How Do I Take It Along?
—It's a straight-beaked bulbul, right?
—Hehe, yeah! Right! Last time, while playing with Maeng-maeng-i and Il-nam-i, I made friends with some straight-beaked bulbul buddies too.
Among the birds commonly seen in the city, the notorious noisy trio.
That would be the magpie, the pigeon, and the straight-beaked bulbul.
The straight-beaked bulbul is a relatively large bird, nearly 30cm long, that flies around sucking nectar from flowers or eating fruit.
In spring like now, you can spot them a lot around flowering trees.
Whirr— whoosh—
'Doesn't feel bad.'
Like testing the accelerator by revving the car engine, I flapped my wings once.
Unlike when I transformed into other birds, it was a light, sprightly flutter.
—Straight-beaked bulbuls aren't bad for spring weather. Shall we head out then?
—Hehe, Ssal-i likes it too since Dad does! But where are we going, Dad?
—On the way to Big Rock, I saw a magnolia tree that hasn't bloomed out yet. Let's start there.
—Yay! Magnolia flowers are yummy!
The three things that surprised me the most when transforming into animals.
First, obviously, being able to turn into an animal.
Second, that clothes and belongings get hidden by Ssal-i's magic.
And third, that my tastes change according to the transformed animal's diet.
'Eating bugs isn't bad per se... but I just can't bring myself to do it. Feels like letting go of my last thread as a human.'
Last time, I turned into a heron like Il-nam-i, smacked my beak at aquatic insects, then snapped back to reality.
Flutter— flap—
I flapped my wings lightly to get used to my body, then hopped up onto the rooftop railing.
—Ready for takeoff?
—Yeah! When the wind comes... Ah! Now, Dad!
—Let's go.
Swoosh— swoosh—
The warm spring breeze rustling gently.
Ssal-i and I caught it and spread our wings, gliding down from the rooftop.
The sense of liberation like flooring it on the Autobahn. An ineffable freedom humans could never feel wrapped around my whole body.
Not a path set by people, but an unbound wind trail.
The thrill of flying freely along it however I wanted filled my chest with vast exhilaration.
If I had to compare, maybe like lying back with arms behind my head in an endless ocean horizon, swimming free.
—Hehe. The nectar today was so good! Especially the magnolia flowers!
—Dad thought magnolias were the best too. Since we're out, wanna check on the Big Rock crew?
—Yeah, sounds good!
Our bellies full, we leisurely flapped over the reddening sunset and reached Big Rock, where the usual laid-back friends were...
—Damn it! What kinda bullshit is that?
—It's true, I tell ya! When have you ever seen Kaos lie? We gotta team up right now... Sniff sniff. Wait, Ssal-i and Doc's scent?
Unlike the usual peaceful vibe at Big Rock, Cheese and Goet-eo, self-appointed sentinels, were earnestly explaining something serious to the other animals.
—Coming from up there? Huh? That's Ssal-i and Doc!
—D-Doc! Big trouble!
They recognized us right away by scent, even in our new forms.
—What's got everyone looking so grave? Something about Kaos?
At my casual question, Cheese and Goet-eo blurted out almost in unison.
—H-Help! Kaos is in danger!
—A crocodile showed up!
......A crocodile?
Red-eared slider turtles, mallards, otters, squirrels, egrets, chickadees, raccoons, etc.
A variety of animals make their home in the Saetgang Ecological Park where Big Rock is.
But even if Saetgang's gone eco-friendly, it's not the Amazon—it's Yeouido.
Sometimes chatting with animals brings these off-guard moments that make me chuckle.
—Aigoo, Kaos ran into a croc? So that's why they want help rescuing him?
Cheese jumped at my beak-smirking words.
—I-It's real! Kaos is standing guard against the croc all alone!
—Yeah, I saw it too! Kaos told me to get the others!
Even Goet-eo acting like this? Their reactions seemed too intense for a silly prank. Right then—
—No time! Hurry, follow me! Help, Doc!
—Toward the big plum tree! Fly ahead!
Before I could ask more, Cheese and Goet-eo bolted through the grass.
—...Dad? Cheese and Goet-eo seem weird.
—Hm, probably nothing, but let's follow.
Seeing the panting cats sprint, they were clearly mistaken.
'Crocodile, huh? Probably a turtle again... Who keeps dumping these?'
Among turtles, ones mistaken for crocs would be wolf turtles like Smith or alligator snappers.
Thud thud! Thud thud thud!
Cheese and Goet-eo kept charging ahead, panting, and up front at their destination—
—Hiss! Haaaah!
