Researcher's Journal: A Journey Across Pyrrhia

Chapter 17: Muddy Camouflage, To the Sea Kingdom

(Day 8) 10:00 am, River bank of the Diamond Spray River south of the SkyWing Palace

Their sprint to the riverbank foliage was reckless at best. Each step of their legs was a desperate push away from danger. Hornbill's heart pounded in his chest as he scanned the sky for any sign of pursuing SkyWing guards. Urging Laguna to move faster, he kept a protective wing over her, their breathless dash carrying them closer to safety. Only a few tail-lengths away from the dense foliage, Hornbill dove into the cover, pulling Laguna alongside him.

In the shelter of the foliage, they dropped to the ground, bodies pressed low against the dirt. Hornbill's eyes scanned their surroundings, searching for a way to conceal the bright colors and shine of their scales. His gaze landed on a disturbed patch of mud, hidden behind a tree along the riverbank, and a plan took shape in his mind.

Turning to Laguna, he whispered, "Okay, next plan. The reflections of our scales, especially my brightly colored ones, could easily give away our position, so..." He crawled over to the edge of the muddy patch, scooping up a paw full of it and rubbing it along his neck. "We're going to need some camouflage."

Laguna appeared uncomfortable with the idea. Her mouth opened as if to voice her objections, but a shadow of a passing SkyWing made them both duck down. After that, she seemed to relent, letting out a grumbling reply, "Fine, I really don't like this, but it seems we have no other choice now, do we?"

Hornbill gave her a small, empathetic grin before gently shaking his head. "Nope," he agreed, "and once you're finished with the mud, adding leaves and other foliage will further break up your silhouette." Laguna reluctantly nodded, her voice carrying a slight whimper as she muttered under her breath, "This is disgusting and far from standard SeaWing doctrine, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Where does this hybrid get these bizarre ideas?"

With their agreement in place, they set to work. Hornbill scooped up mud and quickly piled it onto his back, stepping aside to give Laguna access to the muddy patch. He proceeded to spread the mud all over his body, taking extra care to cover the white bandages that secured his injured wing. Over time, his deep saffron scales and lighter saffron wing membranes transformed into a dark brown camouflage.

He realized that rolling in the mud would have been quicker, but the limited tree cover prevented them from doing so without being spotted. Once he was satisfied with his own mud coverage, he began collecting leaves, vines, bushes, and small branches to attach to both his and Laguna's bodies. When he finished, Hornbill was nearly unrecognizable amidst the forest floor, his scale color concealed entirely as he lay prone to the ground.

However, he noticed Laguna's apparent struggle to spread mud on her scales and the grimaces on her face. Her body seemed like a patchwork of mud and scales, with only a few areas covered by mud while her gills, tail, and wings remained untouched.

Hornbill could tell she was not enjoying this but he couldn't understand why, even after sifting through his knowledge of SeaWings. Curiosity got the best of him, and he couldn't help but ask, "It's just mud, why does it seem to bother you so much?"

Laguna, glancing at his muddy face with a hint of discomfort, explained, "Yes, I know it's just mud, but we SeaWings prefer to stay clean. We spend most of our lives in the water, so we're used to being free of dirt and debris. It's essential for swimming and flying efficiently, and it also holds a social connotation among SeaWings regarding our health and hygiene." She sighed, clearly not enjoying the process. "It's just not something we SeaWings are used to, especially on our wings and gills. Being dirty can have negative connotations among our kind."

Hornbill nodded, processing the information while considering a solution. "Interesting," he began thoughtfully, tapping his chin, "So SeaWings prioritize cleanliness for both aerodynamic and hydrodynamic reasons. It's fascinating how basic hygiene evolved from practicality into sociocultural significance." He paused, nearly reaching for his research log before realizing his muddy talons weren't suited for handling it. "I should probably add that to my records... though I'll have to do it later when I'm not so... muddy."