The impact sent me hurtling through several trees until I crashed into a nearby building. Coughing painfully, I watched as my wounds slowly healed, the process noticeably slower than before. "That guy is unbelievably strong!" I gasped, struggling to my feet and brushing dust from my feathers. Glancing around, I realized I had reached the kingdom. "I made it to the kingdom!"

The kingdom of Aurora loomed before me, its towering spires and majestic architecture a stark contrast to the dense forest I had just left behind. As I struggled to my feet, the ache of my injuries a constant reminder of the boy's formidable strength, I took in my surroundings with a mix of awe and wariness.

The building I had crashed into seemed ancient, its stone walls weathered by time and adorned with intricate carvings that spoke of a rich history. Through a cracked window, I glimpsed bustling streets and lively markets, filled with beings of all shapes and sizes, each going about their daily lives seemingly unaware of the turmoil just beyond the forest's edge.

Navigating through the bustling streets, I attracted curious glances from passersby. Their avian features were diverse—some had wings, others feathered arms, and some even had beaks. I was bewildered by their appearance, but it began to make sense why the boy had feathers on his head similar to mine. This kingdom must be populated by avian hybrids. The realization dawned on me that finding any of the other birds would be challenging amidst such a unique populace.

Another wave of hunger gnawed at my stomach, and I couldn't ignore the sweet aroma wafting from a nearby tavern. Approaching cautiously, I saw a sign that read "No clothes, no service." Frustration surged within me. "I don't have any money to buy clothes, and I won't steal them. If I have to eat another worm, I'll go insane," I thought to myself, pondering my options.

{Feather manipulation}

{Use your feathers to shape clothes}

As the voice filled my head I looked around and hid behind a building. "Use my feathers to shape clothes?" I took a deep breath and the feathers around my body began forming into a tunic and trousers. "Nice." I dusted the clothes and headed into the tavern

Inside the tavern, avian people had conversations, they laughed, drank and socialized. I slammed the door open, and everyone's attention turned towards me. I walked to the bar, past the round wooden tables and sat on one of the barstools. The bartender's and everyone else's eyes were still on me. "Can I have some food please?" I asked with a raised finger, "And a drink, please."

As I asked for this, the bartender slid down a bowl of mud with worms and insects. When I saw this, I immediately threw up on the floor. "Dammit, does this whole village only serve worms?!" I wiped my mouth and then saw the bartender sneering at me with his beak. "If you're not hungry don't eat it," When he said this the patrons of the taverns grumbled in agreement, some of them even angry.

I panicked and held my arms up defensively, "No! No! It's not like that, it's just, I was really hoping for something other than," I picked up the bowl and began sloshing it around. "This slop?"

The bartender's eyes narrowed. "This 'slop' is a delicacy around here. If you don't like it, maybe you should find somewhere else to eat."

An older avian woman at a nearby table piped up. "If you can't appreciate our food, maybe you don't belong here at all."

Feeling the tension rising, I quickly tried to diffuse the situation. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend anyone. Do you have anything else? Anything more... tastier?"

A young avian girl with bright plumage looked at me curiously. "What do you usually eat?"

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

"Well," I said, trying to think of something that wouldn't sound too strange, my diet has only been worms and insects. "fruits, nuts, maybe some cooked meat?"

When I mentioned cooked meat, the tavern's people went quiet for a moment, like they were dreading something.

The bartender's sneer softened slightly. "We do have some fruit and nuts. Not much demand for cooked meat here, though."

He disappeared for a moment and returned with a small bowl of mixed fruits and nuts. "Here, try this."

Relieved, I took the bowl and nodded gratefully. "Thank you. This is perfect." I smiled and began digging into the food.

The atmosphere in the tavern slowly returned to normal as the patrons resumed their conversations, though I could still feel some eyes on me. I took a bite of the fruit, savoring the refreshing taste, and thought about what to do next. I needed to find out more about this place in order to find the other celestial birds vessels. But first, I had to get through this meal without causing any more trouble.

Behind me, the door opened, and the atmosphere in the tavern shifted dramatically. The lively chatter ceased, replaced by an eerie silence. Only the jingle of the door and the measured steps of the newcomer could be heard. I glanced up at the bartender, whose eyes were wide with fear as he looked behind me. As the footsteps drew nearer, he lowered his gaze, avoiding eye contact with whoever had just entered.

Curiosity tugged at me, but the nuts and berries demanded my attention, and I kept eating. The sound of grinding metal, like armor in motion, grew louder as the mysterious person approached and settled in the seat next to me. From the corner of my eye, I noticed their towering figure and the long sword they set on the bar. Finally, I turned and looked up to see an avian figure clad in brown armor adorned with feather patterns. They had the head of an eagle and the feathered body of a human.

The bartender poured a glass of green liquid and handed it to the armored avian with trembling hands. "H-here you go, Sir Korin Talonblade," he stammered. Korin Talonblade nodded and began drinking. The bartender then placed a bowl of something that smelled delicious in front of him. "T-these are my new Enchanted Truffles. My daughter over there made the recipe from rare truffles in the Aurora Forest." He gestured to the little girl I had noticed earlier.

Korin took the plate and began eating. Two thoughts filled my mind. First, how did his daughter, who looked about seven years old, manage to gather rare truffles? Second, how was he enjoying such a luxurious meal while I was stuck with nuts and berries? I was the Divine Owl, after all.

Feeling a mix of frustration and curiosity, I couldn't help but comment. "Those truffles smell amazing. What makes them so special?"

The barkeep turned his attention to me. "These are enchanted truffles, said to enhance one's abilities temporarily. To those already strong they have no effect, but they are really delicious."

I then said the words that I regret to this day. If I had just been grateful for my nuts and berries, everything could have been avoided.

"Can I have some?"

The tavern patrons gasped and turned to me. Korin paused eating for a moment, then continued. I felt a few pairs of arms grasp onto me. A man with an angry expression gripped my arm tightly. "You idiot! Who are you to demand real food?!" His voice was furious, but I could sense his underlying worry. A woman, also clutching me, looked scared. "Nobody in the town of Feathercrest gets to eat real food besides the knights, and Sir Korin is the best of them all." She cried as the five patrons who held me began dragging me to the door.

Korin pushed his bowl aside and growled. "This is the most disgusting thing I have ever tasted." His words caused the barkeep and the patrons to gasp in fear. But the little girl, however, threw a beer bottle at him. "How could you say that?!" she yelled, tugging at his leg in a futile attempt to make him leave. "This is the best food that my daddy has ever cooked. You force us to eat mud and worms like that's all we're capable of, huh?! You think you can talk down on us just because you're a Winged Knight?!"

"What is that brat doing?!"

"She's gonna get us all killed!"

"Barkeep, tell your stupid daughter to cut that out right now!"

The patrons holding me yelled frantically. Korin smashed the bowl against the door and stood up, raising his sword high. "No, please! She's my daughter! Have mercy, Sir Korin!" the barkeep pleaded, his eyes wide with terror. Korin's gaze pierced into the little girl's eyes. He began chanting, "Auric Blades." His blade crackled with yellow lightning. But before he could do anything, he noticed the patrons were no longer holding me.

He heard munching behind him and turned around. There I was, eating the truffles that had fallen to the floor. "These are really good," I said with a full mouth. I had used my avian weaving to get out of the patrons grasp and appear on the table.