishing that she knew more about birds and things like that. She was much better with cats.
]"If isn't better... what do I do?"
She had to keep herself from wincing at the question. Swallowing thickly, Critter shook her head. "Then we need ta find Moon a doctor. Because I'm not sure that we have equipment here ta help with anythin' else."
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 20:58:24 GMT -5
Post by Hoot on Jan 15, 2017 20:58:24 GMT -5
"Then we need ta find Moon a doctor. Because I'm not sure that we have equipment here ta help with anythin' else."
Hoot's eyes widened slightly. "A d-doctor?"
She kept herself from panicking, but she did slip a stutter of worry. Questions would be asked if she brought him to a doctor. And who knows what would happen then? She just had to hope that Moon would feel better in a few days or else...
"He'll be fine," she murmured in an attempt to reassure herself.
It was a real pity there weren't really alot of books on taking care of owls at the library.
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 21:04:50 GMT -5
Post by Critter on Jan 15, 2017 21:04:50 GMT -5
"A d-doctor?"
Critter felt terrible for not being able to help more. There were just some things that she didn't have supplies or knowledge to help with, as much as she hated that.
"He'll be fine."
Nodding slowly in agreement, Critter did her best to convince herself that Hoot was right. She didn't want an animal to be seriously hurt, especially when she had been asked to help it out. Surely there had to be something that she could do to help?
"He'll be okay. But for now... It would probably be best for ya ta let him rest for a while. Rest is gonna be good, and we may wanna see if we can make some sort of cast ta keep his wing in place."
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 21:12:43 GMT -5
Post by Hoot on Jan 15, 2017 21:12:43 GMT -5
"He'll be okay. But for now... It would probably be best for ya ta let him rest for a while. Rest is gonna be good, and we may wanna see if we can make some sort of cast ta keep his wing in place."
Hoot nodded eagerly. She would do anything to help Moon. "He can rest right here... Is there anything else?"
She wasn't quite sure how she'd manage to get him food, but she'd figure something out. There were books on what owls ate after all. Water wouldn't be a problem either. It was just sneaking it in. Things had been much easier taking care of Moon when he was a baby and didn't eat solid food.
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 21:19:52 GMT -5
Post by Critter on Jan 15, 2017 21:19:52 GMT -5
"He can rest right here... Is there anything else?"
Critter glanced back at Moon, sighing softly. The owl was so small compared to what she had thought, and so delicate. He did seem to be remarkably close to Hoot, and that was a good thing, but she was worried about what might happen if things became serious.
"Not for now." She finally spoke up.
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 21:28:19 GMT -5
Post by Hoot on Jan 15, 2017 21:28:19 GMT -5
"Not for now."
Hoot nodded seriously. That made things a little easier... She just hoped things would be okay. Gently, she stroked her owl's head. He had to be okay.
She turned and gave Critter a grateful smile. "Thanks... at least I know what might be the problem."
She carefully put Moon back in his nest of blankets before standing up and dusting off her skirt. She offered her hand to help Critter up. "I'm about to head to the library. Look at books for Moon," she explained. "Would you like to join me?" she invited.
She didn't know the older girl very well, and thought it was due time to reach and out and get to know her. She was always up to making new friends and be a listening ear if needed.
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 21:33:00 GMT -5
Post by Critter on Jan 15, 2017 21:33:00 GMT -5
"Thanks... at least I know what might be the problem."
Critter nodded, "It could just be some overuse or somethin' like that. It's probably nothin' bad." She whispered. She didn't want Hoot to worry about it when it most likely wasn't anything serious.
"I'm about to head to the library. Look at books for Moon."
She nodded again. That made sense.
"Would you like to join me?"
Critter was a bit surprised. She got along well with most of the newsies, yeah, but she wasn't really used to people inviting her places. Normally, she would spend most of her time alone, and she had never minded. It was a pleasant surprise. "Sure... Sounds fun."
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 21:41:20 GMT -5
Post by Hoot on Jan 15, 2017 21:41:20 GMT -5
"It could just be some overuse or somethin' like that. It's probably nothin' bad."
She nodded again, mentally taking notes on what Critter told her. She wanted to remember what she said so she could care for Moon better. It sounded like things would be fine. At least, she hoped that she was hearing it correctly.
"Sure... Sounds fun."
Hoot smiled brightly. It wasn't very often that people accepted her invitations to the library, so she was thrilled that Critter thought it would be fun. "They recently got some more books on animals," she said happily, hoping that would interest Critter.
|
|
|
Routine
Jan 15, 2017 21:43:53 GMT -5
Post by Critter on Jan 15, 2017 21:43:53 GMT -5
"They recently got some more books on animals."
Critter grinned slightly. Animals were the one thing in her life that she could openly admit to loving. She was passionate about keeping them safe and healthy, having made friends with as many of the strays around the borough as she could and doing her best to make sure that they always had some food. She loved them, probably more than people.
"That's sounds wonderful." She grinned back, bouncing on her feet slightly at the thought.
|
|