A Quest for the Stars

Clara was stopped to be congratulated by her parents and had asked Lenoria to wait for her outside. Not having anything better to do, the girl made her way to the courtyard and sat on one of the empty benches, but not before politely greeting her friend’s family. They had greeted her warmly and not once did their pride for both girls diminish in the slightest.

Lenoria liked Clara’s parents. They lived in the slums, but neither let that get in the way of Clara’s studies. They often refused charity from Lenoria until one day the girl decided to cook a meal in their house.

Several bad meals later, Clara took over and agreed to cook if Lenoria brought the food. It became a weekly tradition the girls would do at the end of each school week. Over time, Lenoria slowly integrated into their family.

Lenoria sat on the bench closest to the courtyard gate. “What should I do now?” Crows constantly cawed in the air and the trees. Their voices were louder than any of the birds in the courtyard and some of the students had resorted to throwing pebbles at them to keep them quiet, but the crows were smart enough to keep their distance while simultaneously continuing their cawing. It was as if they were doing so just to irritate the people below them.

Lenoria giggled at the sight. Man would accomplish the most amazing feats but they often fell short without their weapons in the animal kingdom. Corvids in particular had her admiration; they were intelligent enough to rival apes and small children, and they could often tell if a human is dangerous with mere observation.

Lenoria wished she was a corvid.

The girl continued observing the crows and decided to play a little game. She counted each crow in a group and the person closest to that particular group. The number of crows a person encountered at a given time was said to determine their luck. One crow meant bad luck, two meant good luck, three meant health, four meant wealth, five meant sickness, and six meant death.

She started with one of the graduates, Ruby. She was congratulated by a gaggle of gnomes while two crows were seen behind her pecking at fallen pecan nuts on the ground. Lenoria smiled. “Good for you, Ruby.”

Next was Anne. Last time Lenoria played this game, Anne had been surrounded by six crows perched on a tree. This time, four crows watched as she rejected the confession of another student. The young man had given her a letter that was said to contain his feelings for her, but the haughty girl simply tore it in half and made her way out of the courtyard through the main gate. Understandably, the boy cried as he kneeled down and picked up the pieces.

“Well, when you run your own empire, I guess nothing else matters.” She moved on from student to student but most of the crows were aloft at this point. She was startled when a lone shadow towered over her and paused her little mind game to address the newcomer. “Constable Richards.”

Constable Richards

The hobgoblin adjusted his trench coat and placed his hands behind his back. He remained at the center of the gate, just close enough to be able to talk to Lenoria. “Is this what you do? Watch people go on about their business?”

Lenoria placed her feet on the bench and curled up while remaining seated. “You should try it sometime. Who knows, maybe I’ll have to stop doing your job for you.”

“Don’t get cheeky with me, girl.”

Lenoria grinned.

“About those two perps, they want to press charges against you.”

“For what, self-defense?”

“Don’t worry, this was AFTER they admitted to being part of a human trafficking ring. You’re lucky they didn’t take you with them.”

“No need to worry about me, Constable. I can handle myself.” Lenoria raised her right arm to flex her bicep.

“I know, which is why my offer to join the force still stands. You’ve graduated now and as far as I know you don’t have any plans.”

Lenoria scoffed. “What’s the difference between that and what I’m already doing?”

“You would actually get paid.”

“Yeah, but then I’d have to listen to you bark orders at me.”

“Fair point.” The Constable’s gaze veered off to his right. “Say, do you know that fellow over there?”

Lenoria glanced in the direction the Constable was staring and facepalmed. Thomas was (poorly) hiding behind a tree, observing her. “I wish I didn’t, to be honest with you.”

“Wait a minute…” The Constable narrowed his eyes. “Hey, you aren’t supposed to be within 100 feet of the premises!” Grabbing his baton, the Constable dashed in Thomas’s direction. “You’re off the hook, Lenoria. Just no more vigilante shenanigans!”

