“Mmm, Twenty—Ouch!”

My eyes flick open instantly, as the pain sears through my left shoulder. My eyes are watering, but I won’t complain. I was very lucky that no ghosts came for me last night, and I don’t want to take my chances. I grit my teeth and just deal with it. I’m used to this in a way, considering how the commoners tend to treat us.

“Oh, that’s right,” I mumble under my breath. Has it been two days yet? No, not yet… I went to sleep once, so that must mean it’s been one day… Yeah, definitely. Oh, and it’s a bit brighter. Daytime has come!

It this meal day? I didn’t get a regular meal yesterday, so I think so. Now where is my bread…? It’s not there. Ahh, oh well. I got a reward yesterday, so I should be able to make it through today alright. And besides, I don’t actually feel that hungry… That’s weird; my tummy always hurts in the morning! But it doesn’t now. Welp, I guess that’s nice.

Let’s see if I still have my water—“Ah, ah, ee, ee!” Different arm different arm! That one makes my shoulder hurt more. Huh. Shoulder? I turn my head over to take a look. Oooh, my robe looks kinda like the ones people would take off before their baths, except that there isn’t any red. Instead, it’s a dark gray. You know, actually everything looks gray, some more and some less. It’s still quite dark though, so maybe that’s why.

Oh yeah, water. Hmm. Yes! It’s still there. Twenty-Six would scold me really bad if I didn’t bring the water skin back. Whew. Now that that’s off my mind, I should... Do nothing. Yep, still gotta hide. It’s going to be boring, but there will be a special reward at the end, and I can’t let that go away! I’m just going to carefully curl up here and rest a bit more. Mmm. So nice and warm. I feel so safe and so warm and kinda dizzy, but it’s… It… i… *Zzzzz*

*** *** ***

“Mhmm. I do like rice. I’ve even tried some that was still white before. Yeah. It’s over—Ah! Ow, ow, ow!” Hmm, that actually didn’t hurt as much… That’s nice. Maybe this hurt will go away like the others did. I can feel the dimples on my face as my mouth forms a smile

Wait, where am… Oh, I remember. Still next to the mountain. *Sigh* Oh, but I slept, so that means it’s the next day. Time to get back, reward, here I come!

So first let get out of here. Wait, how do I do that when the entrance is blocked? Maybe if I hit it? *Tap* Huh. Nothing. *Tap tap* Ouchie. That hurts my fist. How do I get out of here? Kick it? *Tap* *Tap*Ow, ow, ow! That’s not going to work.

Ok. So let’s take a deep breath, and—“Help!” … “Help me!” … Eeek. I’m honestly getting scared now. If I don’t go back in time I might lose out on the reward!

*Tap tap, tap tink, tap tap* “Help me!” *Tap tap tap* “Fifty-Three, Twenty-Six! I’m in here!”

*** *** ***

“Where are you? I’m in her—” *Hack, cough, cough*

I can’t. I can’t do it. I’ve hit the egg-thing over and over and kicked it, and I even tried licking it off! It was gross—and it didn’t work at all. Now my voice is hoarse, and I don’t think I have any tears left to even cry. *Sigh* Am I going to die? I don’t know, but I’m. So. Tire… *Zzzzz*

*** *** ***

Ok, day three. I think I can think a bit straighter now, though I really want to get out of here. I’m still really scared, but I can’t give up yet! Also, I can see even better today, though I can’t see any colors, I can make out shapes and shades pretty well. Oh, and my shoulder is only a little sore now, though it feels kinda hard around there. Well, actually in some other places, too. I don’t know. It doesn’t even matter anyhow. I need to get out of here!

But how? How? “HOW YOU STUPID MOUNTAIN!” *Tap* “How does it feel to be kicked? Tell me!” *Tap* “Yeah, there, take that, stupid! HAHAHAHA!” Ha! Eh. Huh? Am I seeing things? No, really—I think it’s moving! Ooh, there’s enough space! YES!!! Oh, Twenty-Six, I’m out, I’m out! I’m coming back! *Trot trot trot* Let’s get outta here! *Trot trot*

*Rumble*

Uh, what was that?

*Crrrring, Whoosh, Crrrring* “Ahh!” The mountain just moved me back from the exit. Umm. So mountains can move? I look back at the apparently sentient mountain.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

“Huu.” I’m frozen. Not literally, but I can’t actually move because what is in front of me. It’s in shades of black and gray except for its eyes, but I can see enough to realize something.

It can’t be! But it must. There is no other explanation! With its sharp claws, and scaly skin; its golden eyes and toothy grin, but especially those great and wondrous wings—

It’s not mountain—it’s a reeeeally ugly bird!

It’s the ugliest I’ve seen in my entire life! But it’s a birdy, and I like birdies, so I’ll like this one, too.

“H-h-hi, bir, birdy.” I like it but, it’s still really big, and kinda scary, and it’s looking at me. What should I do?

“Um, uh… Look, I have jewelry too!” I say, pointing down towards my feet.

*Rumble* “Oh, so that was you. Wait, what, what are y-you doing?

