"You're, like, the official Labyrinth dad now!" came the minuscule voice of the mimoselt, Sphinx.

Forte stopped his casual preening to look down at him with his single eye. "... Excuse me? How is it you've come to that conclusion?"

"I dunno," the small brown creature said as he tossed around on his back in the grass, "you're just that type! You got a way with being nice to us little guys. I think the word is nurturing? And you're old enough anyway to qualify. You just need to work on your dad jokes!"

The rozenich huffed bitterly. "I'm not old! Besides I... I cannot have children; I've convinced myself of that ages ago. I am certain I've thrown away any notions of paternal care-giving along with it."

"You can adopt!"

"Who would want me as a father? Ill-ridden and ill-tempered. They'd be a fool."

Sphinx gave a little stretch and put a paw to his chin in thought. "Maybe I'll adopt you instead!"

"... Were you listening to a thing I just said?"

"Nope."

The rozenich grumbled lowly. "Fine then. My first parental order for you is to get some well-earned sleep."

Sphinx did not argue and immediately curled up into a tight little ball among the flowers. Content, Forte craned his long neck back to rest it along his cloak like a bird. He flicked his ears once before quickly drifting away.



...


"Daddy! Daddy!"

"Oww!! Daddy, she bit me again! Make her stop!

"DAD!!"

Forte awoke with a horrid start, eye flaring. Tiny voices everywhere, squealing into the core of his mind. When his vision managed to catch up, he realized suddenly he was surrounded by small animals. Beasts. Rozenich...? He was in so much shock, he could not even formulate a gasp. They were... sort of rozenich. He thought? It was a bit difficult to make out the anatomical features of the disturbing, disruptive hoard chaotically filling the space around him. A dozen or so were among him, crawling along his frail body and fighting one another in the grass.

Oh, Great Egg... Oh no...

"Dad!!!" a strange rozenich-owl-thing with grotesque looking limbs screeched at him. "Tell Dunnte to stop plucking my feathers!!"

"Forfred is lying!!!! It was Peete!!" said a yellowish chick with a metallic helmet across its face.

"Nu uh!!" said a horrible abomination with only two legs and double mouths.

Forte did not know where to begin with this mess. Thankfully, a familiar--not horrible looking--face struggled through the fray. "Sphinx! What is going on here?"

"Congrats, dad!" he said before promptly leaping up into Forte's arms. "Aren't they beautiful?"

"No."

"That one's my favorite!" he pointed to a strange moss-ball with a tail. It looked at them both with beady eyes. "But sssh don't make it mad!"

The adult rozenich let out a long, raggedy sigh, which was swiftly mimicked playfully by two or three other chicks. This was it then? His new destiny brought forth by the labyrinth? What a cruel joke. But... perhaps he could make the best of it?

"Daddy!" said a little shadowy chick atop his head. "Daddy, I's hungwry!"

Forte pondered a moment. "Nice to meet you, Hungry."

"GAAAAAAASP!!" she immediately fell into a pile of giggles.

He thought he could get used to this.

Then, in the pit of his stomach, something felt... wrong. Horribly wrong. His gaze turned to the dark bushes where another creature lay. It seemed to notice his stare and gathered to its many feet. When it entered into the light, Forte was aghast and his heart was brimming with fear. It was hideous. Rotund and covered with so many wrinkles it looked more like ground meat than a child. It was sparsely patched with downy feathers on its distinct taur-like body. Its torso was a disturbing mixture of rozenich and kurri. It opened its little arms up towards him and smiled with its rows of tiny baby teeth. "Daddy! It's me! Forsey!"

NO! ANYTHING BUT THAT!




Every feather on Forte's body stood straight as he was yanked from his dream state. His head bolted around, eyeing the darkness for signs of small creatures. He saw Stone rested back against a nearby tree with her two female partners in her arms. Kinsey--he shuddered at the sight--was spread out on his side nearby, snoring loudly as he cradled his strange golden plate.

But, wait. Where was...?

Something soft was nestled in his arms. He looked to see the small mimoselt fast asleep, cradled undisturbed in his grasp. He let out a soft little chirp but did not awaken.

Forte sighed quietly. Only a dream... thank Egg.

He pulled the little creature closer to him as he, cautiously, ventured back to sleep.



~ * ~ * ~

CRACKCHILD TIME BAYBEE. Forte x Every bird/bird-like competitor. At least, every one that passed auditions. I think? Maybe. I dunno, man. Plus Celote and a Doorlet. And Forte x Skogsfrun's hairs.
Done for the crackchild contest on Labyrinth-OCT on deviantART!

Each one is just a little bit cursed!

Character pieces belong to their cursed respective owners!


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