Lila felt herself drifting towards consciousness. Her alarm played softly, aiding the ascent. She always set it a little early, knowing it would take her at least ten minutes to fully respond to it.

This morning, however, her awakening was hurried along as she became aware of a very uncomfortable itch spreading across her back and shoulders. She sat up and groaned, reaching to scratch behind her neck.

The itch wasn't limited to her back, either, it quickly spread until she felt she itched all over. She rubbed one arm uncomfortably, still not fully awake. Soft bits of down came out under her hand. She blinked, finally registering what was going on.

"Oh, just great..."

***

Fluff floated in the dining room as the team gathered for breakfast. They were all sullen and not very talkative, and even the early risers were snappy. Phil rushed into the room, babbling about his latest brilliant money-making scheme. He stopped short at Mallory's wordless snarl. He looked around.

"What's going on in here? You guys look awful! And what's with all the stuff floating around in here?" Panic took over his expression. "You're not getting sick are you? Oh no! Lila! Do something before my franchise goes six feet under!"

"Can it, Phil," Lila snapped. "We're not sick, we're molting."

"You're WHAT?"

"Something wrong with your hearing?" Duke growled dangerously. Lila managed to ignore the maddening itch long enough to explain through clenched teeth.

"Molting, Phil. The climate here is a lot warmer than it is on Puckworld. It's triggered a hormonal change that occasionally happens between seasons on Puckworld. We're losing the down underneath our feathers that keeps us warm at home." She pulled a small tuft of lighter-colored fluff from beneath the feathers on her arm to prove her point. It came out easily. "Our bodies are adapting to the climate change, get it? It'll be a week at most, but in the meantime it is EXTREMELY uncomfortable. Have you ever had chicken pox? That's about as close a comparison as I can get. Now, if you're smart, you will turn around, get back in that elevator, and not come back down for at least a week. There are some VERY SHORT TEMPERS down here right now!"

"But--"

"OUT!" The team glared at him in unison. They were almost comical, their feathers patchy and ragged. Any amusement he might have felt, however, died at the murderous looks on their faces. Mallory, in particular, looked ready to skin him for being exempted from the torture her body was subjecting her too. "Right," he said, backpedalling. "I'll just go, uh, go over the contracts. Yeah! That's it, bye guys!"

"Humans," Grin muttered. Even he wasn't in the mood to be tolerant.

"Couldn't you have told him we were going to be like this for a month or so?" Tanya said sourly. "We could have gotten rid of him for longer."

"Even Phil isn't as bad as this," Duke said, shifting in his chair. "Argh. I'm about ready to take my saber to my back.

"This place is a mess," Wildwing griped as a piece of down landed on his beak. He sneezed. "I'm getting sick of breathing other people's feathers."

"Yeah, like it's such an honor to inhale yours," Dive snapped.

"Watch it, bro, or I'll--"

"Go ahead, put me out of my misery!"

"That's enough!" Lila yelled. "Everyone get out! Go to your own rooms and STAY there until this is over and you can be civil again! And someone call the plumber, the shower drains are all clogged," she added in disgust before she turned on her heel and stomped out.

~~~~~~~~End