The Non-Human Society

Chapter Two Hundred and Seventy Seven – Renn – The Summit

“That’s a peacock Renn. That’s basically what Rapti is,” Vim said as I watched the bird with the huge tail walk across the road in front of us.

The thing’s feathers were not just big, they were bigger than me! They reminded me of Nasba’s tail feathers and her children. They were even strangely colorful, with odd designs and…

Another bird stepped out of the tall wheat. It hurried over to its fellow, bobbing its head as it did.

“Peacocks…” I whispered as I studied them. They seemed kind of like turkeys or something, but weren’t as fat. Could they fly? They looked like they had wings but their tail feathers looked so ridiculously large that it was hard to imagine them capable…

The first bird finally noticed its friend approach, squawked loudly at it, and then the two ran off into the field of grass on the other side of the path.

“So… Rapti’s feathers look like that?” I asked. And they grew from the back of her head? No wonder she plucked them. They probably were heavy.

“Yeah. Her feathers were more blue I think though,” Vim said as he thought about it.

Hm…

“How come Nasba and her children aren’t these then? I’ll be honest their feathers look more like those than duck feathers,” I said.

“Because you hadn’t seen their elders hundreds of years ago. Their oldest members had feathers all over their bodies, and it was quite clear they were ducks. Plus their feathers aren’t as pretty, and don’t have the reflective traits. They only seem similar thanks to how large and long they are is all,” Vim said.

I frowned, because I myself had found Nasba’s feathers rather pretty. Honestly they hadn’t seemed that less interesting than these at all, so it was interesting to hear Vim say they were noticeably less so, based on how he had said it.

“This species is a peafowl. They’re pheasants. The males are called peacocks, and the females peahens. Or just hens, I guess,” Vim continued to teach me about them.

“Are these the males or females?” I asked.

“Males. The hens are more normal looking. They don’t have the big fancy feathers,” he said.

“Isn’t it weird the male birds are always prettier?” I asked as the birds hurried away, heading for an open field of flowers and tall grass.

“Every species has its odd features for the males. Fancy colors, different sizes, calls or dances. It’s their way of telling who is healthy and who isn’t. Diseased birds won’t be as pretty, or dance as well. Sickly animals won’t be as noisy or big. Humans have the same traits, people just don’t put any stock into them usually… or if they do it’s subconscious,” Vim said.

“Wouldn’t explain you, Vim. You’re rather average looking,” I said as I glanced at him.

He smirked a little, as if proud to hear it was so. “And you’re absolutely stunning.”

Although I had expected him to counter in such a way, per usual, I still blushed a little and looked away from him. I pretended to

Plus… helping them cook, and then eating dinner, was a great excuse to give myself more time.

More time to figure it all out. More time to understand…

And most importantly…

More time to ignore the very weird thought that had sprung forth the moment he had told me what he’d done.

Only something, or someone, special could kill a god.

And that fact terrified me beyond reason.

I wished to forget it. To bury it deep forever.

Vim was not supposed to be something so special as that…

Because then I’d not be able to make him my own.

Because I was not special. Not enough to match someone like that.

And that was what terrified me more than anything else.