The plan was set. The mission to gather the materials for Sienna's Emerald Finch would be their family's secret project. Raven, with her knowledge of the land and its dangers, would lead the first part. Their target: the Serpent's Fang Canyons, home of the elusive Gale Sparrows.
At first light, Cade and Raven set out. The air was crisp and cool, smelling of pine and damp earth. Raven moved with a hunter's silent grace, her eyes constantly scanning the forest around them. Cade did his best to mimic her, though his steps felt clumsy in comparison. Rocky, now too large to comfortably ride on his shoulder, padded along beside him, his heavy body surprisingly quiet on the soft forest floor.
Cade had the Beast Stone around his neck, but Raven had advised against using it unless absolutely necessary. "Let him get used to traveling. Let him build his stamina. You need to know his limits as much as he does."
After several hours of walking, the trees began to thin, replaced by rugged, rocky terrain. The ground sloped upwards, and the air grew thinner. Before them, a series of deep, winding canyons cut through the landscape like giant claw marks—the Serpent's Fangs.
"Here we are," Raven said, her voice low. She pointed to the sheer cliff faces. "Look for small ledges and crevices. That's where they nest. Gale Sparrows are wind-attuned. They're fast, and their feathers are almost the color of stone. You have to have sharp eyes."
Cade focused, looking up at the cliffs. He wasn't just using his own eyes anymore. He pushed his will into his gaze, asking his ability to find what he needed.
For a moment, he saw nothing but rock. Then, a faint, shimmering outline appeared around a small crevice about halfway up the cliff face. It was a soft, light blue glow.
Creature: Gale Sparrow
Rank:Bronze 2-Star
Potential:Silver
Note:Feathers are a component for wind-attuned evolutions.
"There!" Cade said, pointing excitedly. "In that crack. I can see it!"
Raven followed his finger, her sharp grey eyes narrowing. She squinted for a long moment before grunting. "I see it. Good eyes, boy." She sounded genuinely impressed. "Now, the hard part. Getting up there without scaring it off."
She slung a coil of rope from her shoulder. "I'll climb. You and Rocky stay here. Be ready. If it flies, it might come in your direction. Your job is to be a distraction. Make some noise. Don't let it fly higher up the canyon."
Before Cade could argue, Raven was already scaling the cliff face. She moved like a spider, finding handholds and footholds that were invisible to Cade. She was fast and utterly fearless.
Cade watched, his heart in his throat. He looked at Rocky. "Get ready," he whispered.
High above, Raven neared the crevice. Suddenly, a small, blur of grey and blue shot out from the rock—the Gale Sparrow! It chirped in alarm and darted away from the cliff, flying straight out into the open air.
"It's flying!" Cade yelled.
"Now, Cade!" Raven's voice echoed down.
"Rocky, now! Use your tail on those rocks!" Cade commanded, pointing to a pile of loose stones nearby.
The Stone Drake reacted instantly. He turned and slammed his heavy, stone-clad tail into the pile. The sound was tremendous—a loud, crashing BOOM that echoed through the canyons.
The sudden noise shocked the Gale Sparrow. It faltered in its flight, veering off course in confusion instead of gaining height. That single moment of hesitation was all Raven needed.
In a move of incredible agility, she pushed off from the cliff face, launching herself into the air. For a terrifying second, she was falling. Then her hand shot out, moving faster than a striking snake. She didn't grab the bird; she plucked three long, shimmering blue-tipped feathers from its tail as it darted past.
The sparrow squawked in surprise and indignation but flew away, unharmed but minus a few feathers.
Raven landed gracefully, bending her knees to absorb the impact. She held up the three beautiful feathers, a triumphant smirk on her face. "Got them."
Cade let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. His heart was pounding. "That was amazing!"
Raven climbed back down to him, not even out of breath. "It was a good plan. Your noise worked." She handed him the feathers. They were light and felt like silk, with a faint blue shimmer. "Three feathers from a Gale Sparrow. One part of the recipe done."
Cade carefully stored the precious feathers in a small wooden tube to protect them. A warm feeling of success spread through him. They had done it. Together.
As they prepared to head back, Raven clapped him on the shoulder. "You didn't freeze. You commanded your beast under pressure. That's good." It was high praise from her.
The walk back to the cottage was filled with a comfortable silence. The success of the hunt had strengthened the bond between aunt and nephew. Cade wasn't just a boy with a strange power anymore. He had proven he could be useful on a real mission.
They arrived home as the sun was beginning to set. Sienna, Zara, and the twins were waiting anxiously by the door.
"Well?" Sienna asked, her hands clasped together.
Cade smiled and held up the wooden tube. "We got them."
Sienna's face lit up with pure, radiant joy. She took the tube with trembling hands, her eyes shining with tears. She pulled both Cade and Raven into a tight hug. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you both so much."
Zara stepped forward, her expression serious but excited. "Then there's no time to waste. The Sunstone Caverns are our next stop. We leave at dawn tomorrow." She looked at Cade and Raven. "Rest well. The caverns... are a different kind of challenge."
Cade looked at his family—his mother's grateful face, Raven's proud smirk, Zara's determined look. The first part of the mission was a success. But the next part sounded more dangerous. He felt a thrill of nervousness, but also a solid core of confidence. He had his family, and he had his power.
They could do this.