How Green Becomes Wood

"That is very serious indeed," Daizi said, impressed, "Especially considering how intense people tell me his face is. Maybe he's gone soft."

"I have not," Dark replied, as though he were not sitting in a baseball cap and helping his toddler pet a tortoise.
 
The twins glanced at Dark, glanced at his hat, at his toddler, and then at each other.

"Nah, he hasn't gone soft at all," Alec grinned.

"Nope. Same stone face as always," Xander agreed.

"Mama, you gotta pet the radial tortoise!" Alec urged. "Its shell is so cool looking!"
 
"I am choosing to ignore your obvious sarcasm," Dark said dryly, remembering a month or so ago when he threw Tristan's father to the floor. More than anything, he felt like a warrior in a garden and he was going to take full advanta andge of peacetime.

"My guess is the tortoises don't have a whole lot to worry about," Daizi said, "Will you help me to the other kind? I would like to feel them, too."
 
Alec took Daizi's hand and led her over to the Madagascar Radiated tortoise. This one was smaller than the Aldabra (which was not saying much), but was still a substantial tortoise in its own right. It checked them out, looking for food, and then seemed prepared to ignore them. Alec guided Daizi's hand to its back. Unlike the smooth dome of most turtles and tortoises, this one had a pattern of raised points, almost like pyramids, that made up its entire shell.
 
"It looks a lot different from the other one, too," Alec told her. "I wonder what the reason for the difference is? It seems like it would make it more likely for the tortoise to get stuck."
 
"That would make sense." Alec took some lettuce and offered it to the tortoise, who was happy to eat it in his own very deliberate way.

Xander sat next to the big Albara tortoise and watched it. It was kind of cool to watch the giant creature. Rather calming, actually.
 
Looking away from the tortoise, Ivy noticed her mother wasn't nearby anymore, so she stood up and try and see her. When she couldn't immediately, she called out, "Mama?"

"I'm here, habibti," Daizi said, swiveling to try to make herself more visible, but ultimately staying firmly blocked behind a large tortoise.

"Do you want to go find Mama?" Dark asked, standing up and taking her hand, "Come along, we can find her."
 
Dark took Ivy's hand, and guided her around the side of the tortoise. Once Ivy saw her mother, she shrieked in delight and broke away from Dark to fall against her mom, giving her the biggest hug she could.

"Did you miss me so much, Hummingbird?" Daizi asked, hugging her back, "How about you help Mama feed the tortoise! Wouldn't that be fun?"
 
"Here you go!" Alec said, handing Ivy the lettuce. "Hold it down here at the end, like this, and show it like this!" He held out a piece to show her how to hold it and then gave it to Daizi. "Follow Mama."
 
Reaching over, Daizi helped Ivy hold the lettuce safely, and while holding Ivy's hand the tortoise came and took a slow, determined bite out of it. It was still something that made Daizi want to flinch, but she held steady so Ivy wouldn't be scared... and unlike her mother, Ivy just laughed at it... and then tried to eat the lettuce immediately afterwards. Naturally, she was prevented from sharing a meal with the tortoise.
 
"Dog food's actually not that bad once you get past the dry, dusty aspect of it," Xander mused. "Most of it is pretty safe for human consumption, too."

"Not that Ivy should eat it," Alec said quickly.

Xander shook his head. "She has far better food to eat."
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top