Sick Bird

Nightmares

Scar pov:

I made sure Grian took his medicine before I went to bed that night. He wasn't looking good. Over the past few days, his condition had been worsening. He started having really bad nightmares, and I would frequently come down into the living room to see what was going on. Sometimes he would just be sleeping and others I had to make sure he was alive because the nightmares were so bad

One night, I found him in the midst of one of these nightmares. The whole living room was filled with purple flames. They didn't destroy anything, nor did they look like they were burning anything; they just flickered ominously, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Every time he moved or whimpered, the flames grew stronger, brighter, feeding off his distress.

Panic gripped me. I didn't know what to do. I had no way to call Mumbo; I was always receiving calls from him on the mechanical bird, but never the other way around. I desperately needed his help now. I rushed down to try and put out some of the fires, but they wouldn't go out. Instead, they grew stronger, more intense, as if mocking my futile attempts.

Grian woke up with a start, hyperventilating, his breath ragged and shallow. His eyes were completely red and puffy from crying, the aftermath of his torment evident. The flames vanished the moment he awoke, but the residual magic in the air was thick, choking, and still carried the acrid scent of freshly burned material. He pulled his wings and blanket tighter around himself, seeking some semblance of comfort. He covered his ears and tried his best to relax

He didn't see me at first, lost in his own terror As soon as he laid eyes on me, he instantly reached out, wanting cuddles despite his usual fear of human touch. He didn't say anything; instead, he made little grabby hands toward me, his expression so distraught and upset that I couldn't deny him.

I gently moved closer and let him pull me into a tight embrace. I felt my shirt gradually soaking with his tears as I carefully held him, being mindful of his wings. He was hyperventilating pretty bad " grian, follow my breathing okay?" I asked him as I rubbed his back he didn't respond but I took some deep breaths and he followed surprisingly

The room slowly calmed down as the fires disappeared completely, and the oppressive magic dissipated. Just as I began to feel a semblance of relief, the mechanical bird chirped. It was a call from Mumbo, checking in to see how we were doing.

"You guys are probably asleep, so I'll just probably fly around and... oh my God. What happened?" Mumbo's hologram flickered to life as the mechanical bird landed on my head, taking in the scene. He saw Grian clinging to me and the exhaustion etched into my face.

"Nightmares... You could have warned me that he has bad nightmares. There was fire everywhere—purple fire," I said, my voice sharper than I intended. I gently placed a hand on Grian's head, brushing some hair out of his eyes as he hiccuped, trying to calm down. "Shhhh, it was just a dream, Grian," I whispered soothingly. Mumbo looked very worried now.

Grian slowly cried himself to sleep in my arms as I gently rocked him back and forth on the couch. "Yeah... I guess I was just hoping this sickness wouldn't be that bad... maybe I should come back early," Mumbo said, his voice tinged with worry. The hologram flickered uncertainly.

"You could definitely use the help, especially if the nightmares are going to be that bad. They're not just dreams," Mumbo paused, his voice heavy with concern. "They are memories. He was in a fire—a pretty bad one. That's why the fire was purple."

As he spoke, I carefully shifted, intending to head back to my room. However, I stopped when I felt a small cut on my arm. "Mumbo, he won't let me go," I said, my worry intensifying.

"Take him with you. The nightmares should fix themselves as long as he doesn't sleep alone," Mumbo advised.

Nodding, I gently picked Grian up, his grip on me tightening even in his sleep. His claws were definitely out on one hand, showing that he was fighting the fire, or perhaps someone in the fire. As I carried him to my room, I felt his claws cutting into my arm, leaving small, painful scratches.