Plaidosoar by Malcolm Wicks

Author:Malcolm Wicks
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Palmer Higgs

8

“What was that noise? Maybe something fell into the middle of our pool. Mama, Papa, there was a big splash; shouldn’t we go and investigate?”

“Aa-agh, who’s waking me up in the middle of the day, you youngsters are all the same. It’s not safe to leave the burrow until dusk, you know that dear. Not everything that flies in the air or roams on the bank is friendly, especially during the daylight hours.”

“But it was a really big splash; we may need to help Papa. Can I have a little peek?”

“Okay sweetie, just have a look see then come back and tell me. A possum probably climbed onto a branch and it’s broken off the tree. I’ve seen that happen more than once myself.”

“Papa, Mama, it’s a platypus that’s dead still,” she says and vigorously tugs at their webbed feet.

“Oh dear, platypuses like us swim in quietly, they don’t just drop in from nowhere. This ain’t another prank by Annie, is it?”

“Grumpy again love, at least give her the benefit of the doubt, she might be right.”

Ever so grudgingly, Platius crawls to the entrance of the burrow and looks out into the pool. The glare of the sunlight makes him blink for a second until his eyes lock onto a floating furry body.

“Blimey! Good call Annie. Rush here Platunia, she was right; we need all your mothering skills!” Platius yells back into the burrow.

“Annie, did you see anyone else nearby after the splash?”

“I saw an eagle flying away swiftly, that’s all.”

“Oh my, that could explain the sudden arrival and the poor little devil may not be alive.”

“It’s terrible; one of our kind’s been grabbed and carried here by a predator. Come on Pa, we’ll see if the poor soul has survived and help if possible.”

“Being out in the open is pretty risky for us at this time of day,” Platius warns. “Cautiously scan the sky for that eagle, it could return and claim one of us instead.”

The three of them leave the security of a burrow camouflaged by exposed tree roots, then swim underwater and surface next to the lifeless body.

“Be careful now this mightn’t be nice, I’ll examine him for injuries Annie. Uh-huh, there appears to be no wounds, broken bones or bleeding, the poor bugger’s a bit thin but quite healthy looking if you ask me. What do you think Platunia?”

“Nice coat but rather unkempt. We expect that from a young male, they get into all sorts of mischief. Oow, he just blew some bubbles. I think he’s alive after all: winded by the fall maybe.”

“I just saw his eyelid move Ma!” Annie says excited. “Isn’t he cute; a nice playmate for me?”

“Okay, okay, it’s not wise to get our hopes up. Push him to the bank so he can inhale air and then we’ll coax him back to health with some tasty water beetles and baby yabbies.”

“Phew, that’s about as far we can get him, I’ll press on his ribs to push the water out. Ha-uu-ugh Ha-uu-ugh, Annie, hold his bill open to let the water escape and hopefully breathe again.

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