Chapter 9: The concerned bird
Hael had lived his entire life in the confines of Aphthonia, though to the young man, it didn't feel like he was confined at all.
How could a person recognize they were confined to a place when that place was all they had ever known? The forest had always been Hael's home, a sanctuary he'd never questioned. Yet now, for the first time, he felt the stirrings of something he couldn't ignore—a yearning to leave the familiar, to step into the unknown. The thought was unsettling, even terrifying, but it was there, a deep desire to experience something beyond the trees and shadows that had shaped his entire existence.
Hael was troubled by these thoughts and couldn't sleep well for the next two days. And his strange behavior didn't go unnoticed by the perceptive bird. The man was lost in thought and had a troubled expression on his face. He couldn't help but wonder if the human who had arrived two days ago was the cause of his absentmindedness. Loki started to feel unease as he watched his dear friend, and he realized that he had felt it from the moment those three men had arrived.
Loki feared for some time now that his friend would someday grow tired of the forest, and would wish to venture out into the world like he was originally intended to do. It was human nature to be curious and not want to be tied down to a single place after all. Though Loki hadn't been around humans much, he was aware of the way they operated. They were different from animals. However, he had thought differently from Hael who grew up surrounded by animals. Loki hoped he'd adopt some of their behavior, but this incident was proving it wouldn't be the case. He was aware Hael would have to leave, but he didn't think it would be so soon.
The white cockatoo wasn't the only one who sensed this change within their friend. Brontus, Maximus as well as the other animals could tell their friend's heart was growing restless.
"Well, we all knew this day would come." Maximus said as he munched on some leaves.
Brontus sauntered his way through the hoard of chimpanzees, and settled on the grass, next to the gorilla. "Do you think he'll follow that woman when she comes back?" He asked.
"I'm not sure. But it is likely that he will. You heard how wonderful she made Trojas to be." Loki said. "She did however fail to mention how terrible the kingdom has become." He added.
This piece of information surprised the others. "How do you know what Trojas is like?" One of the animals asked.