The new bird girl approached the literal tree house and blinked in wide eyed wonder.
“This is where you live?” Jane said in mild disbelief. “Inside a giant tree stump?”
“Yes.” Camille shrugged. “Doesn’t everybody?”
“Well, clearly not!” Jane trilled, a delightful giggle.
Equally surprising was Petal suddenly springing to life in front of them, which startled all three. “Oh, hello, master and mistress! My apologies, but I was soaking in the sunlight to prevent myself from dying! Are you hungry? Horny? Because I’ve prepared for both eventualities. Does our new guest require anything? Food? Orgasm? She’s quite lovely and my tendrils and well rested, why, I...”
Ty made a ‘stop’ motion and Petal stared oblivious at them. The deer and fae blushed in horror as the young jay girl looked at them oddly.
“What kind of lunch is this?” The bird put her hand on her lean hip and her tail feathers fell flat.
“You’ll have to excuse Petal.” Camille gulped. “She’s, uh, designed to cater to every need.”
The young bird’s eyes became even more skeptical and she held her pose. “...Riiight.”
“I’m sorry, young mistress!” Petal bowed apologetically. “Sometimes I don’t think about what I’m saying because I don’t have a brain! I have made a splendid meal for you though! Why, I even used some of my own body as a garnish! It warmed my heart to think that I might be inside of you.”
“You guys are crazy.” Jane whispered, making a familiar twirling motion against her head with a feathery hand. Camille and Ty looked at the ground self-consciously and seemed sullen until the bird chirp-laughed. “Yet I’m curiously interested.”
——-
Lunch was superb. During their absence, Petal had fashioned a masterful dish of sautéed greens, seasoned hash browns, nuts, and a delicious berry desert that was sweet to taste and chilled to perfection. Of course there were some questionable flowers on the side which only Camille ate.
“That was awesome!” Jane smacked her beak and sat back in her chair.
“Oh, I’m so splendidly pleased, young mistress!” Petal busied herself with clearing away the plates. “Will there be anything else I can do for you? Or to you?”
“Uh, no.” The jay girl seemed to squirm in her seat awkwardly.
The plant woman leaned in, breasts jiggling, and smiled. “You smell very lovely, young mistress.”
“Okay, Petal, thank you.” Camille laughed awkwardly. “Why don’t you go soak your roots in some cold water or something?”
“What a wonderful idea!” The flower woman said ecstatically, and slammed into the closed front door before she realized it was so before struggling with the knob and finally heading out into the woods.
“So, that maid of yours!” Jane said wide eyed, her teenaged sarcasm delightfully sharp.
“Yeah, she’s an idiot.” Ty laughed.
Jane cawed her chuckling agreement and nodded. “Yeah, so. I was sitting here thinking, right? Are there others like me? Like, do I have a spot to go where I can meet other birds like me?”
“Well, there aren’t exactly other birds like you. At least not blue jays.” Ty explained.
“You’re the only one who’s humanoid. And intelligent.” Camille continued.
“Aw, man!” Jane considered this and her face seemed to fall slightly. “So, I’m like, all alone?”
“For now.” Camille got up from the table, and relaxed on a comfy chair she had added. “But we have a way of helping with that.”
“See, we can change other animals and make them just like you.” Ty smiled.
“Maybe get you a nice boy you can meet.” Camille added, to which Jane rolled her eyes, rising from the table and sitting cross legged on the carpet.
“Listen, if it’s all the same, I think I’m too young for a mate.” Jane rolled on her hips.
This remark caught Ty’s interest and Camille noticed his wry smile.
“Well, uh, then how about a job?” Ty offered.
“Oh! You mean, like, work for you two?” Jane said excitedly.
“Yeah!” Ty nodded. “You see, we have a family of crows who live in the valley down there, and we’re supposed to meet with them later.”
“So what do I do?” Jane cocked her head to the side.
“We want you to give them a message that we’d like them to come over and talk to us.” Camille said gently. “Do you think that’s something you could do, being a flier?”
“Oh, sure, miss Camille,” the bird puffed out her tiny young chest. “I’d be really good at that!”
“And of course we can help you find some more of your own kind.” Ty added.
“Cool!” Jane stood excitedly. “I can leave right now!”
“Oh, Jane, one quick thing before you go?” Ty turned quickly.