#Toi'uhla is not a water bird | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

bitchfitch · 3 years

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i was going to do a cute little doodle for this one but I've got Too Much to say about it.

Basically Toi'uhla does have 2 molts in a year. One in the early spring where ze looses all of zer contour feathers, the pretty, colorful, water repellent ones, and quickly grows in a new set. This molt produces the majority of the feathers ze saves for clothing decor, but many of the feathers, especially the ones from zer tail fan and wings are damaged and unusable so they just get discarded. The feathers that are kept are usually cut down into smaller/neater pieces and used as edgings on various garments or left larger and oiled to be used as a water proof top layer for various coats and baskets or other bits of decor.

but the feathers either side of zer face are actually from zer crest and are just clipped in there. this is normal for lorinuses. They use these clipped in feathers as a subtle signal for whether or not their single:

no side feathers = too young or otherwise not interested in romance (either for aro, professional, or other personal reasons),

2 feathers that match the crest = Single and interested in changing that,

1 matching feather and 1 feather from the beau = in a serious relationship and probably not interested in flirting,

2 beau feathers= married.

Lordakai is of course aware of this tradition, and while he didn't have any feathers for Toi'uhla, he still wears one of Toi'uhla's in the button hole on his vest, or tucked behind his ear, or in the band of his hat when he wears one. On account of Lordakai being Lordakai, these feathers have a strange habit of disappearing right before the next time he's supposed to see Toi'uhla. it's Definitely a mystery, and not just Lordakai hiding them so he can get another one that smells less like him and more like Toi'uhla. (he ends up with a box full of them hidden under his cot, Toi'uhla knows it's there and has never once brought it up)

Ze also has a second molt later in the year, right before the hottest part of summer, where ze sheds all of zer downy feathers, the really soft insulating ones that are normally hidden by the cover feathers. And Boy Fucking Howdy, you would be Amazed how much fluff comes off this fucking bird during this period. It's nearly unbelievable how much down a single lorinus has under their contour feathers. Ze's way more irritable during this molt than the other bc while the other is Itchy and annoying this one requires near constant grooming to get all the trapped down feathers out from under the contour feathers, and it's a Lot more annoying trying to scratch around them

These small light grey/dingy white feathers get Everywhere. and while ze does true to collect them to use them for stuffing/insolation for garments, most of them end up in various nooks or getting blown away.

anyways, Lordakai is deeply greatful that he's usually still hibernating during Toi'uhla's first yearly molt, but he is also really greatful for the few times he had to stay awake the whole year and got to see Toi'uhla without the contour feathers. bc for the days it takes the new pinions to start growing in ze is Incredibly fluffy and soft. like ze's also itchy and Pissed at everything and absolutely willing to bite your head off if you get to close, but zes So Cute that it's worth it to him. Occasionally, not usually! he's More than happy to sleep through it for the sake of their marriage, and his own sanity.

#like ze does shed feathers throughout the year #but those usually fall out bc they're too damaged to stay in place anymore #and arnt worth keeping #and the first molt happens right before the breeding season so that everyone is at their neatest and prettiest during it #as clean tidy and undamaged feathers are one of those Peak Beauty Things for lorinuses #the second molt happens bc its hot and they need to not have down for a lil bit to avoid cooking themselves

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