A Mockingbird In The Crows Nest

A Steady Beep Of A Heart Monitor

"Get your hands off me!!" He thrashes harder, kicking out and landing a hit on someone by his feet. "I-I'll- I'll kill you!! I'll fucking do it, I swear!!" He threatens, rattling his feathers louder and snapping his teeth at the hands close to his shoulders.

Footsteps shuffle and move around him, and Tommy continues thrashing and biting at any hands that get close to his face. He kicks and rattles his feathers and fights with all his might to get them away . But they don't move. No matter how much he fights, the hands keep him firmly pressed against whatever table he's laying on. And eventually, his rattling and hisses become whines. He doesn't understand. He was good, wasn't he? Why was he being punished? No one's bound his wings in years thanks to his behavior- so why were they suddenly doing it again? It didn't make sense..

He warbles, low and desperate as his struggles die down- wishing and praying for someone to come to his aid- even though he knows deep down that no one's going to help him.

A quiet, almost stuttering croon reaches his ears a moment later, and he sucks in a sharp breath as tears pour down his cheeks. His fighting slows down, and gentle fingers graze against his forehead, brushing away a few strands of hair. When he doesn't snap at the fingers- it turns into a whole hand as someone rests their palm against his sweaty forehead. "Shh, I know..You're alright, fledgling. You're alright.." The first voice says, and Tommy chirrups desperately; leaning into the kind touch as it moves to his hair.

"Please.." He warbles hoarsely. "I didn't do anything wrong.."

"I know you didn't.." He- Tommy thinks the voice is a he -responds, combing gently through Tommy's hair. Another hand takes one of his hands in its own, squeezing gently. "You haven't done anything wrong."

"Then don't let them do it.." He whimpers, tugging weakly against the hands holding him but giving up quickly and letting his head fall back against something soft. A pillow, he thinks. "Please..Please don't let them bind my wings.."

The voice is quiet for a minute, and footsteps come into the room before he responds. "..I'll do my best, ok? Right now, you need to rest. Can you do that for me, fledgling?" Something is placed around his mouth and nose- and he whimpers. The voice coos at him, combing through his hair. "I know..Just rest..You'll feel better when you wake up. I promise."

The edges of his mind start to flicker out as the familiar, sickly sweet smell of laughing gas enters his lungs. He whines and tries to turn his head to push it away.

He doesn't want to sleep. If he sleeps- they'll bind his wings. And if they bind his wings, who knows when he'll be allowed to take them out again. The first voice- or maybe a new voice? He can't tell anymore. -shushes him quietly and combs through his hair.

"I know.." The voice soothes, sounding farther away. "Rest, fledgling..You're ok..I've got you. I'm here."

And that..That's a good thing, right? Someone's here, watching over him. Someone kind. Someone who'll keep him safe.

Well..Then maybe it's ok for him to sleep, right? He's pretty tired..And he has someone watching over him. That's all he really needs.