What to feed baby fledglings
What to Feed a Fledgling Bird
By Lee Morgan | Updated September 26, 2017During the late spring and summer months it is likely to encounter a baby bird that appears abandoned on the ground. A fledgling bird is actually taught to seek food on its own, while its parents observe from a distance. Do not assume the bird needs your help at first. If the bird remains on its own all day and doesn’t appear to have help from parent birds then you may choose to feed the bird and care for it until you can get it to a wildlife rehabilitator.
Pet Foods
Feed a fledgling bird the same as a dog or cat. Soak dry dog food or cat food in water to make it moist and easy to swallow. The contents of the pet food will be the best temporary diet for the bird, according to the Louisiana SCPA. The bird will open its beak in an attempt to beg for food when it is hungry. Don’t forget to make a homemade nest for the bird to sit in, such as a small bowl lined with paper towels.
Proteins
For many species a baby bird’s diet requires a lot of protein in order to grow at a fast rate, according to The Aviary website. Meat should make up the majority of what you feed to a fledgling bird. Cut up small pieces of raw kidney or liver and give it to the bird using a pair of tweezers to drop into the mouth. Aside from meat, baby birds may also get protein from the whites of a hard-boiled egg cut into small strips. They will also eat the boiled yolk of the egg if it is mashed into a paste. Protein rich dog biscuits soaked in water will also work as a temporary food for fledglings.
No Milk
Do not use milk to soften dry foods for birds, as they are not able to digest it properly, according to the Louisiana SPCA. While it may seen natural to feed babies milk, remember that these creatures are not breast fed mammals and their requirements differ from other animals. Avoid dairy products, because the bird may already be having a hard enough time surviving, without having to cope with digestive problems too.
Feeding
A fledgling bird will need to eat every 15 to 30 minutes from dawn until dusk, according to the Louisiana SPCA. Carefully drop the foods into the mouth of the bird and continue to feed it until it stops opening its mouth and begging for more. Do not touch the bird unless absolutely necessary and keep it in a warm place where it will not be disturbed.
References
- Louisiana SPCA: Helping Injured and Orphaned Birds
- The Aviary: “Abandoned” Birds
Writer Bio
Lee Morgan is a fiction writer and journalist. His writing has appeared for more than 15 years in many news publications including the "Tennesseean," the "Tampa Tribune," "West Hawaii Today," the "Honolulu Star Bulletin" and the "Dickson Herald," where he was sports editor. He holds a Bachelor of Science in mass communications from Middle Tennessee State University.
What to feed a baby bird: A vet's guide to caring for a fledgling
(Image credit: Getty Images)If you’ve found a young fledgling, it's likely that your immediate reaction is to wonder what to feed a baby bird, followed by if and how you can care for the chick vs returning them back to its parents.
These are surprisingly common queries that many vets hear; baby birds are regular ‘wildlife rescues’ and knowing what to do if you’ve found a nestling, a fledgling, or an injured baby bird is important. Afterall, you can't reach for the nearest premium bird feeder and satisfy their hunger the usual way!
This article will outline what you need to know about rescuing a baby bird, including answering questions around what do baby birds eat, whether you should attempt to care for a bird yourself and how to take care of an abandoned bird if the need arises.
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What to do with a baby bird
If you’ve found a baby bird on the floor, or one has been brought in by your cat, the first thing to do is get it to a safe place. Gently pick it up – you can use a tea towel if you’d rather not touch it – and put it into a box. Any sort of box with a lid that’s large enough will work – you don’t need to make it perfect, just get it contained and in the dark whilst you work out what to do next.
Try to have a peek at it as you lift it. Is it injured? Is there any blood?
Now, you need to decide if you’ve rescued a nestling or a fledgling. By far the most common rescues are fledglings. These young birds are just learning to fly, so they spend a lot of time on the ground. This means you’re more likely to spot them, and they’re more at risk of being caught by the cat!
Fledglings have most or all of their feathers, but might not look as neat as an adult bird. If the baby bird is a fledgling, you can leave him where you found him if it’s safe, or place the box, open and on its side, under a bush, or hanging from a branch so he can hide until he’s ready to try flying again. His parents will be nearby, waiting to feed him. Keep pets inside if possible to give him a fair chance!
