The Morning Song (UWOC)

6 - The Past

A member of the team contacted Zubin within minutes after Elder Dairno left.

They informed him a searcher was already en route to him and should arrive tomorrow morning. Given what he described, I assumed this person was like an old Earth detective. The man on the call also gave him a list of things they would like Zubin to have ready, including all paperwork and anything with the child's DNA.

"I know you won't sleep tonight. Do you want me to stay up with you?"

"Absolutely not. I would like you to be fresh to make observations tomorrow if you don't mind. I know I will not be at my best, and I am counting on you to pick up on things I may not be able to."

I watched as Zubin shut the lights down but left the window coverings open on the side windows to give him light. He then wished me a good night before going into the storage room.

As I lay on the sand under my heat lamp, my mind wandered around what this all means.

Who would, in their right mind, take Kymari children? Kymari guard their children with the utmost care and any one of them will kill to save a child. My only guess would be that a Kymari child would be like gold to another race. It is something to bargain with to gain wealth or power. It was just so wrong in so many ways.

I could hear Zubin going through boxes, and I saw him reappear, holding a clear bag with what seemed to be cloth inside. He lay in the chair beside me before walking back into the room, and I got up to take a better look.

It was the human equivalent of a teddy bear.

My heart broke in that moment.

I went back to my sand and curled into a ball. My sleep was fitful, and I awoke many times, but I got more sleep than my handler. As I awoke to the light barely coming through the windows, I realized there was something I could do for him.

As usual, Zubin followed me out to the backyard to watch me. Over the years, I had shared my feelings about the Morning Song with him but never shared the whole thing as I was doing it.

Today would be different.

I stood on a piece of driftwood, letting the anticipation of the call of the sun wash over me. I opened a full link with Zubin and left it open. Within seconds, the call hit, and I took to the air, the joy of the sun's call flowing over me and my handler. My song rang out as my body flew through the intricate swirls the sun demanded. My euphoric feelings overwhelmed me as they usually did with the morning song. I pushed myself to my utmost limit, knowing it was for the most significant cause of all, to celebrate the dawn of a new day.

Today, the sun's call slowed down before stopping entirely. It doesn't always happen like that. As I drifted back down to the driftwood, I turned to Zubin, still maintaining the link.

"Did that help? It usually helps me with whatever I carry from the day before."

Zubin just stared openly at me for a few more moments.

"Thank you, Jenna. Your emotions are so overwhelming and pure. That was amazing."

Once we were back inside, Zubin allowed me to eat breakfast before washing my scales and oiling my skin. I was napping on his lap when the doorbell chimed.

I raised myself before stretching and standing. It was time to meet the seeker. I hoped they did not need Zubin to relive the story as he did last night with the Elder. I used a bit of wing assist to hop up to my handler's shoulder. He stood and walked to the door, opening it.

On the other side of the threshold, a Kymari female was carrying a bag I recognized as a case for their equivalent of a laptop.

"Good day to you. I am Chanzel Cuket of the Rescue Service for Children. You are Zubin Mzatel?"

"I am. Won't you come in?" Zubin's face was passive, but I could smell his scent and the stress flowing through him. I had to hold back a growl as I immediately wanted to get her away from him as the cause of such stress. I paced a bit on his shoulder without realizing it.

"Easy, Jenna." He murmured to me, taking me off his shoulder and into his arms. He led the way into our home and motioned her to a chair before sitting with me on his lap. "My apologies. She is normally good with others but feels my stress over this situation."

"That is understandable. Is this box for me?" Chanzel motioned to the box on the chair beside her.

"It is," Zubin replied stiffly.

As she went through it methodically, I took those few moments to calm my nerves and try to survey this woman abjectly. My handler needed me to be there for him.

She looked like any other young Kymari woman, with green skin and black hair, each the size of thick spaghetti. Her facial features looked familiar, but I knew I was not a good judge of that. I took a deep breath, taking in her scent, hoping that would make me feel more okay with her being in our space.

I went stock still before taking another deep inhale of the newcomer's scent. I know that scent.

"Jenna?" Zubin looked down at me, confused, as I took several more inhales.

"She smells like you, Zubin. I don't know how else to explain this, but she smells like you!"

His eyes never left me, and I knew he could not repeat my words. So I left his lap with a wingbeat and went to hers. She stayed motionless, not even breathing. I sniffed her hands and chirped at her, twisting my head before returning to Zubin.

I stared at her, then turned and chirped to my handler. "What is it?" she asked.

"She thinks we are related. Is there any chance you could be my daughter?"

*******

Prompt 6:

20 years after your daughter was abducted, a detective finds you to reopen the case. The detective turns out to be your daughter.

(1044/6364 words)