Atticus

Now that he was more settled down within his new clan, Atticus decided to go explore and make some new friends—mostly to explore though, since he’d heard that this clan had a library. No, that’s not why he joined this clan, definitely not, uh.. It was to search for a mentor to help train his abilities! That’s it, that’s why he joined.

There was a lone den slightly hidden from view by the library’s shadow, the entrance partly covered by a long black cloth embroidered with gold symbols. It was kind of strange to have a den right next to the giant structure, maybe it was the librarian’s home? Atticus peeked inside, but most of the space was hidden in shadows that seemed just a little darker than normal, as if something might be hiding in them. He was just about to rush over to the library—to safety—when he caught sight of something shiny and round sitting off to the side; it looked like some sort of glass ball with the sky caught inside of it, small stars glittering with a faint light as they danced around twilight colored swirls. He slowly crept forward, entranced by the sight of a small orb that could somehow hold the night sky within it; however, as he approached, the twilight colors slowly transformed into a glowing gold until the entire den was lit up by gold and silver stars.

Broken out of his trance at the sudden brightness, Atticus glanced around him for the presence he could've sworn he’d felt when he entered, yet there wasn’t a soul in sight. He took in the scattered parchment covered in runes and the drawings of constellations covering the walls before turning to the various knick-knacks on the shelves in the back and the large pot resting in front of them. He grabbed a couple books and stacked them on top of each other in front of the pot so he could look inside.

He peered into the pot to see a glittery gold liquid that looked just like the gold inside the orb lighting up the room swirling around inside it. He dipped one of his claws into the liquid but withdrew it almost immediately when he found the substance too hot to touch, the force of his reaction making him topple from his makeshift stool. He latched onto the corner of the pot to keep steady but only succeeded in tipping it over on top of himself. He instinctively raised his wings to protect his face and body, shrieking in pain when the hot substance splashed onto his feathers and pooled over his feet. Panicked, he hastily flapped his wings and wiped at his claws to get the liquid off, but it only burned hotter as it sank into his skin. He could only watch in horror as the gold gradually crept up his legs.

Through the pain, Atticus could vaguely make out a dark shadow swooping over him before a sharp pain hit him as the shadowy being seemed to start carving letters into his side. He managed to utter a breathless “who..?” before his vision faded to black.

Atticus woke up slowly, his earlier endeavor seeming more like a crazy dream with the burning sensation gone and replaced with the comfortable warmth of the blankets he laid on. But there were also noises that did not belong in his new den. He opened his eyes to see the same kind of embroidered black cloth that hung in front of that strange den surrounding him. He quickly unentangled himself from the cloth and stared down at his claws and sides; the gold hadn’t spread any further, but there were now gold runes drawn onto his sides and down his legs that hadn’t been there before? Was that what that shadow was doing? Drawing runes on him with that burning liquid?

“A thank you would be nice.” Atticus started at the feminine voice before a black pearlcatcher with the same golden color on her appeared in his line of vision.

“What?”

The pearlcatcher moved closer and peered down at his golden feathers and claws. “You owe me your life, what were you even doing in here messing with my things anyway?”