“Fiiiine,” the girl answered half-heartedly. She grinned again when Thomas realized he was spotted, and he shrieked with a high-pitched voice before running away from the Constable. A single crow flew from the tree Thomas was hiding in.

More time passed and there was still no sign of Clara. The graduates were either still inside or gone, and none remained in the courtyard. It was not like Clara to leave her without warning and Lenoria became increasingly worried. Maybe she got delayed by her family?

CAW!

A corvid’s distressed voice startled the girl. She looked down and witnessed a corvid on the ground hopping its way to her. Its plumage was pitch black save for a single white tail feather in between the others.

“A raven?”

The raven left a trail of blood behind it, prompting the girl to remove her coat, tossing it on the bench, and dig through her tools to search for something that could help the injured avian.

Lenoria used the first aid kit she kept in her haversack, but she had little idea how to treat animal wounds. Knowledge in biology was not exactly her forte but she knew that every second wasted decreased the chances of her feathered patient surviving from the puncture wound on its belly.

“Help! I got a wounded animal over here!”

No response. The courtyard was devoid of students and the crows in the courtyard had taken notice of the wounded animal. The advancing sound of their flapping wings was silenced by the wounded raven’s cries.

“Where’s a druid when you need one?” Lenoria debated on leaving the raven to its fate. Maybe the crows just wanted to help the little bird or maybe they wanted to devour it. The latter case would be gruesome but that was nature for you. There was nothing she could do for the bird.

Except one thing. “You’re dying. I’m probably gonna regret this, but…” She grabbed a vial of green liquid from her belt and popped it open. She poured the liquid on the bird’s wound and soon enough its magic began to work immediately. The bleeding stopped and skin regenerated to close the wound.

“That was my only potion, but Mom always said animals need the most kindness because they can never repay it.” A cry full of energy rang in Lenoria’s ear as the raven perched on her shoulder. “Ow. You little scamp. You better tell your friends about me so they don’t see me as a threat.”

The bird just looked at her curiously.

“Oh, right. Guess you don’t understand me.” Lenoria shooed the crows away first by shouting, then by raising her arms to make herself look bigger, and the few crows that proved to be brave enough to stand their ground soon flew away when she chased after them. “There. They won’t bother you anymore. Did one of them do this to you?”

The raven tilted its head in confusion.

“What am I doing?” Lenoria sighed. “I’m talking to a bird. I’ve always dreamed about a knight in shining armor sweeping me off my feet on graduation day, and instead I’ve become the raven whisperer.”

The raven preened Lenoria’s hair in response.

“Sorry, pal. Only way you’re getting a kiss from me is if you’re a handsome prince cursed to live as a bird.” Lenoria scooped up the bird and walked over to the bench. She knelt to carefully place the creature on the bench. “Come find me if you’re bullied again, okay?”

The girl then made her way to the gate, but her pace was interrupted by the flapping of wings. The raven landed on her head and preened her hair once again.

“Oh, no. I don’t have any bird food at home. Sorry.” She grabbed the bird from her head and brought it to her eye level. “I can’t- Huh?” A black stone gleamed beneath the raven’s neck. It had an elaborate trapezoid pattern marked in white with a string keeping it attached to the raven’s body.

“Do you have an owner?” Lenoria held the stone and turned it around. “No address or addressee.” She looked around the area. Still no students. “Alright. Guess I’ll keep you, but only until we meet your master. Got it?”

The raven flapped its wings again and ascended to land on Lenoria’s head once she released it. They both faced the school building to see Clara finally coming outside with her parents.

“There you are. I’ve been waiting forever for you.”

“Sorry!” Clara bowed apologetically. “It’s just, um…”

Lenoria looked at Clara questioningly, then looked over at her mother. Clara had a habit to fall silent whenever she was embarrassed about something, and during such times her mother would finish her sentences for her.

“She just had to say goodbye to her instructors,” Clara’s mother answered. “She was a star in the summoner course, she did excellent on the planar course, and she did well above average in all other subjects.”

“Oh, really?” Lenoria looked over at Clara with a mischievous smile. “That makes sense.”

