Sick Bird (Completed)

Poultry Man

Scar pov:

As I made my way towards Xisuma's office, every pause to interact with other heroes amplified my nervousness. Suddenly, Inferno spotted me and dashed over with his usual enthusiasm.

"HotGuy!" he exclaimed, wrapping me in a bear hug that nearly knocked me off balance, causing me to stumble backward into Poultry Man. Thankfully, Poultry Man kept his cool, adjusting his cloak to maintain his disguise.

"Hey, Inferno," I managed, returning the hug awkwardly. "I'd love to chat, but I really have to go see Void."

As Inferno's curiosity sparked, his gaze lingered on Poultry Man, the hooded figure beside me. "Who's your friend?" he asked, his tone filled with genuine curiosity yet tinged with caution.

Poultry Man shifted uncomfortably, reaching for my hand. I gently took his, offering a reassuring squeeze, feeling him lean slightly into my side for comfort. "He's a friend of mine," I began cautiously, "but he doesn't enjoy being in the spotlight. Please, Inferno, respect his privacy."

Inferno's curiosity only seemed to grow stronger as he tried to peek under Poultry Man's hood, prompting a quick reaction from me. I lightly smacked the back of Inferno's head, causing him to flinch and turn to face me with a surprised expression. "Ow!" he exclaimed, his fiery mane flickering in response.

Seeing Poultry Man's discomfort, I spoke firmly yet gently, "Please, Inferno, he's really not comfortable with this much attention. Let's not push it."

Inferno's tail stiffened, a sign of his apology and understanding. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," he said earnestly, his fiery aura settling down. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," he added, addressing Poultry Man directly.

Poultry Man nodded slightly, visibly relaxing a fraction as I guided him gently closer, trying to shield him from further scrutiny. Inferno, now more empathetic, nodded in understanding. "I get it. Sorry again," he offered sincerely, stepping back slightly to give us space.

With a nod of thanks, I continued guiding Poultry Man towards Xisuma's office, relieved that Inferno had backed off.

Unluckily for us, Xisuma's door was locked; he was in a meeting. Just as I was about to knock, we suddenly felt the floor give way beneath us. We fell, landing awkwardly on a sofa. Poultry Man ended up on my lap, and we exchanged bewildered glances before taking in our surroundings. Much to our surprise, Xisuma and his brother, Xavier, were watching us with amusement.

"A little warning next time, Star?" I grumbled, shifting to get comfortable.

"Sorry, HG, that wasn't me," Xisuma replied, trying and failing to keep the smile out of his voice.

Poultry Man got off my lap and looked around, eyes wide with awe. "Whoa... so high up," he said, staring out the large window at the expansive view.

Xavier chuckled softly. "Nice of you to drop in, HotGuy," he said, his tone light and teasing. Xavier got up to start leaving but I ended up stopping him

"Actually, Xavier, we need to talk to you too," I said, my tone serious.

Xavier's smile faded slightly as he realized the gravity of the situation. "Alright," he said, settling back into his seat. "What's going on?"

I straightened up, glancing at Poultry Man before addressing both Xisuma and Xavier. "We have some important information to discuss, and it's best done in private."

Xisuma nodded, his expression turning serious. "Alright, let's talk."

Poultry Man, still taking in the room, turned his attention back to us. "It's about the Watchers," he said quietly, his voice trembling slightly.