Soft grumbling noises arose from within the girl. Her little beak opened and let out soft groans of hunger. Her eye opened a little, in the strange way that small animals do sometimes when they are half asleep – perhaps perceiving the world in some dream state but otherwise noticing nothing in the environment around them.

Her eyes were as black as black. Tunnels into further chasms. Black tears continued to streak down her face. She was hungry now, which was worrisome. But soon we will return to base and from there, she will be okay.

Well, okay for a short time. The rest of the story we will have to worry about later.

Together, we twisted through tunnels that only beings such as I can ascend. Such sheer paths upward and walls coated in dangerous life forms. I have tapped into mysteries of the universe unknown to most, and one of these revelations has the advantage of granting me the power of flight.

At last, we arrive at the entrance to the lair, a rather small but strangely smooth portion of cavern wall. I hold Mae tighter in my arms. For whatever reason, I tap my beak against hers. Partially, I believe, because of pity. I know what sorrowful throes bust be befalling her now.

She lets out another wail, more potent than the last. I hold her even tighter and drift towards the wall, my gaze unshifting. We pass through with no complications. Past the cavern wall is my lair. Full of my familiar gear. In the centre is a great crystal. It has grown over many cycles and is now deep crimson in colour. I loosen my tight grip on Mae.

“Oh, my beloved gem. How have you been? I’m sorry I was gone for so long. You must have been petrified. Everything is okay now. I’m here.”

I let Mae down and drift over to my beloved crystal. Stroking her, I move over to retreave the eggs from beneath her. They have been infused with the crystal’s power and now contain interdimentional properies.

I carry the eggs over to Mae and hold them over her beak and let her smell them. Her eyes suddenly open, the blackness intoxicating, and she devours the several small round balls in my hand. Her eyes close again and then open a few times. She was coming to. The blackness faded and I could see her original eyes once more, albeit red and bloodshot, she was resembling a gorvel again.