A nestling, on the other hand, will have no feathers. He’ll likely have fallen out of his nest, and you may find more than one baby bird, or even a whole nest on the ground. Have a look for the nest – if you can see it, pop him back in there and leave him – his parents will carry on feeding him.
If the nest is on the ground, prop it up high or – even better – wire it into the bush or tree it fell from so that it’s safe from predators. If you can’t see it, or it’s damaged, try using a plant pot with some nest material, and wire it to a bush.
If you can’t return the baby bird to his parents, or you’ve tried but have seen no sign of them after continuous watching of two or more hours, you may have to consider hand-rearing the bird.
(Image credit: Getty Images)Should I look after this baby bird?
Hopefully you’ve tried to return the bird to his parents – hand rearing is hard work, and nowhere near as rewarding as they make it sound in books. Feeding needs to happen frequently – as often as every 20 minutes – during daylight hours, so this is a big responsibility. Most people don’t have the equipment and experience necessary, so taking in a bird should be a last resort.
Hand reared birds struggle to survive in the wild and are unlikely to ever live a normal life unless they’ve been reared by a professional.
It’s also extremely common for baby birds to die from stress, incorrect diet, or undiagnosed injury or illness – so be prepared. Lastly, you’ll need to check your local law. In some areas, it’s illegal to keep wildlife captive unless you have a license, or it may be illegal to release the bird again once you’ve brought it into the house.
If you’re sure the bird has been abandoned, the best option is to see if there’s a nearby wildlife rescue or shelter that will take the bird, as this will give the bird the best chance of being safely released. If this isn’t possible, see if they can tell you what species of bird it is and give you any advice or equipment.
(Image credit: Getty Images)How do you take care of an abandoned baby bird?
If you can’t find anybody else to take the bird and you really want to give it a shot, it’s time to find out how to take care of an abandoned baby bird. Here’s all you need to know:
Housing an abandoned baby bird
You’ll need to find somewhere suitable for the baby bird to live until it’s old enough to be released.
For a fledgling, this is easy – they’re already out of the nest so you just need to provide a safe space in the garden that they can escape when they’re ready.
For a nestling, you’ll need a box lined with something non-slip easy to clean – birds are messy! Don’t forget that the box should be pet-proof! They’ll also need a ‘nest’, as this supports their weight and allows normal development of their bones. Place the box in a quiet place. It’s best not to use a heat lamp unless it’s very cold, as a nestling will be unable to move away if they’re too hot.
What do baby birds eat? How to feed a baby bird that fell out of its nest
If your bird is a nestling, you’ll need to feed from a syringe or pipette. These birds would be being fed regurgitated food from mum and dad, so they’ll need a soft food. A common option is a mix of cat/dog food, hardboiled eggs, and crushed mealworms, but your wildlife rehabber will be able to give you a more exact recipe designed for the age and species of the bird.
You’ll need to find out how to make the baby bird food, how long it can stay in the fridge for, and how often to feed the baby bird.
If you’re wondering what to feed a fledgling baby bird, don’t worry – this is much easier! Fledglings will still be being fed by their parents, but they’re picking up many of the skills they need to feed themselves. First, try offering a bird food mix of seeds and mealworms, and see if the bird helps himself. If he does, great! If not, you’ll need to find out what sort of bird he is, and feed him his preferred food – often softened mealworms – from a pair of tweezers until he’s a little older.
(Image credit: Getty Images)Can you give baby birds water?
It’s very important that birds don’t get dehydrated, but it’s difficult to safely give water to a baby bird. Nestlings should not be given water – they won’t know what to do with it and might drown in it. Both nestlings and fledglings that are not yet feeding themselves will get their water from their diet – so they’ll need access to moist foods.
Fledglings that can feed themselves can be given a shallow dish of water until they recover from their shock and fly away.
Conclusion
Knowing what to do with a baby bird that’s been abandoned is tough. Whilst our instinct is to rescue and look after them, it’s generally not in the bird’s best interests – they’re better off outside and rarely do well when hand reared.
