did you stand too close to the fire [open]

[crow.]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=cellSpacing,0,true][atrb=cellPadding,0,true][atrb=width,490,true]

[atrb=background,http://i52.tinypic.com/bimrme.png] The forest was quiet, its denizens not yet having woken. The sun was beginning to peek over the horizon, illuminating the clouds in beautiful reds, pinks, and oranges. Dew sparkled on the leaves of every plant. A butterfly, its wings painted black and blue, fluttered around a cluster of grape hyacinths. It lighted on one of the petals, using its tiny tongue to probe for sustenance. Leaves rustled in the trees above, and it took to the air. Flapping lazily around, the butterfly found another promising flowerhead and landed. Again it began to probe, using its delicate tongue as a straw to suck up the delicious drink. Suddenly there was the sound of feathers, and a blur of black. The plant waved madly in the wind created by the movement. When it stilled, the butterfly was nowhere to be found. Valkairi grasped the thin branch beneath her a bit more firmly, glancing around. Seeing no one who might be interested in stealing her meal, she twisted her head and clacked her beak, swallowing the butterfly with a satisfied gulp. She ruffled her feathers, allowing air to brush her skin and steal away some of the heat. The day was promising to be a hot one and, even though she had the shade of the trees, she was already growing warm. Settling on the branch, she began her morning preening. It was rare that she was able to feast on such a delicious insect as a butterfly. They were her favorite meal and her most hated of all bugs. All they did was flaunt their colors and flap lazily around as if they owned the world. Her dislike of them made them all the more delicious. The crow paused in cleaning her wing, looking around herself. An enraged sparrow suddenly flitted from a nearby tree, spewing insults at her. Valkairi stood her full height and flared her wings, her black beak opening to release a raucous caw. The sparrow swerved sharply, darting back from whence it came. The crow clacked her beak in irritation and went back to preening. She understood that the sparrow was just trying to protect its nest, but she wasn't even in the same tree. At least she knew the sparrow wouldn't fight unless she was in the same tree, which made warding it off easy. You'd think by now that it would have learned she meant no harm, given that she came out of the cavern here every morning. Even if noisy annoying chicks sounded far better off in her stomach. Finally finished with her preening, the crow looked up at the sky. It had lightened to a robin's egg blue, white puffy clouds drifting across. A perfect day for a relaxing flight. Spreading her wings, she lifted from the branch and weaved between the tree leaves, breaking out into open sky. NOTES. bwuahaha xD open for anyoneeeeeeee. just don't eat her D:

[crow.]

-bump-