The beast approaches and time slows down. Its powerful muscles shift and explode visibly underneath its shaggy brown fur as it lunges forward. The black maw of its feral mouth grows wider as it nears its prey and prepares to bite down. Trembling in its hungering, pale-brown eyes reflects a crimson bird, petrified and unable to move.

Its jaw begins to close.

I shrink backwards.

Its hot, rancid breathe washes over my body and I close my eyes, tuck my head into my wings, and lament my lack of action while waiting for the inevitable.

I should have done something sooner, anything sooner! I could of flown up into the sky or shoved fire into its stupid face! Either would've been something, why did I do nothing? Now I'm going to die again. But more importantly then that, why does every fluffy thing want me dead?! It's unfair! Do fluffies without sharp claws and even sharper teeth exist?! Are there any fluffies that just want to hug? I guess not. It'll be another night spent as dust for me. I hope it chokes.

Maybe I should jump into its mouth and save it the trouble?

A very distinct, hoarse voice cuts through the panicked thoughts of my final moments with a shout. It's Bartlon. But words are downed under the sound of my thumping heartbeat. I hold fast under the minimal protection of my thin, vulnerable wings while hoping that Bartlon puts those magically fast legs to use and runs away before I'm eaten. Revival probably isn't among Bartlon's abilities, so if he dies, he won't be come back, and I will be super upset about it. The thought of seeing Bartlon hurt makes me uncomfortably angry.

Although... if he could revive, that would be a pretty huge pile of ashes won't it? And wouldn't it be super awesome to see a pile of ashes that's bigger than me? I wonder, would they be orange like mine or a different color? Would they be hot, or cold? Aha... what am I talking even talking about? There's no way Bartlon could turn to ashes like me, he doesn't even have a single feather! I'm so silly. Being on the verge of a bloody death is making me loopy.

...

Gosh golly.

This new Shaggy Fluff is taking forever to kill me. Can it hurry up? What's it doing? Taking a nap? Or did it run away?

I part my wings and peek out of my overlapping feathers, expecting to see my life ending as two sets of razor sharp teeth closing around me to rip me limb from limb. My expectations turn out to be... almost correct.

Reering back on its hind legs and snarling furiously, the Shaggy Fluff furiously scrapes its gleaming claws on a pristine wall of transparent... something between us, sending ripples rushing around me in the form of a perfect dome. It tilts its head to the side and vengefully glares into my peeking eyes while sinking its wicked teeth into the mysterious, life-saving dome in an effort to tear it away. Yet, despite the horrifying gnawing the wall receives, it remains resolute and unbreaking under the terrifying assault, if anything, it looks as if it's getting stronger, more robust and less transparent.

What and why? Oh never mind, questions come later.

"Cinders" I caw with all the courage I can muster, ascending into the air and spraying flames towards the Shaggy Fluff while the opportunity is still present.

4 Fire Damage

The strengthening barrier abruptly shatters and dissipates into the air with a shimmer as Cinders crashes into it. A small portion of the flames spray across the Shaggy Fluff's underbelly, but inflict no real damage other than spooking it for a split second and causing it jump backwards with its belly to the ground.

Yay! I'm not dead! Muahahaha! You're mine now you stupid Fluff! You can't get me up here!

I flap my wings for all I'm worth while surging my inner fire from my heart towards my belly and throat for an empowered Bellows, aimed straight for the growling beast's face. My insides bubble and boil as heat amasses inside, a few slivers of flame lash out from my beak and nose as the fire brews within. The Shaggy Fluff raises its haunch in response, coiling its explosive leg muscles for a mighty leap.

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Oh... Maybe it can get me up here? Was attacking that strange wall a mistake?

The tiniest of pauses passes as we both prepare ourselves for our next move.

I open my beak and the Shaggy Fluff jumps.

"Bellows" I shout at the top of my lungs as the Shaggy Fluff's teeth approach me for the second time. A condensed bolt of scorching hot fire erupts from the pit of my stomach and rumbles through my gullet before streaking out of my open beak with a roar. The Shaggy Fluff's eyes widen in fear as it finally realizes how mistaken it was to attack me, a glorious pheonix! It attempts to twist its body mid-air, but reacts too late. The powerful Bellows slams down into its shoulder and neck with a shuddering *Bwoosh*, knocking it back to the ground in a yelping fit obscured by flaring flames.

62 Fire Damage

Timber Wolf is Burned

As I flutter down to the ground the flames quickly disperse, revealing the left side of the Shaggy Fluff's wonderfully shaggy fluff charred black and still burning as flames lick over its prone body. The impact area of Bellows on its neck is now missing a giant chunk flesh and the bones exposed beneath are blackened by the fire. The only saving grace on behalf of the Shaggy Fluff, is that its gruesome wounds aren't bleeding because the heat sealed it shut.