If you do end up feeding a baby bird, take as much advice as possible from an experienced bird rehabilitation centre to maximise the chances of a successful release.
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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsAfter graduating as a veterinarian from the University of Nottingham, Dr Joanna Woodnutt went on to practice companion animal medicine in the Midlands. She quickly developed a love of consulting and helping clients with medical problems such as dermatology, behaviour and nutrition - anything that involved helping clients understand their pets better.
Jo started writing about pet health in 2017, realising that it meant she could help even more pet parents. Since then, she has written for countless online and print publications and is a regular contributor for Edition Dog Magazine. Jo now lives in the Channel Islands with her husband Ian and terrier Pixie, and they are expecting their first child very soon.
Haunted read online by F.K. Kast, Christine Kast (Page 5)
CHAPTER 5
“We have peanut butter, jam, bolognese and melted cheese slices,” Jack announced. He uttered the words "melted cheese in slices" with such disgust, as if he were offering us worms and dirt from a puddle. — And this is my personal surprise "from the chef" - white bread sandwiches, mayonnaise, peanut butter and lettuce!
Thanks, Jack. Nice vomiters,” Shaunee grimaced.
— Completely crazy, feeding us all sorts of shit, — Erin supported. Crazy gay white kid,” Kramisha muttered, shoveling bolognese and cheese sandwiches onto her plate.
nine0003
The twins nodded in unison and, giving Jack an indignant glance, sat down on the box next to Kramisha.
Jack's lips trembled.
- Wow, it's delicious! he muttered, looking helplessly at his creations. - You should try first before you call names!
— Can I have one? said Shannoncompton.
- Thank you! Jack beamed and handed her the largest sandwich wrapped in a piece of paper towel.
Stevie Rae's tiny little closet was filled with the hum of voices, the rustle of paper, laughter and the crunch of packets of chips. To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of food and cola (cola, finally!). nine0003
Bottles of wine and bags of blood being passed around made our feast absolutely surreal. I sat on the bed with Aphrodite, Darius and Stevie Rae, who felt better and better every minute. To the sounds of cheerful voices and the crunch of chips, one could easily imagine that we were sitting in the girls' building of the House of Night, and not at all in the dark tunnels under the city.
For some time, we again turned into ordinary guys, whom fate brought together in one very strange place. nine0003
“We are waiting for a story about a creature rising from the dust of the earth, and about monstrous birds that flock around it,” Darius reminded.
“Unfortunately, we ourselves know very little about him, and only from the story of my grandmother,” I began and suddenly fell silent, swallowing back the tears that had risen to my throat. “But Grandma is in a coma now and won’t be able to help us.
— What are you saying, Zoey? Stevie Rae gasped, touching my arm gently. - What happened to her?
“According to the official version, she had an accident,” I said. “But in fact, the mockingbirds set up the accident, because the grandmother knew about them!” nine0003
— If I understand correctly, is that what you call the creatures that rose from the earth along with the winged man? Darius stated.
“Yes, these are his children,” I nodded. “For thousands of years, Kalona raped the women of my grandmother's tribe, and from this connection they sometimes gave birth to mocking crows.
When Kalona burst out of the ground, they also found bodies.
- Did you learn all about them from the legend of the Cherokee people? Darius asked.
— Not only. First, Aphrodite had a vision from which we learned about a prophecy that foreshadowed the imminent return of Kalona. The prophecy was written by my grandmother's hand, so we called her and told her everything. Grandmother was very frightened and came to the House of Night to help us,” I paused, gathering my strength to finish. "That's why the mockingbirds attacked her!" nine0003
— It's a pity that this prophecy is not available now, it would be very useful to think it over again, since Kalona has returned, — Darius drawled thoughtfully.
“It’s as simple as shelling pears,” Aphrodite replied. She sucked on the bottle for a long time, then wiped her lips with the back of her hand, hiccupped softly and recited:
whether they break the chains,
She will wake up her husband with a terrible magic.
The great ruler will be called to life by the hand of a dead man,
He will eclipse the sun with a violent terrible beauty.
With menacing steps the ruler will ascend to the throne,
Women will again submit to the power of his age-old
The sweet song of Kalona will sound to us forever.
