Dining On Thrush

The Tzeet brother lands next to Barb.

What are you doing here? asks Barb.

Acting the part of my missing brother, says the Tzeet brother. 

He's acting himself now, says Barb.

But Sweetheart said he played my part, says the brother.

Only momentarily, says Barb. 

So I'm not needed, says the Tzeet brother. What a waste of a journey.

Not necessarily, says Barb. We need to wrap this up soon. We could make this the scene of the reunion.

But Sweetheart's not here, says the brother. Should I go back and get her?

No, says Barb, that would waste more time and energy.

What can I do then? asks the brother.

Go and see what the quoll's up to , says Barb. He went off to find something to eat. 

Okay, says the Tzeet brother.

He flies off to look for the quoll.

His missing brother flies over to Barb with the emu wren feather.

This is for the quoll when he comes back, says the missing brother.

Great, thanks, says Barb. Your brother's gone to look for him. 

What was he doing here? asks the missing brother.

He thought he might be needed to play your part, says Barb. Because you took his part.

Was he upset? asks the missing brother.

I don't think so, says Barb.

But it means he's not in it, says the missing brother.

He will be, at the end, says Barb. For the reunion. By the way, we'll be filming that here.

The reunion! says the missing brother. But Sweetheart's not with us.

I know, says Barb. but the film is about you two brothers.

I guess so, says the missing brother.

Yet it doesn't seem right.

The Tzeet brother has spotted the quoll who is on his way back to the lagoon, having dined on a careless grey shrike thrush.

He flies down. 

What's that in your mouth? asks the brother.

Phoot! say the quoll.

It doesn't look like a foot, says the brother. 

That's because it's a feather, says the quoll.

Barb's got the original feather, says the brother. The curly one. She wants you to use it.

The one Skye had stuck to her bottom? says the quoll. I don't think so.

They return to where Barb is waiting with the curly feather.

At last! says Barb. Are we ready to continue?  Now, I want you to... wait, what have you been eating?

A grey shrike thrush, says the quoll.

Get rid of it, says Barb. This is the feather you'll be using.

She hands him the curly emu wren feather.

I'm not putting that in my mouth, says the quoll.

Barb grinds her teeth. Is there no end to the problems?