Aiden inched his way toward the bird until he stood right next to it. He moved as slowly as he could. It stayed on top of the bag and watched him approach, tilting its head and keeping its eyes on Aiden. Getting right next to the bird, Aiden froze.

The bird ruffled its wings and chirped once impatiently.

Aiden slowly crouched down in front of the bird, just an arm's length away, and held his hand close to it.

It cocked its head to the side and looked at his hand, then straightened to look directly at him. Aiden knew it could take time, and so patiently waited. The bird didn't seem scared but didn't step onto his hand. After a few minutes, Aiden's arm started feeling heavier and heavier. But, he resolutely kept it still before the bird.

It made a demanding chirp and looked pointedly back and forth between Aiden's hand and his face.

Bram came over as slowly as Aiden had and squatted next to Aiden. When the bird didn't react, Bram dug into one of their bags next to the stairs, pulling out some of the wild berries they'd had with breakfast. He handed a couple to Aiden, who placed one into the palm of his hand held before the bird.

The bird lowered itself, then puffed its feathers for a second, and with a noise that sounded like a sigh, it hopped onto Aiden's hand and started digging into the offered berry with its sharp beak.

It was heavier than he expected. It looked like it was built for speed, and Aiden had expected it to be as light as a small parrot. Instead, it had all the weight of a small crow or regular parrot. As it moved on his hand, he could feel the strong muscles of its feet, and its legs were a bit thicker than he'd expected. He appreciated the radiant orange plumage and teal blue belly. It was a compact bird with a stout body and a large head relative to its size. Its bill was long, sharp, and pointed. It was a bird built for swift, precise movements and ideal for hunting.

Aiden couldn't help the wide smile.

He slowly began pulling his hand back closer to make it easier to hold.

Before the bird touched the edge of the barrier keeping dust out of the room, it chirped the same deep, commanding 'no' as the night before and moved like lightning, jumping back onto the bag.

Aiden expected it to fly away. Instead it turned around and looked at Aiden again. It held Aiden's eyes and again chirped 'no.'

Aiden sat on the step next to the bird well back from the invisible barrier and held his hand out. It jumped on his hand and continued eating the berry. The berry wasn't vanishing as fast as the mangoes had the night before.

"That is an odd bird. I wonder why it doesn't want to come into the chamber proper," Bram said.

The bird gave a sarcastic double chirp.

Aiden tried to get it to move between his hands, and it did so without any hesitation. Then he lowered it back to the bag, where it hopped off and watched them.

"Well, it might not want to come in. But we have those other tests to complete." Bram said, standing back up and tossing his handful of berries into his mouth.

The bird let out a loud, complaining whistle.

"Okay, well it don't think I can get back into the cage. But, maybe it'll stick around. Everything about this is a little wierd." Aiden said.

He pulled some more berries out of the other sack, putting them onto the pack next to the bird, and rose to return to the testing. The bird knocked all the berries off the back of the pack between the pack and the next step up, except one. Then, it pinned the remaining berry in place with its foot and used its beak to begin tearing the berry apart and eating it.

The rest of the day was spent on a series of tests, combined with various rude chirps or squawks from the bird who watched them from the last step into the room.

By the end of the day, Aiden felt he could almost understand the birds' noises. But he dismissed the idea because almost everything he imagined it was saying was rude or mocking. He figured it was just his own feelings of inadequacy tinting his interpretations.

As they gathered their gear to leave, the bird turned and raced up a few steps ahead, then landed and waited.

"Well, it's ready to leave," Bram observed.

The bird chirped a few notes, which Aiden was sure meant 'no kidding, what an idiot.'

"Are you getting an idea of what it is trying to say?" He asked.

"I admit it is talkative. Like those finches you had." Bram said

The bird jumped and squawked. Again, Aiden felt it had said 'no urding way.'

"You don't have to curse like that." Aiden said to the bird as he started to climb the steps.

"What do you mean? I didn't curse." Bram said.

The bird made a surprised chirp.

"Not you Bram, the bird. I get the feeling half of the things it says are curses."

"You understand it?"

"Maybe. But, I think I'm imagining it."

Aiden climbed a few more steps before he noticed the bird hadn't made a sound as he walked past it. Looking back, the bird was standing as tall as it could, with its beak actually held open.

Aiden burst out laughing.

Bram followed Aiden's gaze to the bird and laughed too.

The bird closed its beak, looked back and forth between them, and actually made a sound like a cough. Then, it gave a low but nice-sounding chirp.

"Yah. Well, my Dad says, 'Sorry doesn't fix it. You need to fix it.'" Aiden said to the bird and resumed climbing the stairs. Then looked at Bram, who was giving Aiden an odd, penetrating look. "Common Bram, I'm tired and hungry. Let's get back to camp."

They made it about halfway up the stairs when the bird flew past them like a rocket. Finishing the climb and the short walk to the camp they found the bird sitting comfortably on Aiden's tent.