With a cold heart, we will kill in his name. [Translated from English. V. A. Maksimova.]
- Wow! Just great! Jack exclaimed and clapped his hands.
Aphrodite bowed regally in all directions and with a slight hesitation said:
— Thank you… Thank you… Well, you, this is a great happiness for me. My art belongs to all of you!
Having finished grimacing, she leaned back against the pillows and strengthened her strength with a good sip from the bottle. I looked at her with displeasure and decided that from now on I would seriously keep an eye on her passion for alcohol. No, I understand everything - terrible stress, blood loss, Imprinting with Stevie Rae - but you also need to know the measure! All that was missing was for our Clairvoyant Beauty to turn into a Clairvoyant Alcoholic! nine0003
Darius shook his head thoughtfully.
— So Kalona is this ancient lord! But it remains unclear who he is and where he came from?
- Grandmother said that the easiest way to call him a fallen angel, one of those immortal spirits that descended from heaven to earth in ancient times. It is no coincidence that memories of these creatures have been preserved in the culture of almost all peoples. Suffice it to recall the Old Testament or ancient Greek myths.
- I must say, they settled down pretty well! Aphrodite remarked with a slightly slurred tongue. - They lived in the sky, and flew to the ground, as if on vacation. Then they appreciated the beauty of earthly women and got into the habit of “connecting” with them. Unite! They would say directly - tra ...
- Thank you, Aphrodite! Then I’ll do it myself,” I hastily intervened.
Good thing she stopped pouting, But her drunken sarcasm wasn't much better. Wise Damien silently handed me a sandwich and nodded at Aphrodite.
I handed her the bundle, said:
“Here, have a bite,” and returned to the story.
“Kalona also began to mix with Cherokee women and soon lost his head with lust. Women began to avoid him, and then he became mad and turned into a monster. He enchanted Cherokee men and raped their women. In the end, Kalona's crimes overwhelmed the tribal patience, and then the wise Cherokee women - they were called Giguyi - came up with a way to crush him. They molded a beautiful girl out of clay, who was supposed to lure Kalona into a trap. nine0003
— What? Stevie Rae asked. Was it a clay doll?
— Yes, only wonderfully beautiful. Each wise Giguia rewarded her with a special gift, and then they all breathed life into the clay girl and gave her the name A-Z . As soon as Kalona saw A-ya, he desired her. But A-ya was obedient to the will of the gigui. She ran away from Kalona and lured him into a deep underground cavern. Kalona was mortally afraid of any dungeons, but could not resist the passion that burned him and fell into a trap. nine0003
“That's why you told us to hide in the tunnels,” Darius guessed.
I nodded.
— So you consider Kalona a formidable immortal spirit? And the mockingbirds are his children and obedient servants,” the warrior said slowly. “Who, then, is Queen T-si Sgi-li, the sovereign’s wife?”
- As far as I understood from my grandmother's story, T-si Sgi-li are evil Cherokee witches. Not good witches and not even priestesses, but real witches, like in a fairy tale. They are the embodiment of evil, real demons, only mortals. And yet they were distinguished by magical powers and could kill with the help of thought. - I paused, and then decisively finished: - Neferet - T-si Sgi-li. This is what the prophecy says about her. nine0003
“But Neferet declared Kalona the earthly incarnation of Erebus, in the face of the House of Night she called her husband and master,” Darius said thoughtfully. - So, she sees herself as the Goddess Samui only mortal. Nyx and Erebus - now we have Neferet and Kalona!
- Neferet lies! I exclaimed indignantly.
“In fact, she turned her back on Nyx. I've known this for a long time, but I couldn't openly oppose the High Priestess. You yourself saw what happened that night. The entire House of Night saw Stevie Rae and the red fledglings, but no one dared to rebel against Neferet! Apart from Shekinah, no one moved an ear when she openly ordered Stark to shoot. nine0003
“Now I understand why Neferet was so eager to get Stark transferred from the Chicago House of Night to Tulsa,” Damien slapped his forehead. Everyone stared at him in bewilderment, and he explained, “At last year's summer competition, Stark won a gold medal for archery. Neferet wanted to get him to shoot Stevie Rae and fulfill the prophecy!
