Bird of Paradise
by nightshade
for Geist-Sol

A light breeze ran through the clearing as Jake stared moodily into his drink. even the fact that it was served festively in a coconut didn't cheer him up. he gulped it down and ordered another. when it arrived, he looked around and sighed. his friends had dragged him out of the hotel room, insisting that he had to get over her. he felt a stab of pain. damnit why couldnt he forget her? he ran a hand through his hair and almost slammed his drink down onto the bar.

Music started up, a fast drum beat. as he watched dully, the bonfire light shining on his pale skin and dark brown hair, he looked listlessly at the line of hula dancers that came into view. they were okay he supposed, but right now they were just attractive blobs to his jaded eye. then he saw her. he almost dropped his drink. a gorgeous green parrotfurre, the light gleamed on her soft rich feathers and shining eyes. he breathed out a long slow breath. "wow." he said to himself as she began her dance. she was so beautiful, and seemed to flow. her lei swung with her movements and he was captivated by the swaying of her wing arms. her grass skirt rustled and swished as he watched her sway and bump her hips. sure she was sexy, all the girls were, but there was something different about her. she was really into the dance,and whatever tale her hula dance was telling, she was relating it with gusto. after the dance ended, the dancers moved amongst the crowd and she came over to him. he gulped nervously as she smiled at him with a cute tilt to her softly feathered head. "aloha, did you enjoy the show?" he nodded, his mouth suddenly dry. she trilled a soft laugh as he tried to take a drink from his empty coconut. "i'm Trilla Elaha" she offered a wing and he took it carefully. he tried not to stare at her body but she saw this and smiled. "J, Jake, Jake Monroe." he stammered and she shook his hand warmly. "pleased to meet you J, Jake." she teased lightly and he smiled.

The next morning he sat up in bed and yawned. what an amazing evening it had been, he and Trilla had talked all night. she was a native and her accent was so intriguing, like a bird whistle. she attended the local university and danced part time for fun, and to pay the bills. he dressed and headed out. he actually caught himself whistling softly as he felt the hot sun shine on him. acting on a whim he had traded his usual button shirt and slacks for a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. he slipped on a pair of ray-bans and put his hands in his pockets as he sauntered along the path. the hotel lay along the edge of a jungle and he relaxed as he listened to the soft sounds of nature. making his way to the main town area, he soon arrived at the campus grounds. he sat on a bench in the main courtyard and sat back closing his eyes as he let the sun beam done onto him. it felt so good and warm. his friends had teased him about his pale complexion and he had to admit it was nice to get outdoors. he must had dozed off because he next felt a gentle touch on his arm. he opened his eyes dreamily and saw her face. 'mm i must be dreaming.' he thought lazily then jerked fully awake as she shook him lightly. "Jake, wake up." he sat up and shook his head. "mmm, Trilla?" she nodded and crooned a soft giggle. "are you trying to boil yourself?" he blushed. "what time is it?" she sat by him. "almost noon." he looked at his watch with surprise. "i was asleep for 3 hours!" she smiled at him. "you want to be careful, i'd hate to have my new friend get charbroiled." he smiled warmly at her. "thank you." she was wearing a sarong like affair, her breasts were held firmly in place but still showed off their generous swell and her thighs was teasingly exposed as she crossed her legs. "were you waiting for me?" he nodded and she smiled. "how sweet." she took his hand and he felt his heart beat faster. "i promised to show you around the island didn't i?" she asked and he smiled. "yes you did." she trilled softly. "i always keep my promises."

She put her wing through his arm as they walked along the beach, a few isolated couples passed them but he hardly gave them a glance. he only had eyes for her. "Jake, can i ask something?" she asked and he smiled. "sure." she tilted her head, very cutely he thought. "why do you seem so sad?" he felt a hand squeeze his heart. slowly and haltingly he told her. "last year i was engaged. i thought we were happy, but one day i came home from work and she was gone, just gone." she squeezed his arm as she listened.  he took a deep breath. "she left a note." he scoffed. "a note, hell a novel." tears rolled down his cheeks. "she had been cheating on me for months. she said i wasn't man enough for her and she was going to move in with her real lover. and the biggest blow of all, she told me she was pregnant and made it very clear it wasn't mine." she nuzzled his cheek softly. "ohh Jake i'm so sorry." he sighed. "after that i just crashed. i lost my job and spent all my time indoors. finally my friends dragged me here to get over her." he looked at her. "and i'm glad they did." she trilled softly. "so am i." he lifted a hand and gently touched her beak. "it's funny, i know we just met but somehow i feel that i know you." she trilled a soft laugh. "when we met you seemed interested in things other than my face." he blushed deeply and she brushed his cheek. "i'm sorry, i didn't mean it that way." she licked his cheek with her little tongue and he blushed redder still.