Bram stopped and stared. Aiden walked past him and started putting the gear away and getting the cooking pot out.

"Have you ever had a bird act like that?" Bram asked as he finished entering the campsite and started his own chores.

"No, but we know it's smart. Although why it came back I can't say."

Aiden pulled the remaining mangoes out of the food sack, cut a wedge out of one, and put it on the side of the table. The bird moved over in a blur and started eating the mango with gusto.

"Maybe it's just sticking around until all the mangoes are gone."

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Bram laughed. "Ya, that is a possibility. But, it was watching us all day. Did you see?"

Aiden continued preparing the herbs he'd gathered, cutting and preparing the rabbit and pheasant meat and arranging it all on the cooking rocks.

He put some of the bones, salt, water, salt, and more herbs into the soup pot Aiden chopped and added the last couple of potatoes and carrots.

"This is pretty much the end of our supplies," Aiden said as he stirred the soup before covering it and putting it on the fire to cook. "There is plenty of food around. But, I'd have to spend a few hours more hunting and gathering. Or I can run back to town tomorrow and get more."

The scent of pine mingled with the aroma of cooking meat as Aiden deftly worked over a small fire, turning skewers of rabbit and pheasant he had trapped earlier. Nearby, the herbs and mushrooms he’d gathered sizzled on a flat stone at the edge of the flames, filling the air with a savory fragrance.

Bram knelt by a large leather satchel, meticulously packing away the magical testing gear. His hands moved with practiced precision, polishing ornate crystals and odd-shaped artifacts before tucking them into padded compartments. “We’ve nearly used up all the casting components we brought,” he said, his tone a mix of frustration and resignation. “That chamber... it’s not revealing its secrets.”

The bird chirped a little.

Aiden looked at it, "Laughing isn't fair. If you're so smart, why don't you tell me what it's for?"

A couple of clipped chirps followed, ending with the clear "no."

"That's no excuse," Aiden said. "I'm not even sure you do know. If you do, and you have to keep it a secret, fine. We'll figure it out."

A few more chirps were cut off by Aiden tossing another wedge onto the table near the bird. It stopped and attacked the mango.

"You really understand what it's saying?"

"Not exactly. It's more like a feeling. I don't hear words, but I can feel..." Aiden trailed off unable to find the words to describe how he just knew what the bird meant.

Aiden glanced over looking for help.

Bram shook his head, "I've heard of people who can understand animals. But, nothing to actually being able to talk with them."

"Smart animals?"

Bram's eyes lit up, "ah! I see what you are getting at. The only sentient animals I've ever heard of are those in children's tales and myths. But, can you understand your other birds like this?"

Aiden thought about it while making sure the food didn't burn.

"Sort of. I mean I've been able to train them better than most. At least that is what Martin says. He told me they are now being asked for specifically from me in Nemeth."

Bram went back to the methodical work of cleaning and packing the testing gear. “Well, we came here to get that bird and explore the chamber. As frustrating as that chamber is, we've got as much as we can for now.” Wiping a spherical object covered in intricate runes. “We’ve done everything we can think of. It’s time to go back, regroup, and figure out what we’re missing.”

The bird made some soft noises, which Aiden ignored. “You've researched the history of this place for years. Do you really think there might be something you overlooked?”

Bram packed the last of the gear and stood, brushing dirt from his knees. “Research is often met with lots of apparent failures. I now have more clues to use. The description of this chamber, excellent drawings of those symbols, the mysterious barrier, and the magic isolation are all new to me. I can see if there are any descriptions like those, even if somewhere else. Who knows, there may be more than one of these places. If so, maybe we can go examine them and see if they are the same or different."

Aiden thought about it and then shrugged. "Sure."

"Plus you should catch up with your father at the smithy. He’s probably starting to wondering if we're okay.”

Aiden chuckled, though the mention of his father brought a mix of emotions. “He’s always got some new project, some challenge for me. But I wouldn’t mind the familiar rhythm of the forge for a bit.”

Bram joined him by the fire, the light casting flickering shadows on their faces. “If we come up with more ideas, we can return. This isn’t the end, just a pause.”

Aiden handed Bram a skewer, the meat perfectly cooked and fragrant. “That sounds okay.”

They ate in silence for a while, the forest around them a symphony of night sounds. The crackle of the fire, the rustle of leaves, the distant call of an owl—all woven together into the tapestry of their journey. Aiden and Bram took turns giving the bird an endless supply of small berries or slices of fuit.

Bram’s mind wandered back to the intricate chamber they had been studying. “It’s strange, isn’t it?” he said, breaking the silence. “All those ancient symbols and yet no mechanisms. I feel like we’re missing something obvious.”

Aiden nodded thoughtfully. “He doesn't want to go in," he said, gesturing to the bird.

The bird jumped up and spread its wings a little sqwaking loudly.

Aiden held his hands up, "whoa, sorry, sorry, how was I supposed to know?"

The bird seemed to accept the apology and went back to tearing the berry it held apart.

