Something was stirring in the small bird village. Something was always stirring here, but nothing like this. The trees withered terribly and shook from the awfully immense gusts of wind. Chickadee the renowned inventor was asleep earlier than usual. Normally, she'd stay up until the moon hung high in the sky, creating various contraptions composed of buttons, feathers, string, leaves.... anything she could find that find that had been left behind by scavengers. Sheto, a young and fearless warrior who had settled in the village a while ago mysteriously became ill.
"Slimy throat! Breast feathers shedding more than usual! Severe pains! My oh my, fledgling! You've caught one of the worst illnesses possible! It's so bad there's not even a name for it!" the medical sage had said.
" But... but how? I-I've been in my-my-my hollow for the passsst few moons, studying!"
"The truth is... I don't know. Are you sure you've had no contact whatsoever with a scavenger? They are quite filthy."
But there was one thing that was the most shocking of all.
The entire village had caught on fire. Smoke concealed the tall oak trees bordering the area. The fire's hot, fiery tongues licked the feathers of the villagers, fast asleep. The flames roared and screamed, trying to get their attention. The fire sizzled and hissed, zig-zag their way through patches of tall grass and freshly fallen leaves. Piles of ash covered the forest floor, and an atrocious scent of black smoke, even worst than before filled the air. The fire chanted over and over again, "Go away! Leave now or forever be destroyed!" to each living soul, big and small.
But no one listened to their warning. They continued their peaceful, dreamless sleep. They knew they had enough to survive. They were prepared.
But they weren't ready for what was about to happen.
They were about to die.
