I stood at the edge of the nest, looking down at the forest below. The wind brushed against my feathers, ruffling them slightly.
I had been testing my body all day, growing more confident in my movements. Walking was easy now, hopping even easier. And if I could do that… flying was just the next step, right?
I spread my wings, beating them experimentally. The motion felt right—natural, even. I wasn't just some helpless bird, after all. I had a system, intelligence, and the will to survive. I had to evolve, to grow stronger. Flying was just the beginning.
I bent my legs and jumped.
For a moment, I felt weightless. The wind lifted me, my wings catching the air—
Then I plummeted.
Panic surged through me as I flapped wildly, but it didn't help. Instead of gliding, I spun, tumbling toward the ground. I barely had time to brace myself before—
Thud!
Pain shot through my body as I hit the forest floor. My vision blurred for a moment, my wings aching from the impact. I groaned internally.
That… was not how I thought that would go.
I lay there, dazed, before pushing myself up. My wings twitched in protest, but at least nothing felt broken. I shook off the dirt and looked up at the nest. It was way too high for me to reach.
"Alright, no big deal. I fell, I'll just—"
I stopped mid-thought. My mother was staring down at me from the nest. She had seen the whole thing.
Relief flooded me. She would come down and carry me back up, right?
Right?
…She wasn't moving.
My relief turned into frustration. Seriously? I'm your child! I could've died!
I let out a few chirps—calls for help—but she didn't respond. Instead, she just turned her head, preening her feathers like nothing had happened.
I felt my anger rise. So that's how it is?
Fine. I didn't need her help. I would climb my way back up—somehow.
I turned away from the nest, trying to figure out my next move. That's when I heard it.
A faint rustling in the grass.
I froze.
Slowly, I turned my head.
A few feet away, a long, sinuous body slithered through the undergrowth. Dark green scales glinted under the sunlight, two small horns curling back from its head. Its tongue flicked out, tasting the air.
Horned snake.
My feathers puffed up instinctively as I crouched low. It hadn't seen me yet. Good. If I stayed still, maybe it would pass by—
The snake stopped.
Its head lifted slightly. Then it turned—its slit-pupiled eyes locking onto me.
My heart pounded.
For a moment, neither of us moved.
Then it lunged.
I barely dodged in time, throwing myself to the side. Its fangs sank into the dirt where I had been standing a second ago.
Adrenaline flooded my system. I had no choice—I had to fight.
I activated [Peck], darting forward and jabbing at its head. My beak struck against its scales, doing little damage, but I wasn't done. I immediately followed up with [Pierce], driving my beak in harder.
The attack landed.
The snake hissed, jerking back as a thin line of red appeared where I had struck. A small notification popped up in my vision.
[You have dealt 2 damage!]
I didn't have time to celebrate. The snake recovered quickly, its tail whipping toward me. I couldn't dodge—
Smack!
Pain exploded through my side as I was sent tumbling. My vision blurred, my body aching. A sharp sting burned across my wing.
[HP: 6/12]
I struggled to get up, but the snake was already on me. Its fangs gleamed as it reared back—ready to strike.
Is this how I die?
A shadow passed overhead.
Then, in an instant, my mother was there.
She struck the snake with terrifying speed, her talons sinking deep into its body. The horned snake writhed, hissing in pain, but she didn't let go. With a powerful flap of her wings, she lifted off the ground, taking the snake with her.
Then she dropped it.
The snake slammed into the dirt, its body twitching before finally going still.
I stared, still catching my breath.
My mother calmly picked up the dead snake in her talons. Then, without so much as a glance at me, she flew back up to the nest.
A familiar chime echoed in my mind.
[You have gained 50 XP!]
[Level Up! You are now Level 4.]
I should've been happy about that. I had gotten stronger.
But as I looked up at the nest, frustration churned inside me.
She hadn't come down to save me.
She had come down to get food.
I clenched my talons.
I needed to get stronger.
Because next time, I wouldn't wait for someone to save me.