A tricolored cat with mottled fur arched its back like a bow toward the shallow water, hissing fiercely.
—Dad! That's Kaos down there!
Ssal-i, flying beside me, spotted the standoff and shouted. I scanned the area.
This spot with a massive plum tree was as deserted as Big Rock.
—Ssal-i, can you change Dad back to human? Behind that tree?
—Yeah!
Straight-beaked bulbuls excel at flight and travel, but useless for capturing wild turtles like this.
—In the name of doggy, transform! Back to human!
—Ssal-i, focus quick...
Whoosh!
Low-flying toward the thick tree, pure white light flowed from Ssal-i's wings—also a bulbul—and enveloped me.
"...Good."
—Hehe, yeah!
With Ssal-i's ever-changing embarrassing chant, I reverted in a flash.
At first, shifting human-to-animal and back felt awkward, but now it was normal.
No time for sentiment anyway. Kaos ahead ignored us, locked in a tense standoff.
"Kaos."
—Doc? How'd you get here?
I picked up a stick and approached; Kaos, hissing at the shallows, finally noticed me.
"Heard from Cheese and Goet-eo. Alligator snapper, right?"
—Damn it. It's not a turtle, it's a real croc! You think I can't tell crocs from turtles? Look! That spiky back sticking out! Total croc!
Too dark without streetlights to see clearly.
'Yeah. Definitely an alligator snapper.'
Just the tough shell screamed not-crocodile.
Eyeballing it, way bigger than 45cm Smith.
'No way it's a real croc.'
Guessing the carapace width, nearly 1m.
"Step back for now. I'll check it out."
As I pulled Kaos back, Ssal-i reverted too, and the panting Cheese and Goet-eo arrived.
Better for me to step in quick before the hissing cats rile the turtle.
Alligator snappers, like wolf turtles, are 'snappers' that strike with long necks.
I poked the stick forward defensively and spoke.
"Hey there. I'm vet Baek Min-hyeok. Doesn't seem like you live here originally. Need any help?"
Too dark to ID wolf or alligator snapper for sure, but either way, couldn't leave it.
Fine for native turtles like sliders in streams, but that spiky shell like croc hide? No native.
Even red-ears wreck ponds; wolf or alligator snappers in Saetgang would devastate aquatic life.
"Vets help animals. Can treat injuries, and more..."
No carrier now, though. Needed to coax it out with talk first.
—...For real? You can really help me?
A beat late, the mystery turtle's voice rippled from the water, mouth clamped shut till then.
"Of course. Come out and talk. Too dark inside to see. So come on out..."
Thump— thump—
Heavy, wet footsteps with each step.
Deep green skin glinting faintly from distant streetlight.
Thump— thump—
Plus long jaws with sharp teeth and bulging eyes.
—Thanks. I'm so hungry and exhausted.
The sniffling voice emerged—not an alligator snapper, but something mimicking one.
'...Why's it here? A real alligator?'
* * *
Eyes on top of the head, webbed toes, dinosaur descendant threatening on land or water.
At a glance like a lizard, but only from blurry eyes.
The apex predator with massive jaws and death rolls killing fish, reptiles, amphibians, mammals alike: the alligator.
—D-Dad? That thing's...
"......"
Even seeing it myself, couldn't believe the 'alligator snapper' was a real baby croc.
—Gasp. R-Real croc... Crooooooc!
—Gahhh! Run!
—R-Run!
Kaos, Cheese, Goet-eo sprang back like bows.
Crocs, called living dinosaurs, embody terror.
Luckily, this one was under 1m.
'Whoa... This is nuts.'
Closer look made me squeeze my eyes shut instinctively.
Crocs grow 1-7m depending on species.
But eyelid caimans, aka pygmy or dwarf caimans, max at 1.2-1.5m even adult.
'Problem is, that's not an eyelid caiman.'
Popular pets are black or reddish-brown, short snouts.
This one lacked big rear scales, had small osteoderms, long flat snout.
Still a baby, but the reptile king, growing to 6-7m: saltwater crocodile.
"Sorry, the kids freaked seeing a croc for the first time."
—It's... fine. Happens. The others were scared of me too.
"Others?"
—Yeah, the other ones with me... Huh? Dizzy...
Dizzy as its last word, the saltwater croc staggered and passed out.
"Hey, croc? Can you hear me? Blink if yes."
Even flashlight in eyes, no response.
Who was it? How long here? Who dumped it?
So many questions, but couldn't leave it.
Couldn't ignore, and if it grew here? Female 3m, male 6-7m apex predator of the stream.
Had to get it to the hospital first, but...
'How do I take it with me?'