The Songbirds Quest

Astrophel had left that morning, as the sun rose over the horizon, to look for herbs and mushrooms in the nearby forest. They liked to fill their shop with metaphysical ingredients they found themselves whenever possible. They also grew their own herbs in their backyard, but some things were more fun to find out in the woods, and they were very good at that. They breathed in the morning air, enjoying the crisp chill that gently wisped past them in the gentle breeze. These types of mornings were their favorite, there was a gentle fog throughout the forest, and the woods smelled fresh of rain from the previous night. The forest was always where they felt most at home; they loved their little shop of course, they had their own little home right above it, but the forest felt so… right? They weren’t sure how to describe it really, it just felt right, it felt cozy. Something about the shade the trees provided, the soft sound of crickets, the sweet sound of birds, the rustling of the leaves as the breeze shook the trees gentle and carefree. They enjoyed the feel of the dirt, the grass, the moss, the roots under their feet, it all felt like home. Another thing they enjoyed was the soft clinking of their jaws in their bag, it didn’t have to do with the woods, but they enjoyed it nonetheless. They liked jars, little glass containers of all types, and finding things to put in them was the most fun. They liked to collect all sorts of things, the weirder the better, but their most favorite was cool rocks, crystal or otherwise. 

They blinked, mind coming back to reality as they walked, they tended to zone out when they went on these little adventures. They shook their head a bit, refocusing as they began to look for what they came out there to find. They were looking for Wild Ginger, Goldenseal, Black Cohosh, Ginseng, Sassafras, and a whole list of others. They spend the next few hours on their hunt for herbs, finding mushrooms to take as well. They decided to take a rest by the lake nearby, relaxing by the water with the cool air it provided. The sun was starting to get low in the sky once more, nearing evening. After resting, they started looking for any interesting rocks they could take home for their collection. They found quite a few, one of them being a very pretty blue, when they heard something they had never heard before- or have they? They couldn’t tell, it felt so familiar and warm, yet unknown and mysterious. It sounded like a melody, sweet and ethereal, like a bird but… something more? They couldn’t place it. They tried to place the direction, and once they were sure, they followed the sound. It gave them unidentifiable emotions, flashes of unrecognizable, indescribable memories they weren’t sure belonged to them. They felt sorrow, happiness, love, loneliness, and a whole slew of indescribable emotions they had no words for. That’s when they saw it, a beautiful array of light and color flying past them and further into the woods. They were mesmerized, it was beautiful, they had to find it! They ran after it, seeing that it was a pure white bird made of light and iridescent color. The bird landed atop a branch in a tree not too far off, and Astrophel came to a trot, then to a stop, before the tree, looking up at the bird. They weren’t sure what it was, but it was beautiful. Whatever it was, they didn’t expect it to speak.

“Do you seek a challenge?” it asked, tilting its head. 

Astrophel blinked, staring for a moment before replying, “What kind of challenge?” 

It seemed to consider that, thinking about it. Astrophel was beyond amazed and confused, why was it interested in a challenge? Why did it choose them? Was it just a coincidence they had been out here and it was bored perhaps? They had so many questions, just staring at the bird. They looked at the sky, it was about dusk, they usually were home by now, but this was too interesting to pass up. The bird spoke once more:

“What challenge would you want?” it asked, maybe unsure of what to pick. 

Astrophel considered that, and considered it should be something they’re good at. And so they suggested, “A scavenger hunt!” Their tail swayed a little excitedly, they loved finding things. 

It seemed to consider once more, then nodded. “Alright, a scavenger hunt it is. If you find all the items I hide, I will give you a gift.” Astrophel nodded, agreeing. “You have one hour to find: a red crystal, a fancy hat, a beaded bone bracelet, and a painted rock. Good luck!” And the bird twirled in the air and flew off into the woods. 

—-------

They had an hour to find these strange items; they trotted through the woods, going in the direction the bird had flown. They couldn’t help but wonder what this strange bird was, but knew that whatever it may be, it sure was interesting! They looked high and low, tracking the strange sound of the bird. They wondered what the gift could possibly be, maybe a toy of some sort? An amulet? Something magical? Whatever it was, it had to be cool. Not everyday you get offered a gift for a challenge by a mysterious, glowing bird. They hummed to themselves, looking behind trees, under rocks, and in bushes. Then they spotted their first item! The fancy hat, a miniature top hat, was stuck in a tree high up. Guess I’ll have to do some climbing, they thought, walking up to the base of the tree. They got into a stance, readying themselves, and then jumped up to the closed branch, using their claws to start climbing. Man, it’s really high up there, they thought, carefully traversing the tree branch by branch. They were about twenty feet up, and they were almost to the hat. They climbed up higher, being careful on thinner branches, and finally reached the hat. They called out in victory, “Hell yeah!” before beginning to descend the tree. They almost fell a few times, but managed to get down with only a few scratches. They smiled, holding the tiny hat, and put it in their side bag. 

