Luis, Elara, Throg, and Michelle set out from the castle after giving the potion to the major with a mix of excitement but also anxiety. Each carried a potion vial, the shimmering liquid inside promising another round of avian conversations. As they made their way toward the outskirts of Vialcross, the tension was getting clearer.
"I never thought I'd be talking to birds to complete a quest," Throg grumbled under his breath,
Elara smirked. "Well, at least we got to try something new."
Luis chuckled. "Let's just hope it works and we find that damn birds quickly."
Michelle looked thoughtful. "We need a strategy. Birds gather at certain places – trees, rooftops, open fields. Let's start near the forest edge where they might have fled."
The group nodded in agreement. As they reached the forest, they uncorked their potions and drank.
The familiar warm sensation spread through their bodies, and soon enough, the cacophony of bird chatter filled their minds.
"Hey, did you hear about the worm shortage near the old oak?" chirped a bird.
"No way! I heard the sparrows are stockpiling!" another bird responded.
Luis sighed. "Alright, focus everyone. Let's find some birds and ask about Edward's pets."
They spread out and… well, starting to interview the birds they found. If the birds feels shocked that the humans suddenly speak to them, they didn't show it.
Luis encountered a rather plump robin, perched on a low branch. Luis cleared his throat and approached the bird cautiously.
"Uhh, hi. Have you seen a peculiar parrot around here? It must looks a little bit out of place," Luis asked, trying to keep his voice calm.
The robin tilted its head and chirped, "Oh, you mean the shiny bird? Yeah, I've seen him. He's quite the show-off, isn't he?"
"Uh, yes, I suppose he is. Do you know where he went?" Luis replied.
"Last I saw, he was heading towards the east. But good luck getting directions from the crows over there. They're a bunch of jokers."
Throg, who had been standing a few paces behind, muttered, "Great. Just what we need. Bird comedians."
As they moved deeper into the forest, they encountered a murder of crows perched high in the trees, their black feathers shimmering in the dappled sunlight. Michelle took the lead this time, calling up to them.
"Excuse me, uhm… crows. We're looking for a parrot with shiny feather. Have you seen him?"
One of the crows cawed loudly and responded, "Well, well, well, what do we have here? Humans talking to birds! What's next?"
"Yeah, we've seen the fancy bird. But we're not giving out info for free. What's in it for us?" Another crow joined in.
Throg rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, "I can't believe we're negotiating with crows!"
Luis sighed and reached into his pouch, pulling out a handful of shiny trinkets he had collected during their travels. "How about these? Shiny things for shiny birds."
The crows cawed in delight and swooped down, grabbing the trinkets. "Alright, alright. The parrot was seen near the pond. But be careful, the ducks there are quite... territorial."
Michelle sighed, "Territorial ducks. Of course."
When they arrived at the mentioned-pond, they were greeted by a group of ducks who quacked noisily as the adventurers approached.
Luis stepped forward again, addressing the leader of the ducks, an impressive duck with green feathers.
"We're searching for a noble looking parrot with shiny and clean feathers. Have you seen him?" Luis asked.
The duck quacked indignantly. "Why should we help you? This is our pond! And what's in it for us?"
Throg, losing patience, muttered, "If another bird asks what's in it for them, I'm going to fucking lose it."
Luis, trying to keep his cool, offered a bag of breadcrumbs. "We brought these for you. As a gesture of goodwill."
The duck eyed the breadcrumbs and quacked in satisfaction. "Alright, fine. I saw that awkward parrot at the west of this forest."
The adventurers continued their journey, now heading towards the west forest.
But after talking to the birds there, they still hadn't found any clues. However, their expectations were already low since they had to rely on the birds.
It was getting late in the afternoon, and they decided to do one last run before heading back to town.
Elara approached a nearby tree where a group of sparrows were perched.
"Excuse me, sparrows," she began, feeling slightly ridiculous. "We're looking for some rare birds, it was a parrot. Have you seen any unusual birds around?"
One sparrow tilted its head. "Unusual? Well, there was this fancy parrot squawking about lost his home."
Elara's eyes widened. "Where did you see it?"
The sparrow fluffed its feathers. "Oh, somewhere near the market. But he was really loud and annoying."
"Great. Thankyou." Elara breathed a sigh of relief.
After getting the clues, Elara shared them with her friends. Without wasting any time, they immediately returned to town to report what they had discovered to the mayor.
---
The adventurers and soldiers made their way back to the mayor's castle. They had been talking to birds all day, gathering clues in their quest to find Edward's parrot, and their experiences had been nothing short of bizarre.
The grand hall of the castle buzzed with chatter as the party assembled. Luis, Throg, Michelle, and the soldiers all exchanged incredulous looks, their expressions a mix of exhaustion and amusement.
Mayor Alistair stood at the head of the room, looking over the assembled group with an air of expectation. "Well, what have you all found?"
Luis stepped forward, clearing his throat. "Sir, we've gathered quite a few clues from our avian informants. Though, I must say, some of these clues are... rather unconventional."
The mayor raised an eyebrow. "Unconventional? How so?"
A bald adventurer were unable to hold back, snorted. "Try ridiculous. The ducks told us to watch out for swans with delusions of grandeur. Apparently, they think they're royalty."
A murmur of laughter spread through the room. Michelle added, "And the crows? They made us pay them in shiny trinket. I think they enjoyed watching us grovel."
The mayor sighed deeply, rubbing his temples. "I see. Anything else?"
They shared the information about what they had found. However, everything sounded strange and ridiculous, and the mayor couldn't help but chuckle. He didn't know birds could be this funny.
"It seems our feathered friends have quite the sense of humor. But did any of these clues seem credible?"
Luis nodded. "Despite the eccentricities, the market was a solid lead."
Mayor Alistair nodded, his expression serious but hopeful. "Thank you all for your efforts. We must act quickly. If parrot is indeed at the old watchtower, we need to move before it decides to fly off again. Rest tonight and prepare to set out at dawn."
---