I take in a deep breathe of the fresh, chilly mountain air and span out my wings as far as possible. The gentle rustling of my feathers feels relaxing and natural, much better than the stale tunnel air. I scan the forest below for anything that looks 'foody', lots of green trees, not many blankets from what I can see.
Maybe if I down into the forest, I would find something yummy, that sounds reasonable, plus, I don't wanna stick around with the big blanket still in the tunnel.
+ 1 Intelligence
Ohh that feels nice, I must remember this 'intelligence' that occurs when I avoid things that kill me.
I peer down the side of the mountain from the cave entrance's ledge. The mountain is quite steep, not impossible to walk down, but challenging at best. Good thing I have wings! Even if I can't fly properly, I think a little dejectedly.
I give my wings a few preemptive flaps as I take a couple steps away from the ledge. In reality, I am very scared, it's a loooong drop to the bottom.
'This will be totally fine' I tell myself over an over. I'm a glorious bird! Flapping is in my blood! The sky belongs to ME!
I close my eyes and sprint at the edge, flapping like never before! As soon as I leave the edge I open my eyes because I realize how scary it is not to see. What I am able to see, is the ground getting closer at an alarming rate.
Departed Phoenix Roost Dungeon
The hard mountain dirt and jagged stone boulders at the base all of a sudden seem less inviting and the fear of my free fall spurs my wings to unprecedented speeds!
+ 1 Dexterity
I think my wingspan is too small. Because it's not birdly possible to flap any faster than this, yet I'm still falling.
"I'm too young and adorable to die!" I sqwaurk as my tiny red body descends to the forest.
It's not fair! What's the point of having wings if I can't fly, I whine internally.
Although, while not able to achieve flight, my dedicated flapping of the highest degree has slowed my fall to 'moderately dangerous'.
As I'm gliding down to the forest canopy I can see other birds flying around me as if it's the easiest thing in the world. They shoot me some quizzical stares as I barrel by. Silly birds! Can they not see I'm struggling here?! My wings are going to fly off on their own and leave my body behind!
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I close my eyes tightly as green tree leaves whiz by. A few higher branches manage catch my fall and forcefully slow down my gliding free fall, which disturbs some roosting birds, but they're bullies anyways.
Suffered 5 Falling Damage
Suffered 3 Falling Damage
Suffered 2 Falling Damage
Suffered 3 Falling Damage
Suffered 2 Falling Damage
Suffered 4 Falling Damage
+ 1 Endurance
Suffered 3 Falling Damage
Suffered Stunned
I continue down the tree limbs like a glorified pinball ball and luckily catch myself by clasping my talons around a sturdy branch below. I don't mind the fact that I'm hanging upside down like a bat, it's better than falling.
My head woozes in a wide circle and my bones ache as the green forest below spins and undulates to my dazed sight. Golly gosh! If I wasn't starving I would be throwing up by now!
That wasn't the best idea, now that I think about it, most of my ideas concerning flight are unsuccessful and reckless. But, I am in the forest, so maybe this idea worked out? in a catastrophic kind of way.
My rocking senses are soon jolted awake when an intimidating growl sounds out across the forest, startling the nearby birds to the sky in a mass of blue and yellow. The growl was truly the voice of a predator, one that was on the hunt for easy prey.
Again, the growl repeats itself and I freeze up in fear.
My stomach has never been so empty.
Suffered Starvation
'Gimmie fooooooooooooooooooood" I groan as I detach myself from the branch and frantically flap down the 6 meters to the moist dirt below.
Suffered 3 Falling Damage
I know it's unbecoming, I know it's unladylike and I know it's desperate. Most of all, I know how unfluffy it is.
I hop over to a fallen tree trunk that has rotted and been infested with all manner of creepy crawlies. My birdy instincts tell me this is fine and normal, but my brain protests. For better or worse, my tummy's protesting is louder than my mind and I reluctantly slurp up the absolute, most disgusting, filthy and horrendous insects the world has on offer to sate my hunger.
Golden tears roll down my cheeks as the revolting food funnels down my gullet. This is all the Big Fluffer's fault!! He stole all my deliciousness and fluffy blankets, now there are only the yuckies for me to eat.
My tears splash on the fertile dirt and tiny little plants spring up in real-time, growing into buddings in the matter of seconds. It's rather cool, I didn't know I could do that. Watching the plants growing is also keeping my eyes distracted from the revolting feast of yuckies that my beak is unrelentingly poking into.
"Why Big Fluffer, why?" I choke out in between bugs.
I already miss my huge, twisting and linear tunnel, filled with nothing but the fluffiest and most delectable blankets. I mean, the forest is colorful and warm, but still...
I bring myself to scoff down one last nameless insect and I tear my head away from the log. Even though I'm only half-full, it'll have to do for now.
Never ever, ever never, will I ever, never ever, ever, from now until ever will I ever eat another insect. Ever. "I vow, from this day forth" I say while looking at the sickening nest of creepies.
"Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eye, to the sun I will fly, break this promise and angels shall cry." I then seal the promise by criss crossing my wing feathers together, like a pinky promise.
"Well with that out of the way, time to find the biggest blanket in the forest." I whistle with a merry tune while walking in no particular direction, eager to forget the stomach churning 'incident'.