“Looks like the truth,” Aphrodite said. “We know that Neferet does something to dead fledglings. Obviously, she wanted to use Stark from the very beginning, and - sadly - everything turned out exactly as she planned. Stark has turned into an undead undead and her obedient puppet! nine0003
Aphrodite looked triumphantly around the whole company and rewarded herself for her wits with a huge gulp from the bottle.
“Fortunately, this champion lost his marksmanship after death,” Stevie Rae squirmed. "Or he would have killed me on the spot!"
"You're wrong," I blurted out before I could bite my tongue. Well, the word is not a sparrow. Now you have to tell everything frankly. Stark didn't miss. He missed it on purpose.
— How is it? Stevie Rae's eyes widened. nine0003
- Before he died, Stark told me about the gift Nyx gave him. He never misses. Never .
"But if Stark purposely left Stevie Rae alive, then he's not completely under Neferet's control after all," Damien pointed out.
“He called you by your first name,” Eric said softly and glared at me with his piercing blue eyes. “I remember it very well. Before he shot Stevie Rae, he called out to you. And he added that he returned to you. nine0003
“I was with him when he died,” I answered honestly, holding Eric's gaze firmly. It was not enough to feel guilty that someone other than him could have warm feelings for me! After all, I'm not that ugly! “And I managed to tell him that fledglings in our House of Night do not die for good.
He remembered it, that's all.
“A connection has arisen between you, and the connection is not simple,” Darius shook his head thoughtfully. For better or worse, we don't know yet. It just seems to me that Stark missed the mark for you. nine0003
- But Stark has completely changed! I protested, trying not to look at Eric. It's only been a few days since I kissed Stark and he died in my arms, it felt like it was in another life. “Neferet has complete control over him, even if he tries to resist!”
- Yes, yes, she definitely bewitched him! Jack nodded.
“Wait a minute, I just remembered something,” Damien wrinkled his brow. - I noticed that after the appearance of Kalona, everyone began to behave very strangely, as if under some kind of dope! nine0003
Venus snorted contemptuously (exactly like Aphrodite in her most mischievous and least attractive mood) and declared:
“Everything except us,” she gestured around the red fledglings. - As soon as we saw him, we immediately realized that he was a product of evil and dog shit!
— But how did you guess? I asked.
“You saw that when he appeared, all the fledglings, except us, of course, fell on their knees! Even the Sons of Erebus did not oppose Kalona! nine0003
I tactfully kept silent about the fact that I almost threw myself at Kalona's feet. Firstly, it is impolite to talk about myself, and secondly, why would I drop my authority in front of the red fledglings?
Venus shrugged her shoulders arrogantly.
- It's obvious! Sure, he's handsome and all, but I'm begging you! He jumped out of the ground immediately after she spilled the blood of Stevie Rae! Is good born into the world from a bloody puddle?
Look how wonderfully she understands evil! Probably because I know him too well. nine0003
— He has wings, right? Kramisha asked. - It is not right. Mom told me: Kramisha, don't trust white boys, especially handsome ones. I always obeyed my mother, she does not give bad advice. And when this one with wings jumped out of the bloody earth, and after it a flock of clumsy birds with human arms and legs flew out, I immediately said to myself: “Be careful, Kramisha! It's dirty here!"
- That's right! - a handsome white boy named Jack supported her with fervor.
“I'll tell you what, friends,” Damien said very seriously, and we all turned to him. - If we were not standing in a circle, and if Aphrodite - many thanks to her for this! - not yelling at us, ordering us to hold on and not open it, I myself would have fallen on my knees in front of Kalona. nine0003
A chill of fear ran between my shoulder blades.
— And you? I turned to the Twins.
“He was so cool,” Shawnee sighed.
“So sweet,” Erin nodded guiltily and looked questioningly at Shawnee. She nodded, and then Erin admitted with a sigh, “Don’t be angry, but we would have submitted too.” If Aphrodite had not screamed at us in such a terrible voice and demanded to keep the circle, we would have been together with everyone.
