Survival Of the Fittest (Hawkeye Fanfiction)

Chapter 21: Late Nights (Hawkeye)

Fulvus thrashed around in his sleep as his talons curled into his paws. "Please no!"

He saw people coming toward him with sharp needles, ready to inject something into his body. It was thrust into his vein and when they injected something into his vein he felt fire through him. He fell sideways with his whole body twitching. He wailed as loudly as possible.

He saw his mother out of the corner of his eyes he saw his mother, Albus, walking away. "Mother," he cried out as he felt his beak crackling as he tried to speak.

His mother didn't even looked at him. Fulvus stretched out a paw but the people began to thrust him down and rope him down. He tried to fight them but the injection was beginning to take it's effect. Pain surged through him and he just wished that he could die. This was the most pain he had ever felt and it wasn't leaving him.

"Help, anyone, please!" He wailed again as he bit onto his tongue, nearly biting it right off. He began to thrash his head from side to side pitifully.

His eyes hazed over as he saw Clint trying to get to him. Men restrained him and Fulvus longed for him to be closer to him, to help him. He tried to say something but his voice was hoarse. Suddenly the whole world went black.

Fulvus awoke with a screech and his whole body was shivering. Sweat was dripping from him with beads of sweat dripping everywhere. He was in a pool of it on the floor and embarrassment rippled through him. He was surprised that Clint hadn't woken up but then again Clint had been ill for a few days now. Now he felt like he was either catching it or he was having the worst nightmares of his life.

He knew that he didn't want to wake up Clint, especially since he needed his rest. He rose to his paws, swaying a bit under his own weight. His throat felt dry and raspy and he glared at the sleeping image of Clint. You got me sick! You're going to pay!

He continued out of the room but he heard Clint coughing behind him and rolling onto his back, suffocating on his own mucus. Fulvus grimaced but he had been Clint's companion for what felt like forever now. Nothing grossed him out anymore, except for this.

He forced himself over and he nuzzled his beak under Clint's arm, forcing it back on the bed. Clint seemed a bit surprised and he awoke. "Fulvus," he mumbled, thick with congestion.

Fulvus blinked his eyes as he tried to urge Clint back to bed. "It's okay, it's just me," he assured. He was angry at himself for how hoarse his voice sounded.

"You sound awful," commented Clint as he woke up even more, which wasn't Fulvus's intention.

"Speak for yourself," shot back Fulvus as he extended a talon and pushed Clint further into the bed. "Then again, that's what we get for traveling to Siberia in winter."

Clint sniffed and Fulvus cringed at the sound of it. He looked over before he trotted over to the bathroom. He opened a cabinet and opened it. He saw tissues and he grasped them in his beak. He brought them over in the darkness and sat them by Clint's hip. Clint felt around before he grasped one and blew his red nose. "Thanks, Fulvus."

Fulvus smiled, pleased to help his companion. That was what he was for, right? He felt awful but he didn't want Clint to know how bad he truly felt. He hadn't remembered ever being sick so this was new to him, something new that he absolutely hated.

Clint suddenly sat upright and sneezed three times. He sneezed into a tissue forcefully and the sound made Fulvus jump. Clint's sneeze's were loud and direct. He hadn't expected that.

"Bless you," offered Fulvus, wondering if that was what he was supposed to say. He thought so but he wasn't absolutely sure.

Clint smiled at what Fulvus was trying to do. "Thank you." He threw the tissue away and cringed. "I'll be right back." He threw his legs over the side of the bed and staggered toward the bathroom before he closed the door.

Fulvus then took the opportunity to try and made the bed a bit better. He wanted Clint to be as comfortable as possible, if it was actually possible. He heard the flush of the toilet before Clint emerged. He had tried to wash his face but he still looked weak and sickly.

He came back to the bed and Fulvus lowered down, trying to suppress a cough that was tickling at his throat. He then raised his talons to his eyes and tried to scratch the gunk that had crusted there from his watery eyes. It was a bit painful but once he was finished he realized he could see better.

He heard Clint's raspy snores and he thought that it was okay for him now to sneak out to see his mother. He strode toward the door before a strange sensation darted through his nose. He shook his head a bit, wondering what it was. He had never felt something like this before and he didn't like it.

He clawed at his beak with his talon before it became too unbearable and he just decided to let whatever needed to happen, happen. To his surprise and shock he let out what was a cross between a harsh huff of a lion and a squawk of a bird. It actually lifted him a bit off his paws as surprise surged through him. It stirred Clint but before he could say anything he let out three more in quick succession.

He managed to raise a talon to his beak but he was still so shocked and disoriented at what happened he didn't notice the dripping mucus that traveled down his beak until it dripped on the floor. He turned in embarrassment and allowed the coughs to freely escape his battered body. This whole night was turning out to be awful.

He pushed his head on the door, sniffing madly, before he heard Clint's raspy yet gentle voice behind him. "Fulvus, come here."

Fulvus shook his head, allowing a bit of a growl to escape through his throat. It was at times like this he hated being half animals. His fur was clumped with sweat but his feathers were shriveled and smelled strange. He didn't need both a lion and an eagle's problems right now. "No," he finally managed to choke out as he raised a paw but the mucus kept dripping out.

Clint sucked in a raspy breath. "Please, Fulvus. You don't need to be embarrassed around me. Now come here before you do something stupid."

The humor in Clint's voice lifted his spirits a bit and he turned with his head bowed. He forced himself forward, coughing into the ground or his chest fur. When he finally managed to force himself over to Clint, Clint grasped under his neck and forced Clint to look upward at him.

Embarrassment continued to flow through Fulvus but he couldn't do anything about it now. "Now, where were you trying to go," he inquired so that he could look into Fulvus's eyes.

Fulvus's eyes darted to the dark ceiling. "Albus. I didn't want to disturb you," he confessed.

Clint chuckled. "So you can get her sick. Besides, disturb me? Since when have I ever cared if you disturbed me? You're my closest friend, Fulvus. I don't care what you do. As long as you don't break my favorite bow. Now, that's off limits."

Fulvus laughed before he let out another cough as he ripped his head away from Clint. He let out another huff-squawk-sneeze and more embarrassment flooded through him.

To his relief Clint didn't laugh or make any comment right away. "Bless you, I think. Was that a sneeze?"

Fulvus lifted his head and pawed at his beak. "I think so," he mumbled through his talons before he let out another one. "Yeah, it is."

This time Clint chuckled and pushed Fulvus's paw away. "Then bless you. I've never heard and animal let out anything like that but you're a little different."

Fulvus knew that was true. "I'm sorry. I'll try to be quieter," he offered as he kept sniffing and he suddenly felt like he weight as much as a truck. He just wanted to lay down.

"Don't. You're fine." Clint grabbed a tissue and Fulvus thought it was for Clint but it was for him. He drew drew back and growled but Clint's eyes hardened. "Fulvus."

Fulvus relaxed and allowed Clint to use the tissue on him. Once he was finished Fulvus drew back and growled despite himself. Clint then coughed and retreated back into his bed. Fulvus laid on the floor but Clint rolled back over and brushed his hand over Fulvus's shoulder.

"Come on up. I can't leave you laying all pathetic," Clint pointed out as he patted the space beside him.

Fulvus leaped up but he was a bit big for the bed but he managed to curl up. With his fever it didn't take long before he fell asleep.