—-
[ Somewhere inside the graveyard ruins.]
The ruins stretched endlessly before him, a labyrinth of broken stones and eerie silence.
Shadows danced along the jagged walls as Emberling Sparrow perched atop a crumbling column, his red eyes scanning the horizon. He had been flying, hopping, and hiding for days now, his small body battered and weak from the journey.
But at last, he saw him—Kent.
The human was far off, crouched near a glowing structure, his figure bathed in a faint blue light. Emberling Sparrow’s heart thudded in his tiny chest. Relief, joy, and longing swirled together in a confusing storm.
He chirped softly, too afraid to call out. What if Kent didn’t want him?
Emberling Sparrow flapped his wings once, hesitating. His black feathers glinted faintly under the night light, their stark contrast to the golden glow of the ruins a reminder of his past. Memories came flooding back, and the sparrow couldn’t help but recall everything that had led him to this moment.
From the moment he had hatched, Emberling Sparrow knew he was different.
His siblings were beautiful—each one adorned with soft, red feathers that shimmered under the sunlight. But Emberling Sparrow’s feathers were black as night, a stark anomaly among his family. His parents had stared at him with thinly veiled disappointment, their gazes cold and unyielding.
"He’s defective," his father had muttered, turning away. "No phoenix bloodline could look like that."
His mother had tried to feed him at first, but each time, his siblings pecked at him, shoving him aside to claim the food. The sparrow had cried out, but his tiny chirps were ignored.
One day, his father made the decision.
"Get out," he growled, his fiery eyes glaring down at the trembling chick.
Emberling Sparrow had looked up at him, confused and terrified. "But why?"
"You’re not one of us. You’re a stain on our nest," his father replied coldly. Other birds make fun of me, saying I am the father of an abomination like you. I had suffered enough, and I can’t pretend anymore. "GET OUT NOW."
His siblings jeered as his father nudged him toward the edge of the nest. One particularly cruel brother gave him a sharp peck, sending him tumbling over the edge. Emberling Sparrow flapped his tiny wings frantically, barely managing to break his fall.
As he lay on the cold ground, his heart shattered. He was too young to fend for himself, but he had no choice.
The Sparrow wandered aimlessly for days, his weak body barely sustaining him. He learned to survive by scavenging scraps and hiding from predators. The world was harsh, and his black feathers made him a target.
One day, he stumbled upon a small, abandoned farm. The place was quiet, with no monsters in sight. He crept into a rickety wooden shed, finding shelter among the hay bales.
For years, the farm became his home. He scavenged seeds from the fields and drank water from a cracked trough. But the loneliness was unbearable. Each night, he would stare at the sky, watching flocks of birds fly together.
"Why can’t I have that?" he thought, his chest aching. "Why am I always alone?"
Everything changed the day Kent arrived.
Emberling Sparrow had been perched on a fence post, watching the strange human as he rummaged through the farm. At first, he was wary, hiding in the shadows. But when a peculiar human found him out, Kent did something unexpected.
He taught the sparrow how to whistle appropriately.
The sound was soft and melodic, unlike anything Emberling Sparrow had ever heard. Intrigued, the sparrow stepped out of its comfort zone, hopping closer.
Kent showed him kindness immediately. "Hey, little guy," he said, crouching down. Give him some food.
Emberling Sparrow tilted his head, curious but cautious.
Kent laughed. "You look like you’ve been through a lot."
Over the next few hours, Kent became a constant presence. He brought scraps of food and even tried to teach Kazoo how to chirp properly. The sparrow struggled at first, his broken sounds making Kent burst into laughter. But he didn’t mind. For the first time, someone was paying attention to him, not mocking or hurting him.
Emberling Sparrow began to see Kent as more than just a human. In his eyes, Kent was another strange bird—one who understood what it meant to be different.
"I want to stay with him," Emberling Sparrow had thought, his heart swelling with hope.
But Kent was a wanderer who came looking for treasures. A few hours later, he left, leaving him a warning and disappearing into the ruins. Emberling Sparrow had been devastated, searching the farm for days, calling out with his awkward chirps.
Now, perched high above the ruins, the sparrow knew he couldn’t let history repeat itself. He couldn’t lose the one connection he had found.
But the journey had been brutal.
He remembered narrowly escaping a pack of ghouls, their twisted forms chasing him through the crumbling halls. He had hidden in the shadows, trembling as they sniffed the air, searching for him. When they finally left, Emberling Sparrow had collapsed, too exhausted to move.
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"I’m not strong enough," he had thought bitterly, his red eyes filled with tears. "I’ll never be like the others."
But the thought of Kent gave him strength.
Emberling Sparrow had forced himself to continue, ignoring the pain in his wings and the gnawing hunger in his stomach.
And now, after days of struggle, he had found Kent again.
The human looked as confident and capable as ever, his movements precise as he examined the ruins. Sparrow’s chest tightened.
"He’s so strong he defeats those skeleton monsters so easily," he thought, envy and admiration mixing in his heart.
The sparrow flapped his wings, hovering for a moment before landing on a nearby ledge. He wanted to call out and let Kent know he was there.
But doubt crept in.
"What if he doesn’t want me?" Emberling Sparrow thought, his heart sinking. "What if I’m just a burden?"
Tears welled up in his red eyes as he stared at the human, the one being who had shown him kindness.
"Maybe it’s better this way," he thought, his tiny body trembling with emotion. I can’t stay with him.
Emberling Sparrow watched as Kent finished his talk with Miss Elena, his figure disappearing into the shadows of the ruins. The sparrow stayed perched on the ledge, his heart aching with a mix of longing and sorrow.
He wanted to follow, but something held him back. I can’t help him in any way. Why would he want me? The sparrow cried.
No! "I’ll prove myself," Emberling Sparrow thought, his resolve hardening. "One day, I’ll be strong enough to stand by his side."
With a final, soft chirp, the sparrow spread his wings and flew away, disappearing into the ruins.
For now, he would wait. But in his heart, he knew he wouldn’t give up.
For Emberling Sparrow, Kent was his flock—and one day, he would find his place by his side.
Ding!
+99 sp copied from Emberling Sparrow. (Sad)
Kent notices the system notifications. What the… why am I getting notifications from that weird bird who doesn’t know how to chirp!!
I only get SP from someone when they are close by and an emotion triggered by me. This fat bird actually came all this way. The farm distance is at least a couple of days’ journey.
The road is full of danger. How did that Level-F bird manage to get here? Is it looking for me? That bird wanted to follow. That fat bird is definitely here for me. I need to find that sparrow.
Kent says Miss Elena, can you wait a moment, please. I forgot something. Give me a few minutes, and I will get back to you soon.