“We are ashamed,” Shawnee looked down. nine0003
“You didn’t have my mother,” Kramisha generously comforted her. - How do you get smart?
- So I saved the stinky bunch once again? Aphrodite chuckled.
“Eat your sandwich,” I advised, and turned to Eric.
- What do you think? Did you want to too?…” I paused embarrassedly, not knowing how to ask the question.
— Bow to him? Eric came to my aid and I nodded. Yes, I also felt its power. But don't forget, I already knew something was wrong with Neferet. Therefore, when she began to cling to Kalona, I immediately got sick of doing business with him. That's why I focused on other things. nine0003
We looked at each other knowingly. Of course, Eric knew about Neferet, because one day he became an accidental witness to our conversation with her. Besides, Eric knew by then that I cheated on him with Lauren Blake only because Neferet told her lover to seduce me and quarrel with my friends.
“If you will allow me, I will summarize everything I heard,” Darius raised his hand. - All fledglings are especially sensitive to Kalona's charms, only the Reds are better at resisting them. However, ordinary people are also able to restrain themselves if they come to their senses in time or someone helps them.
- Darius hesitated and looked at Jack: - What do you say about yourself, young fledgling? Did you also want to bow to Kalona? nine0003
But Jack shook his head decisively.
- Not a bit. But, to be honest, I hardly looked at him. At first I was terribly worried about Stevie Rae, and then I only thought about not being separated from Damien. And then Fanti went crazy at the sight of Stark,” he added, and leaned over to pet the dog. “Where can I think of Kalon!
— What do you say? I looked at Darius. “Did you feel his power too?”
Darius glanced quickly at Aphrodite, who was absently chewing on a sandwich. nine0003
— Other thoughts occupied me, High Priestess, although, I admit, I felt the spell of Kalona. But do not forget, I am in many ways different from warrior brothers - with you I am connected by the strongest ties of duty and friendship. From the first day I began to guard Aphrodite and Zoe, a strong bond arose between us, and it will not be interrupted, - the mighty warrior smiled at me and continued: - Since ancient times it has been the custom among the Sons of Erebus - the oath of protection is stronger than all charms and more reliable than flint.
Often the High Priestess is guarded all her life by warriors who have sworn allegiance to her since childhood. It is no coincidence that we are called the sons of the spouse of the Goddess - our devotion is given only once, and you cannot take it away. nine0003
I smiled back at him and silently prayed to the Goddess that the brat Aphrodite wouldn't dare to break Darius' golden heart.
“What do you think is going on upstairs now?” Jack suddenly asked.
Everyone, as if on cue, looked up at the vaulted ceiling of the tunnel, and I swear I'm not the only one who thought happily about what a thick layer of stone and soil is blocking us from the "top".
“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. Enough already burned on sweet lies! The hardest truth is still better than empty talk like "I'm-sure-everything-is-okay." I thought carefully and said, carefully weighing each word: - Let's just sum up everything that we know. We know that the ancient lord has escaped from his underground confinement.
We also know that a whole army of his terrible demonic servants came to earth with him. The last time Kalona came to earth, he raped women and enslaved men, and we have no reason to believe that his habits changed much after his imprisonment. And the saddest thing is that we know that our High Priestess, and possibly all the inhabitants of the House of Night, have gone over to the dark side. Let not of your own free will, even if temporarily and under the influence of a spell - but such is the reality. nine0003
There was a long silence, and then Eric smiled mirthlessly:
— I don't love Star Wars for nothing. They give us examples for all occasions.
I smiled back and continued:
“We don’t know what harm Kalona and his minions have already done to humans and vampires. Eric just told us about a terrible thunderstorm that broke out overhead. There was a hurricane downpour, a wild frost hit and a terrible wind blows. However, it is possible that all this has nothing to do with Kalona.
After all, we live in Oklahoma, and here the weather often plays tricks. nine0003
— Ohhhhhh! sang the drunken Aphrodite. - The birthplace of tornadoes, pollinados, hurricanes and other muragans. Just hang on here!
I suppressed a sigh and decided to ignore the Clairvoyant Alcoholic.
- On the other hand, we are completely safe here. We have food, shelter and all that.
"At least I really hope so."
