Dododex

ARK: Survival Evolved & Ascended Companion

The Shift

A fanfiction by SilverWings

Chapter 8

It was morning, and with morning, came unbearable heat. Tealfeather's joins were stiff from the intense cold of last night, and as she went to grab a small chunk of meat from the dwindling prey pile, that was all she could think about. Then she remembered Star. The raptor's voice was still echoing throughout Teal's head. It was causing a bad headache. *Maybe I could go to Amberfeather to get something for headaches,* she thought. Amberfeather was the clan's healer. She had a way with different plants and materials and could create different concoctions that were the most reliable form of medicine the clan had. Amber sat in her nest, located near the entry, pressing an absorbent algae to the wounds of a familiar raptor. "Greyfeather!" Teal cried. "What happened to you?"

"Run-in with a flock of terror birds. They got Orangefeather pretty good."

Teal looked past her and saw the orange-feathered raptor curled in a ball and bleeding from several wounds, the most noticeable being a deep cut on her leg. Orangefeather was a mutual friend, and Tealfeather couldn't help wincing at the sight of her so injured. Orange was practically buried in moss and was sleeping with a peaceful expression on her face. Amberfeather finished with Greyfeather's wounds and turned to Teal. "What were you looking for, Tealfeather?"

"Just... something for a headache." Teal replied. In hindsight, her headache didn't seem very serious.

Amberfeather sighed.

"Not much I can do about that, Teal. Normally I'd have some berries I can give you but..." she trailed off, glancing at the small pile of supplies she'd gathered in the desert wasteland. "It's probably the lack of water." she finished abruptly.

She was probably right. Teal hadn't drunk anything since she'd killed that creature... yesterday? *Only yesterday,* thought Teal. She'd only spent a single day in this barren, unfamiliar place, but she felt like she'd been there forever.

"I'll go hunting," she decided out loud.

It wasn't a bad idea. The pile was running dangerously low on prey, and with luck, she'd find some of those water creatures. Tealfeather set off alone.

The sun was setting by the time Teal returned. The body of a water-creature was being dragged behind her, and she had no bad injuries. Teal dragged the prey to the pile and spotted Greyfeather by her nest.

"Hi Grey!" Tealfeather yelled.

Grey chuckled, leaving Teal confused. Her feathers caught the dying light as she laughed.

"Been hunting, have you? I've seen those things, they wouldn't leave that." Grey pointed to a shallow cut on Teal's side.

Teal's face flushed with embarrassment. It was true, She'd accidentally but herself on a green prickly plant thing.

"Go to bed Teal," Greyfeather said, still laughing.

*That's a good idea,* Tealfeather thought. It would be easier to get to sleep in the evening, when the sun was still working over the horizon, than in full-blown darkness. The temperatures were already beginning to drop. When Teal got back to the nest, Bronzefeather wasn't there. She curled up in a ball and rested her tail over her nose. Soon, her breathing became steady and even.