PlayerOliver

When you were a kid, you lived with your grandmother in the small town of Silvertree, on the edge of a magical forest. Grandma is a witch, and she taught you how to use your magic to affect the natural world, too. “Magic is a part of you,” she always told you. “Learning how to use it means figuring out who you are.”

Now you’re 19 and on your own. After years of living in the forest while you perfected your witchcraft, you’ve returned to take care of your grandmother’s house and crow-familiar while she’s gone. Figuring out who you are feels more important than ever - not to mention, figuring out what Silvertree is. A lot is just as you remembered: the friendly generous next-door neighbors with a kid just your age, the proud town council, the quaint little shops with quirky punny names, the gentle shadowy forest full of magic.

Stone in the shoe

You go to get your hands around Carys's middle, but before you can touch her, she lets out a squawk and takes off once more. You try to reach her, but you catch nothing but air as Carys flaps and swoops away with the kind of agility you can't match.


Eventually, she lands on the edge of another box, her black eye watching you keenly. Just as you're about to make one final attempt, however, she glances down—and lets out a triumphant caw.


Before you can react, she buries her head in the box and comes up a moment later with a slender blue notebook in her beak.


"Was that what you wanted? Was that the diary?"


She gives another muffled sort of chirp and hops down onto the desk with her prize.


As Carys gets used to the weight of the notebook, your curiosity gets the better of you. Not quite meeting Carys's eyes, you ask:


"So—why couldn't Grandma just come herself? What does she need this for, anyway?"


Carys holds still for a moment, her gaze impassive. You weren't really expecting her to answer; even if Grandma was standing in front of you, you doubt that she would have either.


But to your surprise, after a pause, Carys drops the notebook. You notice she rest one protective foot on top of it as she says:


"Don't worry, dear. Safe. Don't worry."


Even though it's not your grandma speaking, you can hear her unmistakably in Carys's words. You feel your throat start to sting as Carys picks up the notebook again, before flying quietly past you through the study door.


As much as you feel relieved to hear your grandma is safe, you're not sure how happy you are to be left in the dark.


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