They went along and searched for the rest of the items, not entirely sure where to find them quite yet. They came upon a creek and decided to look around there; maybe they’ll find the painted rock! They walked along the creek, searching the waters for a painted rock, and in doing so wondered what it was painted like. They came across a small dam and found a different item they hadn’t expected; the bracelet! The area was large and had the creek split into four total directions, including the one Astrophel had come down from. They hopped along the rocks they could use as stepping stones, trying not to get too muddy as they went. They climbed onto the dam, reaching for the bracelet before falling through into the dam. They yelped in surprise, now standing halfway in the water and halfway in the dam. They cursed under their breath, shaking their fur out as they started climbing back up. Then they noticed the bracelet was gone, and as they looked around they saw it floating down the creek. Shit! They jumped down off of the dam, and trotted through the water, following the bracelet. It almost got away from them, but they were able to catch up to it. They snatched it out of the water and cried out in victory; “Woo!” Now they just needed the crystal and the painted rock. 

They looked around, finding themselves in a larger pool in the creek, unsure of where to go next. They decided it wouldn’t hurt to look, and started looking through the water for the painted stone. What better place to hide a rock than a rock filled creek? They had about thirty minutes left at this point, and they were getting a little worried when they finally spotted it, a rock painted with a yellow flower, dangling from a tree by a string. What a weird way to hide a rock, they thought. They walked up to the tree, climbing up the embankment of the creek to reach it. They searched for the best way to reach the rock, and figured they better start climbing again. They used their claws and climbed up about ten feet before being able to reach the branch the rock hung from. They grabbed ahold of it, smiling as they got it, and then the branched creaked. “Oh no,” was all they got to say before the branch snapped and dropped them back into the water. “Damn it!” they cursed, getting up and shaking their fur out. Thankfully, their bag was waterproof. Now all they needed was the crystal and they were good to go! They put the items, both the bracelet and the rock, into the bag, in the same pocket as the tiny hat. They huffed a bit, shaking the water out of their fur once more as they climbed out of the creek and back onto the forest floor. They were definitely going to need a bath later. They descended into the forest once more, but had no idea where to find this crystal, so far they had just been lucky. 

As they contemplated this, the bird- or it wasn’t a bird this time, it was a dog- ran by holding the crystal in its mouth. They shouted in surprise, then chased after it. 

—-------

It had been quite the chase, they had fumbled and lost it a few times, but eventually caught it. It had not been a graceful loser, but nonetheless they won the prize. Astrophel sat before the bird- er, dog at the moment, with a big smile on their face as their tail wagged. “So, what is it?” they asked excitedly. 

It sighed, then nodded in defeat, and before them a potion appeared. They stared, amazed, “Is that what I think it is?” It nodded. “Whoa.” 

“You won fair and square, it’s yours now,” it said, handing it over. 

Astrophel nodded, gingerly and carefully taking it and putting it in a safe pocket in their bag. Then, it spoke once more, “You can keep the other stuff, I have no need for it.”

They grinned excitedly and put the items back in their bag; the bracelet, the rock, the crystal, and the tiny hat, which might be their favorite, they would admit. They looked back to the creature of light, but it was gone. Astrophel was a little disappointed, they had so many questions still! Even so, it was very late and they needed to head home and take a bath. They began their trek back home, cringing a bit at the feeling of mud on their feet and hands. A lot of it had dried or came off onto the grass, but even still it was not a nice sensory input. They walked through the woods, enjoying the sound of crickets and the chill of the night breeze. They still preferred the foggy mornings after rain, but they still enjoyed the night, especially one like this, with a nice breeze and a full moon. Having won a scavenger hunt made it that much sweeter though. They walked through the woods with ease, knowing this forest like their own backyard, and in a way it was. They spend so much time out here, it was a second home. They started thinking of what they wanted to do back at home, how they wanted to celebrate. Maybe they’ll have a bubble bath with a mug of their favorite tea, that sounded nice. And what for dinner? They considered some spaghetti with meat sauce, that sounded really good right about now. 

They reached home after about an hour of walking, and they were exhausted, but in the best way. They cleaned off the mud as best they could before heading inside the house, unlocking the door and locking it back once inside. They walked up the stairs to the house portion of the shop, unlocking the door and breathing in the scent of home. They sighed happily, wiping their feet on the mat before taking their bag off and setting it gently on the floor by the door. The entryway was a mud room, leading into a cozy little living room with a couch, a big comfy chair, a coffee table, and a TV sitting atop a stand against the wall. The floors were wood, and there was a matching rug beneath the couch and chair. To the left of the entryway was a small kitchen with enough space to accommodate their size. Most of everything in their home was made to accommodate their size. Before they did anything, they decided to brew some tea and run a bath. They went to the kitchen and started boiling a kettle. Once the kettle was going, they went to the bathroom and started a bath, adding bubbles to it. After a few minutes, they heard the kettle whistle and went to make their cup of tea; it was honey lavender, with vanilla added in. They moved the kettle to a cool burner, turning the stove off, and then walked back into the bathroom. They set their bandana on the counter, making a mental note to clean it later. They turned the water off, then climbed into the tub. They relaxed into it and stayed there for far longer than they probably should have. 

After a while, they finished and dried off, going back out to the kitchen to make some food. They decided on the spaghetti since it was easier than other meals they considered. They turned the TV on in the background, listening to some garbage reality show as they cooked, mostly tuning it out if they were honest. They finished cooking in about twenty minutes and enjoyed their meal before deciding to add their new items to their collection. They cleaned the dishes, put them away, and then went to grab their bag, which definitely needed cleaning too. They went to their bedroom, where nearly every part of the walls were covered in bookshelves or places to put things, absolutely full of various objects. They added all the scavenger items, then placed the elixir in a safe box under their bed. They then got ready to sleep, and slept well that night.