At first Clarisse thinks the voice is Ness calling out from across the eyrie, but just as quickly she realizes that isn't possible. The words are much too clear, and much too close, to be coming from anybody that far away. She half-stands from where she's been crouching on one of the lower perches, shoulders jerking in surprise, and thinks, What the fuck?
But there isn't really time to figure out what's going on, because she sees Ness and Artichoke. Clarisse hops down from the perch and stomps in that direction, fuming. It's not like it's Artie's fault, or Ness's. He's just another casualty of this whole... thing, and Ness doesn't know what she doesn't know. But there is still a knee-jerk, sickening feeling in her whole body when she looks over and sees someone else grooming him.
"Artie!" she snaps, at the same time thinking, Ughhh, not again, "Knock it off!"
She yanks a strip of bacon out of her pouch and holds it in front of his face, shoving her other hand against his lower jaw to force his head up at the same time. Sure enough, his beak opens with a little click and he releases Ness's hair in order to take the food.
iv
But there isn't really time to figure out what's going on, because she sees Ness and Artichoke. Clarisse hops down from the perch and stomps in that direction, fuming. It's not like it's Artie's fault, or Ness's. He's just another casualty of this whole... thing, and Ness doesn't know what she doesn't know. But there is still a knee-jerk, sickening feeling in her whole body when she looks over and sees someone else grooming him.
"Artie!" she snaps, at the same time thinking, Ughhh, not again, "Knock it off!"
She yanks a strip of bacon out of her pouch and holds it in front of his face, shoving her other hand against his lower jaw to force his head up at the same time. Sure enough, his beak opens with a little click and he releases Ness's hair in order to take the food.