He smiled a little, “Sometimes when I’m in Upperland I find my fellow caterpillars. They don’t speak. Not even to me. If they did they would probably ask me why I haven’t changed. They would probably laugh at my reply.”
It hadn’t occurred to her that he, as a caterpillar, might some day become a butterfly with flapping blue wings. She started at this realization and saying, “O’! Ye cannae - cannae fly.” She colored and added, clearing her throat, “Bu’ then, neither can I. I havenae changed much either.”
“You’re still young, you might change some in the future. Maybe a little, maybe a lot. I’ve passed my chance to fly willingly.” he nodded thoughtfully. “I’ll leave the sky to someone else.”
Nivens came in late that night, out of breath and looking panicked. He came rushing into the room, and he would be out of breath, if he breathed. He stopped dead still before the bed. “Oh my god… you.. you’re ok… thank users!” he fell to his knees by the bed and took Abs’s hand. “Don’t you ever scare me like that again.”
Absolem’s eyes opened slowly with a bit of a smile on his lips, he’d been sleeping for quite a while, “I wasn’t exactly expecting a dinosaur in my ask box,” he spoke hoarsely. Reaching his other hand to pat Nivens’ own.
“Options? …What options?” he asked, looking at the Caterpillar.
“You can always abandon it,” Absolem suggested first, “You can Hatch it and take care of the caterpillar inside, Or give it to someone else,” he put his hands up “That isn’t me, I have two of my own.”
Eckert raised a brow, trying to see if this was a guilt trip or something. “You won’t think me ill if I just… hand this someone else?” he softly asked, taking the egg back. He didn’t want to just abandon the poor thing. Abandonment was not an option for him.
” I couldn’t think higher of you if you do.” Absolem patted the egg, “I would rather you give it to someone who could take care of it than if you just abandoned it somewhere. ” the caterpillar would have taken it but it was cramped enough as it was in his home, ” While you look for a suitable home I would suggest you put it someplace warm or keep it against you. Where it can hear people.”
“Hear people? …It can…hear us?” he asked. The Program himself wasn’t as warm as a normal human being. He took off his jacket, wrapping it around the egg, hoping that would be warm enough.
He nodded, “when Apollo and Athena were in their eggs Nivens and I spoke and read to the often. They glow brighter when you do. It’s good for their mental development. ”
“Options? …What options?” he asked, looking at the Caterpillar.
“You can always abandon it,” Absolem suggested first, “You can Hatch it and take care of the caterpillar inside, Or give it to someone else,” he put his hands up “That isn’t me, I have two of my own.”
Eckert raised a brow, trying to see if this was a guilt trip or something. “You won’t think me ill if I just… hand this someone else?” he softly asked, taking the egg back. He didn’t want to just abandon the poor thing. Abandonment was not an option for him.
” I couldn’t think higher of you if you do.” Absolem patted the egg, “I would rather you give it to someone who could take care of it than if you just abandoned it somewhere. ” the caterpillar would have taken it but it was cramped enough as it was in his home, ” While you look for a suitable home I would suggest you put it someplace warm or keep it against you. Where it can hear people.”
Eckert turns to the Caterpillar thinking he had something to do with this. He holds up the egg.. “I- I don’t know…..and… I don’t know what to do…” he says, softly, “What do I do?!”
the Caterpillar took the egg, “I can’t tell you whose it is you know.” He said, holding the egg up to his eyes with a bit of a smile knowing that there was life inside the egg. “You have options.”
“Options? …What options?” he asked, looking at the Caterpillar.
“You can always abandon it,” Absolem suggested first, “You can Hatch it and take care of the caterpillar inside, Or give it to someone else,” he put his hands up “That isn’t me, I have two of my own.”
the bit of moss a mundane visitor had gifted the caterman looked over at him laying in his bed. it had never had a foot to lose or needed one so it could not quite understand why everyone seemed so sad. it had seen other caterpillars in the village use canes and such things to help them get around, and there was magic too…
the Caterpillar didn’t even register that anyone was there. He wasn’t even thinking of anything other than to get some much needed rest.