I patted the bed, which was covered in extraordinarily chic green linens.
- By the way, about "all that." Where did you get hold of junk? I asked Stevie Rae. “Don’t misunderstand me, I don’t want to offend you at all, but this bed, table, refrigerators, dishes and everything else is very different from those bags and other rags that I found here last time. nine0003
Stevie Rae smiled from ear to ear and blushed.
“It's all Aphrodite,” she said shyly. “Thanks to her, everything changed here.
- Aphrodite? I asked in bewilderment and, together with the others, stared at our beauty.
— Why are you looking at me like that? Yes, I had to become the face of the Good Deeds Society! Thank the Goddess that she made me such a beauty! Aphrodite muttered and belched like a drunken man. “Oh, scusa [Scusa (Ital.) — sorry, sorry.], - she was embarrassed. nine0003
— Skuzzy? Jack asked.
“It’s Italian for wood,” Aphrodite barked. — Expand your homosexual horizons!
— And what did Aphrodite do here? I hurried to ask before everything ended in a real scandal.
- She bought everything here. And anyway, it was her idea to redo everything here,” Stevie Rae proudly remarked.
- Skuza? I asked, trying my best not to smile.
— I had to spend two whole days here. Did you really think that I would live in a barn? Not to life! A gold credit card works wonders, kids. My parents had to pay for all this, including several bottles of the driest martini,” Aphrodite boasted. “There's a nice little Pottery Barn nearby in Utica Square. All furniture and designer stuff for the interior is from there.
With delivery, of course. Home Depot was also nearby, but one of the red-eyed freaks enlightened me about this, I myself, as you understand, was never interested in tools and building materials. nine0003
| You see, after a couple of months of healthy and balanced meals in the House of Night dining room, my taste buds were in dire need of a dose of something deliciously unbalanced and completely unhealthy. Honestly. I'm not lying. “We talked to Stevie Rae,” I said, biting into a chicken wing. — I heard her rustic accent even from the next room! Aphrodite nodded, delicately nibbling off pieces of a chicken leg. When she saw that I had salted the already salted potatoes, she grimaced in disgust: “Look, you’ll swell up like a dead fish!” nine0003 - I'll wear slimming pants until the excess comes out in the urine! I grinned, aiming for another piece of chicken meat. Aphrodite shrugged her shoulders. - Fu! What a brute you are! I can't believe we are friends! Which once again proves the depth of my fall! So, how are Stevie Rae and her menagerie doing? “Actually, we didn’t talk about her and the guys from the tunnel,” I lied. He didn't want to tell Aphrodite that she was right again, and Stevie Rae openly admitted that things were not so simple with herself and her friends from the tunnels. nine0003 — But did they really talk about Stark? - Yes, and everything is bad here. - No wonder since he's dead! Or undead. However, both of them are complete crap. I don't even know which is worse. Stevie Rae didn't say when he'll be revived? Or shall we wait until Stark stinks, and then we will understand that there will be no holiday? - Don't talk about him like that! — Sorry, I forgot that you had a crush on him! So what did Stevie Rae say? - Alas, she herself does not know anything for sure. Everything that happened before the Transformation, she remembers in fits and starts. - Feed hamburgers and chips or through a hole in a vein? - The second option. — Yeah... For you, all this direct blood drinking is just a holiday, but it makes me sick. — By the way, me too, but where to go? This is a very powerful force,” I admitted, feeling uncomfortable. Aphrodite looked at me for a long time. - A vampire sociology textbook says that outright blood drinking is like sex. Even better. nine0003 I shrugged. - No, you won't get off that easy! I need details! - Okay, it's like sex. Truth. Aphrodite's eyes widened. — And just as pleasant? — Yes, but outright blood drinking is not so harmless. I remembered Heath and decided to change the subject. “In any case, we will have to steal the body of the possibly temporarily dead Stark and hide it where it will be possible to monitor whether he came to life or not. - A small clarification - this is you will feed him . Sorry, girlfriend, but no one will bite through my veins! - Yes, yes, I will feed him. “Actually, such a prospect inspired me very much, but don’t talk about it to Aphrodite. “But how can we steal it, and where can we hide it?” - Well, yes, not an easy task, especially since Neferet, for sure, keeps