O-ish-et?

Roo-kai has started searching for molluscs.

Leaving Terence, singing his song.

Terence has stood up to find out if his song is working.

He would know if it was.

The sea would be teeming with fish escaping the sharks who were obeying the song.

But it isn't.

Roo-kai returns with a mollusc.

O-ish-et? asks Roo-kai.

What? says Terence.

Roo-kai cracks open the mollusc and swallows its soft parts.

No fish yet? asks Roo-kai.

No, says Terence.

Burp! says Roo-kai.

Maybe you shouldn't have swallowed it, says Terence. 

It was tasty, says Roo-kai. But in a weird way.

Sit down and relax, says Terence.

Roo-kai sits down on the sand. and stares out to sea.

His tummy feels active.

Don't worry, says Terence. Parrots don't die.

Roo-kai could reply to this statement: Several of yours have. 

But he doesn't.

Terence looks back towards the steps.

I wonder if Gaius and Denis have finished the shopping, says Terence.

Buuuurp! replies Roo-kai.

Let's guess what they're buying, says Terence. I'll go first. Apples.

Cheese, says Roo-kai.

You're better! says Terence.

Yes, Rookai is feeling better. If you can speak of cheese without gagging, you must be.

Muffins, says Terence. 

His face falls. He shouldn't have said that. 

His last parrot was a muffin.

Wasn't your last parrot a muffin? asks Roo-kai.

Yikes! Yes it was. And it ended up in the compost, with a hole in its face.

Terence will have to think fast or else Roo-kai will be correct and might die of eating the mollusc because it will be possible.

Wait. It was only a muffin. Not a real parrot. 

Which proves it.

That proves it, says Terence.

Roo-kai is happy enough to accept that it does.