“Say, Lenoria,” Clara’s father asked, “mind coming for dinner tonight?”

“Of course, sir,” Lenoria answered. “Is buuz okay?”

“Those are the dumplings from your homeland, right?” Clara’s father grinned gleefully. “Been a while since I had beef.”

“Actually, I was thinking about mutton filling today. It IS a big day, after all.”

“Good point. The day’s still young, so why don’t you girls go out and have fun? Just be back in time for dinner.”

“Yes, sir!” Lenoria grabbed Clara’s arm. “Come on, Clara!”

“Don’t be so rough- Eeep!” Clara was dragged away by Lenoria and both girls made their way out of the gate. The graduation ceremony may have marked the end of their school days, but little did the girls know that the same day also marked the beginning of the rest of their lives.

***

“Slow down, Lenoria!”

Lenoria released Clara as requested. They had gone a good distance from the gate, but they were still on the school sidewalk. Clara awaited Lenoria’s words anxiously, as if she knew what was coming.

“Saying goodbye to your instructors? Gee, Clara, if you needed time alone, you should have just asked me to distract your parents for you.”

Clara pouted and turned her face to the left. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“We’re alumni, as of today. So, it wouldn’t be taboo to, say, ask one of the instructors out.”

The raven on Lenoria’s head cawed.

“See, even he agrees.”

Clara hid her face with her hands. “I-it’s not what you think it is,” her muffled voice said.

Lenoria gave Clara a playful nudge. “It’s not like you’re getting any younger. You gave him a rose last week, what’s taking so long?”

Clara slowly lowered her hands. Her face had gone beet red and continued stumbling in her words. Lenoria just giggled at the sight.

“You know I’m just teasing. Instructor Gardens did have a friendly disposition, so I can see anyone falling for him, and-”

“I couldn’t go through with it,” Clara blurted out.

Lenoria stopped mid-sentence to process what Clara just said. “Come again?”

“I was meaning to give my confession to him, but I chickened out at the last minute.”

“Oh.” Lenoria imagined herself wearing a dunce cap and donkey ears. “I’m sorry, Clara. Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, it’s fine.” Clara chuckled half-heartedly. “It’s not like he’d go for someone like me, anyway.”

“Why, because he looks older than you?”

“I’m older than him, actually.”

“Not the point.”

“W-why does it matter, anyway? It’s not like we’ll see each other again.”

“Now, you listen here! Oh, hold on.” Lenoria removed her dunce cap and donkey ears. “Much better. But you listen here, Clara. You can’t let fear make your life decisions for you or else you’re going to miss out a lot in life. ‘What if he doesn’t like me?’ ‘What if I’m not good enough?’ You have to ignore these questions. You have the right to chase after anything you want!”

“I-I don’t know…”

“Exactly! You don’t know! We can’t read people’s minds, so you’re never gonna know how they feel about you until you go find out for yourself! We’re marching back in!”

Clara met Lenoria’s gaze. “Actually, he was on his way out when I saw him today, so…”

“Then we go in tomorrow! The Headmaster wants to see me anyway, but once I’m done, I’ll be there for support! What do you say?”

After a pause, Clara nodded.

“Good!” Lenoria placed her hands on her hips and posed triumphantly. “Now what do you say we go shopping on the marketplace?”

The girls continued on their way out of the school premises. The day was young, and they had until dinner time to go to Clara’s house. Clara’s frown slowly faded as she tried to fight a grin trying to take over her face. Lenoria would try to tickle her to raise her spirits, if only for a little while.

“Somebody help me!”

The shrill shriek of a young boy grabbed their attention, followed by a cry for help. “That’s coming from the park,” Clara said. Both girls nodded to each other and quickened their pace in the direction of the voice.

They turned a corner and soon entered the gates of a nearby park, which was only a block away from the school. The girls approached a gathering crowd and excused themselves as they pushed and shoved to see what they were looking at.

The girls were not ready for what awaited them.