*Clink clink* “Hey, why’d you do that? Twenty-Six says I’ll get in trouble if the metal stuff between my anklets gets broken… Ahh, whatever. It’ll feel really nice to be able to be able to stretch out my legs when I walk.

“Hey, hey! That, that—ahahaha! It tickles! Your nose really tickles! Stop it! Ahahaha!”

Ahh, finally. A chance to catch my breath. Oh, and to get going. Twenty-Six must be worried about me! Let’s go!

Or not. The birdy isn’t letting me go. “I need to get back, please let me go!”

*Rumble*

Huh. It’s not letting me go… I keep trying to get away, but it always catches me first, and then pulls me back and puts me under its wing. What am I going to do? I don’t know. But you know what? I’m feeling dizzy and sleepy again, so I’m just going to lie back down here.

*Zzzz*

“Mmm. Good mowning berdy” I say getting up and trying not to fall over. I feel really weird. I mean, it’s been a gradual thing over the past few days, but I just realized that I feel really weird now. It’s not a bad kind, is just that the word feels… different. Also, I think something is wrong with my eyes. The inside of the cave is quite bright this morning, but I still can’t see any colors, except for the birdy’s golden glowing eyes. As for how things feel? It’s like I have another sense, or something. I can feel waves of some kind of substance rolling off of the bird, and also coming from the glowing pictures on the bird’s jewelry. Also from other things, but just slightly.

Oooh, and my head is itching really badly, but when I went to scratch it, something was in the way. It was something hard, and there were two of them on the sides of my head. At first I though it was just my ears, but I’m pretty sure my ears aren’t as hard as these things are. Ahh, forget about it. That doesn’t really matter.

Um, now what are you doing? Why are you picking me up? Uh, please put me down I’m not really used to heigh—“Ahh! “What are you doing? I can’t fly! I’m not a birdy like you—ooomph.”

“Ow, that hurt!”

“No. No, no, no not again! I know you caught me last time, but it still Huuuuuuurt—Ow! Why are you doing this? I just wanted to be your friend!”

“No, it hurts! Please don’t droooooop—” And at that point I stretched out my hands as I fell down, ready for the inevitable pain, gritting my teeth and tensing my muscles in preparation. But it didn’t come. Instead, the landing was super-duper soft, and didn’t hurt at all!

“No, no! It didn’t hurt that time, but I still don’t like iiiiiiit.” Ok, same thing: stretch out the hands, grit the teeth, and push at the ground in my mind.

Aaaand, *thump.* “Ow.” It actually wasn’t too bad that time, either. Ooh, and I think it’s happy! It stopped and put me under its wing like usual. It’s so weird, though. Whenever I’m under it’s wing, I get super dizzy and sleepy. I think I have a clue as to why, though, now that I have this new sense. You know the stuff that was emitted from the birdy and the glowy things on its jewelry? Well, when I’m under its wing, that kind of stuff starts falling down on me, but it is a whole bunch. I feel’s kind of like getting a bucket of water dumped on you, except the water is warm and soothing and is making me. So. Sleepy. *Zzzzz*

Alright, day… Umm. I don’t know what day it is anymore. Oh, well. Anyhow, it’s been a few days since the first time the birdy picked me up and dropped me. One of the things that happened was that I found out that I can make the landings hurt a lot less by simply thinking about pushing against the ground. I don’t know why, but that makes me fall a lot more slowly. Each day, I was able to make the landings softer and softer, so let’s see how things work today!

Oh, and one other thing—there seems to be this thing chasing me around now. It looks like a snake, or something, but I haven’t been able to catch it yet. Every time I turn around to look at it, it moves with me. How annoying! Also, there are a few more hard patches on my skin. It’s weird, but it doesn’t hurt, and it doesn’t feel bad to the touch, so I’m just not going to worry about it. Also, the things stuck to my head have gotten a bit bigger. Again, it doesn’t actually hurt, so it should be ok. (AN: Famous last words, lol)

Ah, but returning to the present, it’s time again. I can feel the air rushing by my inky locks of hair, as I rise above the land below. Ok, it’s not actually that exciting, but I’m bored, you know?

And for the drop: Focus. Focus. Mentally press down. Keep going. Just a little longer. And a bit longer? Oi, I can’t keep this up forever. I’m going to open my eyes and take a peek. What?! I’m literally hovering in the aiiiiiiir. “Oompf.”

What the heck was that? It almost felt like I was flying!! Now I feel super tired, though. Not quite a sleepy tired, but a tired that makes the place under the birdy’s wing look really comfortable. I’m going to go back over there—is what I thought. It’s not letting me, though. Every time I get close, it moves its wing to block me.

Ok, really? What is it this time? Ugly bird is sucking in a whole bunch of air for some reason that I have no clue about, and, “Ahhh!” *Thump*

“Hey, what was that for?” It literally blew me over toward the entrance. Or exit. I don’t know what it’s supposed to be called, but it is the way out of the cave. Wait, does that mean I can leave now? “Twenty-Six, I’m finally coming back!”