They stopped at the waters edge and sat. the surf made a soft background to their words as they talked. "mmmm, this is wonderful." she cooed as she sat closer to him. "and you know the best part?" he looked at her lovely face. "what?" she riffled her neck feathers mischeviously. "you haven't once made any polly wanna cracker jokes." he laughed. "i thought i needed an eye patch for that." they both laughed and hugged. they rolled on the beach as they laughed and she ended up on top of him. he looked up at her. "Trilla, i..." he gulped. she gently lay a feathered fingertip on his lips. "me too Jake." for a long moment they looked at each other then she lay her head on his chest and cooed. he stroked her neck feathers and smiled.

He held her in his arms as the sea susurred softly. she was so warm in his arms, so lovely. her ears were closed as he gently stroked her beak. she cooed softly, half asleep, and he murred. he thought back to what he had learnt in school. it had been 60 years ago, in a govt lab in the philipines. a plane had exploded when transporting a manmade virus from there and the upper winds had spread all over the world. since it was primarily airborne, the animals that had been infected the most had been birds. he smiled softly as she snored softly, like a gentle breeze on his chest. Trilla's grandmother had been one of those victims and he was holding the result in his arms. he smiled and closed his eyes. several other furres had been created of course, but at this moment he only had eyes for the parrot in his arms.

The moon was hanging high as they returned to his hotel. they were both laughing and she was holding his arm in her wing. "that was some tour." he said and she crooned. "you're welcome." he smiled at her. "you're lovely in the moonlight." she riffled her neck feathers in a blush. "as you are handsome." they looked into each other eyes and moved a little closer. "its been an amazing 3 days." he murmured and she crooned."that it has." they moved closer still. "do you want to come in for a second?" he asked softly and she smiled. "for a nightcap?" she said softly and he nodded.

They entered his room and she set down her purse as he poured them two glasses from the room bar. he handed her one and she smiled as his soft skin brushed her feathery fingers. "your tan is improving." she said and he chuckled. "i have a good tanning buddy. "she trilled a giggle. "thanks." she had talked him into sunbathing with her and he had to admit the idea of having her laying next to him in a skimpy bathing suit was a big incentive to his agreeing. of course her feathers precluded her actually being able to tan, but she said that the sun did feel wonderful on her body. he sipped his drink. "Trilla, i." he gazed into her eyes. she raised a wing and touched his face gently. "i know Jake, me too." for a long moment they looked at each other, then Jake leaned forward and gently kissed her beak. she crooned tenderly and nuzzled him. their arms went around each other as they embraced, then he suddenly tried to step back. "i, i can't." he looked down and she looked stricken. "what is it?" he sat heavily on the bed. "god i'm sorry Trilla, you must think i'm some horny jerk." she sat by him and touched his hand. "not at all, youre a wonderful man." he looked down at his feet as he sighed heavily. "i want to, oh gods i want to, its just..." he sighed. "you're still thinking about her aren't you?" he nodded. "you poor thing." she moved a wing around him and held him close. he cried a little and she crooned soothingly. "it's alright." she cooed and his sobs gradually subsided. "you're so wonderful Trilla, i think i'm..." she gently touched a finger to his lips. "i know Jake. just hold me and it will be alright." they held each other tightly as they sat there on the bed.

Jake opened his eyes as he felt the sheet being pulled back. "mm?" he murmured and looked up at her. the light of the full moon shone on the scene as she slipped off her clothing and smiled tenderly. "god youre so beautiful.," he said as his cock throbbed at the view. she giggled tenderly and climbed into the bed. "the chair isn't very comfy, mind if i join you?" she said with a cheeky neck ruffle and he smiled as she straddled his naked form. "not at all, ma'am, plenty of room." she ran her feathery hands over his chest. "i love you Jake." she crooned and caught her breath as he tenderly ran his hands over her breasts. "ohhhh." he smiled as he softly teased her nipples.  she trilled softly as he moved his hands down to stroke her shapely thighs. "are you sure about this?" he asked and she smiled down at him. "yess." she said and they both moaned as she moved her hips, his hard shaft nuzzling her soft cunny lips. "oh Trilla, i love you too." he gasped as she settled over, then onto him, their breaths coming in soft gasps as she took him into her sex deeply. they rocked together slowly at first, murmuring and crooning, then they moved more quickly. soon they were rocking together fast and she was giving out soft chirping cries. her sex clenched on his shaft and he cried out, his shout joining her loving cry as they came as one.