an eye on him. - According to Stevie Rae, you guessed right again. I took a greedy sip of cola. nine0003 “So you need a baby monitor,” Aphrodite said. — What? - Well, a hidden camera that rich moms use to keep an eye on their precious babes, even when they sit in the country club and sip martinis at eleven in the morning. - Aphrodite, you are a creature from another world! - Thank you! she nodded. — The video baby monitor is just what we need! Let's go to the Radio Shack right now and I'll buy a set of equipment ... Does Jack seem to be good at electronics? nine0003 - Yes. - So he will put the camera in the morgue, and the monitor in your room. But damn, why? I will buy a model with a portable monitor so that you can carry it with you! — Really? — Of course! - You brought me back to life, Aphrodite! And then I decided that I would have to hide Stark in my closet. - Phi! Aphrodite grimaced and, paying tribute to the junk food, she asked: “What else was this hillbilly talking about?” - Actually, we were talking about you! I said boldly. nine0003 - Me? Aphrodite narrowed her eyes. - Well, not much. We discussed how she could represent the Earth in tomorrow's cleansing ritual instead of you. - So Stevie Rae will hide behind me and we will pretend that I am calling the Earth, although in fact she will do it? - Not exactly. I think Stevie Rae will just take his place in the circle. — Right in front of the whole school? - Yeah. — You're joking, aren't you? — No. - And Stevie Rae agreed? “Yes,” I replied with more confidence than I actually felt. Aphrodite chewed silently for a minute, then slowly nodded. - Understood. You're counting on the Shekinah to cover your ass, - Our asses, Aphrodite. That is, mine, yours, Stevie Rae, the red fledglings and Stark, if he, of course, comes to life. I think if the new fledglings stop hiding, it will be more difficult for Neferet to use them for his own purposes. nine0003 - In my opinion, the plan is not a fountain! - He may be poor, but where is the best place to get it? Personally, I'm serious. And you should. Neferet is a monster. She tried to start a war with people and is unlikely to abandon her plans even now. Also,” I added hesitantly, “I have a bad feeling about it. — Damn, this is bad. What's a premonition? - I honestly tried to ignore him, but after the appearance of Nyx, it always seems to me that something is wrong with Neferet. - Zoe, stop screwing yourself around! You had that premonition long before Nyx's appearance. I shook my head. - This is completely different. Now it's gotten much worse. And Stevie Rae feels it too. - I hesitated, and then added uncertainly: - And after something attacked me yesterday, now I'm even afraid of the night! - Nights? “Yes, nights,” I repeated. - Zoe, we are children of the night, how can she scare you? — I don’t know, but I have a feeling that something dark is hiding in the night and is watching me all the time! What do you feel? nine0003 - What do you mean? Aphrodite asked with a sigh. - In the sense of Neferet and everything else! Tell me, don't you feel any negative waves? - Well, I don't know. I didn't think about any of your waves. I have enough problems of my own... I clutched at the chicken and fried potatoes convulsively so as not to choke Aphrodite out of desperation. — So why not think for a change? I mean, it's very, very important. I lowered my voice, although the restaurant patrons were greedily stuffing themselves with cholesterol and not paying any attention to us. “By the way, you had two visions of how I was killed, and Neferet was involved in at least one. nine0003 “I'm glad you finally figured out what your 'feelings' about Neferet are,” Aphrodite replied, emphasizing the words 'feelings' in her voice. “By telling you the visions of your deaths, I only added to your already rampant anxiety. — I think it's not just that. You see, over the past two months, something has been happening to me every now and then, but until now I have not been so afraid of . This is the first time with me. Well, just such a fear, from which you want to squeal and ... A familiar laugh made me stop mid-sentence and turn to the front door. And then it felt like I was hit in the stomach, squeezing all the air out of my chest. He was holding a tray with his favorite all-inclusive set (No.  .
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Long story short, Stevie Rae suggested stealing Stark's body from the morgue and seeing if he came back to life or not. If it revives, it will need to be fed immediately. nine0003 
Then we will feed him… 
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