Animal Adventure

Chapter 6: My Little, Little Family

With the food eaten, Otoya is on an exploration not too far from where they have their picnic. Andy and Teresa stay where they are. Andy is sitting crisscrossed in the blanket with Teresa laying down with her head on his lap. The shorter of the two is on his phone looking for anything interesting to do while Teresa has her eyes closed, dosing on and off. They stay in silent before Andy breaks it.

"There has been a lot of hybrid trafficking lately." Andy commented as he scrolls through the news media.

"True. Kind of sad that there are those who are willing to sell people, hybrid and human alike, just for money. Really glad that I found Otoya before anyone bad did." Teresa said.

She did not open her eyes as she talks to her friend. The weather is really nice that Teresa almost fall asleep. Teresa especially likes the singing of the birds are nice to listen to. A melody suddenly pops in Teresa mind, making her hum it out loud.

"That sounds nice. A new song?" Andy asked.

He turns off his phone and puts it to the side of him. He looks around, soaking in the view. The sun shining brightly above them. The flowers blooming beautifully before them. The gently breeze blowing softly against their skin. As Andy looks around more, he notices something amiss.

"Where did Otoya go?"

This snaps Teresa out of her relax position. Teresa sits up and looks around. Teresa could not see a single red hair in sight. Panic raises within her. Thinking back to the conversation they just had, Teresa dreads that Otoya was taking from them when they were looking. In broad daylight no less.

"Calm down." Andy soothed Teresa before she can rush to anywhere. "I'm sure he's okay. He can't have gone far."

The two searches around the area. Andy goes one way and Teresa the other way. Although it has only been a few minutes, Teresa gets more worry with each passing minute. Many questions cross Teresa's thoughts.

Where is he? Is he hurt? Did he get caught? Will I-

Before Teresa can spiral down even more, she hears something in the distance. She cannot make out what it is, but it sounds like people are talking. Going to the direction, Teresa can start to hear that it was someone talking. As she got closer, the voices become clearer. One voice is familiar while the other wasn't. Teresa feels relief when she sees Otoya in a clearing inside the forest.

"Otoya!" Teresa called.

She runs up to him, ignoring the other person, and hugs the little hybrid tightly. Otoya automatically hugs back.

"Don't scare me like that!" Teresa scolded as she backs up a little.

Otoya whines a little. His ears droop, and his tail hangs down.

"Sorry. Heard singing. Go look." Otoya said.

Teresa sighs before petting his head. It was more for her than it was for Otoya. Otoya didn't mind though. Now that Teresa isn't in panic mode, she looks to the stranger that manage to draw the little hybrid here. Teresa is taken back by another child before her.

The child no more than Otoya age. Their hair looks black at first, but Teresa can see that in the right lighting it can turn blue. Stormy-blue eyes stare back at her with such wariness and distrust that no one so young should have. Their clothes are caked with mud and grass. But the main thing that made Teresa stare in the first place are the wings behind them. They don't look big enough to carry a grown person like Teresa, but big enough to carry a child. She can't see the color that it is supposed to have as mud, leaves, grass, and twigs cover the wings. There is also blood. Blood dries over the right wing. The right wing is also bent in an awkward position, making it hang limply behind them.

Teresa can feel the food almost coming back up, but she pushes it back down. To see child, ANOTHER one, out here, alone and injured, with no way to defend themselves. Not only that but they are also a hybrid. A hybrid like Otoya. At this point, Teresa wants to gather all the adults and yell at them for not taking better care of their future. For giving them such mistreatment that they have to defend themselves in this cruel, unforgiven world. For now though, Teresa has to take care of the injury.

"You're hurt." Teresa said.

The child tenses. Their eyes narrow, not sure if they should trust this girl at all or not. Teresa huffs in annoyance. Both Otoya and the child get startled by Teresa who stand up abruptly.

"Stay here, Otoya." Teresa commanded.

Without waiting for him to answer, Teresa turns around and walks in the direction where she came from. Teresa did not stop marching until she gets to the blanket they set out. Not even when Andy meets up with her.

"Did you find him?" Andy asked as he watches Teresa kneels down and rummages in the basket.

"Yes." Teresa said.

Andy waits for her to continue, but Teresa didn't. Other people might not know it, but Andy knows that his friend is furious. At what, he does not know. He gets the feeling that he'll know soon. Teresa pulls out a first aid kit from the basket. With a reckless twin and an even reckless hybrid, Teresa would always carry a first aid kit. She might be a little overprotective, but it is better to be too prepare than not in Teresa's opinion. With the kit in hand, Teresa quickly makes her way back to the two hybrids. Andy follows just as quickly.

"Is Otoya okay?" Andy asked.

With the way Teresa is acting, that is the only thing he can think of that would make his friend mad. Teresa didn't answer. She just keeps walking. It was when they make it back to the clearing that Andy understand why. The injured child tenses even more when they see not one but two people coming their way. Otoya seems like he was trying to convince the hybrid that they are good people and that they don't have to worry. Luckily, this seems to calm the child a little. Teresa drops to the ground, right in front of the child. Not giving them time to react, Teresa almost slams the first aid kit down and pops it open.

"Turn around." Teresa commanded.

She gives them no time to protest as she spins the child around. Teresa knows that she is being harsh right now, but if she didn't hurry and look at the injuries soon, she will run the risk of them getting an infection. Looking over the bent wing, she can tell that the child needs to go to the hospital. The wing looks almost completely broken. Teresa also thought that she sees a little bone sticking out, but she can't be too sure with all the blood and mud covering it. For now, Teresa will have to leave it alone and work on the other wounds on the child. Teresa has feeling that it'll take a lot of convince for the child to trust her to bring him to the hospital. 

AN: Sorry, it's been awhile. I decide to take a break. I also decide to at least post a chapter once a week. I wouldn't make any promises but I'll try my best to keep on schedule. I hope you enjoy the chapter.