With one eye on Herbie and the other on the imaginary donuts that were dangling before her in the cruellest most taunting of ways, X shivered and ruffled her feathers. She was the hungriest she’d been in her entire life, so hungry that she was even thinking of pecking at some of the fallen berries that littered the ground by her feet. Reluctantly tapping one with her beak, she began muttering to herself when the booming sounds came crashing from ahead. Jumping into the air, she let out a surprised shriek as through the stationary trees it seemed as though other trees appeared to be moving. She was about to fly away when she caught sight of poor Herbie. Scrambling towards him, she saw that he was still too tired, and although she was scared of what might be happening, she covered him with one of her wings hoping it might be enough to protect him from the sudden uproar. Unknown to her, perched atop one of the approaching trees sat her old friend George. He had spied the magpie from afar, for it was in this direction the scent of Prudence was strongest, not to mention the music. It’s a strange and yet quite understandable fact that she didn’t hear the music, for those who sing the sweetest tunes are often oblivious to their beauty. Observing the bird, George was about to let the tree take him past when the urge to descend got the better of him. Scuttling down the trunk until he was stepping onto the dead twigs that lined the dry earth, he took a few steps forwards. The closer he got, the more his heart kept skipping beats, and when he took in a deep gulp of air, the taste of magic set his whiskers off. It didn’t surprise him that she’d changed. In fact, he’d anticipated it, and yet how strange it was to see his beloved Prudence now adorned in feathers, and even stranger that it was now him that towered over her. Rushing over, he saw the fear in her eyes as he loomed, but the second he stuck out his tongue and licked those black and white feathers, she recognised him at once and lovingly wrapped her wings around his furry neck.

A Journal for Damned Lovers UK

A Journal for Damned Lovers US

Anthology UK / Anthology US