See? I should've just done that from the beginning! But has Bellows always been so powerful? Or did I get stronger? The Shaggy Fluff certainly looks - whoopies - 'looked' a lot stronger than the Misty Death, but maybe it wasn't. I guess bigger isn't always better, huh? That was too easy!

The defeated, whimpering beast paws at the burned forest below its feet in a pitiful attempt at fleeing as I awkwardly land down a meter away from it, trying not to set the forest on fire. I tentatively hop behind the Shaggy Fluff's back while keeping my distance from those nasty claws as I contemplate what to do next.

I should kill it, right? It's clearly suffering and it tried to kill me first, so I should finish it off, but I have a dilemma. Do I peck it to death so I can eat the un-burned bits or do I shoot it again and kill it instantly? It's so much bigger than me that pecking it might take a while and there's a possibility that it might lash out on me, so I should act safely and shoot it. But then, if I shoot it, it'll burn all over which will make it taste a bit yucky, and I might accidentally set the forest on fire. Hmmmmmmm. Tough decision.

Thankfully, the issue more or less resolves itself when Bartlon strides forth from behind me with a short dagger in hand.

He growls in anger as he drops to his knees and plunges the dagger into the Shaggy Fluff's scorched ribs. The short dagger pierces through the Shaggy Fluff's heart and finishes it off quickly without adding to the already numerous burns it has.

Nice work! That worked way better then-

Timber Wolf slain, 182 exp gained

Oh yay! More exp! I almost forget that I can get Affinity by leveling up! I should try and get some more, I don't think I got any at all while I was on Harou Tree island.

Bartlon turns to me with worry evident on his face "Are you alright? I had no idea that this creature was lurking in my home. This is all my fault" he frets as he shuffles towards me on his knees. He raises up his left hand to my side and it starts to sparkle with a white glow that looks eerily similar to the same transparent dome that had protected me earlier. "Heal" Bartlon says softly, prompting the white glow around his hand to reach out and coat my body before shimmering away, doing nothing, but solving the mystery behind the magic wall. It was Bartlon!

"It didn't even touch me!" I chirp happily, my chest swelling in pride "and I barely touch it either, just a single Bellows stopped it! But thank you for making that see-through wall thingy, I was caught by surprise at first, (and I totally wasn't going to die) can you show me how to make that white wall-thingy appear too?" I ask while hopping up the Shaggy Fluff's limp tail and giving it a rub with my wings to feel the bushy texture.

Gah! It's soft, but smells awful!

Bartlon sucks in his lips and shakes his head "The white wall-thingy is called Respite and it's a high rank Light spell, the highest I have. Teaching it is impossible. Not that I think you'll need it, that fireball you used could take out nearly everything in this forest without any trouble" he smirks while nudging the Shaggy Fluff's burned shoulder with his finger "Here's the proof".

Nearly everything? That can't be true! I remember shooting the Misty Death with multiple Bellows! The Rattling Worms too! They didn't die in one hit! Were they just super strong? Or is Bartlon exaggerating so he doesn't have to tell me the secret to his magic wall? That's not very nice, I want a magic wall too!

"Well then" Bartlon grunts as he climbs to his feet and dusts off his knees "Hope you like wolf. Some wolf meat for dinner sounds good to me, been a while since the last time. Wait, can you eat meat? Or do birds only eat berries and stuff?" he asks while grabbing the Shaggy Fluff's front legs and dragging it, and me, behind him towards his home.

I release my beak from the Shaggy Fluff's tail and hug it tighter with my wings "Meat is yummy, but what do berries taste like?" I ask, quickly clamping my beak back down on the moving corpse so I don't slide off.

"Uhhhh. There's lots of different flavors, but I think they're generally sweet, similar to the fruits you asked me about earlier" he answers, rubbing his chin with his free hand "Although I don't really eat fruits and berries, they don't go well in my stomach, I much prefer vegetables. Have you eaten vegetables before?"

Vegetables? There's more food?

I twist my head to the side and partially open my beak "Nope! Are they yummy?" I mumble through the tail stuffed in my mouth.

Bartlon chuckles. "Will that always be you're first question? Yes, vegetables taste extremely good. I have some pumpkin and potato stored in the pantry. You can try some tonight! They're my favorite."

Yay! More food! I can't wait to eat! There's going to be so much to try! First is the Shaggy Fluff meat! Then the potatoes! Then the pumpkins! And then finally, the most anticipate meal... Coins! Oh golly, I don't think my tummy can handle the wait! I'm starved!

Bartlon passes through the open bark door of his house and stops in his tracks with a sigh.

"It's so messy" I chirp in a matter-of-fact tone as I take in the sights of the dark interior.

"Yeah" he sighs again, his shoulders slumping like a deflating balloon "I don't like the way my pantry door has a hole chewed through it".