Titans Upon Change

Chapter Thirteen

I woke up to the smell of food. Fruit, specifically. For the first time in a long time, I felt halfway decent and undrugged. My wing lightly throbbed, but it wasn't too painful at the moment. I stretched my good wing and did the same with my injured wing, but more cautiously and slowly. 

Levi was sitting in his usual spot, once more working on some different papers. I noticed that he seemed more relaxed and didn't have the scary scowl on this face when he was alone, or with me. I glanced around and there were at least ten bowls inside the door. Getting closer to the bowls once more meant getting closer to him. Although I was half-way at ease with him.

Althogh, their presence still made me extremely uneasy though; our caution had built up over years, it wasn't about to just disappear.

I lifted my head to see what was inside the bowls, my mouth watered at the sight and smell of the various kinds of fruits and rare meats. I had zero interest in the fish or insects. If they think that a mealworm is the equivalent of noodles, then they need their heads checked. Thoroughly.

I sniffed the air to try and identify the bowls. Apple, bird, strawberries, watermelon, goat, and some other types of meat I used to eat daily. Sugar cubes. Like the ones they use to feed horses treats. I haven't had one since I was a human, and we couldn't naturally make them being gryphons.

I inched forward and snagged several sugar cubes, wanting to savor them. Breakfast was going to involve being near that door and close to him. I was aware that he was halfway watching me while pretending not to. He was being quite subtle about it, probably to keep me from getting too nervous. I internally scoffed, too late. 

I looked at the bowls again from a distance as I debated what I wanted to eat the most. I wasn't really interested in the apple or bird, but the strawberries, watermelon, and the goat were quite tempting. I slid a bit closer to the dishes before using my tail to drag those three bowls closer to me. 

Levi turned his head to watch me in surprise; but quickly masked it with the scowl he usually wore. He must not have expected me to do that. My breakfast was more comfortable under the heat lamp in the corner, opposed to by the door.

I emptied the three bowls and pushed them closer to the door, but I also grabbed the suger cane bowl and grabbed it, but didn't touch any. Not just yet. While I was near the door, I ate a few other fruits before taking a big gulp of water.

I made a face as the skin around my beak wrinkled and I snorted at the bittersweet aftertaste. I knew the taste was both tranquilizer and painkillers to make me rest. Considering how much my wing was starting to throb, I welcomed the painkillers with open arms. I curled up under the heat lamp and gave in to the inevitable.

I woke up and drowsily stretched. I was saddened to only see a bowl of water, there wasn't any food at the moment, but I wasn't exactly starving, so I had likely only slept half a day to my surprise.

I took a drink and noticed that it didn't taste or reek of medicene. I looked around the training arena, although no one was here at the moment. I looked around the room once more and saw that the place had windows, but they were reinforced with metal bars inside and out, and the double doors also had many reinforced locks on them despite the door being wood.

The one large window across the room let in light, allowing me to see vague outlines of green and blue shapes that were probably small trees and the sky.

I turned my head and tried to inspect the area where I knew the cage latch was. My view was obscured by a metal plate on the back of the mechanism. There was no way for me to get to it to even try and unlatch it

My hazyness slowly fadingas the last dosage of drugs disappeard; I shook myself as my hide itched fiercely. When was the last time I had a proper cleaning? All I could remember was the morning of the abnormal titan attack.

I walked around the cage walls and tapped my tail against it as I walked around, as if trying to see if there were any weak spots. I was almost done when I heard the semi-loud bang of the double doors opening only to close behind the same four humans from last night entered the room as I watched them curiously.

They took the same seats they had last time. Hanji looked at me, a little too close in my opinion, "She looks alert." With a grin on her face she leaned closer, and I flattened myself to the floor, and batted my hand at the air. She chuckled as her eyes widened in fascination as she leaned back, not scared of my warning bat.

She shook her head in amusement. "She sure gives lots of warnings. I am glad that she doesn't attempt to use the vines as often as she gives us warnings. Jean has been watching the wild flock as much as possible, but he hasn't seen any trace of vines sprouting of nowhere. If it wasn't for your proof and the Garrison backing your proof, I would have dismissed it as a tale by now."

The smaller blondie commented, "It could be because there was a nest nearby," His voice was very.. feminine. More feminine than Hanji's, "They never did return to it. I also heard that the vines wrapped around the titan we found matched to the first titan we found, which is interesting."

Levi said, "Tch, the brat king wants these winged kittens left unharmed since they're seemingly passive to us and are an endangered species."

Eyebrows frowned, "Being passive to us is very odd behavior for something that killed not just one, but two titans."

Levi replied, doing his usual scoff, "Tch, that's what others have noted. We're not even sure if the flock of brat winged kittens will take her back. The bratty childish king wants to see if more of them can be tamed just due to their strong reaction in the presence of those abnormal brat titans."

I didn't like how closely they were observing me and my friends; it made me very uncomfortable. I didn't even want to think about what would happen if they found out that we were sentient beings. Or had a human past. 

Eyebrows tilted his head in curiosity. "It isn't like the King and the council to debate on such a subject. Why?"

Levi sighed before replying, "We almost nothing of their habits, and thus, can't provide ideal care at this point. Tch, we know nothing. Absolutely nothing about these damn brats."

I closed my eyes and tried to contact Mace. "Mace?"

His voice was slightly distant, and I could feel the strain of trying to link him. "Ramsey! Where are you? Are you okay?"

I sighed in relief and rested my chin on my paws. "The titan managed to dislocate my wing, and the humans took me with them. They've tended to my wing, and I am currently in a cage listening to a human discussion regarding the trouble they are having trying to spy on you."

"We were all worried that they might have killed you," he continued, relief clear in his voice. "We did notice that they are stalking us, and we are keeping on the move. Any idea of what they're up to?"

"At the moment, they are trying to figure out our habits and preferences in food. Whatever you do, don't try to use the vines on them. The fact we haven't done so is the biggest reasonthat they have no quarrels with us. They're intrigued that we can actually decet an abnormal titan and have attacked them."

I felt his sarcastic snort through the mindlink. "None of us plan to be near them to vine them, but I will spread the word."

I was beginning to feel the full strain of maintaining the mindlink since the drugs haven't completely worn off yet. I said, "These painkillers are giving me a migrane, so I'll let you go."

"Stay safe, Ramsey."

I glanced at the four humans who were oblivious to my conversation with Mace. Yeah right, Stay safe. Like I have a choice..