Sharing Berries

Autumn 753, South Glenmore.

As Autumn drew in ever more noticeably, Lia grew. Her mane and tail grew out longer and curlier, and she became more and more aware of her independence, venturing further and further from her mother's watchful gaze. The young fawn fancied herself quite the explorer, and often wandered off away from her mother while she grazed, investigating all that she passed and deemed interesting enough for closer inspection.

It was on one such occasion that Lia stumbled upon a cluster of twigs suspended in the branches of an almost leafless tree. It sat maybe twice her height above her head, and Lia peered up at it, confused as to what such a structure could ever be used for. She circled the tree, then stopped back where she had started, just as bewildered as she had been before.

A sudden noise in the trees behind her made Lia spin round. Far above her head a black and white bird perched in the branches, regarding her with a glinting eye. It opened its beak and cried down at her.

"A-a-a-a-a-a-a-acka-acka-acka!" It cawed in agitation, paused, then repeated it's message. "A-a-a-a-a-a-a-acka-acka-acka-acka!"

Lia frowned at the bird, then bleated up at it stubbornly. The bird hopped off its branch and swooped towards her, so Lia dashed for cover, hiding under a bush like her mother had taught her too when she was tiny.

There was a moment of silence as both bird and fawn made no noise. The trees sighed as a breeze passed through them, and the branches of the bare tree thudded dully as they hit each other.

"A-a-a-a-a-a-a-acka!" The bird suddenly cried.

Lia squirmed back out of her hiding-place to see the bird perched delicately on one of the bare trees branches, watching her silently. Lia noticed that it held a cluster of bright red berries in its beak, and wondered what on earth a bird wouldTh b want with them. She took a tentative step closer, followed by another, and another, and another, until she was stood directly in front of the bird, just a little lower than where it balanced.

Lia stretched up to look at the strange creature more closely, while the bird bent down, its tail flicking upwards to help him balance. The branch it stood on bent downwards, bringing the two beings closer together until they were mere inches apart. Both froze at the same time, and made no sound or movement.

"A-a-a-a-acka!" The bird cawed, opening its beak wide. The berries dropped to the ground, bouncing on the leaves. Curious, Lia bent down and sniffed the red orbs, then gingerly grasped the step in her mouth and raised the gift back up to the bird. The black and white bird twitched its head, watching her for a moment, before darting forwards and pinching the berries back. Before Lia could realise, the bird had taken off from its perch and vanished from view.

The bushes rustled behind Lia. "There you are, Petal." Caysa said, relief evident in her voice. "I got worried." The pale doe approached her daughter and nudged her neck with her nose, before noticing the fawn's attention was elsewhere. "What are you looking at?"

"There was a bird. A black and white one. It dropped its berries so I got them for it." Lia explained, turning her brown eyes to her mother's. "I think you scared it."

"You don't mean the magpie, do you? Because he's sat up in his nest, up there." Caysa told her daughter, stretching up to look at the bird, who squawked at her. "And he's eating his berries."

Lia looked overjoyed, and hopped up onto her back legs to try and get a better look, though she was still too short by far. "Will he come out again?"

"I don't know, shall I ask him?" Caysa asked, and smiled as Lia nodded. "Well then, Mr. Magpie, will you be coming out again today?"

The magpie gave a tremendously loud cry and flew out of the nest, swooping back round to land on the branch again, much to Lia's delight. He bent forwards and dropped what remained of the berry cluster at Lia's feet.

"I think he wants you to have them, Petal." Caysa said encouragingly.

Lia stooped and picked the gift up, smiling around the twig that held the fruit. Then, in one movement, she tossed them backwards into her mouth and swallowed them. Caysa looked horrified for a moment, but once it became clear that Lia wasn't going to choke on them, she relaxed again.

"Thank-you, Acka!" Lia exclaimed, grinning up at the magpie, who merely preened himself in response.

"Acka?" Caysa asked, confused.

"Yes, Acka!" Lia said, shaking her head as if it were obvious. "Acka is my friend!"

Image to show how Lia and Acka met, and became the firmest of friends! Lia is beginning to get to the awkward fawn stage - long legs and not much else besides enough independence to think they can make it by themselves.

Art, characters (C) me
Fawnlings (C) =Ehetere