"What was that about?"

"Oh, she didn't like me calling her male."

"It's a girl?"

"She says so. And it isn't like I'm going to try and find out otherwise."

The bird turned its back on them and continued destroying berries, pretending to ignore them.

"How do tell if a bird is male or female?"

"You mean besides for asking them?" Aiden laughed. "Well, the ones that lay eggs after being brought to good health are the females. But, it is hard sometimes to tell. Normally, the ones that sit on the eggs are the females. But not always."

"Huh. If this fine lady will stay with us, we should name her." Bram said.

"I was thinking about that."

The bird made a small song.

"No, I'm not going to call you that. Don't be ridiculous."

The bird turned around and glared at Aiden singing more.

"I don't care. I am not going to go around saying that." Aiden said as his cheeks reddened.

"What?"

Aiden mumbled something.

"Sorry I couldn't hear you."

Aiden looked up at the sky for a moment, then sighed. "She says her name is Lady Larzaria Luminous Lightbeak, The Matron Of Majestic Meadows."

Bram's mouth fell open as he tried to take in the name. Then he barked out laughing.

Aiden groaned and gave Lady Larzaria Luminous Lightbeak, The Matron Of Majestic Meadows, a hard stare. "See?" He said, waving at Bram.

Lady Larzaria Luminous Lightbeak, The Matron Of Majestic Meadows, flew over, landed in front of Bram, and began chirping and singing.

Bram took in Lady Larzaria Luminous Lightbeak, The Matron Of Majestic Meadows's serious-sounding tirade and body language, and laughed even harder.

Aiden shook his head. "I'm going to call you Zaria."

Zaria turned on Aiden and actually tried to march over. But, unfortunately, she just wasn't built for the moves, and that made Bram laugh even more. Aiden tried to hide his mouth with his hand. But he couldn't hide the jerking of his chest as he held in his own laughter.

Zaria sang a few notes, looking completely outraged.

"I'm sorry, I can't do that. If not Zaria give me something else."

Zaria looked back and forth at the two giggling men. Then deflated and sang something.

"Well, I'd love to be your friend. And I understand."

"What?" Bram asked.

"She says her parents called her that. Her friends call her Ria."

Bram got control of his face and giggled; taking a deep breath, he bowed his head. "Lady Larzaria Luminous Lightbeak, The Matron Of Majestic Meadows, I'm most pleased to meet you. I know we've met under rather unusual circumstances, but I, too, would like to be counted as your friend."

Ria stood looking back and forth before nodding. She sang a few notes and flew back over to continue demolishing the berries they'd left out for her.

"She said okay," Aiden said.

"Ya, that one I got," Bram said. "I'll help clean up."

After all the chores, Ria rested back on Aiden's tent, eyes closed and feathers puffed out. Every now and then, her feet shifted and flexed.

Bram blew smoke rings over the fire, and Aiden stared up at the stars.

Aiden thought out loud in a soft voice so as not to disturb the night. "I don't think we'll find answers in the magic. There is an intent behind the chamber that doesn't seem to be about magic.”

Bram blew a smoke ring and rubbed his chin, pondering Aiden’s words. “What do you mean?"

"Your research and reading room has books, ingredients, and tools. Like the smithy, we have dozens of tools, five anvils, two furnaces, and storage cabinets."

"And?"

"And I don't get that feel from that chamber. There is no space for workbenches, no cabinets, no shelves. The chamber is simple, just large enough for that circle and little else."

You might be right. When we get back, I’ll make some more inquiries to the various research stores. There’s bound to be something we’ve overlooked.”

Aiden’s thoughts drifted to the village, the familiar faces and routines. “And I’ll be back at the forge. Father will have some stories, no doubt. He always does.”

The fire began to die down, casting the forest in a dim, twilight glow. Aiden added a few more logs, stoking the flames to keep the chill at bay. “Tomorrow, we break camp and head back,” he said, more to himself than to Bram.

Bram nodded, his eyes reflecting the firelight. Standing, he said, "Good night, Aiden, and good night, Lady Ria." Before climbing into his tent and waiting blankets.

Aiden settled back, the night sounds of the forest wrapping around him like a comforting blanket. For tonight, he was still an explorer, still part of the wild. Ria watched him from the top of his tent. Finally, he, too, stood and stepped over to his tent and looked at Ria sitting still on the peak of his tent. She had her feathers fluffed out, and her head was tucked under one wing, making her look like a fluffy one-eyed ball.

"Ria, would you like to join me in the tent? It will be warmer."

Ria pulled her head out from under the wing and looked at him, yawning wide. With a soft chirp, she put her head back under her wing and somehow fluffed up even more.

Aiden smiled at her, "Okay, good night. I'm sure you can get in if you change your mind."

Bending down, he carefully climbed into his tent and bundled himself in the blankets. He listened to the forest as he fell asleep. The forest's soft singing seemed to agree with their decision; the air held a sense of closure and anticipation.