He grinned at the view as she slipped her sarong on and moved to fasten it at her hips. "mmm." he chuckled as he made a grab for her and she giggled and hopped out of reach. "didn't you get enough last night?" she teased and he laughed. "never of you my..." he paused and she smiled at him. "your love?" he nodded and blushed. she leant down to tenderly nuzzle him. "i love you too Jake, with all my heart." he kissed her softly and she cooed. "mmmm, have a great day hun, i've got to get to class." he stroked her beak. "see you tonight?" she nodded and riffled her feathers. "yes." with a happy swing to her hips, she left.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked nervously as the instructor strapped him in. she chirped a soft laugh. "you said you wanted to last night." he had to smile at that. "well yeah, but..." she licked his nose softly. "do you trust me?" he melted. "with all my heart." she brushed his cheek gently with her wingptip. "then it'll be fine." moving to the edge he looked down, then at her. all reservations vanished as he watched her take off and with a running leap his hanglider lifted him into the sky. it was surprisingly easy and he found it delightful. she flew just a little ahead of him and she cooed to him as he learned to control his movements. "i told you." she called to him in her high voice and he smiled. "you were right as always." they landed and after he unstrapped she hugged him close. a week since that magical night and he couldnt imagine not being with her. he stroked her beak and she chirped tenderly. "that was a great first flight." she crooned and he smiled. "thanks love." her eyes sparkled with a little mischief. "once you get a little better i have a surprise for you."

She pointed downward and he tilted his glider, following her down towards a clearing near a cliff edge. with practiced skill he ran to a stop and unbelted himself, then looked around. "wow." he breathed softly and she smiled. "you like it?" he nodded mutely. it was angelic. a pool of water was fed from a small waterfall and the face of the rock was covered with small inscriptions and marks. she moved over and ran a wing over them, smiling softly. he looked at her and she crooned. "this is a special place to my family." he walked over and saw that the marks were all loving messages. he reached out to touch one then paused and looked to her. she smiled and nodded. "its okay hun, go ahead." he gently traced a hand over them. "your parents?" he asked as he read the names. she nodded and giggled. "my father proposed right here." she grinned. "they told me i was conceived her too." he blushed and she laughed. "that is so cute on you." he smiled to her. "i love you Trilla Elaha." she held him close. "and i love you Jake Monroe." he kissed her lovingly and she cooed. "mmmm."

She stepped back and smiled softly. "i want you Jake." she said as she unfastened her bikini straps. he watched as the little pieces of cloth fell to the ground and she stood there clad in only her feathers. "you are so lovely." he breathed as a bulge in his shorts lent accent to his statement. she moved up to him and ran a wing over the bulge. he gasped and she crooned. "my lover." with her dexterous wing tips she undressed him and he kissed her deeply as they held each other naked, the sun shining down on them. it was a long kiss and Jake moaned into it as she ran her feathers along his length. she pressed her lightly feathered breasts into his smooth chest and he could almost feel the beating of her heart with his. she stepped back, her eyes alive with love and took him by the hand, leading him towards the waterfall rock. leaning over it, she spread her legs and lifted her tailfeathers. "here." she giggled mischeviously. "this is the spot where i was made." he throbbed at the thought and moved up behind her, his shaft nuzzling her thighs. "well i sure wouldn't want to break a tradition." he chuckled and they both moaned as he pressed his length into her wet depths.

She gasped and crooned, murmuring soft words in native as he thrust into her from behind. he whispered softly into her neck as he moved with her backward pushes. they moaned and grunted as their movements grew faster. his hands moved up to cup her heaving breasts and she lifted her head with a trilling cry as she came. he gasped and groaned, his shaft throbbing as he fired a volley of seed into his loving birds hot body.

They snuggled and nuzzled as they lay in the pool, her wing gently stroking his chest. "mmmm youre wonderful Jake." she crooned and he murmured gently. "Trilla, will you marry me?" she looked at him in surprise. "but, i thought you were leaving next week." he gazed at her. "i was, but now i'm not going back." she smiled softly. "but your life.." he put a finger to her beak gently. "my life is nothing back there. my new true life is here with you. if you'll have me." she moved up a little and looked into his eyes. "oh Jacob, yes." he kissed her deeply and when it ended, she was crying happily, tears running down her beak. "yes my love, i will marry you, with all my heart!"

