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The clock finally struck two, and Steven was nearly asleep by then; tired of waiting. When one of his roosters crowed and woke him up, he realized what time it was and panicked. He had to be there before someone else took the bird! He threw on a nice jacket over his old, stained Tee-shirt and hopped in the car. He sped to her house and pulled into the driveway. He smiled as he heard the bird crowing, and knocked on the door. "Mr. Hoffman! Hello!" Greeted Sarah, the breeder, as she opened the creaking cherrywood door. Steven shook hands with her and she led him to the coop, where one lone Yokohama stood. "It's probably good that you're buying him today, he's getting lonely." She said, shaking her head slightly in pity of the bird. The tall, handsome cock stood on a rock and crowed loudly, as if to show off for Hoffman. He walked into the coop and leaned down to the rooster, "Hello, what's your name?" He asked retorically. The bird cooed and clucked in pleasure to see someone new, and stood on the tips of his toes to reach eye-contact with Steven. "I will take him, for eighty dollars." He said, staring in admiration at the bird. They immediately made an exchange, and he was quickly back home with his rooster. He set the rooster free in the clean new coop, and he walked around, drinking in the new surroundings. Steven put a finger to his lip, thinking, still not knowing who he'd pair this bird up with.
The very next morning, he squinted at the coop, he couldnt believe his eyes, but a white Thai game hen was standing at the pens fence, because she wanted to be with the rooster. The rooster was also standing at the fence, cooing softly to her. He smiled the more he pondered the concept of breeding them; he could potentially lose the long-crowing by breeding him to her, but breeding an ornamental bird to a muscular game bird would sure produce a handsome bird. He opened the door to the coop, and allowed the hen to walk in. He closed the door behind her and watched the interaction from the window, pleased to see the connection that they seemed to make so quickly. Apparently, theyd been talking last night.
Good morning, Frost. The hen said, smiling at him. Hello, MorningSun. He greeted her, also smiling broadly. They embraced each other with their wings in a hug. Im famished, would you care to join me for a meal? She asked him. Gladly. He replied, and the hen walked to the door of the coop. She uttered a loud, shrill squawk to signal to Hoffman that she was hungry. Steven greeted the two lovebirds with, I see youve made a new friend? He then opened the door and let them out to forage together. He went back inside to watch them some more while he ate lunch. They pecked and prodded at the ground, which was becoming dry and barren because of the upcoming Winter. FrostFeather, the rooster, was a gentleman and would share with her only the best of what he scraped from the ground. They finished their meal and their fellowship by the end of the day, and went to Frosts coop to roost for the night.
As the days went by, their relationship grew closer and closer. Finally, on a cold afternoon, what Hoffman had been waiting for all this time was happening. MorningSun, or, Morning as he lovingly nicknamed her, was sitting in the nest box he built for them. He had the chance to see the eggs when Frost came to visit the nest and feed MorningSun. She stood up to take the food, and under her was a beautiful, smooth, and flawlessly oblong egg. She thanked Frost for her meal, and sat down once more. Frost sat with her to keep her company and to help incubate the egg. They sat together, thinking of names for their still unborn chick. For days, Frost loyally came by to drop off her meal, feed himself, and lastly, help hatch the chick.
I hear peeping! I hear peeping!! The hen shrieked excitedly one morning. Frost came running as quickly as his legs went. Peeping? Peeping? He asked, joining her in excitement. She nodded briskly and lifted herself up from the egg. Two little pink feet were peering out of a crack. They both watched impatiently, hopping with anticipation as the crack ever so slowly grew larger. She started to get worried as they peeping slowed, and she assisted the exhausted chick by lightly tapping the egg with her beak. The eggshell shattered, and a wet little chick tumbled out into the world. You nearly gave me a heart attack, young lady! She said, stroking the chicks down lightly with her wing before tucking the chick under a soft, warm blanket of feathers.