Lost Fledgling [MadEmperor]

[DragonSong]

"Oh, little one..." Lanaya crossed to the window and held a hand out—an invitation, but not a command. "Can you tell me what happened?" she asked gently. "And...if it's not too much, could you tell me who you were before this? Anything you can tell me might help me figure out exactly what magic is affecting you."

[MadEmperor]

Grimr looked at her hand, then at her face, gauging whether he trusted her with his fragile bird body. He chose to stay where he was, just in case. Though, the possibility of breaking his curse made him want to trust her.

I was living on the street in Ketra, with some other orphans. We--Well, we were thieves. I... got sent to rob this mage's house. And, well, he caught me. His statement was honest, for the most part, but he was clearly leaving out something painful.

[DragonSong]

Lanaya frowned. "And he cursed you for the theft?" she surmised, letting her hand drop. "Mmm. If you don't mind me asking, Grimr, how old are you?"

A juvenile crow was in its adolescence, but that still left a wide range for this poor child's age. He could be anywhere from twelve to sixteen or so, as far as she could tell.

[MadEmperor]

I'm fifteen, he answered.

The crow hesitated, looking away guiltily. The theft wasn't why.

He attacked me and I... He croaked sadly. I... I didn't mean to! But I--I stabbed him. He--he--oh gods...

[DragonSong]

"Ah..." Understanding started to dawn. Lanaya turned to begin storming a fire in the small pit in the center of her home.

Hopping down from her perch, Lenore shuffled closer to the younger bird and began preening the feathers at the back of his neck—which truly were a tight mess after his run-in with the crows.

"Do you remember the spell?" Lanaya asked, not unkindly. "I know it must not be pleasant to think about, but the more I know of the magic used, the better I may be able to help you."

[MadEmperor]

Grimr shook his head. I only remember him saying, "May he who brings my death become death's herald forevermore." as he died.

A curse made with one's last breath was powerful magic indeed. It would be difficult to break. Such spells had a way of persisting unless the spirit of the caster could be appeased or overpowered, and perhaps even then.

[DragonSong]

A deathbed curse. Oh dear.

Lanaya but her lip, not wanting to deliver hard news to the poor boy on an empty stomach. "Why don't you come inside?" she offered carefully, glancing over at him. "Or I could bring a bowl of stew to the window, if you prefer?"

[MadEmperor]

Deciding he might as well come in, Grimr flapped over to a place nearer the fire. Stew?

He was a little more hopeful than before. The boy had all but lost hope that he could ever be human again. A slim ray of hope was better than anything else over the past few weeks. Even the thought of food that didn't squirm or have six legs was encouraging.

[DragonSong]

"Stew," Lanaya confirmed with a chuckle. Lenore clucked and gave the bird equivalent of rolling her eyes.

Silly amount of work for a meal.

"Maybe, but it's warm." She smiled at Grimr and ladled a bit of hot stew into a bowl before setting it in front of him.

[MadEmperor]

Grimr dug in with all the voraciousness he could manage. This mostly consisted of picking bits out of the thick stew and greedily wolfing them down. By the time the small bowl was picked as clean as he could get it, he was full.

That was great, he said with happy rattle, Thanks!

So much better than bugs and worms.

[DragonSong]

Lanaya smiled over her own stew and nodded at him. "I imagine so," she chuckled lightly.

Lenore scoffed and Norn abruptly piped up, What he needs is a nice juicy vole.

Lanaya crinkled her nose at her flick. "Perhaps. But he is still new to this shape, it will take time for him to adjust."

[MadEmperor]

I'm not eating dead things. I'm not going to be a bird forever either, Grimr responded defiantly.

He looked at Lanaya, You can help me... right?

[DragonSong]

"Oh, I apologize--there was rabbit in that stew, though I suppose you must have eaten around it. I'll make sure we stick to root vegetables while you're staying with us," Lanaya said quickly, apparently taking his assertion that he didn't want to eat "dead things" at face value.

She gave him a small smile when he actually asked for her help. "I...will do my best," she told him quietly, "but transfiguration magic is not my strong suit. And a death-breath curse...that is powerful magic." She did want to help him, but she didn't want to give him false hope.

[MadEmperor]

Well... uncooked dead things... he muttered real quick.

At her response about his curse, he looked down. His hopes weren't crushed, but they were heavily dampened. Oh... he said dejectedly, what can you do then?

[DragonSong]

Lanaya looked at him sadly. "For now, I can give you a warm, safe place to sleep," she offered gently. "In the morning, I can examine your curse properly. It's a lengthy process, and takes quite a bit out of both the spellcaster and the curse subject, so I'd rather we try it after we have some rest."

Norn bobbed his head and swooped down to land on Lanaya's shoulder. Though his talons looked as though they should be digging into her skin, she gave no indication that she was in any discomfort. I will get you a vole, the barn owl proclaimed. Sounding mildly exasperated, he added, Lanaya-wing-sister can cook it, if you're going to be fussy about that sort of thing.

[MadEmperor]

No! Err, I mean... please don't. Rabbit is fine. He groaned sickly at the idea, which was a very human noise from a bird.

Turning his head towards Lanaya, he asked, Where do I sleep?

[DragonSong]

Norn churred and grumbled something about demanding youngsters before giving Lanaya's hair an affectionate preen, then taking off through the window to begin his hunting for the night.

"Well, my flock usually perches in the hollows above us," Lanaya replied to Grimr's question, gesturing up to the woven canopy-ceiling above them. "But if you still aren't used to sleeping in trees, I could always make you a nest on the ground from some spare blankets, if you like?"

[MadEmperor]

I'm used to sleeping wherever I can, Grimr answered, but blankets are better.

Once Lanaya had completed his "nest," the fledgling crow made himself comfortable. Before he could even express his thanks, he fell asleep.


He awoke late in the morning, having slept better than he had since even before his transformation. Stretching his wings, he groaned sleepily.

[DragonSong]

"Morning!"

It wasn't Lanaya's voice that greeted him, but the raven's: Lenore. She croaked and fluffed her wings from her perch in the ceiling above him.

Hush, a new bird--a small spotted owl--urged her from her own perch near Norn. It's time to sleep.

Lenore scoffed. For owls, maybe. To Grimr, the raven added, Flock-leader is out gathering herbs. She said to tell you there's some leftover stew keeping warm on the coals, if you want it.

[MadEmperor]

Thanks. Grimr flitted over to the stew and gobbled down a piece of rabbit.

For the rescue too. I don't know what their problem was.

Unless they could tell I'm only a crow on the outside, he wondered.