Sweet Little Birdies

Allowing them to enter the premises. She spoke in a manner it seemed she was comfortable with their presence.

Her eyes had been picked out by the birds, but she continued to caress their feathers with her nose.

"I heard your boy friend is resting by the oak with a very pained expression, and a very strong smell of iron." She said while passing her hands through different crystal bottles with different essential liquids.

"Faolán is the name of the very friendly boy that caressed my pretty babies, isn't it. I happened to hear you call him that, am I wrong?"

"That's my name, you heard right. Did the birds tell you that?"

"That, and that you asked them to find a puppet for you, is that really what you want?"

All of them turned to Faolán at once.

"I did so, yes."

"That's not a very smart idea dear."

She grabbed a bottle with a minty color and a seemingly thick and oily flow.

"For open wounds, this should suffice. He will heal in no time." She said offering a necklace with a tiny minty rock. "Crack it open by his wound."

The crows scratched the soil in the plants by the window, making a mess in the floor.

"My lady, if it's not a bother, would you mind telling us about the forest. It seems you would know. I'm sure you know, because the birds were always present".

"I do know, but everybody chooses their own battles. If what you want is to find her, do so".

A thunder cracked the skies. The resonance startled the birds.

The lady turned to the window with an unbothered expression. Mo had widened his eyes. "A storm?" He asked confused.

"The lady reacted to his question with a chuckle. "It seems you have come from a very peaceful place" She leaned in caressing the floor, sorting the dirt. "Thats just the noise someone's soul makes when it breaks away from their birth shell...forcefully."

They walked in the fields towards the oak tree where morgan rested, waiting for them to return. 

"Once we get there, we're going back home." Mo said loud enough none of them could pretend they didn't hear.

Faolán rushed towards him, he was surprised, ever since when did Mo choose when the party was over. "We're not going home". He said firmly with an annoyed expression. He had reached Mo's eyes even though he was much shorter than him.

Mo had always been the one to say things were dangerous. Always the one yelling, crying, anxious and fearsome, worried. His voice did not hold weight. He understood, he had cried "wolf" before, but he was not going to shy out now. "How many times to I have to save everybody before you listen to me?" He said looking straight at Faolán's eyes.

"Then go home." Faolan said without a stutter. 

"Let's not fight, Morgan is still waiting for us" Cirrus said quietly walking away from them.

"Why don't we vote!" Daelan said with a smile that exposed all his teeth.

"No! You all don't get it because you are blinded by whatever epic nonsense Cirrus brainwashes you with. "Mo said walking towards Cirrus. "Tell it to them straight, there is no way you think we can continue with Morgan like that. 

"Ok! So, he chooses we are going home, now if you ask me, I'd say we should stay--"

"Of course you would say that. Damien!?" Mo interrupted Daelan.

"I think I would like to see other places."

"Why!?" Mo asked upset.

"Well--" Daelan interrupts Damien who scratched his nose as he began to answer. "Why didn't you ask me?"

"I already know why you want to stay. Faolán, why do you want to stay. "Mo asked.

"You see, this is why I don't understand why you are here. We all decided to be part of this, we all agreed. We all chose to be here, and if that doesn't mean anything to you, and it's a bother having your part of the burden, fucking go. Go home." Faolán raised his voice like never before.

Mo turned to Cirrus with a fierce expression.

"I vote we go home." Stolas said quietly while starring at the weeds. "Cirrus is strong no doubt. But he's not strong enough to carry 7seven of us." He lifted his face. "I don't mean our bodies." He said with a shy expression.

Mo's expression lightened, for the first time, he felt heard.

"Faolán is right, for the most part. When we reached out to Cirrus, he gave us his word, we would experience what it meant to fully live. And ever since I have been part of the crew, I know what I want to do for the rest of my life. Not a single person from my lineage had traveled in a portal, or even heard of the beasts beyond the grove, but I can proudly say I'm the first one. And I'm not here to ride his back, nor will I sit here and let you downplay my conviction." Harriet replied 

Faolán walks to Cirrus and pulls his hand off his face. He was biting his nails. "And you?"

"We are going home". He said not making eye contact

"Three against three, now we ask Morgan." Said Damien.

When they reached Morgan, He was drinking from a flask. He was dripping in sweat from the heat. Although he was under the tree's shadow. The breeze was soft enough to only feel it in moist surfaces. 

"I didn't know you could do that!" Morgan said with a smile.

"Do what?" Faolán said not as happy.

"Bring me stuff? look at all these things, they brought them, it wasn't you?

Faolan sat next to him and cracked the minty colored stone as he was told, rubbing the liquid inside on the edges of his wound.

They watched in awe as the wound began to heal from the inside.

"Witchcraft?"

"So, Morgan, are you ready to go back home?" Daelan asked asked leaning on Mo's shoulder.

"Fuck no"