5 Minute Freewrite Day 488: Baby

His last illusion vanished, and beyond that, his elven companion was cleaning his sword with a fallen leaf. All around the two of them laid the dead bodies of twelve other men, some still clutching the improvised weapons that had previously been used to cut and penetrate the giant tree’s bark so they could get the rare Amber Sap.

Erevan, with his trademark scowl, got close to the tree and started to examine the wounds. They were many, they were deep, and at their sight he muttered some elvish words that gave the feeling of very bad cursing. Sebastian, tired and not used to fight, asked between quick breaths if the magnificent plant would be okay. “Barely” answered the elf, annoyed, but it was still something.

Now, what to do with the Mayor’s henchmen?, hide the bodies and act as if nothing happened?, burn them and blame a fire drake?, the human mage was sure that the grumpy ranger wouldn’t even consider any of that –except maybe burning them-, and that a confrontation with the politician was in sight. And he had only wanted to do some research.

But in the middle of his worrying, he saw his companion get to the other side of the giant tree, and then he heard a very slight cry, like a weak chirp. He went towards were the elf disappeared, and saw him crouched down and holding something. It was a bird, but not any bird: a tiny baby Thunder Eagle was in his arms, with pieces of eggshell still sticking to its skin, and what looked like a twisted wing. It must have fallen from the tree at some point. “Do you think it will survive?” asked the mage. “I’ll make sure of it” was the answer.