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Owen waved that off. "I don't mind the ATV for now." He motioned for her to lead the way. He was honestly kind of looking forward to seeing Blue again.
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"If you're sure," Shay said. She turned and headed back to where she left her raptors and her bike. She could see them watching Owen keenly, and she gave a quick whistle to signal to them that he was Not Food.
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Owen snorted quietly when he noticed that. Yeah, raptors were like that, especially with new people. "How are they about new people?" he asked, just out of curiosity. He really wasn't worried about being attacked, not by these two.
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"That's... a work in progress," Shay admitted. "I've been keeping their contact with the main staff to a minimum for now until I can get them to the point where they don't try to eat anyone unfamiliar. So far I've got them acquainted with two security guards and a structural engineer."
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Owen nodded. "Not too bad, then, considering," he said. "We'll work on that more." Since he was definitely going to be around for at least a week or two.
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"We?" Shay asked, raising an eyebrow. "We'll see what sort of shape Blue is in first." With that, she started her bike and waited for him to start up the ATV.
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"Yes, we," Owen said over the motors as he started up the ATV. "It's not like I'm going anywhere right now."
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"Like I said, let's see what sort of shape Blue is in, first," Shay replied. She whistled to Indigo and Garnet, and headed off in the direction of the raptor cage. Indigo and Garnet took off after her, keeping pace easily.
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Owen followed, though he knew the way well. But for now, he'd let them take the lead. He didn't do anything until Blue stopped them again, screeching at the two slightly smaller raptors.
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Indigo and Garnet snarled back, getting between Blue and Shay. Shay figured they were still a good third of a mile from the cage itself, and she couldn't help but notice that Blue seemed a little on the thin side.
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"Hey Blue," Owen called, pulling his ATV up. Blue swung her gaze to him, her growl subsiding a little. "Hey there girl. Remember me?" Blue hissed at him but took a few steps toward him, her head tilting and her posture less blatantly threatening.
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Indigo and Garnet shifted a bit as Blue moved, keeping themselves between her and Shay. Shay just stayed quiet. She knew better than to interfere with Owen bonding again with Blue, and she wasn't going to interrupt unless she absolutely had to.
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It took several minutes, but Blue let Owen touch her again, and kept turning to watch him as he looked her over.
"She needs a few good meals," he murmured, more to Shay than anything. "I'll round something up for her and bring it back, see if she'll let me get closer." He had a feeling this process would take at least a few days, if not longer. |
"I've been letting Indy and Garnet thin the gallies some," Shay murmured back. "The herd got really big really fast, there aren't enough carnivores to keep the numbers in check yet. I might be able to get Indy or Garnet to nab one."
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"No, she'll smell other raptors on it," Owen said. "I'll just have to get one up here for her myself." Wouldn't be the first time, either. Not with a gally, but with other animals.
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"Go for a microceratus, then," Shay said. "Easier to catch." She glanced at the raptors, and gave a short, chirping whistle to tell them to back off of Blue.
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"Not as good a meal, though," Owen said. "Besides, I've got a plan. I'll see what I can find, anyway." He backed off a bit to give Blue a bit of space. He knew better than to push for too much too soon.
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Shay nodded a bit and back her bike up, away from Blue and Owen. Indigo and Garnet backed up with her.
"Let me know if you need a hand," she said. "I'm going to take these two back and set them up in Paddock Nine with a couple of stock pigs. Should keep them happy for a while." |
"Yeah, go for it," Owen said. "I'll be back soon, and I've got a radio on me." He didn't take his eyes off Blue for long, just in case she decided to be annoyed with him instead of glad to see him.
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Shay nodded and clicked her tongue a couple of times at her raptors, a sound she'd designated as a generic 'we're leaving this area.' The raptors resisted a bit, clearly not wanting to leave a rival standing, but Shay gave the order again, and they reluctantly obeyed.
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Owen returned a while later, no worse for wear but clearly pleased. He'd gotten food for Blue, which she'd torn into ravenously, and while he hadn't gotten to the actual paddock yet he figured it wouldn't take more than a few days of him helping Blue for her to decide he was okay again.
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Shay was in the observation side of Paddock Nine, watching her raptors chase around a pair of pigs and generally just play. The old t-rex enclosure was definitely big enough for two raptors to run around in and chase down food.
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Owen chuckled when he spotted her. "They look like they're having fun," he said, watching the two run and play.
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"They are," Shay replied, glancing over. She grinned. "You should see them sometimes, Garnet's practically a giant, toothy puppy. I think Indy thinks he's a dork."
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"Would make sense," Owen agreed with a nod. "What about Ruby? She was part of the clutch too, right?" He was pretty sure he remembered that.
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