Jake tried not to fidget as the old bird finished his body paint. "thank you." he said in the native language and she smiled. "you learn well." she replied in english and smiled. the drums started as he left the hut and walked along the path. torches blazed and the way well lit as he passed the line of villagers. the whole village was there, all marked in body paint as well and all dressed  in lei's and grass skirts. the village shaman, the  kahuna pule, stood by a large hut at the end of the path and Jake's heart beat faster as he saw his lovely bird standing by him. she wore a headband of woven haku flowers and a grass skirt. her mother stod by her side, wearing triple strands of delicate pikake around her neck. she stepped forward and put a lei entwined with pikake (white jasmine) and ilima around his neck. she nuzzled him softly. "be happy son." she crooned and he smiled. "i will." he whispered back and turned his attention to his bride to be. the ceremony was short but full of emotion. after exchanging vows the shaman bound their joined hand and wing together with a second lei to symbolize their joining. "i love you." Jake murmured softly as he leant forward to Trilla. "and i love you." she crooned back and they kissed.

Trilla laughed as Jake swung her round, the music loud and fiery. "where did you learn how to dance?" she asked as he twirled her round. '"by mail." he grinned and she trilled as he swung her close again. "mm well you sure got your money's worth." he laughed. "why thank you ma'am." he kissed her soundly, and they twirled round again.

Jake smiled and put on his sunglasses as he left the store. his skin was tanned bronze now and his muscles had grown firmer after a year on the island. his job at the local hotel had taught him much about this place and he grinned to himself as he thought of how much Trilla taught him on her own. he headed for the campus, the flowers in his hand. she was waiting at the foyer and ran up to meet him. "hey, easy now." he chuckled as he hugged her, careful of the bulge of her stomach. "mind the egg." she giggled and licked at his lips with her little bird tongue. "have a good day hun?" she asked and he nodded. "all the better for thoughts of you." she trilled softly and nuzzled him. "why do you always say that?" he held her close and softly stroked her beak. "it's always true." she crooned and closed her eyes. "mmm no wonder i married you." they walked along the path, his hand on her stomach. "soon now huh?" she nodded and chirped. "yup, the doctor says i should lay practically any day now." he softly stroked her mound. "i figured that when i helped you with the nest building." she giggled a soft trill. "i love you so much Jake Monroe." he smiled softly and kissed her beak. "and i love you Trilla Elaha Monroe."

He supported her back as she huffed and panted. "almost there." the doctor crooned softly and Trilla nodded and moaned. "there!" Trilla sagged back in her husbands arms as the egg was cleaned and gently wrapped in blankets. "you did great." Jake murred as he gently nuzzled Trilla and she smiled tiredly. "thank you darling."

Jake sat in the audience and watched with pride as Trilla received her degree. beside him in the seat was their egg, carefully maintained by the temperature controls in the carrier. she looked so lovely in her graduation gown and he clapped louder then anyone else as she accepted the sheepskin. she went down the stairs and over to his seat. "mmm, hey handsome." she crooned as he hugged her, "hello there, dr Monroe." she giggled happily. "i can't believe i made it." he kissed her cheek. "i knew you would." she held the diploma in her wing feathers. "you helped me Jake, so very much." she smiled softly at their egg. "well," he grinned impishly. "at least i could babysit." she laughed. "you silly man." he held her close and they nuzzled as they both looked at their child to be.

"It's cracking!" Jake said excitedly as Trilla held his hand in her wing. she was wearing her hospital fatigues, not having had time to change when Jake had called her home with the news that their egg was hatching. he held her close and they both watched avidly as hairline cracks appeared along the eggshell. "should we help?" he asked and she shook her head. "i want to love, but we have to let it happen on its own." he held her closer and felt his pulse race as a section cracked and started to fall away. Trilla crooned softly as the rest of the shell fractured and they both sighed happily as the hatchling uncurled itself and looked about blearily. "oh it's a girl!" with tender coos, Trilla took up the little hatchling and let her nurse. Jake smiled proudly as the little parrot licked at her mother nipples and let the milk flow into her beak. "she's the image of you." he said, tears pricking at his eyes. he gently cleaned off her feathers with a towel as Trilla crooned to their daughter. "we love you little Laina."

the end

authors note---it was interesting to see a different way that furres might come into being and it was a nice change to have an egglaying rather than a live birth. i tried to incorporate some authentic hawaiian wedding rituals into the wedding scene as well.