Page 26 of Hummingbird and Kraken

“I don’t know much of his history. But we, the People, are human. Our other forms are gifts from the gods that we accept with gratitude. Geir, I think, was born in his other form. His humanity is… not quite the same as ours.”

They were both silent for a moment, shaking the bushes, moving the sheets, and doing it all again. Declan already knew that Geir’s mind worked differently than his, but he hadn’t realized how different it might be. Was he ready for that?

He thought about Geir, with his scowling face and quiet ways. His brawny arms and his delectable tentacles. They were so different, but he was pretty sure that he could make Geir happy. It wasn’t like he was an alien, or anything.

And maybe Declan could help Ro be happy, too. He’d have to gather more information, though. Plan a strategy.

Starting by getting to know Ro better. He asked a few questions about the farm, and soon realized that this was much more than Ro’s job. It was more like his calling.

Ro’s eyes were bright and his face animated as he talked about his plans for the farm and how he’d been developing different areas for new crops over time. He’d made careful decisions about whether to use natural or chemical fertilizers, ultimately deciding that they mostly had the same substances. That left him with much more difficult decisions to make about pesticides.

Declan didn’t know anything about the issue, except that organic produce cost more at the grocery store, but now he was starting to understand it. He enjoyed listening to anyone who was passionate about something, and his questions kept Ro going for a while.

For Ro the decisions weren’t about money, but about respect for Mother Earth and all of the plants, animals, and people who moved across Her. Growing food for his tribe had to always be balanced with the Earth’s greater needs.

It was a nice change from Mike and all of his expensive, hard-edged friends back in New York. Declan found himself really liking Ro’s easy-going ways. They were both working hard, but it felt relaxing, like they were connecting with the farm instead of using it.

“What made you interested in farming?”

Ro shrugged. “I guess I’ve always liked the idea of feeding people.” He smiled a bit bashfully. “I love my bison form because there are legends that bison were given to the people to feed them. They’re usually a symbol of abundance, strength, stability, and blessing.”

“That’s soooo cool.” A bison shifter! It so totally fit Ro, now that he knew. He wished he could see him shift, but that didn’t seem appropriate to ask. “Do all of the animals have meanings like that? Is that what all of those carvings are?”

“That’s right. They’re usually for protection or blessing.”

“What’s a hummingbird?”

Ro tilted his head to the side. “Hummingbirds have a lot of meanings, like many of the animals. They’re often messengers, but they’re warriors, too. They’re affectionate and playful. They represent timelessness and infinity, sometimes. But most often they represent energy or vitality. I can see that being a good animal for you.”

Declan gave a little skip. “Ooh, I love that! I can’t shift, but Geir calls me his hummingbird.”

Ro laughed. “You met him two days ago and you already have a nickname?”

“Well, kind of. He said I was like a hummingbird, so I decided it was my nickname. Now I just have to get him to use it.”

Ro threw back his head and laughed.

“Hey, if you see a hummingbird, could you show me? I want to hear them hum.”

“Wait, you’ve never seen one?”

“I’ve seen pictures! I mean, there aren’t a lot of hummingbirds in the city.”

“You are too much,” Ro said, as he finally stopped laughing. He said it with affection, though, not the way that people usually said that to him. “We have a feeder I can show you later. Just put in some sugar water and they’ll flock to it.”

“Oh, we are definitely getting one of those for the cabin.”

They went back to harvesting blueberries and Declan let himself enjoy the warm sun and good company. Ro went back to explaining his plans for the farm, mixing in stories about the gandayah or Drum Dancers. They were tiny nature spirits who helped respectful Iroquois farmers with their crops.

As Ro launched into another story, Declan looked down to see a small, brown hand reaching across his sheet to snatch a handful of blueberries. A naked child with tangled hair, perhaps three or four years old, danced away.

“A thief!” Ro exclaimed dramatically, chasing after the giggling girl, the pink backpack clutched in one meaty hand. His booming voice was playful. “No one steals my blueberries!”

“Uncle Ro! No!” she squealed. It took Declan only a moment to realize that this was the kitten, May. Shifters had to be the coolest thing ever.

Ro scooped her into his arms. “Now I’ve got you! And the price of these blueberries is wearing one beautiful dress.”

She giggled again. “No dress!”