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It is a lovely spring day -- the cold of a long and hard winter finally melting away to warmth under a bright sun. It is, in fact, the perfect day for a long walk in the swamp with a close friend, talking about nothing consequential and forgetting the last of the chill.

Birdsong fills the air around you as you wander, matching the pitch and excitement of your conversation, until it is broken by something lower and more pitiful. One bird in the lot who isn't half as cheery, whose chirps take on more of a whimper than singing.

You follow the sound until you find its source: an injured bird, looking dazed and very much in need of your help...




Night turned his face to the sun feeling the warmth seep into his skin. His nostrils flared, absorbing the smells of the swamp. He was glad of the spring day. It brought a lightness to his heart. He’d been in a bit of a brood lately. Maybe it was just the weather, he thought. If the dull winter days had been making him gloomy, he was glad of the spring day that made him feel brighter

The surrounding trees seemed to serenade him with cheery bird songs. Birds flittering among the canopy welcoming spring by building nests and calling to potential mates.

Ooops, double post

"Mmm. Had to move to avoid the burning sun."

Gently, she walked her way closer to him. It was the smell she'd known from a long time ago. "Ah yes, i have seen you before," she went on, studying the pattern on his body. His scent was clear to her. "I do not like big gatherings but i have seen you from afar..."

She saw the puzzled look on his face and looked him straight in the eyes with her black marble like eyes. "She was there... Looked identical to you..." Bedtime Story was confident that it was not a mistake. She had seen them before, together. Or was that all conjured up from her dream?

"Nevermind, it is not important anymore. Shall we walk?" she asked. "Even the birds are enjoying this warm weather..."

"Ahh~ Your sister..." she whispered at first, then raised her voice so the buck could hear her. "That is a sad turn of events. I thought she would stick by your side forever..."

Bedtime Story started to walk at the same time Night did, but stayed a few steps behind so she could stare at him. Observing his movements. At first she didn't hear what he heard because she was focused on just staring but after a while she heard the out of tune chirping between the courting calls of other birds. "Yes.. I hear it," she replied and looked into the distance of where the sound came from. "Should we go see?"

Bedtime Story lifted her right ear and turned it toward the direction of where the odd tune came from. "Sometimes.. Being split up could be a good thing, if you enjoy traveling on your own..."

She could only give him a nod with her head as she followed behind the buck again. "Companion.. is not something I seek for. I like to travel on my own. That way when there is danger, I can hide within the shadows without worrying if my companion had survived the predator's attack.." she smiled back awkwardly. It was much easier to smile without anyone noticing.

The doe nodded again as she studied the meti. Her heart fluttered as she get to observe him as close possible. "It is.." she said, still watching his movements. "There won't be anyone to argue which road to travel through either.."

Her eyes went in the same direction as Night and she too stared at the branch in the dirt. "What.. is it?" she asked, and listened closely to the odd chirps. The branch seem to wobble just slightly as if it was breathing.

She gave Night a cautious nod and approached the fallen branch. "Must have been quite a storm last night," she spoke to herself as she lifted up the branch in her mouth and moved it to another location.

The odd chirps were still heard. Bedtime Story looked at where the sound came from and noticed a little tiny bird. "A bird.." she said, and looked back at Night. "What should we do?"

"Hmm," she wondered. "It could work.. as long as the opinions don't clash.."

Bedtime Story looked at the meti as he was conversing with the little bird and witnessed that he did not lean in to eat it.

After hearing his reasoning she gave a small smile. Just a bit shy from a complete smile. "Your winged friends must adore you.." she spoke and walked over to Night until she stood beside him. "We could definitely nudge it toward safety. Maybe, perhaps, take turns pushing it out of sight?" She looked at the confused bird and gave it a small nudge with her nose. It chirped and flapped it wings but did not fly. It just wobbled along toward a bush away from the trail.

She was mostly an herbivore but if she feels that she is being too undernourished then she will go and look for meat to eat. But the day was not today. She had no appetite for eating birds.

"It is not a problem.. Better get it on its way rather than leaving it alone and get eaten alive by a snake right..?" she replied.

Bedtime Story watched the buck take his turn to nudge the bird. "Building things?" she asked. Her eyes lit with interest but no one can tell since her eyeballs were black as ink. She had no idea what that meant but was willing to learn, although she wasn't sure how to discuss further about that topic.

She stepped beside Night and nudged the bird with her nose again. "It must know that we're not trying to eat it or else it would try to fly away..." The doe stood there and watched the little bird disappear between the low growing bushes and tall grass.