Sonder’s concentration was broken when something light landed on her head.
It didn’t feel like a falling leaf or a pine cone, but more deliberate, like a small creature settling down. When she looked up, she saw a pair of wings and knew that it was a bird.
Without thinking, she waved her hand to shoo it away. A split second later, she realized that might not have been the best response.
The bird fluttered nearby, undisturbed.
“Sorry,” she said, feeling slightly foolish. “I didn’t mean to do that. Force of habit.”
The bird, sporting bright green and blue feathers and a long black beak, looked at her, almost amused. “It’s no matter. Even the other animals try to swat me away.”
Sonder blinked, momentarily stunned by the bird’s calm, intelligent tone. It tilted its head, watching her as if waiting for her to catch up.
“You can talk?” she asked, instantly realizing how ridiculous the question sounded.
“Of course I can,” the bird said, as if the answer were obvious. It ruffled its feathers and added, “Most creatures can, if people would just take the time to listen. You’re not the first to be surprised.” With a light flutter, it landed on a nearby rock, eyeing her with curiosity. “But swatting at me—that wasn’t very polite, was it?”
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Sonder felt a little embarrassed. "I’m sorry about that. I’ve never had a bird just land on me like that before."
The bird made a sound that resembled a chuckle. “Understandable. I could have approached with a little more grace.”
There was an awkward silence for a moment as Sonder tried to wrap her head around the situation. She had been trying to connect with the river for who knows how long, and now she was having a conversation with a talking bird.
Had she somehow summoned this creature without realizing it? She glanced back at the river, but its surface remained calm, undisturbed by her attempts at magic, so she didn’t think she did.
"So...” she started hesitantly, “why did you land on me? Did you need something?”
The bird hopped a little closer, tilting its head as if inspecting her. “Not exactly. I was passing through when I sensed something... unusual. You’re not like the others in this forest.”
Sonder’s brow furrowed. “Unusual? How?”
The bird’s eyes narrowed slightly, studying her face intensely. "You’re not exactly human, are you?"
Sonder stiffened, her hand instinctively moving toward the river again, as if the water might offer her some sort of grounding.
"What makes you say that?" she asked.
The bird fluffed its feathers again, unfazed by the tension in the air. “I can feel it. The energy around you—it’s not entirely your own. It seems to be shared, perhaps borrowed. I’ve encountered beings like you before.” It paused, watching her reaction. “I wonder, what is your connection to the Dread Mage? You’ve traveled with him, haven’t you? But why?”
The bird didn’t seem to bother to wait for her response.
Instead, it gave a small, knowing nod. “Oh, no matter. If you’re his companion, we’ll cross paths again soon enough.”
With that, it gave her one last glance before flapping its wings and disappearing into the trees, leaving Sonder standing by the river, unsettled and full of questions.