Two dogs sat by a hobgoblin child who had assumed the fetal position. “Aren’t those the dogs that tried to grab my coat?” The boy was in distress but unharmed. Just a stone’s throw away was the source of the child’s fear: A bird of prey perched on a boulder holding an aggressive stance. The bird glanced at Lenoria, then back at the child. It licked the tip of its bloody beak as it watched for sudden movements with anticipation.

Several yards from the scene were the motionless bodies of the dogs’ owners. Both lay in a massive pool of their intermingling blood. Their faces were contorted with fear, a sharp contrast to the laughter at Lenoria’s mishap earlier.

Clara whispered to a halfling woman in the crowd. “What happened here?”

“The kid threw some rocks at the bird. The bird got upset and swooped down to snatch him, but the dogs pushed him away in time. And the owners, well,” the woman pointed at the corpses, “last thing they did was laugh at the bird. It started moving its wings around all crazy like, and next thing we know those two drop like flies.”

The raven on Lenoria’s head cawed anxiously, flapping its wings erratically.

“What’s the matter with you?” Lenoria tried to grab the raven but she got bitten for her trouble. “Ow! Quit it!”

“It’s a harpy eagle.” Clara kept her eyes on the bird of prey. “They’re carnivores that prey on small mammals and birds. The little guy must be scared of it.”

“Just my luck!” Lenoria grabbed the raven with both of her hands and brought it down to meet her gaze. “Listen to me! You keep crying like that and you’ll be that monster’s lunch! Zip it before it notices!”

The raven stopped struggling.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?! Be a good boy and stay quiet!” Lenoria brought her hands to her shoulder which allowed the raven to hop on.

“I’ve been meaning to ask, but why do you have a raven on you? More importantly, shouldn’t it be flying away?”

“No idea, but I’m glad it stopped panicking. Running away is just an invitation to a chase for some predators.” Lenoria scratched under the raven’s beak. “Take a look around, Clara. What do your eyes see?”

“Give me a moment.” Clara’s first instinct was to stare back at the eagle. She looked at the base of the boulder to find a dead animal there as well as some rocks. Right in front of the eagle, between itself and the crowds, was the child. To the right of the bird - that is to say, west - were the corpses of the dogs’ owners. “It was definitely eating and minding its own business. There’s rocks next to that dead rabbit, so at least that confirms what the witness said.”

The girls were startled by the sudden shout of the halfling woman. “Will you stop trying to point fingers and do something already?!”

“Relax,” Lenoria said, “a predator that has just eaten won’t bother hunting right away. If we show we don’t mean harm, it might leave the kid alone.” She crossed her arms in a pensive state. “But what do we do? We’re not supposed to interact with any animals in the park unless we’re employed by the park or the government. And there’s no druid in sight.”

“Should we try calling the guards?” Clara asked.

Lenoria snapped her fingers. “Of course! The Constable was on campus just a short while ago. Go look for him on the courtyard, then make your way up the hill if he’s not there.”

Clara seemed puzzled. “The hill? Why?”

“Let’s just say there was a crime scene there earlier. If you’re fast enough, there could still be officers there. Hurry!”

“Okay, I will. But what will you do?”

Lenoria scooped the raven and handed it to Clara and moved northeast with a slow pace. “Someone’s got to look out for the kid. But I need to check how that couple died, too. No one drops dead just like that.”

“Wait!” Clara tried to reach out for Lenoria, but the girl was already halfway there. She looked at the raven, who had been docile the whole time. “Looks like it’s up to us. Come on!”

The girls split up with a plan in mind. It wasn’t the best plan, but leaving the kid there was not an option for Lenoria. Her eyes were on the eagle the entire time, and the bird met her gaze fearlessly.

Or perhaps it was gauging its next meal.

Lenoria crouched by the bodies to determine the cause of death. How did they die? She soon found the answer, and the answer shocked her to the point she felt a pit in her stomach. She first lifted the man’s shirt, then the woman’s to confirm. They died the same way, and quite possibly at the same time.

Puncture wounds dotted their napes and their spines. "Them, too?"