The dulcet serenade of the morning songbirds was rudely interrupted by a raucous "caw" out of the sky, bringing an awkward silence to the performance as the dawn chorus looked askance at the offender. Then a small black and white crow landed on the rail by the Elf, totally oblivious to her ill-timed notes.
Pio smiled at the crow and idly reach out to scratch its feathers. The birds went back to their singing. The crow ducked away from the stroking hand. "Stop that, Pio! I'm not a blessed house cat, y'know."
"Forgive me, you just looked so fluffy this morning." said Pio with a laugh. "And how have you been spending your days, Bird, I have not seen much of you lately, where have you been?"
"Oh, here and there. There and here" said the crow, which then morphed into human form, the woman sitting on the rail and swinging her feet back and forth over the water. "Flying about the island. Swimming around it's waters scouting the hunting and possible caves for living, though you would think these folk have had enough of caves, still, they will need some such places for storing supplies and for gatherings. Kali has been with me some. Very excited he is; speaking of how much his new "cousins" will enjoy this particular grotto, or that patch of searooms. He has everyone moved in and settled already, in his mind."
"And who will this 'everyone' be?" asked Pio.
"Oh, well, I wouldn't like to say," Bird replied thoughtfully. "Kali seems to have his own ideas on that, though he has been very good about not "campaigning" for certain people to come to the Hobbrim side. He mostly listens and answers questions about his life. He and I have taken a few of the bolder ones on short trips to 'the Abyss', as we did for Phura. Some are worried, some excited. A few were actually frightened, thinking that there was going to be a 'drawing of lots'. We soon put a stop to those rumors. Free choice for all, though not an easy one, I fear, for some. I hope there will not be some who regret their decision in the end."
"There are always folk who are dissatisfied with their lives, Birdie. At least they can say they were given the chance to choose, in this case."
"And what of you Bird? Any decisions concerning your life after all this?" Pio asked, and waited, dreading the reply in a way.
"Yessss..." said Bird, dreading the reply also, in a way. "I've neglected things for a while, Pio. I was searching for my kin, but I let it go. I got discouraged, and gave up, resigning myself to the thought that they were all gone, dead or scattered into the world of the beasts. But Ancalimon has hinted that this is not so. That they are still out there."
"To the South?"
"Yes, to the South". Birdie shrugged her shoulders and coughed nervously. "So, I suppose when we get back to the Fourth Age, I shall just fly South." The Elf silently gave the skinchanger a look and arched an eyebrow.
"What?" asked Bird irritably. "Don't give me that look. Well, what would you do, then?"
[ November 14, 2002: Message edited by: Birdland ]
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