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Titaynia held the Gysahl Greens out to the chocobo, who snorted and squawked, clawing the ground and clean hay in its pen. She sighed and set the greens in the chocobo trough, arranging them in what she thought would be a tasty fashion. Before she could remove her hands, the chocobo's head darted forward, its bill narrowly missing her. She yanked her hands back and watched the bird eat hungrily. Sighing she turned away.
She'd been apprenticing at the Observatorium for several months now, after her time in Treespeak Stables. So far it'd been almost too busy to handle, but she loved it all the same. The scent of chocobo had even grown on her. While other's complained of the musky smell, it seemed comforting and homey to her.
"Maucolyn!" she called out to the Chocobo Keeper, and the man she was apprenticing to. "This one's still being testy. I don't know why he's so cranky." She walked over to where Maucolyn, a blonde hyur, had just finished cleaning the pens of the newest few hatchlings, and perched on the railing. It was important to keep the chicks warm in Coerthas. Raising chicks at all out there was a bit unusual, and Tita had spent a few nights in the stables to make sure they stayed warm.
Maucolyn straightened and ran a hand through his hair, leaving a couple bits of straw in it as he did. "It may take him a while to get used to the gentle life, to be honest. He was a war bird most of his life." Seeing Tita's curious look, he smiled and continued. "He was crippled defending his rider. He can stay here, he's old enough that we can give him a comfortable life for his service, but the rider has to continue in the field. I can't say he was happy to leave the old bird but," and the hyur shrugged. "That's duty."
Tita looked back over at the still chowing chocobo. "He must miss his friend a lot...especially if he spent so much time fighting with him. I bet his rider is very important to him. Does he have a name?"
Maucolyn nodded and patted Tita's arm to shoo her off the rail. "Chomper," he said. "And it looks like he's almost out of food. A warbird is used to eating more than normal."
Tita nodded and hopped down to gather another armload of greens. Nodding in determination, she walked over to Chomper's pen and tossed the greens in, being more careful of her hands this time. The chocobo raised its head and peered at her briefly. Tita smiled. "I know you're lonely," she said keeping her distance. "But I'll make sure we become friends...Chomper."
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