The Grackle

Chapter 3: Negotiations

Shit. I didn't mean to do that!

Grackle gave her a sharp, and toothy grin. It sent chills up her spine. Ambriel could almost see the gears turning in his head, deciding which he wanted to pursue. Her heart dropped to her stomach when he gestured to her pants pocket. Ambriel's fingers squeezed it even tighter.

"Whatcha got there?"

"Nothing."

"No use lying. Let me see."

"No!" She snapped louder than she intended.

Crap. It's probably not a good idea to scream at a being that could probably toss my boneless body across this forest with one hand.

Ambriel cleared her throat and tried again. Softer this time. "Not this one. Please."

An awkward silence stretched between them, leaving only the chittering of cicadas and birds to fill it. Ambriel was too frightened to meet his gaze, and so, resigned, she warily slid the object out of her pocket and raised it closer for him to inspect. A golden pocket mirror engraved with pink roses. Her arms trembled as if expecting he was going to eat it, her arms included.

"It's the only thing I have left of my mom." When her voice cracked, she heard him suck his teeth and risked peeking at him. To her surprise, the large, plumed monster was scratching the back of his head with his claw.

Is he — embarrassed?

"Fine," Grackle conceded, and then mumbled, "Now yer just making me feel like an asshole."

"Thank you." Ambriel meant it. He waited for her to stuff the mirror back into her pocket before he flicked what hung from her neck instead.

"So then this."

"Not this either."

"Another sentimental trinket?"

"No, but..."

Why are you being so honest with him, Ambriel? He's not human!

"Thought we were bartering for yer life? You suck at negotiations."

She threw him the most seething glare she could, but it only encouraged his prying.

"Two forbidden remnants, huh? Do your people know you have them?"

Ambriel grit her teeth.

"The pocket mirror's broken."

"Yeah, well if it still has any mirror at all, still counts."

He was right. Anything with a hard, water-like surface or anything reflective was confiscated by higher-ups immediately.

"It's no wonder your eyes are different."

Ambriel felt her heart thump against her ribs and rubbed furiously at her eyes. When she pulled her fingers away, she was expecting to see something. Anything. But there was nothing.

"Why do you keep saying that? What's wrong with my eyes?"

"Never said there was anything wrong with 'em."

"It's because I looked through them, isn't it? The binoculars."

"So you do know what they are. I'm impressed. Wasn't expecting ya to know considering your age. Definitely born after."

Ambriel hugged the binoculars as she sneered at him.

"Oh yeah? Well, you don't look that much older than me. What makes you so special?"

Grackle chuckled. "See? Your eyes are fine. Now, can I see 'em?"

She looked down at the binoculars in her arms and frowned.

"Are you going to..."

Grackle sucked his teeth again. "I'll give 'em back! Just let me have a look!"

Though she was still pouting, Ambriel looped them over her head and offered it to him by the string it was on. Grackle plucked them away and lifted them towards his face.

No. Is he going to-

As soon as Grackle fit the binoculars over the bridge of his nose, she squeaked in horror. He didn't notice.

"Ya hit the jackpot with this one, scavenger."

"I uh, I did?"

"Yeah. High quality. Intact, minus the crack on the left lens. You can see for miles with 'em."

Oh, I know. Part of the reason why I'm in this mess now.

"They're amazing, aren't they? I was excited when I found them."

Ambriel's face felt like it was on fire. It wasn't often that she received compliments for her skill as a scavenger, not when she was keeping all the praiseworthy stuff for herself, and Blayne.

"I bet. Looks like you're good at what you do."

"Thanks."

Grackle dangled the binoculars back to her. The overwhelming urge to take them screamed in the back of her mind, but concern made her hesitate.

"They're not cursed just because I touched 'em. Do ya want it back or not? Because if ya don't want them-"

"No!" Ambriel snatched the binoculars from him and quickly looped them back over her head. "I want them. Question is, what do you want? Out of the remnants I have, I mean."

"None."

"None? What do you mean, none?"

"Ya heard me. Not interested."

They stared at each other, Ambriel squinting, trying to decipher his fishy intentions, and him, waiting with an awfully suspicious smirk brewing on his face — if you could call it a face. With the trees overhead and his feathers, it was hard to make out details aside from the flash of a fang or the glint of an eye.

"You're, uh, you're letting me go then?"

"Hell no. Not until I have something more valuable than your word."

"But you don't want anything I have," she said flatly.

"Correct."

"So then what the hell are we even doing!" Ambriel shouted fear be damned. "What else can I give you so you'll let me go?"

Grackle hummed as if in deep thought.

I'm starting to think he just enjoys pissing me off... Is this what their kind do? Play with their food?

Grackle straightened to his full height, a head taller than her, and flexed his large wings open. Ambriel stared in awe. They were more beautiful up close than from afar. Wind flapped from them, and pushed her back a step. Grackle snorted and steadied her with a claw against her back.

He burred low into her hair. "I'm sure we can think of something, Ambriel..."

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A/N: Artwork taken from Anime-Wallpapers on Tumblr. Okay, no more fancy banners. This is enough for now. :-P